Many people begin life in some form of basket or crib, or in Jesus’ case, a barnyard manger. But most also enjoy stability underneath their infant beds. Unless your name was Moses.
Do you remember that strange story? According to Exodus, Moses was born in Egypt when his Jewish people were slaves to the Pharaohs. Moses’ mother, desiring a better future for her son, took drastic, surprising action. She placed him in a basket, and floated him down a river with all the danger that course invited. She hoped Pharaoh’s daughter would find him, react with compassion and then provide him shelter. Her heartbreaking gamble worked, for, indeed, little Moses became the royal woman’s adopted son. He was raised in Pharaoh’s household, prepared by providence to lead Israel toward freedom…eventually.
I was reminded of that story recently during a conversation on current events. The topic was the many immigrant children now housed near the US border. Honestly, I haven’t followed that story as closely as, say, conflicts in Israel/Palestine or Ukraine. My reasoning is simple, if sad: I’m tired of the constant fighting among Washington’s elected officials. And it feels to me like, whenever immigration comes up, already heated rhetoric gets even hotter, and nasty accusations fly faster than Navy jets.
Then, something happened that surprised me, and maybe didn’t get as much coverage as the daily blaming within Congress. A broad group of religious leaders issued statements of support for the migrant children, calling the country to show compassion. Now, it’s normal for faith leaders to speak out on topics of national concern. What’s atypical, though, was the range of people lifting their voices, together. After all, Southern Baptists and US Catholic Bishops frequently agree about, say, opposition to gay marriage, while others like the UCCs or Unitarians declare their support of the question. But for this topic, all those normally at-odds people said much the same thing: Our faith calls us to react to vulnerable children “with compassion, not fear.”
It’s not hard, I think, to discern why. Besides Christ’s call to “let little children come unto me,” there’s something hardwired in most folk to treat kids’ travails with more gentleness than adults’. Perhaps it just feels different when the faces representing our current national disagreement about immigration and border policy can’t shave, retain some baby fat, and look simply in need of a hug. I’m sure these faith leaders disagree about both the causes of and appropriate responses to the situation. Some blame Obama administration policy; others the violence these kids experience in their home countries. Some think we should send them home, albeit carefully; others that we should grant asylum, welcoming them into our communities. But underneath that division was something I found both striking and hopeful. None thought it wise, or moral, to paint these kids as invaders or threats to our country, our jobs, our ways of life.
That’s where Moses’ story felt instructive. Imagine the fright his mother experienced that day in the river. Will he survive the waves, the crocodiles? Will I ever see him again? Surely, some of those thoughts entered the minds of these unaccompanied minors’ parents too. Nevertheless, they looked to the hope of America, trusted its people’s compassion, and sent them on with a prayer. I struggle understanding, or even endorsing that grave decision. I’ve also never lived in abject poverty or among violent instability. But what I know is we have children in need in our country asking us to be caring neighbors.
So, again, I’m cheered that a vast range of faith leaders focused on what unites us, in this instance. Which doesn’t prescribe a particular policy response, simply a way of thinking together about the question. And that is, namely, through the lens of our hearts and compassion, not through fear or partisan division. Should we do that, I think we’d find a good way to meet their needs, and our country’s too. Who knows? We might even learn to tackle of other complex issues with more grace and less accusation. God knows we need fewer attacks in our public discourse, more unity, and- always- faith, hope and love.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
The Questions…
Sorry for what will be an unusually short letter this go around. Though it’s summer, still the schedule is moving on and we have work to do and ministry to plan and ministry to do and God to love and serve and…thanks be to God! For hands that are busy, and hearts that can rest.
Still, I wanted to get your feedback on an idea that the Board and I had during our most recent meeting. I was asking them about what they wanted to think about as a church during the fall, in worship and sermons and more. “What are the questions that weigh on your hearts,” I asked. “Those that you’ve wanted to think more about, but haven’t gotten to you yet?” “Well,” someone responded, “I wanna know what to think about a God we praise and love for God’s Creation, and yet so many still war and suffer?” Good question! “Well,” another responded, “I wanna know more about why, when we’re trying so hard to be good and follow God’s ways, still we have pain and run into trouble?” Good question!
And that got us to thinking that other people, in our church and beyond, are probably wrestling with such thoughts too. So what if our sermon series for the fall, and perhaps other church activities, took on these tough, tricky, hard but important questions? Could we handle that?
Answer: Of course we can! Plymouth Creek is a place, I believe, folk can ask hard questions. We don’t fear doubt. We don’t enforce one way of thinking. We honor freedom and intimacy, and trust God wants such full faith from us. So I’m in the process of gathering from friends and church members a list of ten or so questions that matter for people of faith. They could be sticky ones that have hung around for years, or centuries. They could be the silent ones we sometimes dare not to ask, but feel we could and should, or at least want too. They could be questions that other faith communities haven’t dared to bring forth, but since we’re a community of openness and care, we feel we’re up for the challenge. Questions like- Isn’t religion always violent? How can anyone know the will of a supreme being? Why are Christians seen in broader culture as anti-gay or oppressive to women? Are we?
Thus, this letter. I’m hoping for your feedback on the idea itself. If it sounds dumb or lame to you, please tell me! Or if makes you a little nervous but a lot excited, let me know that too! And, assuming we make this plan, I want to know the questions that are on your mind. Send me an email, pull me aside after church, give me a call. We’ll schedule coffee or lunch, perhaps, and just talk together. I love that! Then, as a community, we’ll tackle some sticky, tough issues, and so be better people of faith for it. Plus, I plan to advertise to the community on our church sign and perhaps other places what the “question of the week” will be for the upcoming Sunday. Therefore, I’m hoping that we think together not just about those questions that challenge us, but our neighbors too. That way our worship and church life together will be an opportunity for outreach, invitation and mission, as well as our weekly fellowship and support to one another. After all, the questions of faith are the questions of humanity, to whom God sent the Son to show a better way. And God has called God’s people to invite their neighbors on that journey with love and respect, so that through all our questions, a beloved community can form. I’m looking forward to how that journey continues this Fall. Thanks be to God!
Grace and Peace,
Shane Read more!
Still, I wanted to get your feedback on an idea that the Board and I had during our most recent meeting. I was asking them about what they wanted to think about as a church during the fall, in worship and sermons and more. “What are the questions that weigh on your hearts,” I asked. “Those that you’ve wanted to think more about, but haven’t gotten to you yet?” “Well,” someone responded, “I wanna know what to think about a God we praise and love for God’s Creation, and yet so many still war and suffer?” Good question! “Well,” another responded, “I wanna know more about why, when we’re trying so hard to be good and follow God’s ways, still we have pain and run into trouble?” Good question!
And that got us to thinking that other people, in our church and beyond, are probably wrestling with such thoughts too. So what if our sermon series for the fall, and perhaps other church activities, took on these tough, tricky, hard but important questions? Could we handle that?
Answer: Of course we can! Plymouth Creek is a place, I believe, folk can ask hard questions. We don’t fear doubt. We don’t enforce one way of thinking. We honor freedom and intimacy, and trust God wants such full faith from us. So I’m in the process of gathering from friends and church members a list of ten or so questions that matter for people of faith. They could be sticky ones that have hung around for years, or centuries. They could be the silent ones we sometimes dare not to ask, but feel we could and should, or at least want too. They could be questions that other faith communities haven’t dared to bring forth, but since we’re a community of openness and care, we feel we’re up for the challenge. Questions like- Isn’t religion always violent? How can anyone know the will of a supreme being? Why are Christians seen in broader culture as anti-gay or oppressive to women? Are we?
Thus, this letter. I’m hoping for your feedback on the idea itself. If it sounds dumb or lame to you, please tell me! Or if makes you a little nervous but a lot excited, let me know that too! And, assuming we make this plan, I want to know the questions that are on your mind. Send me an email, pull me aside after church, give me a call. We’ll schedule coffee or lunch, perhaps, and just talk together. I love that! Then, as a community, we’ll tackle some sticky, tough issues, and so be better people of faith for it. Plus, I plan to advertise to the community on our church sign and perhaps other places what the “question of the week” will be for the upcoming Sunday. Therefore, I’m hoping that we think together not just about those questions that challenge us, but our neighbors too. That way our worship and church life together will be an opportunity for outreach, invitation and mission, as well as our weekly fellowship and support to one another. After all, the questions of faith are the questions of humanity, to whom God sent the Son to show a better way. And God has called God’s people to invite their neighbors on that journey with love and respect, so that through all our questions, a beloved community can form. I’m looking forward to how that journey continues this Fall. Thanks be to God!
Grace and Peace,
Shane Read more!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Embattled…
Recent news from Iraq has struck me as an absurd rerun of medieval times. You probably heard that an organization calling themselves first ISIS, now the Islamic State, took over large swaths of that country. They weren’t alone, but have gotten most of the press coverage that I’ve seen. Perhaps that’s because they’re the loudest group, the most ridiculous and brutal, and therefore have scared people. As a Christian pastor who respects Islam greatly, I thought some perspective would be worthwhile.
First was news they’d declared a new “caliphate,” demanding allegiance from all the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims. If you think that sounds ominous, don’t. Honestly, it’s laughable. The caliphate was a political/religious office that operated on-and-off in Muslim societies over several centuries. It was last recognized in the Ottoman Empire, which ended after World War I. For Ottomans, the caliphate functioned like a licensing agency and legal advisor. To be an “approved” imam (Muslim clergyperson), you needed its credentials and training. If the emperor had questions about Islamic Law, the caliphate was consulted. Some Muslims thought everything the caliphate said was binding, others didn’t. Muslims outside the empire respected this office, but mostly followed local leaders.
The pre-Ottoman Caliphate, however, could be more powerful, especially among Sunnis. Some “Caliphs” held absolute political and religious authority over their territory’s inhabitants. They even presumed to speak for and to all Muslims, by right of their special selection by Allah. Rarely was such universal deference accorded to a living Caliph, mind you. But that didn’t keep some from trying.
All of which points out the absurdity of the Islamic State’s recent declaration. It’s attempting to restore a vanished institution based on mostly fantasy history anyway. The caliphate rarely, if ever, held all Muslims’ allegiance. Plus, if a Caliph emerged today, American, Egyptian, and Indonesian Muslims certainly wouldn’t accept an Iraqi terrorist thug in that role. In other words, though our media frequently gets this wrong, “Muslim Culture” is a broad, diverse phenomenon. Much better to say “Muslim cultures”, and honor that variety.
But that’s not all that bothers me about the Islamic State. Last Friday, they told all Christians living in the Iraqi city Mosul to convert, pay, leave or die. Again, this is a restoration of pre-modern Islamic political practice. In the Middle Ages, when Muslims conquered non-Muslim territory, many leaders said, “You can stay. But you must pay a special tax,” thereby raising government funds from Christians and Jews. Frequently, in fact, conversion wasn’t allowed. That decreased tax revenue! Occasionally, forced conversion, death or expulsion did occur, but that wasn’t the norm. And this was a time when Christian rulers gleefully killed or expelled non-Christian subjects. So the Islamic tax was an act of tolerance foreign to our medieval Christian kin.
Nowadays, however, that tax seems less than hospitable, right? We’ve matured, grown more comfortable with celebrating inclusivity and openness. But the Islamic State’s grandiose, delusional leadership has different ideas for human civilization. Their goal isn’t effective governance. It’s violently enforced religious purity. And by expelling Mosul’s Christians, whose community roots date back nearly to Jesus, it’s also an attempted extermination of their peoplehood, their identity.
Such behavior shouldn’t be acceptable in these highly-connected, diverse times. And none of you would do so, surely, but consider a related phenomenon, closer to home. Pew reports that Muslims are America’s least respected religious group, and they’re frequently treated as all the same. Some idiot with a gun and medieval dreams spouts farcicalities in the Middle East, and Western news outlets fret about “Islamic Civilization”, worrying “whether we’re safe.” Such generalization is identity violence, like Mosul’s Christians are experiencing (minus the actual threats, obviously). It strips American Muslims of their unique identity, to say nothing of Iraqi Shiites or Iranian Sufis.
Christians are called first and always to love, and love demands individual attention, along with rejection of all group violence. So when you read these stories, don’t give into stereotypes. Remember to love. And say a prayer for our persecuted, fleeing Christian sisters and brothers, along with one for the Islamic State, that they’ll rediscover their faith’s tolerance, seek Allah’s forgiveness and put down their swords.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
First was news they’d declared a new “caliphate,” demanding allegiance from all the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims. If you think that sounds ominous, don’t. Honestly, it’s laughable. The caliphate was a political/religious office that operated on-and-off in Muslim societies over several centuries. It was last recognized in the Ottoman Empire, which ended after World War I. For Ottomans, the caliphate functioned like a licensing agency and legal advisor. To be an “approved” imam (Muslim clergyperson), you needed its credentials and training. If the emperor had questions about Islamic Law, the caliphate was consulted. Some Muslims thought everything the caliphate said was binding, others didn’t. Muslims outside the empire respected this office, but mostly followed local leaders.
The pre-Ottoman Caliphate, however, could be more powerful, especially among Sunnis. Some “Caliphs” held absolute political and religious authority over their territory’s inhabitants. They even presumed to speak for and to all Muslims, by right of their special selection by Allah. Rarely was such universal deference accorded to a living Caliph, mind you. But that didn’t keep some from trying.
All of which points out the absurdity of the Islamic State’s recent declaration. It’s attempting to restore a vanished institution based on mostly fantasy history anyway. The caliphate rarely, if ever, held all Muslims’ allegiance. Plus, if a Caliph emerged today, American, Egyptian, and Indonesian Muslims certainly wouldn’t accept an Iraqi terrorist thug in that role. In other words, though our media frequently gets this wrong, “Muslim Culture” is a broad, diverse phenomenon. Much better to say “Muslim cultures”, and honor that variety.
But that’s not all that bothers me about the Islamic State. Last Friday, they told all Christians living in the Iraqi city Mosul to convert, pay, leave or die. Again, this is a restoration of pre-modern Islamic political practice. In the Middle Ages, when Muslims conquered non-Muslim territory, many leaders said, “You can stay. But you must pay a special tax,” thereby raising government funds from Christians and Jews. Frequently, in fact, conversion wasn’t allowed. That decreased tax revenue! Occasionally, forced conversion, death or expulsion did occur, but that wasn’t the norm. And this was a time when Christian rulers gleefully killed or expelled non-Christian subjects. So the Islamic tax was an act of tolerance foreign to our medieval Christian kin.
Nowadays, however, that tax seems less than hospitable, right? We’ve matured, grown more comfortable with celebrating inclusivity and openness. But the Islamic State’s grandiose, delusional leadership has different ideas for human civilization. Their goal isn’t effective governance. It’s violently enforced religious purity. And by expelling Mosul’s Christians, whose community roots date back nearly to Jesus, it’s also an attempted extermination of their peoplehood, their identity.
Such behavior shouldn’t be acceptable in these highly-connected, diverse times. And none of you would do so, surely, but consider a related phenomenon, closer to home. Pew reports that Muslims are America’s least respected religious group, and they’re frequently treated as all the same. Some idiot with a gun and medieval dreams spouts farcicalities in the Middle East, and Western news outlets fret about “Islamic Civilization”, worrying “whether we’re safe.” Such generalization is identity violence, like Mosul’s Christians are experiencing (minus the actual threats, obviously). It strips American Muslims of their unique identity, to say nothing of Iraqi Shiites or Iranian Sufis.
Christians are called first and always to love, and love demands individual attention, along with rejection of all group violence. So when you read these stories, don’t give into stereotypes. Remember to love. And say a prayer for our persecuted, fleeing Christian sisters and brothers, along with one for the Islamic State, that they’ll rediscover their faith’s tolerance, seek Allah’s forgiveness and put down their swords.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Friday, July 18, 2014
Level sands stretch…
I learned last week that as recently as the Civil War, the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt lay covered in sands mostly up to its neck. Google images of the Sphinx, and you see that today it sits battered by time, but fully revealed. The famous Egyptian headdress framing an ancient king’s visage; the body of a lean lion resting, waiting; gaping holes of where its nose and beard once were chiseled (and no, that vandalism wasn’t Napoleon’s doing). The interwebs also share grainy photos of its “recent” excavation in the 1870s and 1920s. To think that were I to have lived but 150 years ago, I could have visited this iconic sculpture, and found it mostly buried!
Apparently, that’s been a reoccurring phenomenon in the long life of the Sphinx. Egyptians, Romans, Arabs and others who over the millennia held political control in that territory, found this monument and its nearby great pyramids sometimes gleaming, sometimes neglected. Initial excavations occurred in antiquity. Then more happened centuries later. And again. “How long does that cycle extend,” you might ask. I did, and found the answer: approximately 4,500 years. Looks pretty good for that age, I’d say.
Here’s some perspective on that timeline. Around when Moses led a band of slaves out of Egypt into the Sinai wilderness, the Sphinx had lain unmoving, for nearly 1,300 years. That’s roughly the distance between us and Charlemagne, long ago dubbed the “Father of Western Europe.” Islam had barely begun 1,300 years ago. Christianity was enduring adolescence. We live closer to Jesus than he did to the Sphinx’c construction, by over 500 years. That big statue - and I’m talking ¾-quarters-a-football-field-long BIG- is of considerable age, and endurance.
The guy who built it- King Khafra- probably included it in his funeral preparations. Ancient Egyptian Kings cared a LOT about funerals and burial, as the pyramids and their temples reveal. It was part of their religious observance. They believed that life continued long after a person “passed into the west”, i.e. died. Kings could ease and enhance that passing by preparing monuments, where priests offered worship decades beyond their death. These tombs and temples also had the useful effect of providing jobs, while overawing the populace. Religion, economics, politics and culture intertwined, birthing such incredible creations like the Sphinx.
And again, that was over 4,500 years ago, though religion continues to function in similar ways still. Google Basilica of Sagrada Familia, and you’ll see a provocative neo-Gothic cathedral rising above Barcelona, beautiful and unfinished. Google Wat Rong Khun, and you’ll see a dreamlike, snow-white Buddhist Temple in Thailand, boasting images from the movie The Matrix inside. The economics of religion remain powerful, guiding charity to Pakistani disaster victims, guiding funding to Pakistani terrorists. Ask Iranian officials, or American civil rights demonstrators whether religion still impacts politics, and they’ll both say yes.
Which isn’t, of course, to put terror-cheering mullahs and charity-loving activists on the same moral plane! It’s simply an observation that religion has deep roots in human civilization- for better and for worse- or as Ecclesiastes says, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” And ultimately, the Sphinx’s long life reminds me that whenever Christians or Muslims or whomever claims that “Their religion is best,” that only they have received “God’s truth,” they’re missing a BIG part of the story. If a millennium passed from the building of incredible religious monuments in Egypt to the first flowerings of Ancient Israel and biblical culture, then either a) God was doing something creative before our religion began, or b) God didn’t yet care about humanity. B) sounds unlikely to me. A), however, gives me hope and a sense of wonder. If God could inspire such majestic acts of worship and awe in near-prehistoric civilizations, in people with much less knowledge or power than we, then just imagine what God could do next…with us! If we’re open to it, at least, if we expect that from our religious devotion will emerge creativity and love, not division and fear. Then, millennia from now, will our heirs see in what we leave behind ancient wonders of grandeur? I hope so.
Grace and Peace,
Shane Read more!
Apparently, that’s been a reoccurring phenomenon in the long life of the Sphinx. Egyptians, Romans, Arabs and others who over the millennia held political control in that territory, found this monument and its nearby great pyramids sometimes gleaming, sometimes neglected. Initial excavations occurred in antiquity. Then more happened centuries later. And again. “How long does that cycle extend,” you might ask. I did, and found the answer: approximately 4,500 years. Looks pretty good for that age, I’d say.
Here’s some perspective on that timeline. Around when Moses led a band of slaves out of Egypt into the Sinai wilderness, the Sphinx had lain unmoving, for nearly 1,300 years. That’s roughly the distance between us and Charlemagne, long ago dubbed the “Father of Western Europe.” Islam had barely begun 1,300 years ago. Christianity was enduring adolescence. We live closer to Jesus than he did to the Sphinx’c construction, by over 500 years. That big statue - and I’m talking ¾-quarters-a-football-field-long BIG- is of considerable age, and endurance.
The guy who built it- King Khafra- probably included it in his funeral preparations. Ancient Egyptian Kings cared a LOT about funerals and burial, as the pyramids and their temples reveal. It was part of their religious observance. They believed that life continued long after a person “passed into the west”, i.e. died. Kings could ease and enhance that passing by preparing monuments, where priests offered worship decades beyond their death. These tombs and temples also had the useful effect of providing jobs, while overawing the populace. Religion, economics, politics and culture intertwined, birthing such incredible creations like the Sphinx.
And again, that was over 4,500 years ago, though religion continues to function in similar ways still. Google Basilica of Sagrada Familia, and you’ll see a provocative neo-Gothic cathedral rising above Barcelona, beautiful and unfinished. Google Wat Rong Khun, and you’ll see a dreamlike, snow-white Buddhist Temple in Thailand, boasting images from the movie The Matrix inside. The economics of religion remain powerful, guiding charity to Pakistani disaster victims, guiding funding to Pakistani terrorists. Ask Iranian officials, or American civil rights demonstrators whether religion still impacts politics, and they’ll both say yes.
Which isn’t, of course, to put terror-cheering mullahs and charity-loving activists on the same moral plane! It’s simply an observation that religion has deep roots in human civilization- for better and for worse- or as Ecclesiastes says, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” And ultimately, the Sphinx’s long life reminds me that whenever Christians or Muslims or whomever claims that “Their religion is best,” that only they have received “God’s truth,” they’re missing a BIG part of the story. If a millennium passed from the building of incredible religious monuments in Egypt to the first flowerings of Ancient Israel and biblical culture, then either a) God was doing something creative before our religion began, or b) God didn’t yet care about humanity. B) sounds unlikely to me. A), however, gives me hope and a sense of wonder. If God could inspire such majestic acts of worship and awe in near-prehistoric civilizations, in people with much less knowledge or power than we, then just imagine what God could do next…with us! If we’re open to it, at least, if we expect that from our religious devotion will emerge creativity and love, not division and fear. Then, millennia from now, will our heirs see in what we leave behind ancient wonders of grandeur? I hope so.
Grace and Peace,
Shane Read more!
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Women…
I don’t frequently write about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormons, but recently, a news story emerged from that tradition, which caught my eye. A woman who was raised and still attends the LDS church started an organization called Ordain Women. That effort’s purpose is probably self-explanatory, but apparently, also explosive. Her church excommunicated this woman last month, and that’s the news story I heard. That means she’s barred from important rituals but can still attend services, and fully plans to do so. The interview I heard was of a wounded, defiant soul, committed to her faith, as well as to her conviction that her church did her wrong. Indeed, does women wrong by refusing to ordain them priests.
Did you know was that the LDS church and the Disciples of Christ spring from the same branch on the Christian Family Tree? Scholars call it “The Free Church Movement,” describing a phenomenon began on the- then- American Frontier in the 19th century’s first decades. This was a time when the American Revolution’s ideals of liberty and individuality were just being unleashed into the undeveloped Western lands. Of course, American Indians didn’t describe that land as empty- in contrast to white settlers- and suffered tragically as a result. But so it went, and these frontiersmen and women brought religion with them into wide, “open” spaces
And in some cases, they didn’t like that old time religion. Indeed, they were convinced times were a-changin’. They were free! Free to read the Bible and understand God for themselves, and those clergymen telling them what to do could shut it. It nurtured incredible religious creativity. New communities and creeds popped up all over the place. One essential component of that were faithful believers establishing their own churches, celebrating communion themselves.
Plus, on the American frontier, people lived far from each other. Thus, anticlericalism was as practical a concern as it was theological. And it inspired important aspects of the early Disciples movement. We were a Free Church. Farmers and weavers had as much right to serve communion as any clergy. I love that part of our history, ordained though I may be. We’re all equal in God’s sight, hold similar standing in the Kingdom of God. We’re free to worship, pray, serve our neighbors and love Jesus as best as we can create together.
That similar instinct helped birth our Mormon friends too, though they went a few steps farther in freedom. They count another holy book (in fact, three) as authoritative as the canonized Christian Bible. Plus, they never developed a professional clergy class. Their “priests” are volunteer still, essentially layfolk, people- men- who agree to serve as local church leaders for a time, offering counseling, teaching and ritual leadership until their term has ended. Though we had roots grown from the same Free Church soil, our evolution took a different tack. Still, it’s interesting to know that a community some consider so very different is, in fact, a close cousin.
But I’m sad for our spiritual cousins that their path stopped with lay male priests. On the 19th century frontier, traditional gender roles guided both of our thinking. But as our society better realized that “all men are created equal” should’ve included women too, the Disciples’ order of clergy, eventually, opened to gifts and talents of women. We’re a better church for it. With only one gender having access to leadership, we were limiting by half- at least!- the potential for growth, insight and faithfulness. This Mormon woman who is pushing her church to realize the benefits of gender equality has seen the great results of that in our society, and among her religious cousins. She- boldly, profoundly- has declared, “Enough’s enough. Let the Free Church movement move forward!” I’m impressed by this courage, as well as her commitment not to give up the fight and jump ship, but stay as much a part of the community as they’ll let her. She loves her church enough to stick with it and push it to be as full an expression of God’s love as possible. May we all.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Did you know was that the LDS church and the Disciples of Christ spring from the same branch on the Christian Family Tree? Scholars call it “The Free Church Movement,” describing a phenomenon began on the- then- American Frontier in the 19th century’s first decades. This was a time when the American Revolution’s ideals of liberty and individuality were just being unleashed into the undeveloped Western lands. Of course, American Indians didn’t describe that land as empty- in contrast to white settlers- and suffered tragically as a result. But so it went, and these frontiersmen and women brought religion with them into wide, “open” spaces
And in some cases, they didn’t like that old time religion. Indeed, they were convinced times were a-changin’. They were free! Free to read the Bible and understand God for themselves, and those clergymen telling them what to do could shut it. It nurtured incredible religious creativity. New communities and creeds popped up all over the place. One essential component of that were faithful believers establishing their own churches, celebrating communion themselves.
Plus, on the American frontier, people lived far from each other. Thus, anticlericalism was as practical a concern as it was theological. And it inspired important aspects of the early Disciples movement. We were a Free Church. Farmers and weavers had as much right to serve communion as any clergy. I love that part of our history, ordained though I may be. We’re all equal in God’s sight, hold similar standing in the Kingdom of God. We’re free to worship, pray, serve our neighbors and love Jesus as best as we can create together.
That similar instinct helped birth our Mormon friends too, though they went a few steps farther in freedom. They count another holy book (in fact, three) as authoritative as the canonized Christian Bible. Plus, they never developed a professional clergy class. Their “priests” are volunteer still, essentially layfolk, people- men- who agree to serve as local church leaders for a time, offering counseling, teaching and ritual leadership until their term has ended. Though we had roots grown from the same Free Church soil, our evolution took a different tack. Still, it’s interesting to know that a community some consider so very different is, in fact, a close cousin.
But I’m sad for our spiritual cousins that their path stopped with lay male priests. On the 19th century frontier, traditional gender roles guided both of our thinking. But as our society better realized that “all men are created equal” should’ve included women too, the Disciples’ order of clergy, eventually, opened to gifts and talents of women. We’re a better church for it. With only one gender having access to leadership, we were limiting by half- at least!- the potential for growth, insight and faithfulness. This Mormon woman who is pushing her church to realize the benefits of gender equality has seen the great results of that in our society, and among her religious cousins. She- boldly, profoundly- has declared, “Enough’s enough. Let the Free Church movement move forward!” I’m impressed by this courage, as well as her commitment not to give up the fight and jump ship, but stay as much a part of the community as they’ll let her. She loves her church enough to stick with it and push it to be as full an expression of God’s love as possible. May we all.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!- Ephesians 4:4
Dear Plymouth Creek,
This week’s letter doubles as the annual Pastor’s Report to the Congregation, my sixth and counting!
As St. Paul told his churches, I thank God whenever I remember you in prayer. Which is frequent, by the way! Truly, I’m grateful to serve you and serve alongside you in shining the light of God’s love to our community.
I rejoice in this report to remember that our last “church year” began in June with an adult baptism. One of our own went under the waters of grace and emerged to pursue life in service to Christ’s mission. We do many things as a church- worship God, give time and money, console the grieving, comfort the sick, grow in faith, share the good news of God’s unconquerable love, welcome all to our Table. But Baptism is unique, and special, and it’s something the whole church does. Only one got dunked, of course. But we all surrounded her and stood with her, saying, “I’ll be your brother, if you’ll be my sister.” Praise God for such moments of decision, and for your courage to join the baptized in a renewal of faith! We’re not simply a gathering of diverse people and stories. We are church- a community woven together by grace.
So with that as the year’s beginning, we then saw another four people join our church in the months that followed, which was lovely. It wasn’t explosive growth, obviously. Nevertheless, it maintained the forward momentum we’ve worked hard to nurture over the past few years. In other words, the church remains on solid ground and in stable hands. Further evidence is the several new ministry initiatives that emerged in 2013-14. We spruced up the facilities, paving the previously holey parking lot, installing new sanctuary windows and more. Several members, with the help of our intern Lyle and the Servant Leaders, reinvigorated prayer for each other and our community. Two new small groups began. I helped launch a community-wide Interfaith Dialogue. A dishwasher was donated, which reduces our waste and has sparked new efforts in “greening” our ministry. Fundraising for hungry Minnesotans, neighbors in need and our denominational partners reached higher levels than any other year I’ve been your pastor. Financially, we saw increased giving, along with a second straight revenue positive year, allowing us to create a balanced 2014-15 budget. Recall that one critical event allowing for that success was a record fundraiser/auction last fall. This built upon several years of growth in that initiative, though what may’ve put us over the top was you all paying for me to shave my head!
So we have much reason to rejoice! I hope you do. Good work was done. Lives were impacted. We’re not without challenges, as you know. Next year, we’ll need to reach out more to new people to sustain our measured forward growth. In the near term, we’re on firm ground. In the medium-to-long term, we’ll encounter demographic pressures. The major question will be: How can we adapt our behavior- especially our worship and Sunday offerings- to meet the needs of young adults and families? Our values of inclusion, service, freedom of belief, and interfaith openness position us to answer that question well. However, we’ll need to change some things we do, maybe even things we like best, to adapt to this 21st century environment.
Fortunately, that’s possible. For starters, our church has proven willing to embrace changes that create better hospitality to others. Also, we’re poised to further deepen our relationship with our child care center partner, which has real potential to foster new relationships. We’ll each have a role in those changes, doing more of the good we’re already doing, trying creative new activities, supporting fresh ideas from different people. Another way to describe that is simple: We’ll be church, following Christ’s lead and trusting the Spirit’s guidance. That’s the main reason, I believe, we can and will rejoice, for we’re walking with the Lord by our side. Or as that beautiful song puts it, “Walking in the light God.” May we keep shining brightly on this journey together!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
This week’s letter doubles as the annual Pastor’s Report to the Congregation, my sixth and counting!
As St. Paul told his churches, I thank God whenever I remember you in prayer. Which is frequent, by the way! Truly, I’m grateful to serve you and serve alongside you in shining the light of God’s love to our community.
I rejoice in this report to remember that our last “church year” began in June with an adult baptism. One of our own went under the waters of grace and emerged to pursue life in service to Christ’s mission. We do many things as a church- worship God, give time and money, console the grieving, comfort the sick, grow in faith, share the good news of God’s unconquerable love, welcome all to our Table. But Baptism is unique, and special, and it’s something the whole church does. Only one got dunked, of course. But we all surrounded her and stood with her, saying, “I’ll be your brother, if you’ll be my sister.” Praise God for such moments of decision, and for your courage to join the baptized in a renewal of faith! We’re not simply a gathering of diverse people and stories. We are church- a community woven together by grace.
So with that as the year’s beginning, we then saw another four people join our church in the months that followed, which was lovely. It wasn’t explosive growth, obviously. Nevertheless, it maintained the forward momentum we’ve worked hard to nurture over the past few years. In other words, the church remains on solid ground and in stable hands. Further evidence is the several new ministry initiatives that emerged in 2013-14. We spruced up the facilities, paving the previously holey parking lot, installing new sanctuary windows and more. Several members, with the help of our intern Lyle and the Servant Leaders, reinvigorated prayer for each other and our community. Two new small groups began. I helped launch a community-wide Interfaith Dialogue. A dishwasher was donated, which reduces our waste and has sparked new efforts in “greening” our ministry. Fundraising for hungry Minnesotans, neighbors in need and our denominational partners reached higher levels than any other year I’ve been your pastor. Financially, we saw increased giving, along with a second straight revenue positive year, allowing us to create a balanced 2014-15 budget. Recall that one critical event allowing for that success was a record fundraiser/auction last fall. This built upon several years of growth in that initiative, though what may’ve put us over the top was you all paying for me to shave my head!
So we have much reason to rejoice! I hope you do. Good work was done. Lives were impacted. We’re not without challenges, as you know. Next year, we’ll need to reach out more to new people to sustain our measured forward growth. In the near term, we’re on firm ground. In the medium-to-long term, we’ll encounter demographic pressures. The major question will be: How can we adapt our behavior- especially our worship and Sunday offerings- to meet the needs of young adults and families? Our values of inclusion, service, freedom of belief, and interfaith openness position us to answer that question well. However, we’ll need to change some things we do, maybe even things we like best, to adapt to this 21st century environment.
Fortunately, that’s possible. For starters, our church has proven willing to embrace changes that create better hospitality to others. Also, we’re poised to further deepen our relationship with our child care center partner, which has real potential to foster new relationships. We’ll each have a role in those changes, doing more of the good we’re already doing, trying creative new activities, supporting fresh ideas from different people. Another way to describe that is simple: We’ll be church, following Christ’s lead and trusting the Spirit’s guidance. That’s the main reason, I believe, we can and will rejoice, for we’re walking with the Lord by our side. Or as that beautiful song puts it, “Walking in the light God.” May we keep shining brightly on this journey together!
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Plowshares…
The prophet Isaiah once dreamed what seemed an utterly impossible dream. Imagining the world’s nations, he foresaw a day when they would, “Beat their swords into plowshares, and neither would they study war anymore.” In the 1960s, that vision became lyrics to a Vietnam protest song. The words are frequently used as shorthand for peace advocacy. Most soldiers, of course, no longer use swords, and I suspect John Deere has replaced most plowshares. Nevertheless, it’s beautiful to dream that our energies would go toward productive enterprises more than destructive ones.
Maybe an updated form of that vision, therefore, would go: “They will transform their bomb factories into football factories, and study war no more.” FYI, by football, I mean what Americans typically call soccer, contrary to the rest of the world. And for us football (soccer) fans, the next few weeks will be awesome. The World Cup Finals are finally upon us!
For the uninitiated, here’s a brief explanation. The World Cup gathers together almost every country every four years into one collective, athletic enterprise. Currently, the Finals are being held in Brazil, but the tournament began a couple years ago. Over many months, each country played teams from other countries in their region for the right to compete in Brazil. 32 countries “made it through”, as we football fans say, and now the great game is on.
Exactly one century ago, the world was focused on one collective enterprise too. But that great game, you’ll remember, wasn’t international football. It was war. June 28 is the centennial anniversary of an event that ignited World War I. An angry young man in Sarajevo assassinated an Austrian archduke and soon after, the globe was fighting. Last year, I read a comprehensive history of that war, and the brutality shocked me anew. Beforehand, humanity seemed unaware of just how destructive our modern machines could be. They quickly learned, however, to the horror of all, and dubbed it, “The war to end all wars.” Tragically, a few decades later, Nazi politicians proved how naïve that claim was too.
And maybe all predictions of peace are naïve in some way, from Isaiah’s to Vietnam protestors. International sporting events like the World Cup often style themselves as alternatives to armed conflict among nations. It’s a neat ideal, and since the 1940s widespread violence hasn’t threatened the global order, thankfully. But that hasn’t stopped some nations from invading other nations, armed groups from holding citizens hostage, troubled individuals from bombing roadside cafes, or flying planes into buildings.
From our movement’s beginning, Christians have struggled over war and peace. Jesus said both, “Turn the other cheek,” and “I came not to bring peace, but the sword.” So…that’s confusing! Especially if you think our task is to apply Jesus’ words literally. I don’t believe that, however, knowing that the Gospels’ records of Jesus’ life and words are, necessarily, incomplete. Rather, I think we’re called to discern the big picture of God’s plan through the great themes of Jesus’ ministry. And it seems that, complications aside, God advocates peace, while honoring sacrifice and compassion.
After all, Jesus gave his life so all life could receive abundant life. He put himself at risk to help “the least of these.” Confronting the Roman Empire- as he did- to lift up that message would’ve seemed naïve, as he hung on the cross. But days, weeks, centuries later, another picture emerges. One of the Prince of Peace triumphant, a global religious movement of unity and love. It hasn’t conquered the worst angels of humanity’s nature, yet, but important progress has transpired. There’s less death by war in our century than ever in human history. Peace advocates helped end wars, and secured important rights for marginalized people. In the face of news stories that show brutality continuing, conflict raging and struggle enduring, maybe it’s the naïve amongst us- the peacemakers- we should bless and turn to again. At least, that’s what will be on my mind as I watch the World Cup this month, and pray for Iraq, Ukraine Syria. That football cleats will become more prominent that assault weapons, and we’ll study soccer tactics, no longer war.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
Maybe an updated form of that vision, therefore, would go: “They will transform their bomb factories into football factories, and study war no more.” FYI, by football, I mean what Americans typically call soccer, contrary to the rest of the world. And for us football (soccer) fans, the next few weeks will be awesome. The World Cup Finals are finally upon us!
For the uninitiated, here’s a brief explanation. The World Cup gathers together almost every country every four years into one collective, athletic enterprise. Currently, the Finals are being held in Brazil, but the tournament began a couple years ago. Over many months, each country played teams from other countries in their region for the right to compete in Brazil. 32 countries “made it through”, as we football fans say, and now the great game is on.
Exactly one century ago, the world was focused on one collective enterprise too. But that great game, you’ll remember, wasn’t international football. It was war. June 28 is the centennial anniversary of an event that ignited World War I. An angry young man in Sarajevo assassinated an Austrian archduke and soon after, the globe was fighting. Last year, I read a comprehensive history of that war, and the brutality shocked me anew. Beforehand, humanity seemed unaware of just how destructive our modern machines could be. They quickly learned, however, to the horror of all, and dubbed it, “The war to end all wars.” Tragically, a few decades later, Nazi politicians proved how naïve that claim was too.
And maybe all predictions of peace are naïve in some way, from Isaiah’s to Vietnam protestors. International sporting events like the World Cup often style themselves as alternatives to armed conflict among nations. It’s a neat ideal, and since the 1940s widespread violence hasn’t threatened the global order, thankfully. But that hasn’t stopped some nations from invading other nations, armed groups from holding citizens hostage, troubled individuals from bombing roadside cafes, or flying planes into buildings.
From our movement’s beginning, Christians have struggled over war and peace. Jesus said both, “Turn the other cheek,” and “I came not to bring peace, but the sword.” So…that’s confusing! Especially if you think our task is to apply Jesus’ words literally. I don’t believe that, however, knowing that the Gospels’ records of Jesus’ life and words are, necessarily, incomplete. Rather, I think we’re called to discern the big picture of God’s plan through the great themes of Jesus’ ministry. And it seems that, complications aside, God advocates peace, while honoring sacrifice and compassion.
After all, Jesus gave his life so all life could receive abundant life. He put himself at risk to help “the least of these.” Confronting the Roman Empire- as he did- to lift up that message would’ve seemed naïve, as he hung on the cross. But days, weeks, centuries later, another picture emerges. One of the Prince of Peace triumphant, a global religious movement of unity and love. It hasn’t conquered the worst angels of humanity’s nature, yet, but important progress has transpired. There’s less death by war in our century than ever in human history. Peace advocates helped end wars, and secured important rights for marginalized people. In the face of news stories that show brutality continuing, conflict raging and struggle enduring, maybe it’s the naïve amongst us- the peacemakers- we should bless and turn to again. At least, that’s what will be on my mind as I watch the World Cup this month, and pray for Iraq, Ukraine Syria. That football cleats will become more prominent that assault weapons, and we’ll study soccer tactics, no longer war.
Grace and Peace,
Shane
Read more!
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