Why do you come to worship? When you come to worship…! To sing a long favorite song? Discover something new in scripture? Does the sermon most pique your interest? Meeting and greeting new friends? Or maybe worship has simply become a routine in your life. You attend because you’ve always attended, as your parents before you.
Do also you come to worship to encounter God? Not that you can’t do that at home in prayer, wandering awestruck through nature, devouring a great meal with friends you adore. As Isaiah 6 says, “The whole earth is full of God’s glory!” But something about worship changes the game; helps us put distractions aside and focus on the divine realities of life. At least, that’s how worship ought work when it’s working well. But whatever the reason, I presume it’s true that there’s a hunger, a hope, a holy opportunity we seek to claim that keeps us coming back, longing for Grace.
Now being in my sixth year of professional worship leadership, one thing I’ve learned is that we’ve all got many reasons. No one answer works for anyone, not all the time. And because of that variety, that evolution of experience, a good worshipping church is never satisfied. Rather, they take seriously the idea that we’re created in the Creator’s image, which is to say we’re created to create. To always seek what else is possible- in the world through justice and compassion, in our spiritual lives through prayer and meditation, in our families and communities through intimacy and relationship, and in our churches through new forms of worship. It’s fashionable to focus that creative attention on music, and good worshipping churches do sing new songs, while honoring older ones; try on new forms, while enjoying the familiar. But worship is more than hymnals and praise music. It’s praying, witnessing, sharing, receiving, lifting all our gifts to God in praise!
All of which is prelude to an idea I heard recently. A church in California I had the honor to visit in April has a guiding principle for their worship life that I want to explore with you. While planning worship, their pastors, musicians and worship leaders ask a simple question- In the upcoming service, what will be the Wow?! The theory is that while much of their service retains traditional forms, instruments, etc., they’re not content with just going through the motions. Instead, every service, they hope to offer worshippers something more, something unexpected perhaps, or something advertised well in advance. But whatever it is, it needs to be something they don’t do every week. And it needs to (hopefully) lead people to say Wow!
Here are examples- A Poetry Sunday where people in the pews share their own work, a skit during the offering that explores some spiritual theme, an unexpected introit by the choir or a visiting group, a sermon series on movies, a day of holy hilarity and levity. Wow can be said enthusiastically- “Wow! Did you see that!?!?” Wow can be barely uttered- “Wooow. That was so…nice.” However it’s said, though, the goal is to get folks to say it, to walk out of church feeling great about worshipping.
I wonder if Plymouth Creek could plan a series of Wows in coming months, and more especially, I wonder if you’d help me do it? I’d love to gather a group of folk to brainstorm a variety of ways we can inspire worshippers to walk out feeling Wowed. Ideally, we’d look at the calendar from September through next May, and something every Sunday that may elicit a Wow. Will you help with that? If so, email me or pull me aside the next Sunday I’m in church (June 17- the Annual Congregational Meeting). And together we’ll work on adding new wrinkles to our worship. And if this isn’t the right idea, I’m sure we’ll discover another. For we don’t just want to do what we’ve always done, do we church? We want to worship! Which is to say honor our Creator’s creativity through our creativeness too!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
I believe in…
Watch out! Call the Church Police! Shane’s gonna do something Disciples of Christ pastors just don’t do…. Let me write today, my friends, about creeds.
You know, those ancient lists of doctrines beginning, “I believe in…”? For those reading on-line, here’re a couple links to famous creeds. For those reading during my Sunday sermon, locate pages 358-361 in our hymnal. Since we Disciples don’t like creeds (“No Creed but Christ,” being a famous denominational slogan), we dub these “Affirmations of Faith.” But most Christians use “creed,” and frequently recite one during worship.
Well, the other day, while worshipping with young adult clergy from a variety of Protestant Traditions, I experienced something so moving, my eyes flooded with tears of praise. And the instigator was- I confess- a creed.
Or, more accurately, a joint reflection on the Nicene Creed. It occurred when our worship leader projected this most-famous of Christian texts onto the screens in our worship space (wouldn’t it be awesome if we had screens at church…!). Then, acknowledging that not every worshipper’s church affirmed creeds, she invited us not to recite the creed together, but to read the words, pray silently, then lift our voices to declare whatever we believed.
So, we did. Some people, for whom those Nicene words carry great personal meaning, quoted phrases directly, like, “I believe in one God…maker of heaven and earth.” Others shared simple gifts like, “I believe in love”, or, “I believe in good news.” Having grown up reciting the Nicene Creed, I resonate with much of its language. Although, being a true-blue Disciple now, I feel free to make amendments. Thus, I said, “I believe in the future of the holy catholic church,” since whatever the doomsayers say, I think Christian churches still have a powerful mission of love to fulfill. (Fyi, ‘catholic’ in this statement has nothing to do with Rome and the Pope. It simply means ‘universal’, i.e. all Christians across time, throughout the world).
To someone not in the room, this worship act might sound boring. But believe me, mine weren’t the only wet eyes. Of course, as happens, the sharing started slowly. It took half a minute for the first person to speak. But once the dam was cracked, many voices flooded in. And soon, it was clear that the people in this room believed! Not in the same things in the same ways, certainly. We were diverse, and disparate, and more lovely for that being true. But we were united by a greater force- the God who inspired our spirits to belief. Who gave us faith beyond understanding, and urged us to share it.
And I learned anew that it’s a powerful thing when someone else shows you that she believes; deeply believes in something powerful and profound and good. But what’s especially neat is when this sharing isn’t meant to change your mind, or force you ‘to pick sides’, or make you feel dumb. For, too often in our culture, I feel, that’s what people do with belief. They use it as dividing tool, a blunt attacking instrument. Like someone might invest belief in some cause or doctrine or politician, then ‘share’ that belief on facebook, blogs, news programs or Thanksgiving tables. But not in ways meant to reveal to her neighbor what truly motivates her, thereby fostering intimacy and dignity. But in intimidating ways, an administration of a litmus test. Churches have so misused creeds before, thus I no longer trust them myself. But if used in holy fashion, if you tear down facades of fear and insecurity and honestly reveal to your neighbors what burns deep in that corner of your heart where passion feeds the soul, then…wow…belief can be incredible. It can build community; inspire action; dare I say it- change lives. At the very least, this exercise reminded me that I’m not alone. Turns out there are many good people of humble-striving faith who’ve chosen to believe. To not simply wander through life, but to stand for something, to stake a claim.
So, that said, I wonder how you’d finish this sentence- “I believe in…”
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
You know, those ancient lists of doctrines beginning, “I believe in…”? For those reading on-line, here’re a couple links to famous creeds. For those reading during my Sunday sermon, locate pages 358-361 in our hymnal. Since we Disciples don’t like creeds (“No Creed but Christ,” being a famous denominational slogan), we dub these “Affirmations of Faith.” But most Christians use “creed,” and frequently recite one during worship.
Well, the other day, while worshipping with young adult clergy from a variety of Protestant Traditions, I experienced something so moving, my eyes flooded with tears of praise. And the instigator was- I confess- a creed.
Or, more accurately, a joint reflection on the Nicene Creed. It occurred when our worship leader projected this most-famous of Christian texts onto the screens in our worship space (wouldn’t it be awesome if we had screens at church…!). Then, acknowledging that not every worshipper’s church affirmed creeds, she invited us not to recite the creed together, but to read the words, pray silently, then lift our voices to declare whatever we believed.
So, we did. Some people, for whom those Nicene words carry great personal meaning, quoted phrases directly, like, “I believe in one God…maker of heaven and earth.” Others shared simple gifts like, “I believe in love”, or, “I believe in good news.” Having grown up reciting the Nicene Creed, I resonate with much of its language. Although, being a true-blue Disciple now, I feel free to make amendments. Thus, I said, “I believe in the future of the holy catholic church,” since whatever the doomsayers say, I think Christian churches still have a powerful mission of love to fulfill. (Fyi, ‘catholic’ in this statement has nothing to do with Rome and the Pope. It simply means ‘universal’, i.e. all Christians across time, throughout the world).
To someone not in the room, this worship act might sound boring. But believe me, mine weren’t the only wet eyes. Of course, as happens, the sharing started slowly. It took half a minute for the first person to speak. But once the dam was cracked, many voices flooded in. And soon, it was clear that the people in this room believed! Not in the same things in the same ways, certainly. We were diverse, and disparate, and more lovely for that being true. But we were united by a greater force- the God who inspired our spirits to belief. Who gave us faith beyond understanding, and urged us to share it.
And I learned anew that it’s a powerful thing when someone else shows you that she believes; deeply believes in something powerful and profound and good. But what’s especially neat is when this sharing isn’t meant to change your mind, or force you ‘to pick sides’, or make you feel dumb. For, too often in our culture, I feel, that’s what people do with belief. They use it as dividing tool, a blunt attacking instrument. Like someone might invest belief in some cause or doctrine or politician, then ‘share’ that belief on facebook, blogs, news programs or Thanksgiving tables. But not in ways meant to reveal to her neighbor what truly motivates her, thereby fostering intimacy and dignity. But in intimidating ways, an administration of a litmus test. Churches have so misused creeds before, thus I no longer trust them myself. But if used in holy fashion, if you tear down facades of fear and insecurity and honestly reveal to your neighbors what burns deep in that corner of your heart where passion feeds the soul, then…wow…belief can be incredible. It can build community; inspire action; dare I say it- change lives. At the very least, this exercise reminded me that I’m not alone. Turns out there are many good people of humble-striving faith who’ve chosen to believe. To not simply wander through life, but to stand for something, to stake a claim.
So, that said, I wonder how you’d finish this sentence- “I believe in…”
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Dirt and money…
The past few weeks, we’ve explored our church’s “core values” during worship. Freedom of belief. Unconditional hospitality. Joyful service. Friendly, intimate community. It’s part of our annual stewardship campaign, when we ask members to turn in pledge cards informing the Board how much money we can expect for fiscal 2012-13’s Operating Budget, which begins June 1 (please turn in pledges by this Sunday!). And the reason we explored core values is to remind ourselves Why We Give, since church donations are about so much more than keeping lights on or meeting payroll. At the same time, we’ve prepared to open the Plymouth Creek Community Garden for the second year in a row. That occurs this week- Tuesday, the 15th. Thus, we’ve had a busy month!
Now, these various projects may seem like different pursuits. Money and dirt often don’t go hand-in-hand, after all. I, however, think the two are different sides of the same spiritual coin. For they’re both about stewardship- one of God’s financial gifts to our family and church, the other of God’s material gifts of Creation to all people.
Remember the parable Jesus told about a rich man going on vacation? For whatever reason, this guy decided to travel to another land. And since Delta airlines had few routes out of Nazareth back then, it seems the rich man’s travel would take months. So he gathered his stewards- his property managers- and gave to each various sums of his wealth to look after. And when he returned, naturally, he called the three in for an accounting. To two he said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” Why? Well, they put his money to work during his absence and returned to him principal plus interest. But the last, who dug a hole and hid his portion, received a, “For shame!” Not because he lost the money, but because he took no risk.
Of course, it’d be unfair to read into this story a kind of proto-capitalism, God saying, “Let’s all invest God’s gifts aggressively in volatile financial markets.” Perhaps there’s something of that in the story, but hopefully, it goes deeper. I prefer to think it’s about the dynamic of courage and fear. One reason we (or at least I) don’t give as much as possible (of my money, time, or talents) to worthy causes is because we (I) get afraid about what’ll happen if it goes wrong. In other words, it takes courage to give. And that’s as true for simple gifts- like roses for a beloved, or advice to a child- as it is for a $30,000 pledge to pave the parking lot! Something folk rarely think about, though, is the loss of not giving, the unrealized new gains of love, of ministry, of new creations if we just let lands lay fallow.
The second Creation story in the Bible (and yes, there’re two – Genesis 1 & 2), speaks of Creation as a Garden that God expects humans “to till.” In other words, in the divine imagination, conservation of God’s gifts is as much about cultivation as protection. Sure, we can take this idea too far, cultivating so much for our own indulgence we knock the entire system out of balance. It seems to me the greatest challenge facing humanity in the future is restoring a healthy balance between our wants and the environment’s needs. But just as the master in Jesus’ story hoped his stewards would put his money to work, the master of Creation celebrates the creativity of human cultivation. Like when last year, our church decided to stop ignoring our western-most property, and opened it as gardens to our neighbors. It took a little work, but now that resource is returning investments. Of health for local families, of relief to their grocery budgets, of renewed vitality to the soil and land, organically cultivated and sustained.
So may you, this week, pray God’s guidance over the many resources entrusted to your care. Do some require greater cultivation? How can you do that for the common good?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Now, these various projects may seem like different pursuits. Money and dirt often don’t go hand-in-hand, after all. I, however, think the two are different sides of the same spiritual coin. For they’re both about stewardship- one of God’s financial gifts to our family and church, the other of God’s material gifts of Creation to all people.
Remember the parable Jesus told about a rich man going on vacation? For whatever reason, this guy decided to travel to another land. And since Delta airlines had few routes out of Nazareth back then, it seems the rich man’s travel would take months. So he gathered his stewards- his property managers- and gave to each various sums of his wealth to look after. And when he returned, naturally, he called the three in for an accounting. To two he said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” Why? Well, they put his money to work during his absence and returned to him principal plus interest. But the last, who dug a hole and hid his portion, received a, “For shame!” Not because he lost the money, but because he took no risk.
Of course, it’d be unfair to read into this story a kind of proto-capitalism, God saying, “Let’s all invest God’s gifts aggressively in volatile financial markets.” Perhaps there’s something of that in the story, but hopefully, it goes deeper. I prefer to think it’s about the dynamic of courage and fear. One reason we (or at least I) don’t give as much as possible (of my money, time, or talents) to worthy causes is because we (I) get afraid about what’ll happen if it goes wrong. In other words, it takes courage to give. And that’s as true for simple gifts- like roses for a beloved, or advice to a child- as it is for a $30,000 pledge to pave the parking lot! Something folk rarely think about, though, is the loss of not giving, the unrealized new gains of love, of ministry, of new creations if we just let lands lay fallow.
The second Creation story in the Bible (and yes, there’re two – Genesis 1 & 2), speaks of Creation as a Garden that God expects humans “to till.” In other words, in the divine imagination, conservation of God’s gifts is as much about cultivation as protection. Sure, we can take this idea too far, cultivating so much for our own indulgence we knock the entire system out of balance. It seems to me the greatest challenge facing humanity in the future is restoring a healthy balance between our wants and the environment’s needs. But just as the master in Jesus’ story hoped his stewards would put his money to work, the master of Creation celebrates the creativity of human cultivation. Like when last year, our church decided to stop ignoring our western-most property, and opened it as gardens to our neighbors. It took a little work, but now that resource is returning investments. Of health for local families, of relief to their grocery budgets, of renewed vitality to the soil and land, organically cultivated and sustained.
So may you, this week, pray God’s guidance over the many resources entrusted to your care. Do some require greater cultivation? How can you do that for the common good?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Sounds in silence…
For the past three and a half years, I’ve received an incredible gift. During that time, as you may know, every six months I’ve joined 40ish fellow young adult, Disciples of Christ pastors for a week of spiritual renewal, professional development and mentorship. With new ministers from around the country, I’ve descended on retreat centers in locales east, west, north and south (all on someone else’s dime!). We’ve visited a range of successful, creative ministries, learning new tricks of the trade. But most importantly, we’ve enjoyed each other’s company, shared each other’s stories, laughed together, prayed together, cried together. But now, my time with this group- The Bethany Fellows- has ended.
It’s a bittersweet feeling, knowing that I’m moving on. I’ve grown accustomed to the six-month rhythm of work, retreat, work, retreat. And I’m going to miss being with my friends more than I can describe. Still, I feel ready to move on, having received what the program intended. You see, the reason the Lilly Foundation gave our denomination the funds for this project is because they believe that the beginning of a new minister’s career is critical. Studies show that up to 40% leave ministry within five years, mostly because we often find ourselves isolated and inadequately prepared. But they figured that with a little extra support, the trend could be reversed. And in my case at least, it worked. Because of my Bethany experience, I have colleagues and mentors to call on, people to solve problems with, cherished memories that give me strength. Thus, in my sixth year of professional ministry, I feel prepared to endure for the long haul. Or, as I’ve described to others, “I’m a big boy minister now.” And this gift of work, retreat, work, retreat, has made much of the difference.
But perhaps the most unexpected, though welcome, gift Bethany gave me- and one I’d encourage you to consider for your own spiritual journey- is the gift of silence. Recall that on Wednesday of these weeks, each Fellow commits to not speaking. We might read, pray, write, sleep, take long walks, ‘be spiritual.’ But the only sounds that clutter our brain space are those created by others. Not a typical day, right?! And that’s the whole point. How often in our everyday lives do we shut up and just be with God? In the morning, during church, as we lay ourselves down to sleep? But that’s usually just momentary, a brief respite from the hectic. Or maybe silence clouds your life more than you’d prefer, though not the kind that’s intentionally prayerful. Rather, it’s a silence created by the lack of others to speak with. And the result can be, whatever shape your life takes, that God remains an acquaintance.
During days of Bethany silence, however, I’ve discovered how loud the world can be. Winds rustling falling leaves. Fans circulating conditioned air. But most especially, I’ve heard the inner voice of God’s Spirit whispering words of grace and challenge. “Shane, why don’t you share with me your fears and dreams more often?” “Shane, Jesus loves you, as much as you believed when you sung the song in grade three.” “Shane, do you yearn for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as much as you desire affirmation or respect?” Of course, it’s not like a real, audible voice says this to me! Rather, in my prayerful silence, my spirit seems more attentive, more receptive, more creative. But it takes longer than a brief word of grace before breakfast for that focus to emerge. Often, it’s early evening or later when I’ve found myself ready to receive.
Now, don’t hear my saying that I think you need regular, intentional days of silence to be a good, faithful Christian! But ask yourself whether such an activity might actually prove useful? How long has it been since you’ve taken time for a full, deep, rich conversation with God? You know, the kind you might have with a close, life-long friend? After all, as the old hymn goes, what a friend we have in Jesus! At least, what a friend we can have, if we’d give ourselves the opportunity.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
It’s a bittersweet feeling, knowing that I’m moving on. I’ve grown accustomed to the six-month rhythm of work, retreat, work, retreat. And I’m going to miss being with my friends more than I can describe. Still, I feel ready to move on, having received what the program intended. You see, the reason the Lilly Foundation gave our denomination the funds for this project is because they believe that the beginning of a new minister’s career is critical. Studies show that up to 40% leave ministry within five years, mostly because we often find ourselves isolated and inadequately prepared. But they figured that with a little extra support, the trend could be reversed. And in my case at least, it worked. Because of my Bethany experience, I have colleagues and mentors to call on, people to solve problems with, cherished memories that give me strength. Thus, in my sixth year of professional ministry, I feel prepared to endure for the long haul. Or, as I’ve described to others, “I’m a big boy minister now.” And this gift of work, retreat, work, retreat, has made much of the difference.
But perhaps the most unexpected, though welcome, gift Bethany gave me- and one I’d encourage you to consider for your own spiritual journey- is the gift of silence. Recall that on Wednesday of these weeks, each Fellow commits to not speaking. We might read, pray, write, sleep, take long walks, ‘be spiritual.’ But the only sounds that clutter our brain space are those created by others. Not a typical day, right?! And that’s the whole point. How often in our everyday lives do we shut up and just be with God? In the morning, during church, as we lay ourselves down to sleep? But that’s usually just momentary, a brief respite from the hectic. Or maybe silence clouds your life more than you’d prefer, though not the kind that’s intentionally prayerful. Rather, it’s a silence created by the lack of others to speak with. And the result can be, whatever shape your life takes, that God remains an acquaintance.
During days of Bethany silence, however, I’ve discovered how loud the world can be. Winds rustling falling leaves. Fans circulating conditioned air. But most especially, I’ve heard the inner voice of God’s Spirit whispering words of grace and challenge. “Shane, why don’t you share with me your fears and dreams more often?” “Shane, Jesus loves you, as much as you believed when you sung the song in grade three.” “Shane, do you yearn for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as much as you desire affirmation or respect?” Of course, it’s not like a real, audible voice says this to me! Rather, in my prayerful silence, my spirit seems more attentive, more receptive, more creative. But it takes longer than a brief word of grace before breakfast for that focus to emerge. Often, it’s early evening or later when I’ve found myself ready to receive.
Now, don’t hear my saying that I think you need regular, intentional days of silence to be a good, faithful Christian! But ask yourself whether such an activity might actually prove useful? How long has it been since you’ve taken time for a full, deep, rich conversation with God? You know, the kind you might have with a close, life-long friend? After all, as the old hymn goes, what a friend we have in Jesus! At least, what a friend we can have, if we’d give ourselves the opportunity.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Spiritual Care Services…
Every week, I try writing something that y’all will find fun…interesting…totally life-changing… At the very least, I hope you don’t stop reading either angry or annoyed. Truly, friends, I write to offer you something worth your attention. This week, however, I’m trying something new.
Today’s task will be me asking for something from you. Something more robust than my frequent, “feel free to send me feedback.” I always mean that, btw, but I mean it more this week. Indeed, what follows will be my attempting to extract ideas from you that I need. Intrigued yet? Good.
Here’s the story: A couple months back, IOCP asked me to help lead a brainstorming group, searching for ideas for a new service option. Recall that IOCP provides food to hungry families, housing assistance to folk in need, case management for long-term assistance, low-income childcare scholarships, after-school help, and on and on it goes. But one thing this organization named Interfaith Outreach doesn’t do is connect with the spiritual lives of its clients.
And for good reasons, right? I mean, when someone’s about to lose her home, having already lost her job, and can’t put food on the table, while needing a ride to her child’s doctor, it’d be wildly inappropriate to respond with, “Can I tell you about Jesus?” Sure, maybe a momentary prayer for peace would help, perhaps be appreciated. But IOCP folk deal with basic needs and fragile circumstances, and help anyone- Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist. So they decided long ago to deal with first things first- housing, hunger, survival.
Still, as their director told me, “Our clients often make meaning of their situation by way of faith traditions and religious language. Or, at least, they try.” Plus, many IOCP clients avoid local church involvement. Meaning that maybe there’s a chance to do some more good here.
Thus began our conversation about IOCP providing “Spiritual Care Services,” i.e. programs or offerings, only for those who ask, to help folk make sense of their often senseless situations. And what I want from you- thus this letter- are ideas for our brainstorming group. What do you think are potential Spiritual Care Services IOCP, or similar organizations, could offer?
Now, I don’t expect most of y’all to know what it’s like to be so on the edge of devastating poverty that you require food stamps or housing assistance or free clothes coupons at IOCP’s thrift store. I certainly don’t, so it’s taking imagination to concoct creative options for responding to their spiritual needs. But a) we’re all human, and b) maybe you do know what that situation feels like. Still, if not, I know your imaginations are as active as mine. Plus, IOCP began as a collaboration of local churchgoers wanting to do good since, you know, Jesus thought we should. Your responding, then, would be keeping that tradition alive.
Or in the words of my generation, “Can you help a brother out?!”
To further spark your creative juices about this topic, having already described some situations IOCP clientele face, here are some concepts we’ve already identified. #1- There’s often a difference between Emergency and Longer-Term Spiritual Need. One’s like crisis intervention (I need me some Jesus/Allah/Krishna now!). The other’s like consistent companionship (Will you be my spiritual friend?). So how would a volunteer-reliant organization meet those various needs? Put differently, for what kind of Spiritual Care programming might you volunteer? #2- A great spiritual need we all have, whatever our economic circumstance, is the need to share our spiritual gifts, i.e. give as well as receive. So what Spiritual Care Services might offer IOCP clients that opportunity? Put differently, how have you met that spiritual need in your life, and, therefore, how might another?
So there’s your task church! Let’s make it happen! One obvious answer would be: tell everyone to attend Plymouth Creek! But I’m not counting that because such inviting folk into our faith community is a) totally unfair to other churches, and b) your job, not IOCP’s! Nevertheless, I bet you can help me with this interesting assignment. After all, you’re among the most spiritually caring people I know.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Today’s task will be me asking for something from you. Something more robust than my frequent, “feel free to send me feedback.” I always mean that, btw, but I mean it more this week. Indeed, what follows will be my attempting to extract ideas from you that I need. Intrigued yet? Good.
Here’s the story: A couple months back, IOCP asked me to help lead a brainstorming group, searching for ideas for a new service option. Recall that IOCP provides food to hungry families, housing assistance to folk in need, case management for long-term assistance, low-income childcare scholarships, after-school help, and on and on it goes. But one thing this organization named Interfaith Outreach doesn’t do is connect with the spiritual lives of its clients.
And for good reasons, right? I mean, when someone’s about to lose her home, having already lost her job, and can’t put food on the table, while needing a ride to her child’s doctor, it’d be wildly inappropriate to respond with, “Can I tell you about Jesus?” Sure, maybe a momentary prayer for peace would help, perhaps be appreciated. But IOCP folk deal with basic needs and fragile circumstances, and help anyone- Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist. So they decided long ago to deal with first things first- housing, hunger, survival.
Still, as their director told me, “Our clients often make meaning of their situation by way of faith traditions and religious language. Or, at least, they try.” Plus, many IOCP clients avoid local church involvement. Meaning that maybe there’s a chance to do some more good here.
Thus began our conversation about IOCP providing “Spiritual Care Services,” i.e. programs or offerings, only for those who ask, to help folk make sense of their often senseless situations. And what I want from you- thus this letter- are ideas for our brainstorming group. What do you think are potential Spiritual Care Services IOCP, or similar organizations, could offer?
Now, I don’t expect most of y’all to know what it’s like to be so on the edge of devastating poverty that you require food stamps or housing assistance or free clothes coupons at IOCP’s thrift store. I certainly don’t, so it’s taking imagination to concoct creative options for responding to their spiritual needs. But a) we’re all human, and b) maybe you do know what that situation feels like. Still, if not, I know your imaginations are as active as mine. Plus, IOCP began as a collaboration of local churchgoers wanting to do good since, you know, Jesus thought we should. Your responding, then, would be keeping that tradition alive.
Or in the words of my generation, “Can you help a brother out?!”
To further spark your creative juices about this topic, having already described some situations IOCP clientele face, here are some concepts we’ve already identified. #1- There’s often a difference between Emergency and Longer-Term Spiritual Need. One’s like crisis intervention (I need me some Jesus/Allah/Krishna now!). The other’s like consistent companionship (Will you be my spiritual friend?). So how would a volunteer-reliant organization meet those various needs? Put differently, for what kind of Spiritual Care programming might you volunteer? #2- A great spiritual need we all have, whatever our economic circumstance, is the need to share our spiritual gifts, i.e. give as well as receive. So what Spiritual Care Services might offer IOCP clients that opportunity? Put differently, how have you met that spiritual need in your life, and, therefore, how might another?
So there’s your task church! Let’s make it happen! One obvious answer would be: tell everyone to attend Plymouth Creek! But I’m not counting that because such inviting folk into our faith community is a) totally unfair to other churches, and b) your job, not IOCP’s! Nevertheless, I bet you can help me with this interesting assignment. After all, you’re among the most spiritually caring people I know.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Why we give…
A frequent question that makes pastors ponder is that of spiritual growth. Namely, “What can Christians do to grow spiritually? To keep deepening our commitment to God’s Love and Grace?” Presumably, this question interests non pastor-types too. I pray we all consistently seek new practices that broaden our spirits. But since my day job involves leading Plymouth Creek’s efforts to further God’s mission, the question of spiritual growth rumbles around my brain space often.
And I’ve discovered some wonderful ideas, if you’d like suggestions. There’s the old standbys- regular Bible reading, daily prayer, continuing Christian education, serving the poor and vulnerable. There’s the elaborate and evocative- weekly prayer walks, guided meditation and yoga, interfaith conversation, attending spiritually rich movies then discussing over drinks. Whatever your cup of tea, you have options! The key, of course, is finding something intriguing, then taking it for a test drive.
But the most effective spiritual growth program I’ve personally encountered is also one we rarely enjoying discussing. And that’s giving. By which I mean…Money! There are other forms of giving, obviously, of your time, talents and passions. But something about money stirs our hearts and raises anxieties in fundamental ways. For which reason, I’ve come to believe, it’s a unique issue to confront if you’re concerned about spiritual growth.
Think about it. Doesn’t spiritual growth imply offering to God something more of what matters profoundly to us? We give to God long-standing grudges, and grow more comfortable in the contours of forgiveness. We give to God anxieties about families and friends, and grow more familiar with trust. And if you ask people what really matters, practically, in everyday life, along with friends, families, love, etc., isn’t money high on the list?! I know that the more disciplined and courageous I’ve grown in giving my money to God’s work, the more hopeful and confident I’ve grown in relying on God’s grace. Which, of course, isn’t something I concocted on my own. It’s an ideal I learned from faithful disciples who’ve come before me- my family, friends, mentors, and folk like, well, you. So thanks!
But many people who write about the relationship of money to spiritual growth suggest that it works best when we name- specifically- why we give to what we give. Thus, rather than throw money at some organization because you like their promotional materials, you do better- for yourself and God- if you take time to learn their core values. And particularly, whether those values match your core.
This time every year, we ask Plymouth Creekers to make pledges for the next year’s operating budget. Our fiscal year runs June 1 to May 30, so May is when we need to know how much we can expect to receive next year, as we faithfully craft our budget for personnel, worship and mission. So you know, we’ll be asking you to turn in pledges on or before Sunday, May 20th. And this year, I’m hoping you’ll again ponder why you give what you give.
Therefore, each Sunday until then, our church will re-examine the core values we named and claimed during last year’s visioning process. In case you forgot, here’s that list (an impressive one, if I say so myself!)- Freedom of Belief, Unconditional Hospitality, Joyful Service to Neighbors in Need, and Friendly, Intimate Community. Remember, not every church puts its emphasis on these four areas. But to Plymouth Creek, nothing’s more important. When we plan worship, create programs, engage in mission work, etc., it’s these values that guide our decisions. So I’d like to believe it’s these values that attract you to our community, and therefore guide your decisions about giving. Which is to say, your opportunities for spiritual growth. So please, prayerfully consider what level of giving your family will be able to sustain next year, whether you’re in the position to grow your giving and, especially, why you give at all. Then, by May 20th, let us know your decisions, so we can create a faithful budget. And, as I say every Sunday, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you for your stewardship. Will you give with me?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
And I’ve discovered some wonderful ideas, if you’d like suggestions. There’s the old standbys- regular Bible reading, daily prayer, continuing Christian education, serving the poor and vulnerable. There’s the elaborate and evocative- weekly prayer walks, guided meditation and yoga, interfaith conversation, attending spiritually rich movies then discussing over drinks. Whatever your cup of tea, you have options! The key, of course, is finding something intriguing, then taking it for a test drive.
But the most effective spiritual growth program I’ve personally encountered is also one we rarely enjoying discussing. And that’s giving. By which I mean…Money! There are other forms of giving, obviously, of your time, talents and passions. But something about money stirs our hearts and raises anxieties in fundamental ways. For which reason, I’ve come to believe, it’s a unique issue to confront if you’re concerned about spiritual growth.
Think about it. Doesn’t spiritual growth imply offering to God something more of what matters profoundly to us? We give to God long-standing grudges, and grow more comfortable in the contours of forgiveness. We give to God anxieties about families and friends, and grow more familiar with trust. And if you ask people what really matters, practically, in everyday life, along with friends, families, love, etc., isn’t money high on the list?! I know that the more disciplined and courageous I’ve grown in giving my money to God’s work, the more hopeful and confident I’ve grown in relying on God’s grace. Which, of course, isn’t something I concocted on my own. It’s an ideal I learned from faithful disciples who’ve come before me- my family, friends, mentors, and folk like, well, you. So thanks!
But many people who write about the relationship of money to spiritual growth suggest that it works best when we name- specifically- why we give to what we give. Thus, rather than throw money at some organization because you like their promotional materials, you do better- for yourself and God- if you take time to learn their core values. And particularly, whether those values match your core.
This time every year, we ask Plymouth Creekers to make pledges for the next year’s operating budget. Our fiscal year runs June 1 to May 30, so May is when we need to know how much we can expect to receive next year, as we faithfully craft our budget for personnel, worship and mission. So you know, we’ll be asking you to turn in pledges on or before Sunday, May 20th. And this year, I’m hoping you’ll again ponder why you give what you give.
Therefore, each Sunday until then, our church will re-examine the core values we named and claimed during last year’s visioning process. In case you forgot, here’s that list (an impressive one, if I say so myself!)- Freedom of Belief, Unconditional Hospitality, Joyful Service to Neighbors in Need, and Friendly, Intimate Community. Remember, not every church puts its emphasis on these four areas. But to Plymouth Creek, nothing’s more important. When we plan worship, create programs, engage in mission work, etc., it’s these values that guide our decisions. So I’d like to believe it’s these values that attract you to our community, and therefore guide your decisions about giving. Which is to say, your opportunities for spiritual growth. So please, prayerfully consider what level of giving your family will be able to sustain next year, whether you’re in the position to grow your giving and, especially, why you give at all. Then, by May 20th, let us know your decisions, so we can create a faithful budget. And, as I say every Sunday, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you for your stewardship. Will you give with me?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
In a name…
Rock, Consuming Fire, Fountain, Mother. Quick- What do these have in common?! Answer: A) The letter ‘o’. B) Scripture uses each as a metaphor for God. Even, to my mind, as names for God.
Of course, the Big Book shares a more ‘formal name’ for God, transcribed as YHWH (or, Yaweh). But God’s Top Ten (Commandments) included the following- #3, “Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH in vain”. Thus, throughout history and still today, many observant Jewish worshippers have avoided speaking the Biblical God’s formal name, preferring Adonai or Hashem instead.
Also- and here’s the creative part- they gave God new names, metaphors drawn from personal experience that evoking fundamentally divine traits. So believing God offers steadfast support, they said, “God, you are my Rock”. Or recognizing that God’s Spirit enlivens our passions, they said, “Our God is a consuming fire”.
But the most famous human-created name for God I’ve found is one Jesus himself used often. Not exclusively, mind you, but he kept returning to it. Father. Even, in Jesus’ styling, “Abba” (an Aramaic word for “Daddy”). Certainly, Jesus wasn’t alone in the ancient near east in analogizing God’s relationship to humanity as that of parent-to-child. Greeks conceived human creation as resulting from Mother Earth and Father Sky’s copulation. The Egyptian Pharaoh- supposed son of the sun god Ra (and thus, quasi-divine) - was subsequently dubbed “Father” to his subjects. The Hebrew Bible, unsurprisingly, jumped on board, describing the Jewish people as children of the supernatural Parent. God=Parent, apparently.
Alas, something else common to these societies was a commitment to patriarchy. Or, in less stuffy language, they treated men better than women. Hence, most rulers were Kings, most priests were male, even prophets- the ethical progressives of ancient societies- rarely let women in their gender-exclusive club. Combine that with the wise insight that the uniquely powerful parent-child relationship is uniquely prepared to apply to God, and we get much and gushing language in scripture praising the goodness of God, Our Father.
But you’ll notice again that our brilliant, flawed forebearers of faith still didn’t let one image, one name of God win. #2 on God’s Top Ten is, “Don’t create idols”, i.e. don’t prioritize one image, one name above equally valid others. After all, God is both Rock and Fountain, as well as neither Rock nor Fountain. God, rather, is greater than all human language! So, we name God not to ‘get it right,’ but to get glimpses of divine abundance, to make connections between our experience and Ultimate Reality.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that I’ve used more gender-specific language for God recently. Specifically, I’ve been intentional about calling God ‘Mother’, and using ‘She’ or ‘Her’ when designating the divine. My reason for this shift is my noticing how much Father-language arises in our worship. The Lord’s Prayer, during Scripture readings, personal prayers, hymns, etc., etc. Calling God ‘Our Father’ has obvious scriptural and emotional power, and over the centuries, it’s wonderfully helped people connect profoundly with God. The thing is I don’t think we want to emulate the past’s patriarchal mistakes; we should never turn one divine metaphor into an idol. And when it comes to names for God, there are so many more than we typically invite into our worship, let alone our personal prayer life.
So I’ve decided to provide more balance for our worship and witness, and I invite each of you to join me! What name for God in scripture speaks deeply to you, even if you don’t hear it often used? What name would you ‘give’ God from your experience, were you to presume to be so bold?! I use Mother-language because a)it’s Biblical, b) it holds deep resonance to my spirit, and c) I want to counterweight the dominant Father-language. But who knows?! I’ll probably branch out and use others, some we’re familiar with, some we’re not. Because whatever we say, we know we can’t ever contain God! But we can grow in our experience of God’s divine abundance, if we use all the language, all the names, all the gifts in our possession. And isn’t that the point of church, really?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Of course, the Big Book shares a more ‘formal name’ for God, transcribed as YHWH (or, Yaweh). But God’s Top Ten (Commandments) included the following- #3, “Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH in vain”. Thus, throughout history and still today, many observant Jewish worshippers have avoided speaking the Biblical God’s formal name, preferring Adonai or Hashem instead.
Also- and here’s the creative part- they gave God new names, metaphors drawn from personal experience that evoking fundamentally divine traits. So believing God offers steadfast support, they said, “God, you are my Rock”. Or recognizing that God’s Spirit enlivens our passions, they said, “Our God is a consuming fire”.
But the most famous human-created name for God I’ve found is one Jesus himself used often. Not exclusively, mind you, but he kept returning to it. Father. Even, in Jesus’ styling, “Abba” (an Aramaic word for “Daddy”). Certainly, Jesus wasn’t alone in the ancient near east in analogizing God’s relationship to humanity as that of parent-to-child. Greeks conceived human creation as resulting from Mother Earth and Father Sky’s copulation. The Egyptian Pharaoh- supposed son of the sun god Ra (and thus, quasi-divine) - was subsequently dubbed “Father” to his subjects. The Hebrew Bible, unsurprisingly, jumped on board, describing the Jewish people as children of the supernatural Parent. God=Parent, apparently.
Alas, something else common to these societies was a commitment to patriarchy. Or, in less stuffy language, they treated men better than women. Hence, most rulers were Kings, most priests were male, even prophets- the ethical progressives of ancient societies- rarely let women in their gender-exclusive club. Combine that with the wise insight that the uniquely powerful parent-child relationship is uniquely prepared to apply to God, and we get much and gushing language in scripture praising the goodness of God, Our Father.
But you’ll notice again that our brilliant, flawed forebearers of faith still didn’t let one image, one name of God win. #2 on God’s Top Ten is, “Don’t create idols”, i.e. don’t prioritize one image, one name above equally valid others. After all, God is both Rock and Fountain, as well as neither Rock nor Fountain. God, rather, is greater than all human language! So, we name God not to ‘get it right,’ but to get glimpses of divine abundance, to make connections between our experience and Ultimate Reality.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that I’ve used more gender-specific language for God recently. Specifically, I’ve been intentional about calling God ‘Mother’, and using ‘She’ or ‘Her’ when designating the divine. My reason for this shift is my noticing how much Father-language arises in our worship. The Lord’s Prayer, during Scripture readings, personal prayers, hymns, etc., etc. Calling God ‘Our Father’ has obvious scriptural and emotional power, and over the centuries, it’s wonderfully helped people connect profoundly with God. The thing is I don’t think we want to emulate the past’s patriarchal mistakes; we should never turn one divine metaphor into an idol. And when it comes to names for God, there are so many more than we typically invite into our worship, let alone our personal prayer life.
So I’ve decided to provide more balance for our worship and witness, and I invite each of you to join me! What name for God in scripture speaks deeply to you, even if you don’t hear it often used? What name would you ‘give’ God from your experience, were you to presume to be so bold?! I use Mother-language because a)it’s Biblical, b) it holds deep resonance to my spirit, and c) I want to counterweight the dominant Father-language. But who knows?! I’ll probably branch out and use others, some we’re familiar with, some we’re not. Because whatever we say, we know we can’t ever contain God! But we can grow in our experience of God’s divine abundance, if we use all the language, all the names, all the gifts in our possession. And isn’t that the point of church, really?
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
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