In last Sunday’s sermon, I mentioned a new direction our region’s common ministry is taking. Typically, I don’t write or speak much about regional church activities. They can seem rather...boring, honestly. Plus, we’re so distant from most regional churches, it’s hard to participate. But given the scope of recent decisions, I felt the need to say something. So bear with me; loads o’ info to follow.
#1- We’ve called a ‘settled’ Regional Minister- Rev. Bill Spangler-Dunning. You may know the name; he’s been the ‘Acting’ Regional Minister 2+ years. The previous grand poobah, Rev. Richard Guentert, had served for 20 years or so. During Richard’s final few years, Bill was Associate Regional Minister for Youth and Camping, shifting to ‘Acting’ Regional Minister once Richard retired. That was supposed to be temporary, giving us time to think more deeply about our region’s direction. In the meantime, Bill helped increase regional revenues, pay off large debts, the regional headquarters building up for sale; i.e. firmed up our fiscal foundation. He’s also pushed churches to engage deeper with the ‘new vision’ our region adopted in 2003- Disciples Together- by strengthening their mutual relationships. These activities, and the strongly positive response they elicited from folk throughout the region, impressed the regional personnel committee. They recommended dropping the ‘Acting’ designation and at the Regional Meeting last Saturday, April 10, we did just that.
To my mind, one idea of Bill’s that’s helped many trust his leadership is also one that sparked the other big change made last Saturday. Many Upper Midwest Disciples, Bill claims, were implicitly taught that “The Region” is like a hub at a tire’s center, and that local churches, while important and related, were separate from the offices and staff- The Region- in Des Moines. Bill contends, however, that The Region is nothing but the accumulation of churches and church people in the Upper Midwest. There’s no hub, he says, because The Region’s center is wherever two or three are gathered in ministry as Disciples Together. Hence, I believe, his urgency to sell the Des Moines area HQ and work from the Camp and Conference Center or in various churches. He wants to teach that no regional ministry- camp, youth programs, ordination preparation- happens unless Disciples feel inspired to work on it together.
Thus, we’ve dramatically changed the region’s structure. Gone are bi-annual Regional Assemblies and their rubber-stamping ‘business meetings.’ Instead, we’ll have annual or semi-annual “Called Gatherings,” where anyone can come, though each church can send two and only two official delegates (big churches got more voting power before), and the main point is listening to our collective ideas and passions for ministry, thus discerning what God wants us to do in common. So if our church gets excited about women’s, or youth, or puppet ministry, shares that dream with the Called Gathering and another couple churches say, “Let’s work together!” Viola- it’s a ministry of the region, until such time as that shared passion fades. Therefore, regional staff or leadership no longer decide what’s appropriate regional ministry or not. Only the sharing of passions and dreams for ministry among churches does. Inevitably, that’ll make for a messier process, but it honors our Disciples’ commitment to congregational autonomy and freedom in the Body of Christ. For truly, we believe that unity in the midst of diversity is stronger than enforced conformity.
So the first “Called Gathering” will be October 15. If you want to be a PCCC delegate, let me know (as clergy, I’m exempt). And most especially, if you feel we have a passion for ministry to share with our sister and brother DoC churches, let’s start exploring that and building partnerships now. Maybe a regional “Community Garden and Green Ministry”… In any event, it’s exciting to hear folk talk about regional ministry as a possible source of inspiration and not a drag or necessary evil. I hope you’ll take a moment to respond to me with any feedback, and maybe pray that, indeed, we’ll find new ways to be Disciples Together. After all, though doing ministry alone can be fruitful, sharing ministry is better. And nearer, I believe, to the heart of God.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Being there…
Y’all likely knew that my dad’s an attorney. Not a Law and Order lawyer, who daily dazzles and charms juries in the courtroom. Rather, Dad spent most of his working hours huddled behind his desk writing patents and copyrights for inventors and entrepreneurs. I grew up telling him, “There’s no way I’m going to write as much as you when I’m older!” So much for that theory.
Anyway, like most attorneys, my father worked lots of hours. Evenings, weekends, not always, but often enough. Still, one thing he was very good at was being there for family events- dinner, soccer games, school conferences. Professionals and working parents of all varieties find striking that balance between work and being present for the family elusive, and so did Dad. But he remained committed to maintaining it, not letting work consume everything, even stayed in private practice most of his career to ensure as much family flexibility as possible. That required sacrifices both financial and professional, but being there for us was priority #1. The older I get, the more I appreciate that effort.
Last week Friday, I went to a half-day conference at Bethel Seminary on “Ministry to the Military.” Many thanks to Laurie and Tim Leonhart for telling me and encouraging me to attend! Working parents in the armed forces, of course, don’t have the flexibility my dad cultivated to ‘be present’ for significant family events. When the commander says, “Do this,” you do it! Or when the government says, “Go fight this war,” you’re gone for awhile. I learned last week that while the age of our service members remains young- the largest segment is still young men between 18 and 25- the proportion of married and parenting sailors and soldiers has risen. Currently, over 50% of America’s fighting forces are married and/or have children. In other words, one of every two deployed soldiers can’t be present for a family who is, or should be, priority #1.
That gets complicated, obviously, since many married and parenting service members are proud to serve, and many families, while sad for the person’s absence, willingly share this sacrifice for something they consider greater than themselves. But it is truly a sacrifice, regardless how proud you are of your loved one. My sister, whose husband just returned from a year in Iraq, learned this well. Not being there at a child’s birth or after a spouse is laid off or during any number of significant events drains a person’s heart. Parents beyond the military surely understand this. But I suspect there’s something unique about being absent for months, while also being potentially in harm’s way.
At the Conference, then, we talked not only about the distinctiveness military life for service members and their families, but also how churches can respond. Since the military includes less than 1% of our population, and given everything else happening around us- poverty, hunger, injustice, despair, environmental degradation- ministry to the military isn’t something every church will undertake. But I do think it’s a need all Christians are called to reflect on and perhaps be ready to respond to however they deem faithful. After all, in our faith community and neighborhoods are people affected by the stress military service and deployment puts on families. Or perhaps a woman will visit next Sunday in uniform, asking a Christian community to help her. What do you do? Well, there’re many answers to that, but my favorite they gave last Friday was, “Be there.” If given the chance, be there for a wife whose husband can’t be, for a youth whose Mommy’s in Afghanistan, for a former soldier having trouble reintegrating to civilian life. Listen more than talk. Don’t judge or react negatively. Ask to learn their stories, rather than presume you already know. Be there, be present, but in a very Christian, love-your-neighbor way. It’s not new advice, perhaps the oldest we got. But worth remembering if ever we’re called as a church to respond to such a pressing need.
In the meantime, please continue praying with me for these families, military chaplains and others who help. And- always- for peace.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Anyway, like most attorneys, my father worked lots of hours. Evenings, weekends, not always, but often enough. Still, one thing he was very good at was being there for family events- dinner, soccer games, school conferences. Professionals and working parents of all varieties find striking that balance between work and being present for the family elusive, and so did Dad. But he remained committed to maintaining it, not letting work consume everything, even stayed in private practice most of his career to ensure as much family flexibility as possible. That required sacrifices both financial and professional, but being there for us was priority #1. The older I get, the more I appreciate that effort.
Last week Friday, I went to a half-day conference at Bethel Seminary on “Ministry to the Military.” Many thanks to Laurie and Tim Leonhart for telling me and encouraging me to attend! Working parents in the armed forces, of course, don’t have the flexibility my dad cultivated to ‘be present’ for significant family events. When the commander says, “Do this,” you do it! Or when the government says, “Go fight this war,” you’re gone for awhile. I learned last week that while the age of our service members remains young- the largest segment is still young men between 18 and 25- the proportion of married and parenting sailors and soldiers has risen. Currently, over 50% of America’s fighting forces are married and/or have children. In other words, one of every two deployed soldiers can’t be present for a family who is, or should be, priority #1.
That gets complicated, obviously, since many married and parenting service members are proud to serve, and many families, while sad for the person’s absence, willingly share this sacrifice for something they consider greater than themselves. But it is truly a sacrifice, regardless how proud you are of your loved one. My sister, whose husband just returned from a year in Iraq, learned this well. Not being there at a child’s birth or after a spouse is laid off or during any number of significant events drains a person’s heart. Parents beyond the military surely understand this. But I suspect there’s something unique about being absent for months, while also being potentially in harm’s way.
At the Conference, then, we talked not only about the distinctiveness military life for service members and their families, but also how churches can respond. Since the military includes less than 1% of our population, and given everything else happening around us- poverty, hunger, injustice, despair, environmental degradation- ministry to the military isn’t something every church will undertake. But I do think it’s a need all Christians are called to reflect on and perhaps be ready to respond to however they deem faithful. After all, in our faith community and neighborhoods are people affected by the stress military service and deployment puts on families. Or perhaps a woman will visit next Sunday in uniform, asking a Christian community to help her. What do you do? Well, there’re many answers to that, but my favorite they gave last Friday was, “Be there.” If given the chance, be there for a wife whose husband can’t be, for a youth whose Mommy’s in Afghanistan, for a former soldier having trouble reintegrating to civilian life. Listen more than talk. Don’t judge or react negatively. Ask to learn their stories, rather than presume you already know. Be there, be present, but in a very Christian, love-your-neighbor way. It’s not new advice, perhaps the oldest we got. But worth remembering if ever we’re called as a church to respond to such a pressing need.
In the meantime, please continue praying with me for these families, military chaplains and others who help. And- always- for peace.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Natural lighting…
One great thing about our sanctuary, I hope you agree, is the height and width and quantity of its windows. Not many churches have as open a view to the world around them as Plymouth Creek. Sure, in some cases all you see are bypassing buses and potholes in the parking lot! Sometimes that world isn’t as pretty as we’d prefer. Nevertheless, these windows let in so much natural lighting the internal lights can seem redundant. We tried showing afternoon movies in the sanctuary during this year’s Cinema Sermon Series, but had to retire to the Welcome Center/Narthex. Modern projectors, apparently, can’t handle that much light.
Beyond the brightened atmosphere this lends our church, especially in contrast to other dark and heavy sanctuaries, I appreciate the design’s symbolism. At our core, this church and its denominational family celebrate the openness of Jesus to all. We believe none are barred from sharing the bread and cup of Christ’s Table. All are invited and united by God’s love, and there’s nothing we can do about it! Thus, the divisions, the fighting and animosity that seem so endemic to human life are rendered null and void in our church (when we’re being who we’re called to be, that is…). We are one, always and already, because the Alpha and Omega, God our Divine Parent loves each of us as beloved children from everlasting to everlasting. That’s true if you come to church, if you sleep in, if you drive by giving us the one-finger salute. God loves the world God created and wants desperately for us to know that and live up to its high calling. Therefore, our church didn’t build walls where windows could be. We want to shine God’s love brightly; to open our lives and hearts as widely to our neighbors as God’s already done for them, and for us. Our new church vision is “to become a beacon of Christian openness and service in the NW suburbs,” and apparently our sanctuary windows, which let natural light in while shining supernatural Light in return, are in on the project.
As is now our land, or it likely will be soon. Per the Board’s decision at March’s meeting, the church is now in discussions with the city of Plymouth to open part of our lawn as an organic community garden for our neighbors.
I think that’s super cool, as you might expect. We’ve talked about this before as a way to use our resources to care for God’s earth and serve our neighbors, all at once. But we never took the plunge due to concerns about recruiting gardeners and having sufficient volunteers to tend the gardens. Well, the city forester contacted me awhile back, offering to manage those issues if we were willing to invite Plymouth gardeners onto our property. So I consulted church leadership and our ministry partners (the Child Care Center even expressed interest in cultivating a plot of their own), responded to many questions and concerns and with as much info as possible, the Board decided it was a worthy project to try.
The goal, then, is that on or around May 15 we’ll open 30 15’ x 15’ garden plots on the west lawn for our neighbors to grow their own organic food this summer. If at season’s end, it turned out to be a horrible inconvenience, then we’ll shake hands with the city and say, “Well, we tried.” But I’m praying, even expecting, that won’t happen. I’ve seen community gardens be a wonderful ministry for enough churches around the country that I’m convinced it can be so for ours too. And besides, why should the windows get all the fun?! Why can’t we shine Christ’s light of love by our opening our land in service to our neighbors?! Some might call that a mixed metaphor, but when the soil attracts others to come and see how loving God includes caring for Creation and sharing resources to build community, that’s as bright a beacon as any halogen lamp I know. Natural lighting, indeed.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
P.S.- Happy Easter! Best day of the year, always! Come shine with us 10 AM, April 24.
Read more!
Beyond the brightened atmosphere this lends our church, especially in contrast to other dark and heavy sanctuaries, I appreciate the design’s symbolism. At our core, this church and its denominational family celebrate the openness of Jesus to all. We believe none are barred from sharing the bread and cup of Christ’s Table. All are invited and united by God’s love, and there’s nothing we can do about it! Thus, the divisions, the fighting and animosity that seem so endemic to human life are rendered null and void in our church (when we’re being who we’re called to be, that is…). We are one, always and already, because the Alpha and Omega, God our Divine Parent loves each of us as beloved children from everlasting to everlasting. That’s true if you come to church, if you sleep in, if you drive by giving us the one-finger salute. God loves the world God created and wants desperately for us to know that and live up to its high calling. Therefore, our church didn’t build walls where windows could be. We want to shine God’s love brightly; to open our lives and hearts as widely to our neighbors as God’s already done for them, and for us. Our new church vision is “to become a beacon of Christian openness and service in the NW suburbs,” and apparently our sanctuary windows, which let natural light in while shining supernatural Light in return, are in on the project.
As is now our land, or it likely will be soon. Per the Board’s decision at March’s meeting, the church is now in discussions with the city of Plymouth to open part of our lawn as an organic community garden for our neighbors.
I think that’s super cool, as you might expect. We’ve talked about this before as a way to use our resources to care for God’s earth and serve our neighbors, all at once. But we never took the plunge due to concerns about recruiting gardeners and having sufficient volunteers to tend the gardens. Well, the city forester contacted me awhile back, offering to manage those issues if we were willing to invite Plymouth gardeners onto our property. So I consulted church leadership and our ministry partners (the Child Care Center even expressed interest in cultivating a plot of their own), responded to many questions and concerns and with as much info as possible, the Board decided it was a worthy project to try.
The goal, then, is that on or around May 15 we’ll open 30 15’ x 15’ garden plots on the west lawn for our neighbors to grow their own organic food this summer. If at season’s end, it turned out to be a horrible inconvenience, then we’ll shake hands with the city and say, “Well, we tried.” But I’m praying, even expecting, that won’t happen. I’ve seen community gardens be a wonderful ministry for enough churches around the country that I’m convinced it can be so for ours too. And besides, why should the windows get all the fun?! Why can’t we shine Christ’s light of love by our opening our land in service to our neighbors?! Some might call that a mixed metaphor, but when the soil attracts others to come and see how loving God includes caring for Creation and sharing resources to build community, that’s as bright a beacon as any halogen lamp I know. Natural lighting, indeed.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
P.S.- Happy Easter! Best day of the year, always! Come shine with us 10 AM, April 24.
Read more!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Circles of Support…
I probably spent more time last weekend watching college basketball than sleeping. And that’s just fine with me. It’s March Madness time, of course- the annual tournament for NCAA college basketball to which people all over the country tune in. Back in Lexington, KY, where I pastored before Plymouth and home to the University of Kentucky Wildcats, these three weekends are almost sacred. For some Wildcats followers, basketball is a religious experience with March Madness the pinnacle of worship, so to speak. I’m not that kind of fan. But I do love it and watch as many games as possible.
Anyway, I wonder if, for even non-fans, you’ve ever noticed something true about all basketball teams? The suits on the bench. To clarify lingo, “the bench” in basketball is the row of chairs on the sideline where players (who aren’t playing) and coaches sit. The suits I refer to are the inevitable grouping of gentlemen or ladies in business attire, apparently required professionally to don more stuffy garments than the sweat suits bench-sitting players prefer. These are, presumably, assistant coaches, statisticians, trainers or work-study student gofers that just like being near the team. Every team has a cadre of suits on the bench. Always the head coach, but never just the head coach.
You ever wonder exactly what the not-the-head-coach suits on the bench do? During practice, you assume the coach decides what to practice and why. During games, the coach decides substitutions or what plays to run. What else could a 14-person basketball team need for all those other suits? Apparently lots, since every team’s got them, some even exceeding the number of uniformed players.
Well, I imagine we could talk endlessly about the suits’ functions. But one in particular seems relevant to our church- their support and advisory role. The head coach, who’s ultimately responsible for strategy, training techniques, what color tie to wear, probably should never decide things alone. Gathering folk to think through problems, hear different perspectives, act as conduits for the players, probably increases the coach’s effectiveness. Maybe one or two wonderful coaches operate as lone wolves. But most of us are wired to need help!
I mention this as a (very!) rough analogy to something within our church you may not know about- The Pastoral Relations Team. In short, the PRT is a small group of folk who support and advise the pastor in her/his (my!) pastoral duties. We’ve had PRTs on and off over the years, I’m told. It took about 18 months to get one off the ground for me, and we’re still working out kinks. But a PRT’s basic goal is to listen to the joys and concerns of my job as I see them, help me and the whole church set effective time boundaries and professional expectations, and importantly, serve as another means of communication between the congregation and its pastoral leadership. Unlike suits on the bench, they rarely help teach ‘skills and strategies’! But they really help me, and I think they can help you too.
Which is why I bring this up. #1- I want you to know there’re folk to turn to (besides me) with your ideas, comments, hopes or frustrations for your pastor. They are, currently, Becky Bell, Tom Jarvi, Mike Barnes and Steve Weaver. If you have feedback, PLEASE say something so we can live together more faithfully into the wonderful call God has for us. #2- Soon, they’ll be asking for specific feedback regarding your pastoral and church priorities, so they can help me reshape time management practices, expectations and opportunities. And I didn’t want that to come out of the blue.
But mostly, I wanted you to know that this in another way our church helps me serve you in our common vision to become a beacon of Christian openness and service in the NW suburbs. We won’t get there, I believe, if I don’t have circles of support listening to me, challenging me, praying for and assessing with me, not to mention providing everyone another communication channel. For that work, I am very grateful. No lone wolves in this church! Especially not the pastor.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Anyway, I wonder if, for even non-fans, you’ve ever noticed something true about all basketball teams? The suits on the bench. To clarify lingo, “the bench” in basketball is the row of chairs on the sideline where players (who aren’t playing) and coaches sit. The suits I refer to are the inevitable grouping of gentlemen or ladies in business attire, apparently required professionally to don more stuffy garments than the sweat suits bench-sitting players prefer. These are, presumably, assistant coaches, statisticians, trainers or work-study student gofers that just like being near the team. Every team has a cadre of suits on the bench. Always the head coach, but never just the head coach.
You ever wonder exactly what the not-the-head-coach suits on the bench do? During practice, you assume the coach decides what to practice and why. During games, the coach decides substitutions or what plays to run. What else could a 14-person basketball team need for all those other suits? Apparently lots, since every team’s got them, some even exceeding the number of uniformed players.
Well, I imagine we could talk endlessly about the suits’ functions. But one in particular seems relevant to our church- their support and advisory role. The head coach, who’s ultimately responsible for strategy, training techniques, what color tie to wear, probably should never decide things alone. Gathering folk to think through problems, hear different perspectives, act as conduits for the players, probably increases the coach’s effectiveness. Maybe one or two wonderful coaches operate as lone wolves. But most of us are wired to need help!
I mention this as a (very!) rough analogy to something within our church you may not know about- The Pastoral Relations Team. In short, the PRT is a small group of folk who support and advise the pastor in her/his (my!) pastoral duties. We’ve had PRTs on and off over the years, I’m told. It took about 18 months to get one off the ground for me, and we’re still working out kinks. But a PRT’s basic goal is to listen to the joys and concerns of my job as I see them, help me and the whole church set effective time boundaries and professional expectations, and importantly, serve as another means of communication between the congregation and its pastoral leadership. Unlike suits on the bench, they rarely help teach ‘skills and strategies’! But they really help me, and I think they can help you too.
Which is why I bring this up. #1- I want you to know there’re folk to turn to (besides me) with your ideas, comments, hopes or frustrations for your pastor. They are, currently, Becky Bell, Tom Jarvi, Mike Barnes and Steve Weaver. If you have feedback, PLEASE say something so we can live together more faithfully into the wonderful call God has for us. #2- Soon, they’ll be asking for specific feedback regarding your pastoral and church priorities, so they can help me reshape time management practices, expectations and opportunities. And I didn’t want that to come out of the blue.
But mostly, I wanted you to know that this in another way our church helps me serve you in our common vision to become a beacon of Christian openness and service in the NW suburbs. We won’t get there, I believe, if I don’t have circles of support listening to me, challenging me, praying for and assessing with me, not to mention providing everyone another communication channel. For that work, I am very grateful. No lone wolves in this church! Especially not the pastor.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Sacred spaces…
Did y’all hear about our recent outing to the Hindu Temple of Minnesota? Saturday, March 12, around 10 AM, a group of PCCCers met at church, loaded into the new bus (first time for many!) and drove to this temple in Maple Grove. Another PCCC cadre awaited our arrival; a further faction of five arrived minutes later. A tour guide gathered and greeted us, and for 90 minutes we explored what is, we learned, the largest Hindu Temple in North America.
First, I want to express my deep appreciation for the hospitality we received from these sisters and brothers of a different faith. Occasionally, we hear American religious culture described as full of conflict and division. In some ways, that’s true. Many faith traditions throughout history, certainly our Christian tradition, sometimes offered stridently closed worldviews. Seeking to express sincere devotion to God or Ultimate Reality however defined, some claimed their way of comprehending spirituality was the only proper path toward salvation or enlightenment. A “My way or the Hell highway” brand of belief. But more often, I feel, in daily life faithful people of many stripes practice a humbler religion. Surveys show that, among American Christians, over 70% believe God has created multiple pathways for receiving grace and forgiveness. I.e. Jesus is a great way, but not the only way. In my heart, I cherish the open instincts of our Savior, who called any and all to more holiness, justice and truth, without quibbling over the ‘correct’ religious or cultural background. A word for that practice is hospitality, and as pastor of a church who’s named “unconditional hospitality” as a core value, I believe we found companions for our journey at the Hindu Temple, however differently they describe spiritual reality.
But certainly, Hinduism is not Christianity! So it was enriching to learn more about what feeds their souls and helps ground their families in a culture worlds away from the Indian soil where Hinduism has grown for 5,000+ years. I can’t describe everything that struck me last Saturday, but let me name one issue that felt foreign to my religious understanding, yet was surprisingly, blessedly, familiar.
As you probably know, Hindus honor many deities. There’s a ‘trinity’ of sorts, three major gods- Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu- but also a ‘monotheistic’ impulse, for they acknowledge a unifying Spirit, Brahman, supreme over all. Beyond that, though, is a vast array of gods and goddesses to whom worshippers, communities, even geographic regions give varying degrees of devotion. The MN Hindu Temple has erected shrines for 21 divinities, and as we toured the space, we saw priests and devotees move from one shrine to the next chanting scripture, performing baby dedications and other rituals, and otherwise praying for blessings depending on the particular deity’s area of responsibility, so to speak.
That’s pretty different than my belief system, obviously. But something our guide said resonated with PCCC church culture. “We each devote ourselves to one or several gods or goddesses (for whatever reason), and develop a kind of relationship with them. Over time, that fosters a deep intimacy with that deity.” Our church talks often about intimacy; indeed, “friendly, intimate community” is another core value. Sometimes, that’s shorthand for, “We’re a small church”! But more profoundly, we honor intimacy- with each other and God- because, in my opinion, intimate relationship, i.e. love, is Jesus’ main prescription for transforming our lives and world into what God intended. “Love God (completely), and your neighbor as yourself.” Put differently, intimacy matters, perhaps more than anything. In Hindu tradition, a person or community might spend decades praying to Parvati or Krishna; pleading for help, celebrating success, getting angry at her/him for not delivering, saying, “I’m sorry.” Sound familiar?! Throughout life, therefore, a sacred space of intimacy grows in the group’s or worshipper’s heart, a nexus for faith to develop, sustain and guide devotees now and into the great beyond. Though I do things differently, I too seek increased intimacy with my God- Jesus, Lord and Leader of my life- trusting that nurturing sacred spaces, in my heart and elsewhere, will produce greater love for God and all God’s children. So I pray for you.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
First, I want to express my deep appreciation for the hospitality we received from these sisters and brothers of a different faith. Occasionally, we hear American religious culture described as full of conflict and division. In some ways, that’s true. Many faith traditions throughout history, certainly our Christian tradition, sometimes offered stridently closed worldviews. Seeking to express sincere devotion to God or Ultimate Reality however defined, some claimed their way of comprehending spirituality was the only proper path toward salvation or enlightenment. A “My way or the Hell highway” brand of belief. But more often, I feel, in daily life faithful people of many stripes practice a humbler religion. Surveys show that, among American Christians, over 70% believe God has created multiple pathways for receiving grace and forgiveness. I.e. Jesus is a great way, but not the only way. In my heart, I cherish the open instincts of our Savior, who called any and all to more holiness, justice and truth, without quibbling over the ‘correct’ religious or cultural background. A word for that practice is hospitality, and as pastor of a church who’s named “unconditional hospitality” as a core value, I believe we found companions for our journey at the Hindu Temple, however differently they describe spiritual reality.
But certainly, Hinduism is not Christianity! So it was enriching to learn more about what feeds their souls and helps ground their families in a culture worlds away from the Indian soil where Hinduism has grown for 5,000+ years. I can’t describe everything that struck me last Saturday, but let me name one issue that felt foreign to my religious understanding, yet was surprisingly, blessedly, familiar.
As you probably know, Hindus honor many deities. There’s a ‘trinity’ of sorts, three major gods- Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu- but also a ‘monotheistic’ impulse, for they acknowledge a unifying Spirit, Brahman, supreme over all. Beyond that, though, is a vast array of gods and goddesses to whom worshippers, communities, even geographic regions give varying degrees of devotion. The MN Hindu Temple has erected shrines for 21 divinities, and as we toured the space, we saw priests and devotees move from one shrine to the next chanting scripture, performing baby dedications and other rituals, and otherwise praying for blessings depending on the particular deity’s area of responsibility, so to speak.
That’s pretty different than my belief system, obviously. But something our guide said resonated with PCCC church culture. “We each devote ourselves to one or several gods or goddesses (for whatever reason), and develop a kind of relationship with them. Over time, that fosters a deep intimacy with that deity.” Our church talks often about intimacy; indeed, “friendly, intimate community” is another core value. Sometimes, that’s shorthand for, “We’re a small church”! But more profoundly, we honor intimacy- with each other and God- because, in my opinion, intimate relationship, i.e. love, is Jesus’ main prescription for transforming our lives and world into what God intended. “Love God (completely), and your neighbor as yourself.” Put differently, intimacy matters, perhaps more than anything. In Hindu tradition, a person or community might spend decades praying to Parvati or Krishna; pleading for help, celebrating success, getting angry at her/him for not delivering, saying, “I’m sorry.” Sound familiar?! Throughout life, therefore, a sacred space of intimacy grows in the group’s or worshipper’s heart, a nexus for faith to develop, sustain and guide devotees now and into the great beyond. Though I do things differently, I too seek increased intimacy with my God- Jesus, Lord and Leader of my life- trusting that nurturing sacred spaces, in my heart and elsewhere, will produce greater love for God and all God’s children. So I pray for you.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Let us pray…
Here’s a collection of quotes from favorite prayers of mine. I’d be interested to receive yours:
I could go on and on! You ever noticed how, when watching a movie or sports game, something happens on screen and you know, you just know, what they’ll say next? Two attractive people look longingly into each other’s eyes during a romantic comedy, and after a few moments of tension, inevitably, one utters, “I love you,” words jumbled with emotion. Or a running back breaks through the offensive line, runs into the open field with no one around to tackle him, so the TV announcer yells, “He could...go…all…the…way!” That doesn’t have to happen, of course. The screenwriter or football commentator could choose different responses to those situations. But those particular words have worked so well for so long for so many people they feel ingrained in our collective consciousness, a natural part of our feelings about specific circumstances. Words can even structure expectations about the future- how to judge if a new movie is original or formulaic, whether a football game is sufficiently exciting- that we repeat some phrases in our daily lives, hoping to receive ourselves what we saw on TV.
For all my appreciation of inventiveness in prayer, I think that’s how good prayers can make a great difference in our lives. The words I quoted above (most of them…!) are favorites not just because I find them pretty, but because I’ve repeated these prayers many times, allowing them to shape my spirit in what I consider more holy and faithful directions. Or that’s been the goal. I want my anxiety to find its holding pattern in the lovingly restful arms of God. I hope always to retain a fervent desire to please God, and to work for God’s Kingdom in our midst, while nevertheless being humble and content with my confusions, doubts and limitations. I want never, ever, to forget how incredible God truly is, that God is always different, always better and more magnificent. Mary was absolutely right!
But that’s not the only way prayer operates in our lives, right? A couple weeks back, I wrote about primary and secondary blessings of prayer, but couldn’t explore issues like intercessory prayer (“God, heal my mother”), contemplative prayer (e.g. repeating simple phrases for twenty minutes), prayers of lament (“My God, why have you forsaken me?!”), interfaith prayer (ever prayed with Muslims?) and more. In fact, there’s much confusion, even disagreement, about prayer’s impact on Christians- when to do it, whether to move, what’s selfish, effective, faithful or foolish. So next Wednesday, March 16, as the first in a series of Lenten conversations about difficult issues of faith, I want to discuss prayer. We’ll begin at 6 in the sanctuary, I’ll have dinner waiting, and until 6:50ish, we’ll be honest with each about prayer. I’ll bring resources from some wise souls that may be helpful. Bring your experiences, questions, convictions, doubts and willingness to learn and listen. And together, we may understand better what may be the most ancient, mysterious, profound and fundamental religious practice of all time- Prayer. How’s that for a dramatic advertisement…?!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
- “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end…and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.” -Thomas Merton
- “Great are you, O Lord, and exceedingly worthy of praise…You arouse us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” -St. Augustine
- “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.” -Jesus of Nazareth
- “My Soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” -Mary, Jesus’ Mom
- “Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.” -David, my fifth-grade friend
I could go on and on! You ever noticed how, when watching a movie or sports game, something happens on screen and you know, you just know, what they’ll say next? Two attractive people look longingly into each other’s eyes during a romantic comedy, and after a few moments of tension, inevitably, one utters, “I love you,” words jumbled with emotion. Or a running back breaks through the offensive line, runs into the open field with no one around to tackle him, so the TV announcer yells, “He could...go…all…the…way!” That doesn’t have to happen, of course. The screenwriter or football commentator could choose different responses to those situations. But those particular words have worked so well for so long for so many people they feel ingrained in our collective consciousness, a natural part of our feelings about specific circumstances. Words can even structure expectations about the future- how to judge if a new movie is original or formulaic, whether a football game is sufficiently exciting- that we repeat some phrases in our daily lives, hoping to receive ourselves what we saw on TV.
For all my appreciation of inventiveness in prayer, I think that’s how good prayers can make a great difference in our lives. The words I quoted above (most of them…!) are favorites not just because I find them pretty, but because I’ve repeated these prayers many times, allowing them to shape my spirit in what I consider more holy and faithful directions. Or that’s been the goal. I want my anxiety to find its holding pattern in the lovingly restful arms of God. I hope always to retain a fervent desire to please God, and to work for God’s Kingdom in our midst, while nevertheless being humble and content with my confusions, doubts and limitations. I want never, ever, to forget how incredible God truly is, that God is always different, always better and more magnificent. Mary was absolutely right!
But that’s not the only way prayer operates in our lives, right? A couple weeks back, I wrote about primary and secondary blessings of prayer, but couldn’t explore issues like intercessory prayer (“God, heal my mother”), contemplative prayer (e.g. repeating simple phrases for twenty minutes), prayers of lament (“My God, why have you forsaken me?!”), interfaith prayer (ever prayed with Muslims?) and more. In fact, there’s much confusion, even disagreement, about prayer’s impact on Christians- when to do it, whether to move, what’s selfish, effective, faithful or foolish. So next Wednesday, March 16, as the first in a series of Lenten conversations about difficult issues of faith, I want to discuss prayer. We’ll begin at 6 in the sanctuary, I’ll have dinner waiting, and until 6:50ish, we’ll be honest with each about prayer. I’ll bring resources from some wise souls that may be helpful. Bring your experiences, questions, convictions, doubts and willingness to learn and listen. And together, we may understand better what may be the most ancient, mysterious, profound and fundamental religious practice of all time- Prayer. How’s that for a dramatic advertisement…?!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Trusting God…
Last Tuesday, a lay leader at a wonderful Tampa church said something that spoke deeply to my soul. As you may remember, I join 40 other young adult Disciples pastors every six months for five days of prayer,
fellowship, learning, and on Wednesday, 24 hours of silence. And our sponsor, the Bethany Fellowships, pays for it! I can’t say enough about how central this routine has become to my spirit’s health, and how I appreciate your understanding of that fact.
Anyway, last week we did our typical Tuesday site visit to a local church, this one Hyde Park United Methodist, and four HPUMC members took time to tell us their stories. I was very impressed with how articulate they were about the personal impact of faith! Apparently, they’d put much thought and practice into describing why God and participating in Christian community matters to them, and how God operates in their lives. But one in particular, a mother named Mary, said something, as I mentioned, that greatly moved me. Here it is (slightly paraphrased): “I’m a reluctant leader; never really volunteered for leadership positions, but when asked, at times said yes. And I’ve found, over the years, that when I was presented with something I didn’t initially feel capable of, but then did well, my faith grew and deepened. I’ve learned from those experiences that God does truly provide. Seeing God at work in me, by helping me serve my church and its ministries, built greater trust in God, which assists in elsewhere in life.”
WOW, what an incredible description of faith! It’s not your typical ‘I have faith because I believe …’ statement, but a poignant, personal description of belief grounded in trust. Deepening her faith meant trusting more fully in the substance of her belief grounded in trust. Deepening her faith meant trusting more fully in the substance of her belief- God- not simply stating her ‘beliefs’ more passionately or more often. (Good) Theologians will tell you that’s right on the money. But what struck me most about her words was that I’ve heard asked, and asked myself many times, a related question: How does one gain greater trust in God? Sell all your possessions and give them to the poor? Maybe. Pray more often, more authentically, using fewer words? That’ll help. But I’d never thought to think of what Mary said- Take on a ministry in church you’re not entirely sure you’ll do well, and in the accomplishing of that ministry, step back to see God’s hand working. Guiding you through troubles; delivering insight when necessary. To be honest, that’s probably how I built faith in God, although I’d never said it in so many words until Mary said it for me.
Which presents us with a challenge, church, if I may be so bold. It is our Christian duty to support our sisters and brothers in faith when they step out to do ministry. Whether it’s prepping communion, singing in choir, feeding the poor, or visiting the sick, Christians should support the ministry efforts of their church family members. By ‘support,’ of course, I don’t mean rubber stamp every effort, or never give constructive criticism, or accept less than the God’s best for us. But I do think it’s true that sometimes churches undermine the efforts of leaders and members by being selfish, scared or just not thinking of how actions impacts others’ actions. And if that happens, consider the implications, to use Mary’s insight: Not only does good ministry not get done, but we hold others back from growing in faith, from trusting God more fully. Each person has ultimate responsibility for her/his faith, surely, but we can do damage to others if we’re not careful.
On the flip side, when we support Christian sisters and brothers who’ve said ‘yes’ to doing God’s ministry, we’re helping give God another chance to provide. That bears, I believe, good fruit for us and the church we love, because it deepens our community’s trust in God. I.e. it builds our collective faith. It may even inspire us to say ‘yes’ again to God ourselves. Which leads to growth in our faith, which builds the community, which inspires others… A wHoly virtuous circle. And what our church can be!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
fellowship, learning, and on Wednesday, 24 hours of silence. And our sponsor, the Bethany Fellowships, pays for it! I can’t say enough about how central this routine has become to my spirit’s health, and how I appreciate your understanding of that fact.
Anyway, last week we did our typical Tuesday site visit to a local church, this one Hyde Park United Methodist, and four HPUMC members took time to tell us their stories. I was very impressed with how articulate they were about the personal impact of faith! Apparently, they’d put much thought and practice into describing why God and participating in Christian community matters to them, and how God operates in their lives. But one in particular, a mother named Mary, said something, as I mentioned, that greatly moved me. Here it is (slightly paraphrased): “I’m a reluctant leader; never really volunteered for leadership positions, but when asked, at times said yes. And I’ve found, over the years, that when I was presented with something I didn’t initially feel capable of, but then did well, my faith grew and deepened. I’ve learned from those experiences that God does truly provide. Seeing God at work in me, by helping me serve my church and its ministries, built greater trust in God, which assists in elsewhere in life.”
WOW, what an incredible description of faith! It’s not your typical ‘I have faith because I believe …’ statement, but a poignant, personal description of belief grounded in trust. Deepening her faith meant trusting more fully in the substance of her belief grounded in trust. Deepening her faith meant trusting more fully in the substance of her belief- God- not simply stating her ‘beliefs’ more passionately or more often. (Good) Theologians will tell you that’s right on the money. But what struck me most about her words was that I’ve heard asked, and asked myself many times, a related question: How does one gain greater trust in God? Sell all your possessions and give them to the poor? Maybe. Pray more often, more authentically, using fewer words? That’ll help. But I’d never thought to think of what Mary said- Take on a ministry in church you’re not entirely sure you’ll do well, and in the accomplishing of that ministry, step back to see God’s hand working. Guiding you through troubles; delivering insight when necessary. To be honest, that’s probably how I built faith in God, although I’d never said it in so many words until Mary said it for me.
Which presents us with a challenge, church, if I may be so bold. It is our Christian duty to support our sisters and brothers in faith when they step out to do ministry. Whether it’s prepping communion, singing in choir, feeding the poor, or visiting the sick, Christians should support the ministry efforts of their church family members. By ‘support,’ of course, I don’t mean rubber stamp every effort, or never give constructive criticism, or accept less than the God’s best for us. But I do think it’s true that sometimes churches undermine the efforts of leaders and members by being selfish, scared or just not thinking of how actions impacts others’ actions. And if that happens, consider the implications, to use Mary’s insight: Not only does good ministry not get done, but we hold others back from growing in faith, from trusting God more fully. Each person has ultimate responsibility for her/his faith, surely, but we can do damage to others if we’re not careful.
On the flip side, when we support Christian sisters and brothers who’ve said ‘yes’ to doing God’s ministry, we’re helping give God another chance to provide. That bears, I believe, good fruit for us and the church we love, because it deepens our community’s trust in God. I.e. it builds our collective faith. It may even inspire us to say ‘yes’ again to God ourselves. Which leads to growth in our faith, which builds the community, which inspires others… A wHoly virtuous circle. And what our church can be!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
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