On Sunday, we will continue our Easter season worship with a rather relaxed service. In the upcoming weeks, I will focus on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus which are described in Matthew. This week, I thought we would reflect on Easter without the trumpets, the bustle, and all of the rest. (Not that I mind such things, but they are occasional.)
The resurrection looks different in the quietness after Easter morning and becomes the generally quiet center of our individual faith. I think that this quality of the resurrection was best captured by Handel in his masterpiece oratorio Messiah, in which he follows the joy and majesty of the resurrection (the "Hallelujah" chorus) with a gorgeous lyrical reflection of the event sung by the soprano soloist ("I Know That My Redeemer Liveth").
We will hear that solo on Sunday morning (no, I'm not singing it, though I know I have been mistaken for a soprano soloist), and we will reflect on its scriptural source, Job 19:21-27. And in this I hope we will enjoy the beauty and the sustaining comfort of the resurrection.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Reflections on Holy Week 2008
On Sunday, I received a number of comments about how meaningful this celebration of Holy Week has been at Central Christian. I am pleased to hear it. There was a lot of preparation for the week's activities, and it is gratifying to hear that the planning led to some moving experiences.
For my part, I thought that Holy Week went very well. I was surprised by how quickly behind I got in my work during the week (which means I have some extra work to catch up on this week), and I was surprised by how physically draining I found the experience, even as I found it spiritually exciting and meaningful.
I was greatly moved by the Maundy Thursday service. In some ways this is normal, as I generally respond powerfully to that service from year to year. But it seemed particularly moving, and I entered into my planned silence for prayer and meditation willingly and naturally. I have heard that others too kept silence for some time that night, so I don't think I was alone in this reaction.
The service on Good Friday was simple and meaningful and was a good example of how we should live our faith. We were blessed with seven excellent meditations on Jesus' statements from the cross and the overall meaning of the crucifixion. They were all similarly sincere and faithful, and they were all different, which is a description of any healthy congregation in a nutshell -- guided by the same spirit, but filled with individuals who bring different experiences and perspectives to the table. And the breadth of scripture and emotions that we shared through those seven reflections warmed my heart, even as I was saddened in the shadow of the cross.
The Easter Vigil was longer than I expected -- I had hoped we would finish within two hours, but it lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes. (Some have commented that it was a great service, except it was too long. I understand -- it is a long service for everyone, myself included.) But I thought it was a beautiful vigil, full of life and hope, as we used the teachings across the ages to contextualize both the meaning of the resurrection and our place as Christians in the on-going story of God's love for the world and involvement in the world.
Easter Sunday was a joyous day, brightened by the sunshine the smiling faces of so many present. The breakfast seemed to perfectly capture that spirit, which lasted throughout the morning. I am glad that so many enjoyed the Easter play -- I enjoyed it too, especially seeing Jan working on all of the sound effects (and doing an excellent job). And worship was joyful and bright, even with a perhaps heavier than expected sermon.
I would like to offer thanks to the congregation for their support of these services (attendance was better than expected, which was exciting). And there are some other people who deserve great praise:
For my part, I thought that Holy Week went very well. I was surprised by how quickly behind I got in my work during the week (which means I have some extra work to catch up on this week), and I was surprised by how physically draining I found the experience, even as I found it spiritually exciting and meaningful.
I was greatly moved by the Maundy Thursday service. In some ways this is normal, as I generally respond powerfully to that service from year to year. But it seemed particularly moving, and I entered into my planned silence for prayer and meditation willingly and naturally. I have heard that others too kept silence for some time that night, so I don't think I was alone in this reaction.
The service on Good Friday was simple and meaningful and was a good example of how we should live our faith. We were blessed with seven excellent meditations on Jesus' statements from the cross and the overall meaning of the crucifixion. They were all similarly sincere and faithful, and they were all different, which is a description of any healthy congregation in a nutshell -- guided by the same spirit, but filled with individuals who bring different experiences and perspectives to the table. And the breadth of scripture and emotions that we shared through those seven reflections warmed my heart, even as I was saddened in the shadow of the cross.
The Easter Vigil was longer than I expected -- I had hoped we would finish within two hours, but it lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes. (Some have commented that it was a great service, except it was too long. I understand -- it is a long service for everyone, myself included.) But I thought it was a beautiful vigil, full of life and hope, as we used the teachings across the ages to contextualize both the meaning of the resurrection and our place as Christians in the on-going story of God's love for the world and involvement in the world.
Easter Sunday was a joyous day, brightened by the sunshine the smiling faces of so many present. The breakfast seemed to perfectly capture that spirit, which lasted throughout the morning. I am glad that so many enjoyed the Easter play -- I enjoyed it too, especially seeing Jan working on all of the sound effects (and doing an excellent job). And worship was joyful and bright, even with a perhaps heavier than expected sermon.
I would like to offer thanks to the congregation for their support of these services (attendance was better than expected, which was exciting). And there are some other people who deserve great praise:
- If I was busy during the services, Brooks was even busier. The music was an essential part of these services, and Brooks showed his great versatility and faithfulness, not only in his presence, but in all of the expertise he offered in planning. He selected much of the music, all of which was not only appropriate for these services, but some of which was quite special.
- Willa and the choir did a yeoman's job all week, with extra rehearsals to prepare for so much music. On Saturday alone, they sang four prepared anthems, in addition to leading much of the service music and responsive psalms.
- Cathy and the worship committee worked hard to plan the week's activities and prepare for the logistics of Holy Week. They organized all of the scripture readers, all of the logistics of the Easter breakfast, and the preparation of the sanctuary for the services. Special thanks to Gary, George, and Randy for their ladder expertise in hanging the curtain used to shroud the cross.
- All of the readers and those who offered meditations and prayers during the services. Listening on Saturday night, I was struck by the realization of how prepared and gifted our scripture readers were -- how much knowledge and emotion that put into their readings. If Scripture can ever be boring (that's an interesting theological question), it is most likely when someone reads aloud in a monotone, stumbling over the words and phrases. That was never even remotely a problem. And the meditations, as I mentioned above, were all first-rate.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Coming Up: Easter Sunday, March 23
Just a few brief words about worship this upcoming Sunday.
I hope that you will join us for breakfast at 9:00. As a dear pastor I know likes to say, "We Disciples are people of the table." So one of the ways that we fellowship together is to eat together. On this holy day, I hope you will share a bit of your morning with your church family.
Following the Easter breakfast will be the Easter Drama, "The Second Day." Please come out and support 15 of our members as they share a retelling of the Easter story in the style of a 1930s radio program. So far, the cast seems to be enjoying the play, and I think you will too.
Following the play, we will celebrate the risen Christ together in our Easter worship. I won't go into too much detail on my sermon, which will be based on Matthew 28:1-10. Partially, this is because I don't know yet exactly what the sermon will be -- like I suggested last Sunday, I need to journey alongside Jesus this Holy Week, and I don't yet know what lessons I will learn these days. But the title of the sermon, "ASAP," should give you some idea of which verse I'm focusing my reflections on.
Lastly, I should note that there will a few small changes in the order of service that I would like to try out for a while. I don't think that they it will take long to get used to them. Most of the changes are small. The opening of the service has a few more components, including a responsive Call to Worship and an Invocation (opening prayer), along with the recently missing Gloria Patri. At the end of the service, the Benediction will now follow the Recessional Hymn, instead of preceding it.
Perhaps a little more noticeable are a couple of changes around The Lord's Supper. One of these changes is theological; the other is simply my preference. The theological change is an addition to the service -- before we share our joys and concerns we will share with each other a sign of God's peace, called the Passing of the Peace. Aside from being a ritualized example of our fellowship, this simple act reminds us of our need to reconcile ourselves with each other in preparation to share together in the Lord's Supper. The second change is simply for my benefit -- I've been finding it difficult to do the Meditation and Invitation to Communion at the same time, and I think both of these things are very important. So I've separated them to ensure that I never forget the invitation to the table (which I worry about).
Hmm, this was more than a few brief words....
I hope that you will join us for breakfast at 9:00. As a dear pastor I know likes to say, "We Disciples are people of the table." So one of the ways that we fellowship together is to eat together. On this holy day, I hope you will share a bit of your morning with your church family.
Following the Easter breakfast will be the Easter Drama, "The Second Day." Please come out and support 15 of our members as they share a retelling of the Easter story in the style of a 1930s radio program. So far, the cast seems to be enjoying the play, and I think you will too.
Following the play, we will celebrate the risen Christ together in our Easter worship. I won't go into too much detail on my sermon, which will be based on Matthew 28:1-10. Partially, this is because I don't know yet exactly what the sermon will be -- like I suggested last Sunday, I need to journey alongside Jesus this Holy Week, and I don't yet know what lessons I will learn these days. But the title of the sermon, "ASAP," should give you some idea of which verse I'm focusing my reflections on.
Lastly, I should note that there will a few small changes in the order of service that I would like to try out for a while. I don't think that they it will take long to get used to them. Most of the changes are small. The opening of the service has a few more components, including a responsive Call to Worship and an Invocation (opening prayer), along with the recently missing Gloria Patri. At the end of the service, the Benediction will now follow the Recessional Hymn, instead of preceding it.
Perhaps a little more noticeable are a couple of changes around The Lord's Supper. One of these changes is theological; the other is simply my preference. The theological change is an addition to the service -- before we share our joys and concerns we will share with each other a sign of God's peace, called the Passing of the Peace. Aside from being a ritualized example of our fellowship, this simple act reminds us of our need to reconcile ourselves with each other in preparation to share together in the Lord's Supper. The second change is simply for my benefit -- I've been finding it difficult to do the Meditation and Invitation to Communion at the same time, and I think both of these things are very important. So I've separated them to ensure that I never forget the invitation to the table (which I worry about).
Hmm, this was more than a few brief words....
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Reflections on Worship, March 16
I hope that many found the Palm Sunday service on Sunday a moving and thought-provoking introduction to this Holy Week. I certainly have heard many positive comments about the service, both on Sunday and since.
Perhaps the music of the day has eclipsed anything that was spoken during the service. This does not hurt my feelings (and not just because I was involved in some ways with both). Sometimes music offers a more direct reflection of the emotions of the day. This is partially why I choose to sing "Via Dolorosa" on Palm Sunday each year -- it much more accurately reflects my location on the pilgrim's journey than any "Hosanna" or even the great "Ride On, King Jesus."
Perhaps the music of the day has eclipsed anything that was spoken during the service. This does not hurt my feelings (and not just because I was involved in some ways with both). Sometimes music offers a more direct reflection of the emotions of the day. This is partially why I choose to sing "Via Dolorosa" on Palm Sunday each year -- it much more accurately reflects my location on the pilgrim's journey than any "Hosanna" or even the great "Ride On, King Jesus."
Race and Reconciliation in America
The issue of race is an important one in the United States, politically and religiously. It is extremely influential, in ways seen and unseen. It is highly emotional, partly because it is an inherently personal issue for many, partly because it represents a long frustrating history.
As a pastor, I am particularly interested in how the issue of race affects the church. It has often been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America -- and there is much evidence to support this. This -- either the fact or appearance of a racial divide in the church -- is an embarrassment for a faith which proclaims that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus."
More personally, I am aware of some of the challenges race poses for the church as a whole, and for individual congregations, based on my previous experience serving as a Youth Minister in an intentionally multi-ethnic church (primarily African-American and Caucasian, but also a few others).
This said, I commend to you the speech given this day by Barack Obama on the issue of race in the United States. True, he is a politician, not a pastor, but this issue has raised its head because of statements made by an influential African-American pastor (who happens to have recently retired as the pastor of Obama's church).
Here is a YouTube video of the entire speech.
I know that this is a speech given in a campaign, so parts of it are just parts of Obama's campaign stump speech. But I think that a good portion of it -- maybe half to two-thirds -- is an authentic attempt to grapple with the issue of race in the US. It is fair to say that you won't hear another politician talk in similar terms, or with similar depth (such as is possible in a speech of this time), in the near future.
Obama avoids some of the more provocative examples he could have cited in this speech, notably a recent report about the unbelievably high percentage of African-American males who have been incarcerated in their lives. But on the whole, he gives a good introduction to the issue, especially I think to certain generally held African-American attitudes in this country.
I know the speech is lengthy (37 minutes), but I think it is a helpful resource. It is a way to broaden our minds, by gaining some insight into the lives of those different from us. And, I hope, it is a way to stimulate our hearts, to imagine positive change that would allow us, and those around us, to more fully live out the teachings of the gospel.
As a pastor, I am particularly interested in how the issue of race affects the church. It has often been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America -- and there is much evidence to support this. This -- either the fact or appearance of a racial divide in the church -- is an embarrassment for a faith which proclaims that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus."
More personally, I am aware of some of the challenges race poses for the church as a whole, and for individual congregations, based on my previous experience serving as a Youth Minister in an intentionally multi-ethnic church (primarily African-American and Caucasian, but also a few others).
This said, I commend to you the speech given this day by Barack Obama on the issue of race in the United States. True, he is a politician, not a pastor, but this issue has raised its head because of statements made by an influential African-American pastor (who happens to have recently retired as the pastor of Obama's church).
Here is a YouTube video of the entire speech.
I know that this is a speech given in a campaign, so parts of it are just parts of Obama's campaign stump speech. But I think that a good portion of it -- maybe half to two-thirds -- is an authentic attempt to grapple with the issue of race in the US. It is fair to say that you won't hear another politician talk in similar terms, or with similar depth (such as is possible in a speech of this time), in the near future.
Obama avoids some of the more provocative examples he could have cited in this speech, notably a recent report about the unbelievably high percentage of African-American males who have been incarcerated in their lives. But on the whole, he gives a good introduction to the issue, especially I think to certain generally held African-American attitudes in this country.
I know the speech is lengthy (37 minutes), but I think it is a helpful resource. It is a way to broaden our minds, by gaining some insight into the lives of those different from us. And, I hope, it is a way to stimulate our hearts, to imagine positive change that would allow us, and those around us, to more fully live out the teachings of the gospel.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Coming Up Sunday, March 16
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, which is the beginning of Holy Week, and the service will reflect this. I believe that Holy Week is a time of sacred remembrance for the church, as we remember more fully Christ's willing and loving sacrifice for our sakes. In accordance with the legacy of our Christian forefathers and foremothers, we will observe Holy Week by walking along side Jesus during his final week.
Sunday we will celebrate his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds greeted him with loud shouts of "Hosanna!" amidst the waving of palm leaves. As our voices quiet, however, I hope we will begin to look at the longer road that Jesus is travelling. During the sermon, I will speak on "The Prophet's Road," drawing upon Matthew 21:1-11. During this, we will consider the entirety of the road that Jesus traveled over the course of his life on earth, from a humble birth in Bethlehem to his crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem.
By the end of the Sunday service we will look down the road that Jesus walked this final week, leading to a final time of teaching and fellowship with his disciples in an upper room, to an anguished prayer in a garden called Gethsemane, to an arrest and a sham trial, to an execution at Calvary, to an unexpected empty tomb nearby. There is hope at the end of "The Prophet's Road," but only after a period of deep darkness.
Too often we gloss over the darkness. We remember a crowd acclaiming Jesus as he entered Jerusalem and then we celebrate an empty tomb. But the empty tomb means little without better understanding the darkness that came before it.
So before we gather for Easter worship, we will gather for worship three more times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
On Thursday, we will commemorate the last time that Jesus gathered with his disciples. That evening he gave them -- and us -- a great gift, the promise that he would use his own self to sustain us in our lives. He symbolized this promise in the breaking of the bread, which we as Disciples of Christ celebrate each time we gather. After we share communion this night, however, we will continue the story. As the darkness descends upon us, we will remember how the darkness descended upon Jesus that night, when he faced arrest, persecution, denial, and conviction, all unjustly.
On Friday, we will gather to hear Jesus teaching to us from the cross. We will reflect upon the seven last statements that Jesus made, as recorded in the gospels. It is a somber time, as we reflect on the reality of Christ's untimely death.
On Saturday, we will gather to await Christ's resurrection in a vigil. Unlike our forefathers and foremothers, we will not keep watch from sundown to sunup, but we will embrace their celebration as our own. We will celebrate the returning of the light that Jesus' resurrection represents for us, coming in the aftermath of his death. We will hear the stories that have been told for centuries, explaining God's careful and continued involvement in human history, beginning with the creation of our world and culminating in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. We will celebrate our participation God, both remembering and affirming our baptisms and celebrating the Lord's Supper with the risen Christ.
And then Sunday we will gather again, celebrating the resurrection of Christ, symbolized first by an unexpectedly empty tomb, and then by Christ's appearing to his beloved followers.
It is a long week. For me personally, it will be a draining week. But it is an important week for us spiritually, which is why I feel it is so important for us to observe it. Through these services, and through our observation at home, we will connect with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ, deepening our faith. I do not know how you or I will be touched this week; but I know that we will, some of us deeply.
So as you look at a crowded calendar, I hope you do not get discouraged or overwhelmed. Instead I hope you embrace this opportunity for spiritual development and personal growth. Our God is faithful to us, and I know that whatever efforts we expend on God's behalf, God supports us and blesses us even more fully.
Sunday we will celebrate his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds greeted him with loud shouts of "Hosanna!" amidst the waving of palm leaves. As our voices quiet, however, I hope we will begin to look at the longer road that Jesus is travelling. During the sermon, I will speak on "The Prophet's Road," drawing upon Matthew 21:1-11. During this, we will consider the entirety of the road that Jesus traveled over the course of his life on earth, from a humble birth in Bethlehem to his crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem.
By the end of the Sunday service we will look down the road that Jesus walked this final week, leading to a final time of teaching and fellowship with his disciples in an upper room, to an anguished prayer in a garden called Gethsemane, to an arrest and a sham trial, to an execution at Calvary, to an unexpected empty tomb nearby. There is hope at the end of "The Prophet's Road," but only after a period of deep darkness.
Too often we gloss over the darkness. We remember a crowd acclaiming Jesus as he entered Jerusalem and then we celebrate an empty tomb. But the empty tomb means little without better understanding the darkness that came before it.
So before we gather for Easter worship, we will gather for worship three more times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
On Thursday, we will commemorate the last time that Jesus gathered with his disciples. That evening he gave them -- and us -- a great gift, the promise that he would use his own self to sustain us in our lives. He symbolized this promise in the breaking of the bread, which we as Disciples of Christ celebrate each time we gather. After we share communion this night, however, we will continue the story. As the darkness descends upon us, we will remember how the darkness descended upon Jesus that night, when he faced arrest, persecution, denial, and conviction, all unjustly.
On Friday, we will gather to hear Jesus teaching to us from the cross. We will reflect upon the seven last statements that Jesus made, as recorded in the gospels. It is a somber time, as we reflect on the reality of Christ's untimely death.
On Saturday, we will gather to await Christ's resurrection in a vigil. Unlike our forefathers and foremothers, we will not keep watch from sundown to sunup, but we will embrace their celebration as our own. We will celebrate the returning of the light that Jesus' resurrection represents for us, coming in the aftermath of his death. We will hear the stories that have been told for centuries, explaining God's careful and continued involvement in human history, beginning with the creation of our world and culminating in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. We will celebrate our participation God, both remembering and affirming our baptisms and celebrating the Lord's Supper with the risen Christ.
And then Sunday we will gather again, celebrating the resurrection of Christ, symbolized first by an unexpectedly empty tomb, and then by Christ's appearing to his beloved followers.
It is a long week. For me personally, it will be a draining week. But it is an important week for us spiritually, which is why I feel it is so important for us to observe it. Through these services, and through our observation at home, we will connect with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ, deepening our faith. I do not know how you or I will be touched this week; but I know that we will, some of us deeply.
So as you look at a crowded calendar, I hope you do not get discouraged or overwhelmed. Instead I hope you embrace this opportunity for spiritual development and personal growth. Our God is faithful to us, and I know that whatever efforts we expend on God's behalf, God supports us and blesses us even more fully.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Easter Offering, March 16 and March 23
For the next two Sundays, we will participate in the annual Easter special offering for the general church, which supports many of the outreach ministries of the Christian Church. Click here to go to a statement and to view a PowerPoint presentation about the offering.
This offering benefits the following ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):
This offering benefits the following ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):
- Division of Overseas Ministries/Global Ministries
- Higher Education and Leadership Ministries
- Council on Christian Unity
- Disciples of Christ Historical Society
- Hispanic Ministries
- National Convocation
- North American Asian Pacific Disciples
- Communication Ministries
- Disciples Home Missions
- Treasury Services and Development
- Disciples Benevolent Services
- Church Extension
- Pension Fund
You can view descriptions of all of these ministries on the Disciples of Christ website.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Pastor's Report, March 2008
I happily offer a "Pastor's Report" at Board Meetings. Here is that report.
March 9, 2008
I was reminded this week, through some discussions on our Disciples of Christ listserv, of the importance of always remembering that the practical work of our church board is an important part of our overall congregational ministry. Making choices about where to direct our energies and our money should be a pastoral one -- not in the sense that “the pastor decides,” but in the sense that our decisions should reflect our faithful service to Christ and outreach in Christ’s name. (This is not -- or should not be -- an earth-shattering observation; I just pass it along.)
Things are going well from my perspective. I’ve almost learned everyone’s name perfectly (though I’m still learning all of the family connections). Worship is going well, and I am pleased with the attendance and discussions at our current Bible Study series on Paul’s letters. I’ve gotten some positive feedback from the “Pastor’s Blog”; I hope that it will grow into a helpful resource for us.
Our new secretary, Becky, has started this week. She seems excited by the job, and is very pleasant to be around. From my perspective, she has handled the job well, which is great.
She and I were reminded of an issue we need to face this week about building usage. There are several various forms and letters saved on the computer, but they do not seem comprehensive. (They also do not seem to entirely agree with one another.) We need to look over this issue to solidify policies -- in fact, it would be very helpful if we produced a one page sheet of rules/policies that we could distribute to interested parties.
Holy Week is nearly upon us. I know that we’re offering an ambitious week of services, per my desires. I do not know how this will turn out. I hope that the congregation finds this week of services meaningful. In my experience, I have found that the church as a whole does not quite know how to ably remember all of the aspects of Holy Week -- we do much better with our quasi-month long celebration of Christmas (because Christmas always creeps into Advent, regardless of our efforts to stop it). So this is my effort to try to offer a different model for celebrating Easter. In the newspaper, I’ve seen another model advertised; one local church is simply spreading out Holy Week over Sundays leading up to Easter (I think that means that the Entry into Jerusalem was remembered on Feb. 24). Which is simply to admit, there’s no established way to do this in our modern culture. I hope that attendance is strong (because I do think it’s important), but mostly I hope that Central Christian feels good about these services in hindsight.
While I’m thinking about upcoming worship, I should let you know that there will be several small changes to the order of worship, which will appear on Easter Sunday and following. I don’t think that these are major changes (mostly shifting the order of things slightly). Some of them are being made for theological reasons (the addition of a formal Invocation); some are just meant to correspond to my own worship rhythms. Please let me know what your reactions are.
Here is some information on my upcoming activities:
March 9, 2008
I was reminded this week, through some discussions on our Disciples of Christ listserv, of the importance of always remembering that the practical work of our church board is an important part of our overall congregational ministry. Making choices about where to direct our energies and our money should be a pastoral one -- not in the sense that “the pastor decides,” but in the sense that our decisions should reflect our faithful service to Christ and outreach in Christ’s name. (This is not -- or should not be -- an earth-shattering observation; I just pass it along.)
Things are going well from my perspective. I’ve almost learned everyone’s name perfectly (though I’m still learning all of the family connections). Worship is going well, and I am pleased with the attendance and discussions at our current Bible Study series on Paul’s letters. I’ve gotten some positive feedback from the “Pastor’s Blog”; I hope that it will grow into a helpful resource for us.
Our new secretary, Becky, has started this week. She seems excited by the job, and is very pleasant to be around. From my perspective, she has handled the job well, which is great.
She and I were reminded of an issue we need to face this week about building usage. There are several various forms and letters saved on the computer, but they do not seem comprehensive. (They also do not seem to entirely agree with one another.) We need to look over this issue to solidify policies -- in fact, it would be very helpful if we produced a one page sheet of rules/policies that we could distribute to interested parties.
Holy Week is nearly upon us. I know that we’re offering an ambitious week of services, per my desires. I do not know how this will turn out. I hope that the congregation finds this week of services meaningful. In my experience, I have found that the church as a whole does not quite know how to ably remember all of the aspects of Holy Week -- we do much better with our quasi-month long celebration of Christmas (because Christmas always creeps into Advent, regardless of our efforts to stop it). So this is my effort to try to offer a different model for celebrating Easter. In the newspaper, I’ve seen another model advertised; one local church is simply spreading out Holy Week over Sundays leading up to Easter (I think that means that the Entry into Jerusalem was remembered on Feb. 24). Which is simply to admit, there’s no established way to do this in our modern culture. I hope that attendance is strong (because I do think it’s important), but mostly I hope that Central Christian feels good about these services in hindsight.
While I’m thinking about upcoming worship, I should let you know that there will be several small changes to the order of worship, which will appear on Easter Sunday and following. I don’t think that these are major changes (mostly shifting the order of things slightly). Some of them are being made for theological reasons (the addition of a formal Invocation); some are just meant to correspond to my own worship rhythms. Please let me know what your reactions are.
Here is some information on my upcoming activities:
- I will be observing 24 hours of prayer and meditation from the end of our Maundy Thursday service to the beginning of our Good Friday service. If any pastoral emergencies arise, there will be a contact person (whose calls I will take).
- I do not yet know what my regular day off will be (probably Thursday, but I will know by the end of April). You should be aware that I will take Easter Monday off (to rest and recover from Holy Week -- this will be a common practice after Easter, by the way).
- My installation is scheduled for Sunday, April 20. Our regional minister will attend that day for that purpose. I also have a few guests from out of town who are planning to be here that weekend.
You may have noticed that I have not yet scheduled any vacation time. This is slightly unusual -- I imagine that I would normally take some time after Easter. This year, however, my vacation schedule is up in the air because both of my younger sisters are expecting (one is due in May and one in September). I will take some vacation time to visit them sometime after they deliver (not immediately). I won’t be able to offer as much advance notice as I normally would, but I will do the best I can. I imagine you understand.
Our regional minister has asked me to serve as a member of our regional team in a regional Disciples - Roman Catholic Dialogue. I have agreed to do so (and I have attended on meeting so far). I will keep you informed of these activities (probably mostly on the Pastor’s Blog). The next meeting, in Clarksburg, is Monday, April 7. And we have an overnight retreat planned later in the spring.
Reflections on Worship, March 9
I don't have many thoughts about worship yesterday. Again I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance yesterday, despite the less than excellent roads. And I was surprised that people seemed awake, given Daylight Savings Time.
For my part, I was not entirely awake. It probably is not much of a secret that your pastor is not a morning person. So the loss of the hour of sleep was not entirely helpful for me. It was especially obvious in the sermon (at least to me), which made it longer than anticipated. I try to be moved by the spirit, but preaching without notes requires a certain amount of discipline, which was hindered by my drowsiness. I hope it wasn't overly noticeable.
Otherwise, it was a pleasant Sunday -- the metaphorical calm before the storm which is Holy Week. Preparations for those upcoming services continue. I hope you are looking forward to them (in a spiritually appropriate way, of course -- it's not Christmas); I am.
For my part, I was not entirely awake. It probably is not much of a secret that your pastor is not a morning person. So the loss of the hour of sleep was not entirely helpful for me. It was especially obvious in the sermon (at least to me), which made it longer than anticipated. I try to be moved by the spirit, but preaching without notes requires a certain amount of discipline, which was hindered by my drowsiness. I hope it wasn't overly noticeable.
Otherwise, it was a pleasant Sunday -- the metaphorical calm before the storm which is Holy Week. Preparations for those upcoming services continue. I hope you are looking forward to them (in a spiritually appropriate way, of course -- it's not Christmas); I am.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Bible Study - Papyrus 46 at Univ. of Michigan
I enjoyed the Bible study sessions today on Philippians, partially because I just enjoy studying the Bible, partially because I really love reading Paul, partially because I enjoy being with you.
Here is the link I suggested to the information about P46, from the University of Michigan Library: http://www.lib.umich.edu/pap/k12/reading/Paul/index.html
Here is the link I suggested to the information about P46, from the University of Michigan Library: http://www.lib.umich.edu/pap/k12/reading/Paul/index.html
Coming Up Sunday, March 9
On Sunday I will offer the final sermon in this year's Lenten series, "For Tough Cleaning Problems - Do Not Dilute": Solutions for Smelly Feet. The sermon will focus on the lesson of Jesus washing the disciples feet before the Last Supper, drawing on John 13. Is this an isolated incident, or can we learn something from Jesus' action?
Interestingly, this story comes soon after another story about feet, this one in John 12. Here Mary, the sister of Lazurus who featured prominently in our discussion of "Jesus wept," anoints Jesus' feet with a pound of very expensive perfume and wipes the feet with her hair. Like many of the recurring images in the Gospel of John, I do not think the similarity between these stories is accidental.
So we will consider the lessons of foot anointing and foot washing, expensive perfume and water, Mary and Jesus. One disciple grumbling about the flagrant waste of money and one disciple grumbling about Jesus' flagrant disregard of his social standing.
Jesus says to Peter, "Unless I wash you, you have no share in me." What does this mean for Peter? What does this mean for us?
I cannot possibly explore all of the issues in these two texts: the Gospel of John, more than even the rest of the Bible, is too rich to allow this in any single sermon. But I do hope to explore what these two stories meant then, and how they relate to us. Are our feet dirty these days? Do we need Jesus the Christ to wash them? Are our feet meant to be anointed these days? Who is our long-haired and extravagant Mary?
Interestingly, this story comes soon after another story about feet, this one in John 12. Here Mary, the sister of Lazurus who featured prominently in our discussion of "Jesus wept," anoints Jesus' feet with a pound of very expensive perfume and wipes the feet with her hair. Like many of the recurring images in the Gospel of John, I do not think the similarity between these stories is accidental.
So we will consider the lessons of foot anointing and foot washing, expensive perfume and water, Mary and Jesus. One disciple grumbling about the flagrant waste of money and one disciple grumbling about Jesus' flagrant disregard of his social standing.
Jesus says to Peter, "Unless I wash you, you have no share in me." What does this mean for Peter? What does this mean for us?
I cannot possibly explore all of the issues in these two texts: the Gospel of John, more than even the rest of the Bible, is too rich to allow this in any single sermon. But I do hope to explore what these two stories meant then, and how they relate to us. Are our feet dirty these days? Do we need Jesus the Christ to wash them? Are our feet meant to be anointed these days? Who is our long-haired and extravagant Mary?
Bible Study update - An Apocalyptic Age?
During our evening Bible Study last week, I mentioned the Apocalyptic expectations of 1st Century Christians, who believed that Jesus' return was imminent -- part of a larger cultural, especially Jewish, expectation of the quickly approaching end of the world. I also suggested that I did not think we lived in a particularly apocalyptic age (I would date the most recent such age to the late 1700s to the mid-1800s).
As will happen when I offer such opinions, there was some disagreement. Here is a blog entry posted by Roger Curry last week on his blog (the first part of which is most relevant). Let the discussion continue!
As will happen when I offer such opinions, there was some disagreement. Here is a blog entry posted by Roger Curry last week on his blog (the first part of which is most relevant). Let the discussion continue!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Another Blog
Ok, I can imagine you saying, the pastor got me to look at one blog, but now he wants me to look at another one too. It is true that I have multiple blogs, each for different purposes, but I do not expect you to read all of them (especially given that I don’t seem to have time to update all of them as frequently as I should).
But I thought you might be interested in my other, explicitly religious blog, which I maintain with two other friends, called “A Moment of Prayer.” On this blog, you will simply find short prayers (hopefully updated on a daily basis, but we’re still working out the kinks). I probably won’t mention it often, but I don’t want to be accused of keeping it a secret. I will put in on a list of links on the side of this page.
Click here to go to “A Moment of Prayer.”
But I thought you might be interested in my other, explicitly religious blog, which I maintain with two other friends, called “A Moment of Prayer.” On this blog, you will simply find short prayers (hopefully updated on a daily basis, but we’re still working out the kinks). I probably won’t mention it often, but I don’t want to be accused of keeping it a secret. I will put in on a list of links on the side of this page.
Click here to go to “A Moment of Prayer.”
Reflections on Worship, March 2
How good it was to worship with so many of you on Sunday morning. And how good to be greeting in the morning with sunshine, instead of grey skies or rain or snow. And how exciting to see so many young people join us.
It goes without saying that it was good to have Brooks with us, sharing so joyously from his talents. He came in over the weekend partially to visit, but mostly to help with the preparations for the upcoming services, especially during Holy Week. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’s excited about the services (isn’t Brooks almost always excited?). I’m excited too. I think it will be a meaningful time for us. I hope that you will seriously consider joining us at these services. I think it is important for the church to join Jesus on the Holy Week journey from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Anyway, I am listening to Sunday’s sermon as I’m typing up this entry. Several of you had favorable comments about the sermon, which is heartening; regardless of how I respond to any sermon, the point is to offer spiritual food for everybody in the congregation. And I believe that if I do my job prayerfully and faithfully, this will occur.
If I could have altered Sunday’s sermon, I would have explored the “Godfather” and “God the Father” comparison more. I should confess that this example suddenly came to me as I was getting into bed on Saturday night, so I didn’t have as much time to think it through as I might. (That’s not an excuse, just an explanation.) The comparison, especially concerning repentance, is striking. One is allowed to come to God, hat in hand, for a favor without God expecting anything else. But, after this first step on our faith journeys, how the relationship deepens. And as often as we ask God for favors, God in return asks us for things. Of course, this does not happen as an explicit exchange (‘if you want me to help your sick friend, you will donate an amount of money to the church’). But God reminds us that he has walked with us, has forgiven us, has loved us, and asks that we act according to our recognition of these things: feed my sheep, love one another, love your enemies, forgive each other, etc.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship while he was suffering persecution under the Nazis. It is an open question how much “discipleship” costs us. Grace is free; it comes with no strings attached. But God certainly has expectations and hopes for each of us. Well, we can explore that more deeply some other time.
It goes without saying that it was good to have Brooks with us, sharing so joyously from his talents. He came in over the weekend partially to visit, but mostly to help with the preparations for the upcoming services, especially during Holy Week. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’s excited about the services (isn’t Brooks almost always excited?). I’m excited too. I think it will be a meaningful time for us. I hope that you will seriously consider joining us at these services. I think it is important for the church to join Jesus on the Holy Week journey from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Anyway, I am listening to Sunday’s sermon as I’m typing up this entry. Several of you had favorable comments about the sermon, which is heartening; regardless of how I respond to any sermon, the point is to offer spiritual food for everybody in the congregation. And I believe that if I do my job prayerfully and faithfully, this will occur.
If I could have altered Sunday’s sermon, I would have explored the “Godfather” and “God the Father” comparison more. I should confess that this example suddenly came to me as I was getting into bed on Saturday night, so I didn’t have as much time to think it through as I might. (That’s not an excuse, just an explanation.) The comparison, especially concerning repentance, is striking. One is allowed to come to God, hat in hand, for a favor without God expecting anything else. But, after this first step on our faith journeys, how the relationship deepens. And as often as we ask God for favors, God in return asks us for things. Of course, this does not happen as an explicit exchange (‘if you want me to help your sick friend, you will donate an amount of money to the church’). But God reminds us that he has walked with us, has forgiven us, has loved us, and asks that we act according to our recognition of these things: feed my sheep, love one another, love your enemies, forgive each other, etc.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship while he was suffering persecution under the Nazis. It is an open question how much “discipleship” costs us. Grace is free; it comes with no strings attached. But God certainly has expectations and hopes for each of us. Well, we can explore that more deeply some other time.
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