Pizza #30 Donatos
10 years ago
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Being with Children
I have received a real gift in the past weeks - I have spent more time with children than I usually do.
We just finished our Vacation Bible School and I was able to do my favorite part of the VBS - lead the kids in games. Glenn was my partner in this and I have to say that it really takes me back to the beginning of my ministry and really why I came into work in the church.
When I was in my 20's and a young woman with three children I felt so gratified that the church would allow me to do youth ministry. Little did I know at the time how grateful churches are for people who really enjoy working with youth. I went to seminary in 1982 thinking I was going to work with children and youth primarily. And once I became a solo pastor in 1990 my youth work became more and more infrequent until now when I rarely get to be with kids.
Anyway, leading games at vacation Bible school is something that I really loved last week. It is so much fun to watch kids having fun. And we did some very funny games - like a relay race carrying teddy bears on a towel (like a stretcher) that had me laughing nonstop. And the kids at times were not only laughing but squealing. It was crazy and what I need. I actually for the most part was able to tie these silly games into Bible story truths - but really, who cares? There is a lot to be said for pure fun.
Chuck and I took Addie and Jackson to Cincinnati this week for a little mini vacation. We went to the children's museum there and I got to watch them running, playing, laughing, whispering, and dreaming together. Later we went to a hotel in Covington Kentucky (Jackson's favorite state - Kentucky) where they had an indoor swimming pool that we had to ourselves. And again watching them play together and being with them is a joy that is beyond expression.
In our spiritual walk we are to come like chidren and somehow I remember what that means when I am with children. It is not about innocence exactly - but a state of wonder and playfulness that it is easy for us to lose as we become "adults".
It is the blessing of my life to have work and family that brings me into contact with children. I think I need more of this.
God is good, all the time.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Courage, Cooperation and Perseverance.
These three words were emphasized today at the Freedom Center, the Underground Reilroad Museum in Cincinnati. There was so much information that it was overwhelming. We learned about the horror of the middle passage as slaves were brought to this country from Africa. We learned about the cruelty of a system that bought and sold individuals. We saw the cabin from Kentucky in which slaves were collected and housed until they took the 700 plus miles walking barefoot to Mississippi. we learned about the resistance of slaves, the plantation life, the political backgrounds. It was so much and so interesting. We saw several films and
read documents and listened on the IPad to narration. It was a lot.
But I am left with these words for social justice work - courage, cooperation and perseverence. It was what the slaves needed to survive and to resist slavery. It was what the abolitionists needed for their brave words and work in the underground railroad. It was what guided the politicians who worked to finally come together to pass the Emancipation Proclamation.
I saw these three words guiding the activity of the GLAD organization (Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples) during our General Assembly. The resolution which welcomes all people regardless of sexual orientation to the church was a major victory which was years in coming. Two years ago I went to the GLAD banquet and heard Mel White wonder how long we were going to discern about this issue. It had been 10 years. And so, Derek Penwell wrote the resolution and worked with others to vet it. It went through a long process through which it went before our Regional ministers and the General Board and finally it was brought before the whole assembly for a vote. There was talk about how this was going to split the church and supposedly some churches may be leaving the denomination over it. And so, all of this has required courage, cooperation and perseverance.
Tuesday afternoon wwe voted on the resolution. As I sat in the convention hall in Orlando, wearing my "All means All" T shirt and waiting for the vote I was almost overwhelmed with emotion. I sat beside Scott, Audrey's wonderful mentor and friend and Marsha, who has been a faithful friend to me from the beginning of the time Audrey came out. We sat behind Audrey and Miranda and Miranda's mother Linda. Actually we were all wearing "All means All" T shirts. I was so blessed to be present there and part of it -and being with Audrey who had her own part in the genesis of this resolution, and hearing Miranda speak to it in front of the 3000 plus delagats. The waiting was almost over and there was going to finally be some resolution about the resolution.
And when the vote was announced we were not allowed to clap. So we hugged and laughed and cried. A lot of tears. Because the courage, the cooperation, and the perseverance had brought us to a greater place of openness.
I know that this resolution - when it is all said and done - is really just a small step in the journey to becoming a place of welcome for all people. It does not guarantee ordination for LGBTI folks and it certainly does not mean that churches will want to hire gays and lesbians as pastors. But it is an important statement of justice within our denomination. We cannot care about social justice for the world if we are not attending to it within the Disciples of Christ.
This has been a time of realizing how important it is for Christians to stand with the marginalized and speak love and justice for all people. I realized it last week both in the matter of the resolution and in standing in solidarity with the NAACP (their convention was also in Orlando) after the verdict was announced to the Trayvon Martin trial. We have to care about everyone. But it is not enough for me to pray.
At the museum today I learned again - that social justice requires many people working together - cooperation, a willingness to speak truths that others may not be comfortable with - courage and the awareness that the journey is neverending - Perseverance.
Amen
read documents and listened on the IPad to narration. It was a lot.
But I am left with these words for social justice work - courage, cooperation and perseverence. It was what the slaves needed to survive and to resist slavery. It was what the abolitionists needed for their brave words and work in the underground railroad. It was what guided the politicians who worked to finally come together to pass the Emancipation Proclamation.
I saw these three words guiding the activity of the GLAD organization (Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples) during our General Assembly. The resolution which welcomes all people regardless of sexual orientation to the church was a major victory which was years in coming. Two years ago I went to the GLAD banquet and heard Mel White wonder how long we were going to discern about this issue. It had been 10 years. And so, Derek Penwell wrote the resolution and worked with others to vet it. It went through a long process through which it went before our Regional ministers and the General Board and finally it was brought before the whole assembly for a vote. There was talk about how this was going to split the church and supposedly some churches may be leaving the denomination over it. And so, all of this has required courage, cooperation and perseverance.
Tuesday afternoon wwe voted on the resolution. As I sat in the convention hall in Orlando, wearing my "All means All" T shirt and waiting for the vote I was almost overwhelmed with emotion. I sat beside Scott, Audrey's wonderful mentor and friend and Marsha, who has been a faithful friend to me from the beginning of the time Audrey came out. We sat behind Audrey and Miranda and Miranda's mother Linda. Actually we were all wearing "All means All" T shirts. I was so blessed to be present there and part of it -and being with Audrey who had her own part in the genesis of this resolution, and hearing Miranda speak to it in front of the 3000 plus delagats. The waiting was almost over and there was going to finally be some resolution about the resolution.
And when the vote was announced we were not allowed to clap. So we hugged and laughed and cried. A lot of tears. Because the courage, the cooperation, and the perseverance had brought us to a greater place of openness.
I know that this resolution - when it is all said and done - is really just a small step in the journey to becoming a place of welcome for all people. It does not guarantee ordination for LGBTI folks and it certainly does not mean that churches will want to hire gays and lesbians as pastors. But it is an important statement of justice within our denomination. We cannot care about social justice for the world if we are not attending to it within the Disciples of Christ.
This has been a time of realizing how important it is for Christians to stand with the marginalized and speak love and justice for all people. I realized it last week both in the matter of the resolution and in standing in solidarity with the NAACP (their convention was also in Orlando) after the verdict was announced to the Trayvon Martin trial. We have to care about everyone. But it is not enough for me to pray.
At the museum today I learned again - that social justice requires many people working together - cooperation, a willingness to speak truths that others may not be comfortable with - courage and the awareness that the journey is neverending - Perseverance.
Amen
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Home from General Assembly
And tired. Very, very tired. I am trying to read and reflect on the story of Mary and Martha today and I realize I need to really just rest for a while and allow myself to find some body and soul restoration after a very busy and wonder-FULL assembly.
So I thought I would just reflect a bit about all that has happened over the past 6 days.
The assembly began on Saturday evening and with Allen Harris I did a "pre-event" for GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples.) Because we were going to have the big vote on the resolution, I really felt that we need some "spiritual preparation" for that event. We began with very simple but powerful worship and Allen taught us a different way of communicating as a group in which the power is shared. After that I spoke about listening and invited people to participate in a "listening stick exercise." We then discussed our experiences using Allen's process. The whole thing was more meaningful than I ever dreamed it could be. This was followed by lunch and a time of creative reflecting using mandalas, writing, a finger labyrinth, and other artistic expressions. Followed by the opportunity to share their stories. And then worship and communion led by Allen. All of it went so well and I was truly awed by God through the day. happy.
Our worship Saturday night was the beginning of powerful worship services. The musicians provided a variety of expressions - blues, gospel, folk, contemporary and joining thousands of people in singing was wonderful. The preacher - especially Saturday night - was outstanding. Every night was truly a gift to me. There is something about all of us being together that was thrilling.
When I go to events like this you will find me with my I Pad taking notes. Here are some of the insights from the week.
At a Sunday School Class on becoming "Radically Inclusive"
"Diversity may be the hardest thing to live with and the most dangerous thing to be without " William Sloan Coffine
"No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive" Gandhi
To be radically inclusive means that we are embracing you rather than just putting up with you
It is beyond tolerance to welcoming - not only the disenfranchised and powerless but all the powerful and the enfranchised.
From the NBA luncheon
"People are looking for a church to change their life"
"God has placed us in each others' care"
From a talk on "Sacred Conversations"
Our deepest need is that we cannot treat others as somebody if you don't recognize yourself as somebody.
to be "Somebody" is to claim the glory and the responsibility of being a child of God
From a talk by Walter Brueggemann
Prophets tells us that 1. we are falling apart because we are out of the will of God 2. there is a better way 3. Imagine what it will look like when we are in the kingdom (kin-dom) of God
There is a statement that people make: would you rather be right or in relationship? It causes us to keep silent for the sake of relationship - but not sure the relationship is better for it.
Biggest theological mistake we make when we read the Bible - we forget who it was written for. We read it from the center instead of from the margins. The Bible was written for a community on the margins moving from place to place.
Summary of all Jewish holidays - they tried to kill us, we survived, they failed, let's eat! AND I will not forget when they try to wipe others out.
How are we supposed to pray - as an act of hope. Persistently, desperately and in hope
I have much more on Brueggemann - probably will use it in a sermon this year!
From my learning about the "World Café Model"
Conversations that do not seek to come to conclusion but only (???) to broaden our understanding. 3 - 4 people sit knee to knee with a question and a poster board to "doodle/ write on/" We talk for 15 minutes and then switch people. I am very intrigued with this form of conversation and will be using it at some point at church.
From a talk by Dick Hamm at the Glad Banquet
"Can we be a church that puts relationship ahead of dogma and doctrine?
"Churches are like cats - you think they are fighting, but they are multiplying."
"Relationship trumps dogma in the quest for unity."
Perfect love casts out fear. (HE DIDN'T SAY THIS FIRST - BUT HE REMINDED US :)
Anyway, the point is, that a General Assembly has wonderful worship and challenging classes and then the business discussions and voting! As I write this I know this is why I am tired. Thinking, praying, being open to new ways of doing worship and church.
Tomorrow I am going to write about the vote on the resolution. Today I just want to be grateful for a God who loves me as I am. When I "Prayerwalked" this morning the verse I was given was from Psalm 17: 7,8
"Show me the wonder of your great love....Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."
And yet, and yet....God keep pushing, stretching, growing me to learn more and to become more. it is not always easy - but it is always worth it.
So I thought I would just reflect a bit about all that has happened over the past 6 days.
The assembly began on Saturday evening and with Allen Harris I did a "pre-event" for GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples.) Because we were going to have the big vote on the resolution, I really felt that we need some "spiritual preparation" for that event. We began with very simple but powerful worship and Allen taught us a different way of communicating as a group in which the power is shared. After that I spoke about listening and invited people to participate in a "listening stick exercise." We then discussed our experiences using Allen's process. The whole thing was more meaningful than I ever dreamed it could be. This was followed by lunch and a time of creative reflecting using mandalas, writing, a finger labyrinth, and other artistic expressions. Followed by the opportunity to share their stories. And then worship and communion led by Allen. All of it went so well and I was truly awed by God through the day. happy.
Our worship Saturday night was the beginning of powerful worship services. The musicians provided a variety of expressions - blues, gospel, folk, contemporary and joining thousands of people in singing was wonderful. The preacher - especially Saturday night - was outstanding. Every night was truly a gift to me. There is something about all of us being together that was thrilling.
When I go to events like this you will find me with my I Pad taking notes. Here are some of the insights from the week.
At a Sunday School Class on becoming "Radically Inclusive"
"Diversity may be the hardest thing to live with and the most dangerous thing to be without " William Sloan Coffine
"No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive" Gandhi
To be radically inclusive means that we are embracing you rather than just putting up with you
It is beyond tolerance to welcoming - not only the disenfranchised and powerless but all the powerful and the enfranchised.
From the NBA luncheon
"People are looking for a church to change their life"
"God has placed us in each others' care"
From a talk on "Sacred Conversations"
Our deepest need is that we cannot treat others as somebody if you don't recognize yourself as somebody.
to be "Somebody" is to claim the glory and the responsibility of being a child of God
From a talk by Walter Brueggemann
Prophets tells us that 1. we are falling apart because we are out of the will of God 2. there is a better way 3. Imagine what it will look like when we are in the kingdom (kin-dom) of God
There is a statement that people make: would you rather be right or in relationship? It causes us to keep silent for the sake of relationship - but not sure the relationship is better for it.
Biggest theological mistake we make when we read the Bible - we forget who it was written for. We read it from the center instead of from the margins. The Bible was written for a community on the margins moving from place to place.
Summary of all Jewish holidays - they tried to kill us, we survived, they failed, let's eat! AND I will not forget when they try to wipe others out.
How are we supposed to pray - as an act of hope. Persistently, desperately and in hope
I have much more on Brueggemann - probably will use it in a sermon this year!
From my learning about the "World Café Model"
Conversations that do not seek to come to conclusion but only (???) to broaden our understanding. 3 - 4 people sit knee to knee with a question and a poster board to "doodle/ write on/" We talk for 15 minutes and then switch people. I am very intrigued with this form of conversation and will be using it at some point at church.
From a talk by Dick Hamm at the Glad Banquet
"Can we be a church that puts relationship ahead of dogma and doctrine?
"Churches are like cats - you think they are fighting, but they are multiplying."
"Relationship trumps dogma in the quest for unity."
Perfect love casts out fear. (HE DIDN'T SAY THIS FIRST - BUT HE REMINDED US :)
Anyway, the point is, that a General Assembly has wonderful worship and challenging classes and then the business discussions and voting! As I write this I know this is why I am tired. Thinking, praying, being open to new ways of doing worship and church.
Tomorrow I am going to write about the vote on the resolution. Today I just want to be grateful for a God who loves me as I am. When I "Prayerwalked" this morning the verse I was given was from Psalm 17: 7,8
"Show me the wonder of your great love....Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."
And yet, and yet....God keep pushing, stretching, growing me to learn more and to become more. it is not always easy - but it is always worth it.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
A Prayer
This is a prayer that I ended my sermons with on Sunday
Jesus said,
“You ought always to pray and not to faint.”
So we do not pray for easy lives;
we pray to be stronger women and men.
And we do not pray for tasks equal to our powers,
but for power equal to our tasks.
Then, the doing of our work will be no miracle
– we will be the miracle.
Every day may we wonder at ourselves
and the richness of life
which has come to us by the grace of God. Amen.
Julia Esquivel, Guatemalan poet,
Jesus said,
“You ought always to pray and not to faint.”
So we do not pray for easy lives;
we pray to be stronger women and men.
And we do not pray for tasks equal to our powers,
but for power equal to our tasks.
Then, the doing of our work will be no miracle
– we will be the miracle.
Every day may we wonder at ourselves
and the richness of life
which has come to us by the grace of God. Amen.
Julia Esquivel, Guatemalan poet,
Thursday, June 27, 2013
This and That
I just want to post a quick update about some of my activities of the past few weeks. I have engaged in activities that help me to grow and help me to really have a sense of God's work within me and within the world.
First, I took a week long course at Trinity Seminary in Healthy Congregations. Before the course began I read a book called Extraordinary Relationships and during the course we had a large notebook full of material that I continue to spend time with. I keep learning that to lead is to learn about self in order to manage your own anxiety and help others to manage theirs. A congregation is a system and we have to keep getting a "balcony perspective" in order to really see what is going on. There is more to share but the bottom line for me is that I get energy from being in a learning environment and I hope to find more courses that I can take.
Second, Audrey came to Columbus with a group of girls and a leader, Amy, to do mission work. They stayed at Kim and Alan's house and they really had a great experience. I was part of some of it - going to COSI, having them to dinner, joining in the Gay Pride Parade and lining up a couple of speakers for them. It was wonderful to watch these young women learn and really begin to have their eyes opened to the needs of others who were so much less fortunate than they were. Their testimonials in church indicated that their awareness of how they labeled and rejected others in ways that were not Christian. The two speakers I brought to them inspired me as well. Roberto gave a testimonial about AA and how God has worked within his life to slowly bring healing. He was so honest and real and I was happy to get to be part of that. We also had Kwesei come to talk about issues of immigrants in Columbus. Kwesei is a Seventh Day Adventist Minister who is part of our Northland Ministers group. He really described how difficult the journey is for people to come to America from other countries. And he shared that he now discourages others from coming.
Finally, I was able to go on retreat for two days this week. I joined two of my Wellstreams friends at a cabin at Hocking Hills for two days of silence, prayer and sharing. I cannot overstate how powerful it is spend time in this way. I really have to go away physically and be disconnected from all things electronic. Somehow in the midst of nature, walking, word, and prayer God really does speak and restore my soul.
And now I am working on a sermon about this Christian journey and the seemingly hard demands of discipleship from Jesus. Except that to follow this way of love, forgiveness, serving and growing is about the only way that makes sense.
I am grateful for the blessing of being able to do all that is part of my life - learning and serving opportunities and most of all getting some time away with the source of life who really does bring renewal.
God is good - all the time
First, I took a week long course at Trinity Seminary in Healthy Congregations. Before the course began I read a book called Extraordinary Relationships and during the course we had a large notebook full of material that I continue to spend time with. I keep learning that to lead is to learn about self in order to manage your own anxiety and help others to manage theirs. A congregation is a system and we have to keep getting a "balcony perspective" in order to really see what is going on. There is more to share but the bottom line for me is that I get energy from being in a learning environment and I hope to find more courses that I can take.
Second, Audrey came to Columbus with a group of girls and a leader, Amy, to do mission work. They stayed at Kim and Alan's house and they really had a great experience. I was part of some of it - going to COSI, having them to dinner, joining in the Gay Pride Parade and lining up a couple of speakers for them. It was wonderful to watch these young women learn and really begin to have their eyes opened to the needs of others who were so much less fortunate than they were. Their testimonials in church indicated that their awareness of how they labeled and rejected others in ways that were not Christian. The two speakers I brought to them inspired me as well. Roberto gave a testimonial about AA and how God has worked within his life to slowly bring healing. He was so honest and real and I was happy to get to be part of that. We also had Kwesei come to talk about issues of immigrants in Columbus. Kwesei is a Seventh Day Adventist Minister who is part of our Northland Ministers group. He really described how difficult the journey is for people to come to America from other countries. And he shared that he now discourages others from coming.
Finally, I was able to go on retreat for two days this week. I joined two of my Wellstreams friends at a cabin at Hocking Hills for two days of silence, prayer and sharing. I cannot overstate how powerful it is spend time in this way. I really have to go away physically and be disconnected from all things electronic. Somehow in the midst of nature, walking, word, and prayer God really does speak and restore my soul.
And now I am working on a sermon about this Christian journey and the seemingly hard demands of discipleship from Jesus. Except that to follow this way of love, forgiveness, serving and growing is about the only way that makes sense.
I am grateful for the blessing of being able to do all that is part of my life - learning and serving opportunities and most of all getting some time away with the source of life who really does bring renewal.
God is good - all the time
Monday, June 17, 2013
Father's Day Sermon
I have not posted a sermon for a long time, but someone asked for a copy so I thought I just would put this on the blog.
Luke 7:36 - 8:3
36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.”
41“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
48Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” .
There is a camp song that I like a lot that I have been humming this week:
this love that I have the world didn’t give it to me, this love that I have, the world didn’t give it to me, this love that I have, the world didn’t give it to me …the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away. (this peace that I have….this joy that I have….)
This text has a woman whose joy did not come from the world. It came from Jesus
What we see in her is joy at his presence. She is unafraid to go into the house of a Pharisee. She does not care what anyone is thinking about her. She only wants to express her love for Jesus.
She is audacious and extravagant.
Now – the world did not give her this sense of joy and gratitude.
What the world wants her to feel is something entirely different.
You see the world that of that time and this time is a world of rating people.. There was a division within the religious life between people – the pure and the impure. Holy and unholy.. And she was clearly impure. We can talk about how that began – but that is often – still –one of many of the divisions that we make between people.
The good and the bad, the winners and the losers, the successful and the failures.
And in that ranking and rating – what will follow will be rejection. Only certain people are acceptable and welcome. Only certain people belong.
I want to stop for a moment and ask you this questions – can you think to a time when you were going to go someplace and wondered if you would fit in? If you would be welcomed? If you belonged?
Have you ever gone to a party and wondered about those questions….Or tried out for a team or a job and wondered about those questions….Or gone to church?
I wonder if it is in the human condition that we live in a certain amount of anxiety about that – will I fit in? will I be welcomed? Will I belong?
The world – the culture – the religion – the corporate life – the academic world –our family life - we ask ourselves: will I fit in? will I be welcomed? Will I belong?
Because another part of this construct of ranking and rejecting is shaming. What the Pharisees wanted to do with this woman – was to shame her. To make sure she knew that she did not fit in, she was not welcome, she did not belong with good people. Shaming is rejection not because of what you do – but because of who you are.
Jung: “Shame is a soul eating emotion”
Many of us grew up with shaming – could be an youngest child who had no voice, could be slow in school, or too fat, could have had a family that made jokes constantly at others expense Blaming often goes with shaming. Something is wrong and who can we blame. (joke – computer is almost human except it does not blame its mistakes on another computer.) So that the finger pointing and the ducking the finger pointing can be just an exercise that we live with constantly. Rejecting before I will be rejected.
Rating, rejecting, shaming and blaming.
No wonder we live with so much anxiety. No wonder we find ourselves scanning the horizon for trouble, trying to control ourselves and others so that we will not be dismissed, rejected, found wanting.
That is so often what the world has given to us. And certainly to this woman.
And they were critical of Jesus that he did not express these beliefs about her. So they are now trying to shame him for not shaming her. But of course neither he nor she accepts their shaming, their blaming, their rating and their rejecting.
Jesus lives in another reality – and that is in that awareness of God’s presence and God’s mercy and God’s grace. In the Kingdom of God everyone belongs and no one needs to be scapegoated or excluded
Richard Rohr: Jesus is clearly much more concerned about issues of pride, injustice, hypocrisy, blindness, and what I have often called “The Three Ps” of power, prestige, and possessions, which are probably 95 percent of Jesus’ written teaching.
Something happened to her – and that is what we don’t really know in this story. We don’t know that she had previous encounter with Jesus or just heard his words of grace and forgiveness. Maybe she heard his teaching – about loving your enemies……Or Luke 6: 37 – Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn Forgive and you will be forgiven….. Give and it will be given to you
But she heard the message of Jesus which was that she – like everyone – is welcome by God and loved by God. And through the forgiveness of God, her past will not define her.. And she is renamed - She is the beloved child of God We don’t know – only that she recognized that in the presence of this man was something new and freeing and really, really good.
So very different behavior – Not afraid to enter the home of the Pharisee, not afraid of rejection and not afraid to give extravagantly to express her love.-
And in that encounter with God there was not just acceptance but forgiveness. And from that she is showing gratitude…abundant generosity and fearless extravagant gratitude
That is what I see in this text. This love, this peace, this joy is something so different from the message of the world.And that is the message for us today. And that is the gospel. And that is the new way – the way of Jesus.
Father’s Day – We remember God as our father. One of many expressions of God. Father God. And some of us can really resonate with that. My father was my biggest supporter – who loved my no matter what. Whose face lit up in my presence.. So to express this understanding of God as Father is very easy for me.
But the truth is that not everyone has had such a father. Some of us had fathers who were hard on us, blaming, shaming, controlling and often rejecting.
A childhood accident caused poet Elizabeth Barrett to lead a life of semi-invalidism before she married Robert Browning in 1846. There's more to the story. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father.
When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father's disapproval. After the wedding the Brownings sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. But even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship. Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Not once did they reply.
After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature. Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored.
God is not found in the actions of the father and the mother, God’s love is shown in the actions of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Who never stops sending letters and who never stops wanting reconciliation.
I remind you of the greatest father’s day story of all – the story of the prodigal son – which is really the story of the prodigal father – whose love is excessive, audacious, generous, extravagant and abundant.
Whose youngest son walked away from his care and his home to live on his own. Independently. And found himself – in the far country, taking care of the swine and eating at the servants table.And when he returned home – he did not find shame or blame
He found only grace and a party that was prepared for him. Let’s have a party – the lost has been found. Let us rejoice in the abundant life of grace received! And so, on this father’s day the word that I lift up to you this morning is not actually found in the text – but it is underneath all of the actions of this woman.
And it is receive. She has received the grace of God. She is living the abundant life in knowing that regardless of the messages of the world in which she is living
She is the beloved of God. She is – as she comes to Jesus – forgiven, made new, healed, strengthened. She will not be defined by her past mistakes but she will be renamed and accepted. And she finds that place where she belongs. With her Lord Jesus.
A lot of times during the week as we live in a world that is not always accepting, understanding, welcoming – as we dodge the arrows of shame and blame – we can forget who we are. And we can so easily fall into mirroring those thoughts and actions.
We come here Sunday mornings to remember and to “re – member”
To come back to this way of life – a way of receiving grace as we need it and then showing the radical love of God - who is like a daughter who keeps writing letters seeking reconciliation, who is like a father who waits for his son to come home, who is our Father who wants us to know that we are HIS and with him we are always the beloved.
This day let us answer the letter. Let us come home. Let us live in the kingdom
Luke 7:36 - 8:3
36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.”
41“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
48Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” .
There is a camp song that I like a lot that I have been humming this week:
this love that I have the world didn’t give it to me, this love that I have, the world didn’t give it to me, this love that I have, the world didn’t give it to me …the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away. (this peace that I have….this joy that I have….)
This text has a woman whose joy did not come from the world. It came from Jesus
What we see in her is joy at his presence. She is unafraid to go into the house of a Pharisee. She does not care what anyone is thinking about her. She only wants to express her love for Jesus.
She is audacious and extravagant.
Now – the world did not give her this sense of joy and gratitude.
What the world wants her to feel is something entirely different.
You see the world that of that time and this time is a world of rating people.. There was a division within the religious life between people – the pure and the impure. Holy and unholy.. And she was clearly impure. We can talk about how that began – but that is often – still –one of many of the divisions that we make between people.
The good and the bad, the winners and the losers, the successful and the failures.
And in that ranking and rating – what will follow will be rejection. Only certain people are acceptable and welcome. Only certain people belong.
I want to stop for a moment and ask you this questions – can you think to a time when you were going to go someplace and wondered if you would fit in? If you would be welcomed? If you belonged?
Have you ever gone to a party and wondered about those questions….Or tried out for a team or a job and wondered about those questions….Or gone to church?
I wonder if it is in the human condition that we live in a certain amount of anxiety about that – will I fit in? will I be welcomed? Will I belong?
The world – the culture – the religion – the corporate life – the academic world –our family life - we ask ourselves: will I fit in? will I be welcomed? Will I belong?
Because another part of this construct of ranking and rejecting is shaming. What the Pharisees wanted to do with this woman – was to shame her. To make sure she knew that she did not fit in, she was not welcome, she did not belong with good people. Shaming is rejection not because of what you do – but because of who you are.
Jung: “Shame is a soul eating emotion”
Many of us grew up with shaming – could be an youngest child who had no voice, could be slow in school, or too fat, could have had a family that made jokes constantly at others expense Blaming often goes with shaming. Something is wrong and who can we blame. (joke – computer is almost human except it does not blame its mistakes on another computer.) So that the finger pointing and the ducking the finger pointing can be just an exercise that we live with constantly. Rejecting before I will be rejected.
Rating, rejecting, shaming and blaming.
No wonder we live with so much anxiety. No wonder we find ourselves scanning the horizon for trouble, trying to control ourselves and others so that we will not be dismissed, rejected, found wanting.
That is so often what the world has given to us. And certainly to this woman.
And they were critical of Jesus that he did not express these beliefs about her. So they are now trying to shame him for not shaming her. But of course neither he nor she accepts their shaming, their blaming, their rating and their rejecting.
Jesus lives in another reality – and that is in that awareness of God’s presence and God’s mercy and God’s grace. In the Kingdom of God everyone belongs and no one needs to be scapegoated or excluded
Richard Rohr: Jesus is clearly much more concerned about issues of pride, injustice, hypocrisy, blindness, and what I have often called “The Three Ps” of power, prestige, and possessions, which are probably 95 percent of Jesus’ written teaching.
Something happened to her – and that is what we don’t really know in this story. We don’t know that she had previous encounter with Jesus or just heard his words of grace and forgiveness. Maybe she heard his teaching – about loving your enemies……Or Luke 6: 37 – Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn Forgive and you will be forgiven….. Give and it will be given to you
But she heard the message of Jesus which was that she – like everyone – is welcome by God and loved by God. And through the forgiveness of God, her past will not define her.. And she is renamed - She is the beloved child of God We don’t know – only that she recognized that in the presence of this man was something new and freeing and really, really good.
So very different behavior – Not afraid to enter the home of the Pharisee, not afraid of rejection and not afraid to give extravagantly to express her love.-
And in that encounter with God there was not just acceptance but forgiveness. And from that she is showing gratitude…abundant generosity and fearless extravagant gratitude
That is what I see in this text. This love, this peace, this joy is something so different from the message of the world.And that is the message for us today. And that is the gospel. And that is the new way – the way of Jesus.
Father’s Day – We remember God as our father. One of many expressions of God. Father God. And some of us can really resonate with that. My father was my biggest supporter – who loved my no matter what. Whose face lit up in my presence.. So to express this understanding of God as Father is very easy for me.
But the truth is that not everyone has had such a father. Some of us had fathers who were hard on us, blaming, shaming, controlling and often rejecting.
A childhood accident caused poet Elizabeth Barrett to lead a life of semi-invalidism before she married Robert Browning in 1846. There's more to the story. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father.
When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father's disapproval. After the wedding the Brownings sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. But even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship. Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Not once did they reply.
After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature. Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored.
God is not found in the actions of the father and the mother, God’s love is shown in the actions of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Who never stops sending letters and who never stops wanting reconciliation.
I remind you of the greatest father’s day story of all – the story of the prodigal son – which is really the story of the prodigal father – whose love is excessive, audacious, generous, extravagant and abundant.
Whose youngest son walked away from his care and his home to live on his own. Independently. And found himself – in the far country, taking care of the swine and eating at the servants table.And when he returned home – he did not find shame or blame
He found only grace and a party that was prepared for him. Let’s have a party – the lost has been found. Let us rejoice in the abundant life of grace received! And so, on this father’s day the word that I lift up to you this morning is not actually found in the text – but it is underneath all of the actions of this woman.
And it is receive. She has received the grace of God. She is living the abundant life in knowing that regardless of the messages of the world in which she is living
She is the beloved of God. She is – as she comes to Jesus – forgiven, made new, healed, strengthened. She will not be defined by her past mistakes but she will be renamed and accepted. And she finds that place where she belongs. With her Lord Jesus.
A lot of times during the week as we live in a world that is not always accepting, understanding, welcoming – as we dodge the arrows of shame and blame – we can forget who we are. And we can so easily fall into mirroring those thoughts and actions.
We come here Sunday mornings to remember and to “re – member”
To come back to this way of life – a way of receiving grace as we need it and then showing the radical love of God - who is like a daughter who keeps writing letters seeking reconciliation, who is like a father who waits for his son to come home, who is our Father who wants us to know that we are HIS and with him we are always the beloved.
This day let us answer the letter. Let us come home. Let us live in the kingdom
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Prayer Walking
Today I "prayer walked."
This summer I am encouraging people to consider this form of prayer. And so twice a week I will meet whoever comes to the church so that we can prayerwalk - not together - but at the same time.
This morning one person joined me.
We began with silence and then each of us took a piece of paper from the table that was upside down so we could not see it. They were various Bible verses.
Mine was from Psalm 146
"The Lord opens the eyes of the blind,
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down
The Lord loves the righteous."
And then I went walking for about 25 minutes using this verse as a mantra. Saying these words, singing these words, allowing them to really come into my mind and my heart.
I found myself repeating - Opens....opens, opens, opens....the eyes of the Blind.
What I know is that I am so often blind and, of course, I don't know it. I only see what I see. So there is comfort and challenge that the Lord is opening my eyes. I want to see more -beauty and presence of God. But I also want to see the needs here in my church and family life. It is easy to focus on what makes me comfortable and not see the challenges that bring me to awareness of others and my own helplessness without God.
And so, as I begin this day I begin with this prayer for God who open me up and help me to see.
I think this is a good beginning of this summer prayer time.
We ended by reading a blessing from "Blessing Upon Blessing" by Maxine Shonk
"May the God who calls bless you with ears to hear the voice of God in the cries of the poor, the whispers of the meek, and the silence of the helpless.
May you hear God's call in cricket and bird song, in thunder and rain, and in the prayer of children.
May the God who calls bless you."
I look forward to prayerwalking on Thursday morning.
This summer I am encouraging people to consider this form of prayer. And so twice a week I will meet whoever comes to the church so that we can prayerwalk - not together - but at the same time.
This morning one person joined me.
We began with silence and then each of us took a piece of paper from the table that was upside down so we could not see it. They were various Bible verses.
Mine was from Psalm 146
"The Lord opens the eyes of the blind,
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down
The Lord loves the righteous."
And then I went walking for about 25 minutes using this verse as a mantra. Saying these words, singing these words, allowing them to really come into my mind and my heart.
I found myself repeating - Opens....opens, opens, opens....the eyes of the Blind.
What I know is that I am so often blind and, of course, I don't know it. I only see what I see. So there is comfort and challenge that the Lord is opening my eyes. I want to see more -beauty and presence of God. But I also want to see the needs here in my church and family life. It is easy to focus on what makes me comfortable and not see the challenges that bring me to awareness of others and my own helplessness without God.
And so, as I begin this day I begin with this prayer for God who open me up and help me to see.
I think this is a good beginning of this summer prayer time.
We ended by reading a blessing from "Blessing Upon Blessing" by Maxine Shonk
"May the God who calls bless you with ears to hear the voice of God in the cries of the poor, the whispers of the meek, and the silence of the helpless.
May you hear God's call in cricket and bird song, in thunder and rain, and in the prayer of children.
May the God who calls bless you."
I look forward to prayerwalking on Thursday morning.
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