Taking Ash Wednesday to the Street

A week ago, we began the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday.  During my meditation, I told a story about how a newscaster in Britain forgot about the holiday a few years ago when reporting on Vice President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, and wondered what caused the dark spot on his forehead.

A Methodist church in Washington DC attempted to address the challenge of helping people remember Ash Wednesday.  They met morning commuters outside a Metro station and offered ashes to them on their way into the city.  The weekly PBS show Religion and Ethics Newsweekly did a short piece on this unique way to observe the holiday over the weekend, which you can watch here.

While I'm always excited when Christians think outside the box, I worry that there's something missing here.  Part of Ash Wednesday is receiving ashes on one's forehead, but the more important part is the act of confession -- the ashes are an outward sign of an inward act.  Of course, you could argue that receiving ashes on the street will encourage some to confess that otherwise might not have.

Speaking of reminders -- don't forget Eastgate's Wednesday night Lenten prayer service tonight at 6:30.

February 26 Worship: "Wasteland: The Curse of Turning Away"

On Sunday, we continued our Lenten journey toward Easter.  We also took a special collection for Week of Compassion, the emergency relief ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The sermon continued our "Curses" series, exploring a curse promised to the children of Israel just before they entered the Promised Land.  In "Wasteland: The Curse of Turning Away," we explored how sin can prevent us from being as fruitful as God intended, even sins that are passed from one generation to the next.

If you missed the sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Prayer for Mission in China

This week we offer prayer for Tom and Lynnea Morse, our missionaries in China.  It is difficult to imagine the challenges for the Gospel in China, where religious practice in any form is often seen as a direct threat to government power.  As Tom and Lynnea write, and as is evidently a common occurrence, churches are frequently shut down by the government for months at a time.

You can read more about the mission to China here, including the story of two students who were recently baptized.

There are Christian missionaries serving around the world on our behalf in 70 countries. Each week, Global Missions highlights one of these missions and asks the church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Coming Up Sunday, February 26

On Sunday, we will continue our Lenten journey together.  Our Lenten sermon series, "Curses," explores some of the punishments for sinful behavior recorded in the Bible that we still live under in our broken sinful world.  This week, we will look at the curse promised to the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 29 in "Wasteland: The Curse of Turning Away."

Also this week, we will again collect the special offering for Week of Compassion, the emergency relief ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  Please prayerfully consider helping this very worthwhile outreach ministry.

Ash Wednesday Worship: "Marked for Exile: The Curse of Cain"

Last evening, we marked the beginning of the Lenten season with our Ash Wednesday service.  As is traditional, we had our foreheads marked with ashes in the sign of the cross as a sign of penitence and we confessed our shortcomings to God.  I thought it was an excellent start to our journey towards Holy Week and Easter.

The meditation, part of our "Curses" series, was "Marked for Exile: The Curse of Cain."  It was a reflection on the story of Cain and Abel, and its aftermath, comparing the marks we place on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday with the mark God put on Cain.

If you missed the meditation, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with someone, you can listen to an audio recording here.

February 19 Worship: "Dust: The Curse of the Serpent"

On Sunday, we began our journey toward Easter.  We also began our special collection for Week of Compassion, the emergency relief ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), with a special moment for mission given by Paul Wallace.

The sermon, the first in our "Curses" series for Lent, focused on the Fall of Adam and Eve, told in Genesis 3.  We considered some of the consequences we live with due to the first sin in "Dust: The Curse of the Serpent."  As a pastor, I must confess that I find it difficult to preach about sin effectively -- I don't want to be completely depressing because I have hope in Christ, but I don't want to be too dismissive because the problems caused by sinfulness are all too real.  I think the balance on Sunday was about right, though.

If you missed the sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Ash Wednesday Service This Week!

Don't forget that the season of Lent begins this Wednesday.  Eastgate will have a special Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 pm on February 22.  The service will feature a meditation from our "Curses" series, "Marked for Exile: The Curse of Cain."  There will also be a time for confession, the imposition of ashes, and the celebration of Communion.  All are welcome to this important step toward the commemoration of Holy Week and celebration of Easter this year.

Survey about General Assembly

As those charged with preparing for the 2013 General Assembly of the Christian Church begin their planning in earnest, they have created a brief online survey.  If you get a chance, I encourage you to take a couple of minutes and share your thoughts, whether you have attended Assemblies in the past or not.

You can complete the survey here.

Prayer for Mission in Hungary

This week we offer prayer for our missionaries in Hungary, Coralyn and Laslo Medyesy and Barbara and Zoltan Szucs.  Even now, Hungary is still emerging from its 50 years behind the Iron Curtain, which means that Christian institutions have needed to be reestablished and reaffirmed.  Teaching, including seminary teaching, is an important part of our missionaries work in Hungary.

You can read more about the mission to Hungary here, including a long prayer based on a Gospel reading that is evidently rarely encountered in that country, the Transfiguration. 

There are Christian missionaries serving around the world on our behalf in 70 countries. Each week, Global Missions highlights one of these missions and asks the church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Week of Compassion Special Offering Collected This Sunday!

This Sunday and next, we are taking our first special offering of the year in support of Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee, and development fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 

The ministry directs resources to needs in the United States and around the world through grants, expertise, and coordination of mission volunteers.  Just this week, they've posted an update on the on-going work in the wake of disasters in Joplin, MO, Tuscaloosa, AL, and along the Gulf Coast, bringing together volunteers from countless congregations.

The current theme for the Week of Compassion offering is "Sharing Brings Joy."  Recently, they posted a new video about their service to others and about our opportunity to share with others.

Sharing Brings Joy from Week of Compassion on Vimeo.

From other pastors, I have heard of the excellent work that Week of Compassion has done, especially when their congregations have faced emergencies -- a few days ago, Weed of Compassion offered quick assistance to members of a church in West Virginia who suffered a household.  It is a ministry that touches many lives in the worst times and well worth our support.

Coming Up Sunday, February 19

On Sunday, we will begin our season of preparation in advance of Holy Week.  Our Lenten sermon series, "Curses," will begin -- a few days before Ash Wednesday officially starts the season of Lent.  The series will revisit some of the curses -- punishments for sinful behavior -- that are recorded in the Bible.  This week we look at the first such curse, spoken by God after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden: "Dust: The Curse of the Serpent," based on Genesis 3.

As Christians, we know that Jesus offers a blessing to counterbalance this curse.  During Lent, though, it is important to be honest -- with ourselves and with the wider world -- that all of us are still shackled by the sinfulness of our broken world.  Without reflecting on our own shortcomings and punishments, we do not really appreciate the unbelievable grace of salvation, through Jesus Christ, which is the promise of Easter.

Sunday will also be the first day of the special offering taken to support Week of Compassion, the emergency relief ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

February 12 Worship: Lincoln Sunday

On Sunday, we celebrated Lincoln Sunday during our worship.  I offered my annual Lincoln sermon, we were guided by snippets of liturgy from the Protestant worship of Lincoln's day, and we sang songs of that era, ending with the rousing "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

The special sermon, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, focused on one of Lincoln's key decisions of 1862, whether and how to free the slaves.  Joining this story with the Biblical story of Joshua's great discourse at the end of his life, and the Hebrews response to it, I wondered how we might face the central issue facing the church today -- how to cope with a society that is increasingly turning away from God.  The sermon's title is taken from a key line in Lincoln's argument: "The World Knows That We Know: Abraham Lincoln's 1862 Message to Congress."

I have no doubt that many people did not know what to expect on Sunday.  Judging from some of the comments I heard on Sunday, several people found the service and sermon interesting and enjoyable.  I imagine there were some who did not, partially because the Lincoln sermon is more old-fashioned in format and content, especially this year because it was about the transformation of ideas, a notoriously difficult topic to explore in any format, rather than examples of Lincoln's character or intriguing events during his life.  Personally, I was pleased with the sermon, in large part because it encouraged me to reflect on a central component of my ministry that is on the growing edge of my faith.

If you missed the sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Prayer for Mission in Laos

This week we offer prayer for our missionary in Laos, Xuyen Dangers.  Xuyen faces the daunting challenge of introducing the concept of social work into a nation where it is a new idea.  She works with Church World Service to train volunteers to work with young people in need in the Southeast Asian nation.

You can read more about the mission to Laos here, including the story of a man who used his experiences in social work to become and serve as the chief of his village.

There are Christian missionaries serving around the world on our behalf in 70 countries. Each week, Global Missions highlights one of these missions and asks the church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Coming Up on Sunday, February 12

On Sunday, we will celebrate Lincoln Sunday.  In the first half of the 20th Century, this was a common tradition, recognizing the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln.  Given that I am an unabashed Lincoln student, it is a tradition that I want to participate in, even as it fades into history.  The service will feature a special Lincoln sermon, period music (including "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"), some liturgy from churches of the time, and readings from the King James Version of the Bible.

The special sermon is entitled "The World Knows That We Know: Abraham Lincoln's 1862 Message to Congress."  Coinciding with the on-going 150th anniversary of the Civil War, we will look at the central issue that Lincoln faced 150 years ago -- whether to free the slaves or not.  The context of this decision will be compared with the context of Joshua's farewell discourse to the Hebrews in the Promised Land, in which he spoke of faithfulness to God.  Together, I think that these things illuminate the central challenge that American congregations, included Eastgate, face today.

I look forward to Lincoln Sunday each year.  Some of my traditions are a little silly: I will be wearing a Lincoln tie and the sermon will be printed on Lincoln stationery.  But the truth is deeper: the sermons are challenging to preach because they involve themes that lie on the growing edges of my faith.  This year's theme -- leadership -- is no different.  I hope that I'll see you on Sunday for this special service.

February 5 Worship: Quo Vadimus - A Luke 10 Church (Part 2)

On Sunday, we gathered for another uplifting worship service.  On Scout Sunday, we were privileged to welcome some of the leaders and scouts from the Cub Pack that Eastgate hosts.  They posted the colors and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  It was good to celebrate the important character formation that scouting nurtures in our community and country.

We also celebrated the training of several volunteers over the weekend to help with our Children's Worship and Wonder program.  During the invitation, Suzanne Rebecchi offered a testimony about how passionate she is about connecting our young people with God through this program, including the blessings she has sensed through her participation in the program at Eastgate over the past year.

During the sermon, we concluded our sermon series "Quo Vadimus (Where are we going?)" with the second sermon on "A Luke 10 Church."  In the last stories of Luke 10, which include the parable of the Good Samaritan, we considered the other three attributes of a church found by Christian author Brian McLaren in the passage -- joy, compassion, and total devotion to Christ's teaching.  I thought it was good end to the sermon series.

If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Prayer for Mission in Japan

This week we offer prayers for our missionaries serving in Japan, Martha and Jeffrey Mensendiek.  Martha teaches social welfare at Doshisha University in Kyoto and Jeffrey is the director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center, which has served as a disaster response center for Japan's United Church of Christ since last spring's tsunami.  In many ways, the area is still struggling to cope with the disaster and disruption of that traumatic event.

You can read more about the mission to Japan here, including a prayer for the recovery and consolation for those greatly affected by the disaster.

There are Christian missionaries serving around the world on our behalf in 70 countries. Each week, Global Missions highlights one of these missions and asks the church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Coming Up on Sunday, February 5

On Sunday, we celebrate Scout Sunday.  We will be joined in worship by the Cub Pack that meets regularly at Eastgate.  This is a great opportunity to show our support of this excellent program that instills morals and civic responsibility in the young people who participate in it.

During the sermon, we will conclude our series "Quo Vadimus (Where are we going?)" with the second sermon on "A Luke 10 Church."  Drawing on a wonderful sermon preached by Brian McLaren at last summer's General Assembly, we will consider three more attributes of a church through an interpretation of Luke 10.  Last week, we talked about a church that is future-oriented, flexible, and a community of peace.  This week, we will consider a church that is loving, compassionate, and truly devoted.

Social Media for Non-Profits -- Maybe Even Churches

Last week, an article in Faith and Leadership, an online publication from Duke Divinity School, detailed how established non-profit organizations are beginning to use social media like Facebook.  The title of the article is a challenge to any congregation: "No more excuses: Nonprofits give social media a try."

No church is mentioned in the article, which focuses on the recent experiences of organizations like the American Humane Society.  However, the opportunities presented to congregations by Facebook and YouTube, in addition to blogs like this one, are at least as great as those to national non-profit organizations.

For starters, they offer an opportunity to build our community outside of a weekly worship service.  Social media, though it cannot replace face-to-face interaction, can allow us to connect at any time, wherever we are.  If the church cannot overturn the "on-demand" culture we now face, we can adapt so that we are not overwhelmed by the demands it places on our schedules.  Social media allows promising opportunities in this regard.

In the short term, Eastgate's new media will be focused on this pastor's blog.  In time, we will explore other resources that may strengthen our community of faith, including other social media.