Lent: Give Something Up, or Take Something On?

This Dali print hangs in my office; it’s a reminder to me of Jesus’ presence and his sacrifice. During the Lenten season, it’s a stark reminder to me of my need of repentance.

Traditionally and historically, Lent has been a time (40 days, not counting Sundays) when converts to Christianity began to fast and prepare for baptism. It was also a time for contemplation and penance for all Christians, in honor of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness.

So what do we sacrifice? What do we give up or abstain from? I could say that I’m going to give up chocolate for Lent… but that would be an empty gesture, since I rarely eat it. I could give up eating between meals… but I ought to be doing that anyway. Eating sweets, smoking, watching television - you’ve heard them all before, and they aren’t bad ideas. But what about other sacrifices that help us identify with Jesus’ passion, death, and how we might be more faithful? Such as giving up some of our time?

It seems to me that in addition to giving something up for Lent, perhaps we also need to be willing to take something on. Adopting a shut in, going out of our way to foster a relationship with someone we don’t know well, dropping a letter or card to a young person to encourage them, or volunteering for one of those little known, behind-the-scenes ministries that always needs to be done. There are lots of things that need to be done in the Body of Christ.

So this Lent, just don’t be thinking about what you can give up; think about what you can take on. And don’t worry… the Easter promise still holds. But at least for forty days, let’s not forget the events that lead up to Good Friday.

Pax,
Sky+

Majoring in the Minors

In case you haven’t heard, the United Methodist General Conference in 2012 is being moved from Richmond, Virginia, to Tampa, Florida. Why? Richmond’s minor league baseball team, an Atlanta Braves organization, is also named the “Braves.”

Problem? A resolution passed by the 2004 General Conference called for United Methodist agencies and organizations to avoid holding meetings and events in cities that sponsor sport teams using Native America names and symbols. The exact language: "The United Methodist Church rejects the use of Native American names and symbols for sport teams, and considers the practice a blatant expression of racism.”

We may still have a problem in Tampa, though. In looking at Tampa area high schools, I found the usual amusing team mascot names: the Turkey Creek Middle School Gobblers, the D.W. Webb Middle School Spiders, and the Sickles High School Gryphons (that one ranks up there with my father’s undergraduate college, the Pittsburg State [Kansas] Gorillas). But I also found the George D. Chamberlain H.S. Chiefs, the East Bay H.S. Indians, and the John Q. Adams Middle School Warriors. I would assume that these mascots have the blessings of the school systems and boards.

Ever watch a Florida State game and heard the Seminole War Chant/Chop? From Tampa, take I-75 and turn left on I-10.

Ray McAllister of the Richmond Times-Dispatch said this: “So, let's not go crazy about this, Methodists, but you just rewarded a community whose school system officially condones Warriors, Chiefs, Indians and Seminoles. And yes, at least two schools with the nickname Braves."

If that wasn’t enough, what does it say about having G.C. in a city that uplifts Buccaneers and Devil Rays? And while I’m at it… what about the Duke Blue Devils? They’re a United Methodist school, for goodness sake!

In our quest to make a point, it might be advisable to be sure what point we are making.

Pax,
Sky+

Can You Drink the Cup?

As I looked at the calendar this morning, I had to stop and get my breath: Lent is three weeks away.

Oh me.

There is a piece of scripture that has always haunted me: Matthew 20:20-23.

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. 21He asked her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Promise that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22Jesus replied, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from the cup that I’m going to drink from?” They told him, “We can.” 23He said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup. But it’s not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father.”

Can I drink the cup? Some days I think I can. Other days, I know that I can’t – or won’t. But that’s when I see the cup as a cup of sorrow. What about the cup of blessing?

Henri Nouwen was one of my favorite writers, and his book Can You Drink the Cup? is one of his best. He talks about how offering someone a drink in our society is a method of hospitality: someone comes to our home, and we offer them a cup of coffee, a glass of tea, water, wine, coke – whatever. And when we lift our cups together, are we not affirming life together? What about the tradition of the toast at a party or wedding? Even the different languages of toasts affirm life: in Latin we say ”Prosit” (be well); in German, ”Zum Wohl” (to your well being), in English, “Cheers” or “Here, Here!”; in Italian, ”Alla tua salute” (to your health), in Hebrew, ”L’chaim” (to life)… you get the idea.

Perhaps when we lift the cup, we lift it up to life: affirm it, celebrate it. To quote Nouwen: “Celebrate it as a gift from God.”

At the same time, community life is not easy, but if we’re honest with each other we don’t hide our joys or sorrows – we share them, and we offer them in the context of hope. “To life” we should toast when we lift our cup. Again, to quote Nouwen:

When we lift our cup of our life and share with one another our sufferings and joys in mutual vulnerability, the new covenant can become visible among us. The surprise of it all is that it is often the least among us who reveal to us that our cup is a cup of blessings.

Jesus is among the least of us – the living Christ among us. A cup of blessing indeed.

Maybe Lent isn't such a downer after all...

Pax,
Sky+

Death of the Local Church?

I promise: I was going to remain silent; I got this from Christianity Today, but I resisted comment. But then I read Jonathan Marlowe’s blog on the matter, and I can be silent no more.

Jonathan’s blog starts this way: “This is what you get when you divorce Christology and soteriology from ecclesiology. It is also the natural outgrowth of Barna's other books on church growth and church marketing. The gospel for Barna has become so privatized that the local church is no longer needed.”

Can I get an amen?

I know I’m starting to sound like an old fart, but we seem to be content to throw away any notion of corporate worship or church membership. We might as well ditch the Apostles’ Creed, any understanding about the universal church, what baptism into the Body of Christ means, and any other corporate understanding of church. Just give into American individualism and make Christianity the “Jesus and Me” religion and be done with it.

The critics will say, “Ah, you’re just worried about job security as a pastor.” To which I would respond, “Hogwash.” I imagine I could find a job to make ends meet. But will I find a place where faith, accountability, unconditional love, and worship intersect outside of the local church? I think not.

Barna writes of fictional folks who stopped going to church because they did not find a ministry "that was sufficiently stimulating" and "their church, although better than average, still seems flat." It sounds like people want to be catered to and entertained. Maybe so… but I don’t recall any definition of family or church that assumes those things.

I had a wonderful visit with a church member today; we went for a country stroll on this beautiful winter day, and talked about the blessings and necessity of the local church. How it keeps us centered, challenged, held, and loved. And we wondered aloud how in the world people get by without it?

Maybe it’s time for a sports analogy; I don’t recall any coach I ever had winning us over by being “sufficiently stimulating” and entertaining. Some days I felt chastised and unworthy; however, I can honestly say that I was always treated fairly and with the intent of bettering myself. The dependence and strength gained from fellow team members challenged me and encouraged me.

Giving in to Barna’s observations is to not only give in to American sentiment, but to validate it. I suspect we are not to render to Caesar in this matter, but rather to God. Privatizing the faith is not just a mistake; it’s blasphemy.

Pax,
Sky+

Sing to the Lord

Praise God with trumpet sound;
praise God with lute and harp!
Praise God with tambourine and dance,
praise God with strings and pipe!
Praise God with sounding cymbals…
- from Ps. 150

Music has always been a part of my life, from listening to my father play the piano in our home to swapping guitar licks with Carl Perkins and Steve Patterson (old Jackson, Tennessee friends). I was never good enough to make a living doing it, but I loved to play. More than that, I love to listen.

My brother has turned me on to the nearly forgotten music of Mason Proffit… the old days of John Michael Talbot and his brother. It’s religious, it’s political, it’s radical – and it speaks to the soul. As I get older and see folks seemingly more and more apathetic about so many things, I guess I find such music refreshing to my soul. It pulls me out of my occasional funks of depression and renews my soul.

Not that it has to be religious music. An Angus Young hard-blues guitar lick, an Elton John piano ballad, Robby Steinhardt of Kansas playing his violin along with a classic/progressive rock genre, hearing E. Power Biggs play a Bach organ fugue, listening to Andrea Bocelli singing Verdi… they all speak to my heart and allow it to soar.

Let all that breathes praise the Lord.

Pax,
Sky+

Elvis is Dead (So Are Carl and Johnny), But He Got His Revenge Last Week

I got in enormous trouble a few weeks ago; I made an Elvis crack in the pulpit, and how I thought Carl Perkins’s rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes” was better than Elvis’s rendition of it. That was a bad call; my secretary didn’t speak to me for a day, and handed me a plaque that had a poll on the matter, showing that Elvis was indeed preferred over Carl by a few percentage points. I still maintain that Carl wrote it, therefore, he sings it best.

By Tuesday, I had the worse case of the flu I have ever had. “Elvis’s Revenge” I suppose. Two blogs below, I told you it was a 24hr bug. It's ended up being a 96+ hr bug.

I rarely get sick enough to have to stay home. But this bout of flu kicked my backside. I curled up on the couch in the fetal position, shook like a leaf from chills, didn’t feel like eating a thing, and tried to drink liquids in an effort to stave off dehydration. It's been a week, and I still don't feel 100%. As a result of staying home, I worried about things not being done at work. I worried about getting behind. And the worryfest continues.

Why? Why do we worry so much? Is it an innate protection device, or a device of our own making? I’m convinced that it’s my lack of faith in God. I could quote numerous biblical and wisdom quotations about worry… but I think in a Christian context that it comes down to a simple lack of faith and trust.

God has a way of getting my attention; in the past few days, I’ve found myself among some people who have undergone horrible ordeals of losing a job, finding themselves in a hospital, or in the midst of divorces. And yet they’ve found their faith and trust and God.

If they can, so can I. So can we all.

Pax,
Sky+

One More Political Rant

Yesterday, I stayed home from the office and several church meetings; I felt awful. A 24-hour bug, I suppose, because I feel fine today.

Between chills and feverish hot flashes, I watched C-SPAN and the Alito confirmation hearings (yes, I was that sick!). I've never watched a judicial confirmation hearing, and if this one was any indicator, I'll probably never watch another one. Judge Alito actually didn't say much - he didn't have the opportunity. Our senators talked an awful lot, though.

I don't know much about Judge Alito, but I know a whole lot more about our senators than I used to.

Pax,
Sky+

Worship in Our Time

I was tempted to entitle this “Contemporary Worship,” but I like the phrase a colleague of mine uses better: “Worship in Our Time.” The thinking is, any worship in our time could be defined as contemporary worship. What does it mean to worship in our time?

I don’t think it means to entertain people. Conversely, it doesn’t mean to bore people, either. The fact of the matter is that some people are “bored” by what I think is exciting. When it comes to worship, I love high church liturgy, I love traditional hymns, and I love Bach fugues and toccatas on a pipe organ. But it isn’t about me – it’s about the worship of God. And in the words of the 150th Psalm, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” That includes using tambourine, harp, pipe, string – and our voices.

So our church went out on faith this evening; while our morning worship services reflected traditional worship in a United Methodist Church, our evening worship took on a “Contemporary Evensong” look, with old and new hymnody being sung within the context of several scripture readings and opportunity for prayer, concerns, and thanksgivings. Our church’s youth director took the lead, and in playing and singing alongside of him I found my musical abilities were taxed to their limits. A good crowd came to worship, some out of curiosity, some out of church loyalty, and a few new folks who were drawn to a United Methodist Church “doing something different.” I began the service feeling nervous and uncomfortable – most definitely out of my comfort zone. When the service ended, I found it to flow with the Spirit. The older folks in the congregation were overjoyed to see younger folks. I needed the challenge. Above all of these things – God was worshiped.

When the pipe organ was introduced in Europe hundreds of years ago, people thought it was of the devil! When pianos started being placed in American churches, it was thought to be blasphemous as pianos were thought of as saloon instruments. When guitars began appearing in churches, they too were thought to be instruments of Satan, playing impure music that would most certainly lead us all astray. Yet all l of these arguments basically call the writer of the 150th Psalm a liar!

Singing a new song unto the Lord isn’t a new idea; a hymn doesn’t have to be 200 years old to be a good one. I need to remind myself of that.

Pax,
Sky+

Politics As Usual?

I just read where Lynn Swann is going to run for governor of Pennsylvania. Yes… the same Lynn Swann that was a wide receiver for the Steelers. His fundraising efforts have even been dubbed, “Team 88.” My childhood football hero might become a state governor. I guess it’s no different than a former wrestler or movie star being elected.

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff is in the news, too – and his scandal threatens to take down several congressmen. As if Congress didn’t already have enough trouble, with Bill Frist and Tom Delay both in trouble for other woes. Many are predicting a voter backlash as a result. But it turns out that some of the same top lobbyists (in terms of money) for Republican causes also turn out to be some of the same top lobbyists for Democratic causes. For tobacco producers, health care, communications and electronic industries, and the like, they’re always going to give to both to insure they gave to a “winner.” That proves to me that it’s more about protecting one’s assets to them. It’s far from simple, but the motive is fairly basic: we elect who will be best for us. That may or may not be the best for the country as a whole.

Political woes are nothing new, and they’re not confined to one political party. Bush (George the elder) and “no more taxes.” Newt Gingrich and broken promises to country and his wife (family values?). Reagan and Iran-Contra. Clinton with questionable campaign money raised and Zippergate. I used to be passionate about politics. Now, I’m no longer a Democrat or a Republican – I’m a Cynic (I checked Commonweath law, and there’s no such designation, so I’m an Independent on the books). I drag myself to the polls and feel soiled after voting. Some say you have to pick the lesser of two evils, but the lesser of two evils is still evil.

Years ago I heard Will Willimon (now Bishop Willimon) preach a sermon about rendering to Caesar, voting, and our faith. I found myself in agreement with most of his sermon, and it got me to thinking: if a Christian votes, how does he or she do it with Christian integrity? What receives priority: our Christianity or our American citizenship? Can we separate our faith and our politics? When given a choice, do we elect an inept president who is moral, or do we elect a president of questionable morals but an effective leader? Some say it is akin to a surgeon who is going to operate on your child; you could care less what kind of life the surgeon lives, you just want the best surgeon in the world to be operating on your kid. Others say that moral fiber is essential to national leadership. Hmmmm.

If the latter is true, politics and governing has got to change. It’s an old song, I know. But I think it’s a song that needs to be sung until the harmony sounds good. We shouldn’t settle for status quo faith; neither should we settle for politics as usual. I'm with Jim Wallis - we need politics to have a soul.

Render to Caesar… but be sure you render to God what is God’s.

Pax,
Sky+

Merry Christmas to all.

Pax,
Sky+

Life Happens - Embrace the Joy!

I wrote a few weeks ago that some things in life are “messy.” Another statement that I would put right next to that: “Sometimes, reality kicks in. Life happens.” (I think we all know the more colorful word we often substitute for “life.”)

Sunday was such a joyful day at Reidland; the singing of familiar hymns, hearing a beautiful choral arrangement sung, the baptism of a baby girl, and the reading of the Annunciation as re-corded in Luke’s Gospel. It was one of those days that I said to myself, “Today, we have worshiped the Lord!”

Late Sunday evening, I received a phone call. The Rev. Henry Jeffries, a part-time pastor, had a heart attack during one of the worship services and died. I was Henry’s clergy mentor and the news shocked me to the core. Henry was such a gifted pastor and kind-hearted man. His death at this time of the year rekindled my memory of a December in 1999, when my grandmother died on Christmas Eve (my parents’ anniversary) while I was flirting with my own death in a cardiac care unit. My mother was so upset that she didn’t even attend her own mother’s funeral, and I suspect these events hastened her own death nine months later. I fully understand how Christmas can bring bad memories for some of us.

Henry’s recent death reminds me that even in this season of joy, “life happens.” But this season also reminds me that… life happens! The connection between Christmas and Easter is unmistakable, and the thread running through it is life, joy, and peace. A child is born of a Virgin named Mary, who instead of saying, “Woe is me,” says, “Here I am” – and then sings her thanksgiving and joy to the Lord.

You hear me say often in worship that we are Easter People. I think that means that we’re also Christmas people. Amidst the tragedies of life, at Christmas time we are reminded that at the birth of Jesus, life happens: life emergent, life abundant, and life eternal. There is no tragedy, no happenstance, no death that can rob us of the joy of the Christ child, who comes to save the world.

Merry Christmas, and God Bless us, everyone.

Grace and Peace,
Sky+

Celebrating Christmas

This past week, I became very disappointed in some things that I read. Southland Christian Church, the largest church in Kentucky, will not be holding worship services on Sunday, Dec. 25th. Neither will Willow Creek Church outside of Chicago, another “megachurch.” If canceling Sunday worship services on Christmas Day is going to become a trend, will Easter be next? Asbury professor Ben Witherington, a United Methodist, said this (and this) on his blog page:

Our culture does not need any encouragement to be more self-centered and narcissistic or to stay at home on Sunday. It is already that way. Christmas above all else should be a day when we come together as the body of Christ to worship and adore the Lord Jesus. Christmas should be the day above all days where we don't stay home and open all those things we bought for ourselves INSTEAD of going to church. Christmas should be the day when we forget about ourselves for a few hours and go and honor the birthday of the great King, our Savior.

I am pleased that we are a traditional church. But I don’t want us to just stop there – I think we can be both a traditional church AND offer something to those who are unchurched. But I never want to compromise the faith in the process. To me, not worshiping on Sunday just because it is Christmas Day is an unacceptable compromise.

We have some wonderful opportunities for celebrating Christmas worship. Our Christmas Eve service will be held at 11 PM on the 24th, and we will have one worship service on the 25th at 10:45 AM. If you would like transportation to the Christmas Eve service, please call the church office so we can make those arrangements for you. Communion will be served at the Christmas Eve service, and if you have guests or family visiting, please let them know that all Christians are welcome at the Table.

Pax,
Sky+

Much Ado About Nothing

My daughter is more excited about seeing Narnia than she was about The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Nothing has made my heart leap more than to see her read C.S. Lewis. The pastor at the last church I served is encouraging folks to see the movie as well. What could be more encouraging!

Yet our denomination seems somewhat discouraging about the movie. Or maybe it's encouraging. Actually, I'm really not sure what the message is; it's like reading a letter from the Council of Bishops. It seems that the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries has learned to speak Bishopspeak as well. The whole statement can be read here.

Shane Raynor at Wesley Blog said that he couldn't have written a parody that would have been as outrageous as this press release. I tend to agree.

A quote: "We want our members to see the movie. Talk about it with your kids. Talk about the message of the resurrection and the lessons it shares from our faith... But then, we need to help people understand that by commercializing the message, the marketers are destroying the example of sacrifice."

I wonder if the United Methodist Women approve of the Igniting Ministry commercials. Don't commercials necessarily commericialize?

Sometimes, I think our church leaders would do well to heed the lesson of Xenocrates: "I have often regretted my speech, never my silence." Better yet, the words of the preacher in Ecclesiastes: "There is a time to keep silence."

Having said that... maybe I ought to shut up, too.

Pax,

Sky+