merry christmas and happy 2012

merry christmas! i hope and trust that the jesus born on christmas eve will be born within you each and every day to come!

our men's groups provided gift packages for a house in the neighborhood this christmas. so this is what christmas looks like at our church...being of service and in mission to others. twenty holiday bags filled with socks and boxers! various sizes. do you remember getting socks and underwear for christmas when you were growing up? i always did! and honestly, it wasn't very exciting. but now i have a different appreciation for the difference between needs and wants!

our men's groups, two of them, meet on thursdays. the longstanding group meets for breakfast and bible study at 7 am! all retired men, except for me; they cook, and i set the table; what a deal! we get into some very interesting bible study conversations after breakfast...check us out some time! if nothing else, at that time of the day, the coffee is hot, the food is yummy, and the conversations will take you from here to the holy land and everywhere else!

the evening group, or the men's bbbs...baby boomer bible study...has been meeting at starbucks. very awesome to be able to meet in public. but we are starting a new study on january 12th at 6:30 in our church library. undoubtedly, the conversation will also be stimulating. now, we haven't discussed coffee, but with this group, certainly there will be some!

after signing the cards and packing the bags, the gifts were transported to the 'gift house', and it is my hope that everyone had a very merry christmas! awesome men's groups, don't you think?!

like many other churches, we celebrated christmas eve on saturday night, with a traditional service of carols and the story, and candles! and then on sunday morning, a surprisingly large crowd gathered for christmas service; we even had coffee fellowship time, and a more contemporary worship service. included in the message for christmas eve was an invitation to decide which nativity character you most identify with, and the suggestion to keep your nativity set out throughout the entire year to remind you to share the light and spread the love.

during the christmas morning service, we had the opportunity to view a little youtube expression of christmas. a number of people asked to view it again, and so i am including it here:

Click here: A Kids View of the Christmas Story - YouTube

at the united methodist church of merced, we hope that the coming year will be filled with peace and good will; we hope that you will deepen your spiritual relationship with God by offering the light and love of jesus in everything you do. and above all, we hope that we can be the instruments of peace that will empower the world to come to its senses! we'll start by sharing that peace with our neighbors and families and strangers in our midst. we hope that peace will expand throughout the world by people like you who will feel the spiritual warmth and beauty of welcome. you, too, can share the love. what a great gift to share in 2012!

i will be on vacation next week; i'm taking a break from my typical week, including blogging! so instead of taking time to read my blog next tuesday, spread a little love in the new year. thank you for your faithful support, and i'll return on january 10th. blessings be to you and yours in the days ahead. . . .

christmas week...ready or not!

'twas the -- almost -- week before christmas and all through the community, the fog was now lifting so the frantic shoppers could finish! The wreath was finally hung on the parsonage front door with haste, as the pastor finally realized there wasn't much time left!

the services were planned with the utmost of care, seeking to be excellent and ready for the christmas worshippers who attended. the church was all decorated with poinsettias and candles, and the advent wreath was all ready for its lighting on saturday.

the christmas dinner was being readied by church elves with love, so that tonight we might welcome our neighborhood with warmth and good cheer; tables were set, music was tuning up nicely, and a story of the season was ready to be shared.

in the pastor's study, gifts were being prepared for the outreach by the men's group -- the third year we've given out socks! e-mails were being returned, plans for 2012 were being addressed, and unpredictable events were also being fixed. no wonder this season is so hectic but nice, for very kind angels were ready to lend their aid.

the sun, how it shown through the cloud-covering like 'good cheer', no racket on the room -- a good sign that we didn't have a leak; the pikes hadn't frozen; the bills were getting paid-- a first in a long time -- even in this economy, we're seeking to respond to the many needs of others -- a year of hallelujahs and amens; god has blessed us in some way, everyone!

and with no fears to contend with, the week will progress; less frantic, less hectic, less troublesome, less chaotic; on time, on budget, on a wing and on a prayer. we're ready. we're waiting. we're hopeful and peaceful. we anticipate the joy. we anticipate the love.

come christmas eve the star will shine, the music will chime and the voices will sing. one final gift that needs to be placed in his place; baby jesus will arrive and give us all a new life!



merry christmas to all -- and come see jesus saturday night (8 pm).

(this nativity was placed on the altar this year, and was gifted with a barn. we celebrate the gift of love returning again this year, and hope that each and everyone will be able to embrace that love and extend such love to others in the year to come. christmas is not only one night long, but happens each and every time love is shared. may you be the love the world so desperately needs! you don't have to rhyme; just look at me! it is the sentiment that is the most important to spread!)

a (not) typical tuesday in advent

so, here are the highlights of a (not) typical tuesday in advent.

i hosted our circuit leaders meeting. in our area of united methodism, our churches are divided up into circuits -- mostly geographical, with the aim to be connectional and to be accountable to one another, and to explore what we can do better together for the mission of god than we can do on our own.

preparations included what merced is seeking to become known for...hospitality; being ready with expectation for those who will be coming -- our, in other words, people who are not yet here. sounds like a real advent phrase; getting ready; being prepared for those on a journey. so, what does this mean? it means a 'costco run'...'cutties', muffins, good coffee, hot water for hot beverages (not just tea), making sure people know where to park, what entrance to come in, where the restrooms are, and having the heat on, the room set up for meeting and lunch and welcome snacks. all was in readiness!

lunch was bubbling -- two kinds of soup, multi-grain bread, butter, dessert, everything ready in a moments notice. ok, so one of my crock-pots is wearing out, making one of my soups warm, but not hot...fortunately, in our fireside room, there is a microwave!

the meeting finished, 'a spontaneous elephant gift exchange', and a sermon starter for christmas eve; great conversation, and a little known fact....

...for those NCIS fans, and for those who have no idea what that means, check on the youtube link below; i love how we share things in this group!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP2bqK5b5JY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

all this to say, pauley perrette -- abby of NCIS fame -- is a united methodist; an awesome video, no?

moving on ... no time to waste; the journey is not yet finished; bethlehem -- well today, the journey will be to the wesley hall -- is quickly approaching.

each year our united methodist women host a catered christmas dinner; this year our chancel choir was the entertainment; we have been practicing a cantata; a musical story based on the journey to bethlehem; a delightful opportunity to sing and share the story of our faith. if you were unable to attend last night, fear not -- to use a very biblical/advent phrase -- there is always sunday -- the fourth sunday of advent; the sunday of love.

our offering to the congregation will include this musical celebration, complete with orchestra! awesome, awesome.

if you haven't yet gotten into the mood for christmas; if advent is just a reminder that there are only 10 shopping days left before christmas; this is the sunday NOT to be missed! and, as an aside, if you are still looking for that perfect christmas gift -- fear not! -- and read my blog from last week for a great idea!

by the time yesterday was over, and i was beginning to let visions of sugarplums dance through my head, i wondered...is this tuesday? i didn't do my blog! fear not, came the answer, there is always tomorrow.

and so there is; today is tomorrow, well, only if you are thinking about yesterday.

have i lost it? no! i know that easter is yet to be.... anyway, merry christmas, a little early!

the season has begun! a wesley student treat

i only took this picture because i saw someone else do it!

that's what advent was like for me, after a non-stop week-end. it all began on friday night when a group from church went to see 'the wizard of oz' at playhouse merced. i'm not sure why that began to get me in the mood for christmas, but it did...perhaps it was the apple trees in the forest that reminded me that i haven't put mine up yet! whatever the reason, it is worth a viewing...it closes on sunday, december 18th.

then there was our united methodist women's 81st annual holiday bazaar...an event not to be missed...with all kinds of holiday spirit, a tea room for resting, cheese balls, attic treasures, the infamous jam and jelly room, a christmas room, a candy room, silent auction, bake sale, linins room and a hmong room with beautiful handwork and egg roll sale; yummy fruit cakes too! all this finished up with a wonderful 'christmas around the world' luncheon! what a treat...always the first saturday of december...mark your calendars for next year.

sunday we lit the candle of peace and focused on joseph...the week before we focused on hope and mary. worship was followed by the opportunity to be in mission; our social action team, led by dave hetland, sponsors a women's prison holiday gift bag project. about 80 people came and put together the packets, 3650 in total. what a meaningful way to help remember the women imprisoned; reminding them that they are thought about, and prayed for.

that evening, our wesley club merced hosted a christmas party. the board members were invited to mingle with the students. we gathered in our 'wesley house', had a wonderful dinner, followed by a spirited gift exchange, and then the students retreated to play apples to apples, while the board members moved in on dessert -- homemade sugar cookies that we got to frost! the picture of the tree above was part of a plate of dessert that someone else brought -- gingerbread and tree cakes, festively frosted. yum.


this lighted christmas tree stands in the front room of the wesley house, lighted as a reminder that in the midst of all the troubles in the world, and all the issues that students need to contend with -- finals being one of them, beginning soon! -- the light of jesus still shines brightly.

o holy night...in the coolness of the winter, and in a world that is not always welcoming, these students, many a long way from home -- like mary and joseph -- can find a place of warmth and care even in times like these.

our board seeks to be very supportive of the students, and our campus minister, jennifer, is a gift to them and to this ministry. we hope that we can be a place of support and faith for them, so as they depart from campus, they can know that they are important, loved and cared about, and encouraged to grow in their spiritual awakening.

we hope to provide an element of the christian faith that encourages them to be the light that shines in the world's darkness. we hope that they will be encouraged to grow in their faith, and to have hope, peace, joy and love light their path. we trust that these elements will guide them into adulthood, and bring them to a place where they can feel that sharing with others, in spiritual ways, is as natural as breathing.

may we all learn to feel that way; because god has been so generous to us, we in turn, can be 'jesus' to others as we journey together on the road of life. and if you wonder how you can be supportive of students, or want to give something unique to the 'person who has it all', perhaps you'll consider making a donation to wesley foundation merced; a beautiful gift can can be sent in your name to anyone you choose, as a reminder that your care for them has been extended to others. check out their website at www.wesleymerced.org

blessings to you as you continue to journey toward bethlehem. may you be renewed and strengthened as you share love this season . . . .

thoughtful movies

sometimes it is just important to take yourself to the movies. it's foggy; just go! thoughtful movies abound!

over this thanksgiving ~ advent beginning week-end, i took advantage of not going to midnight madness by ducking into the local theater.

and a slight digression...the wizard of oz opens at playhouse merced on friday night for this holiday season! ok, back to the movies....

hugo. you have to know that i love time period films, and this is so very interesting because it takes place in paris (!) mostly at the train station! how many ways can you say awesome?! what this film did for me was to remind me to look for a now seemingly lost swatch watch in which i could see the inner workings. i love to see the inner workings of things, and so this was a movie that shows the inner workings of things. but it is very powerful. a wonderful seasonal film that has nothing to do with santa clause, but with the spirit of forging ahead! well done. and if you appreciate ben kingsly's acting ability, and how we get to be and act the way we do, you will appreciate this fine story that let's you in on how the characters ended up the way they did.

so, treat yourself to an matinee, indulge in popcorn and a soda -- or an icee (!) and enjoy...cautionary note: visit fort knox first, or just bring your atm card! worth the extra in 3d!

j edgar -- based on the fbi creator j edgar hoover, this is amazing. it is a period piece of our history, and does a great job of aging the characters as well. lots of 'i didn't know that' kind of information, but very engaging, and done with great direction by clint eastwood! who knew that the actor could become such a compelling director and composer?! i would say of this film, controversial, as we get to see a little 'behind the scenes' of the washington political machine. while we may be a great nation, we might all do well to be more involved in politics...i don't want to run for office, let me be clear! but what happens behind the scenes, and what we hear about are not always the same thing! the ending is very moving, and insightful.

so, i'd even say, take a break from holiday baking and shopping and decorating, and spend some time away. take a friend. make it a date. enjoy the company, and spend some time afterwards in conversation over a cup-of-something!

and, in case going to the movies is not an option, pop some corn at home, snuggle down with some homemade hot cocoa, and watch this (about) 10 minute utube

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxSF-Louis-Schwartzberg-Grati

soothing to the soul.

may advent, as we journey toward bethlehem, be filled with the light of hope. take time to share hope with someone this week . . . .

changes at thanksgiving

it seems that thanksgiving week is really the signifying change of seasons. as i ventured to church today, i noticed the 'leaf collectors' from the city.

i have to confess, since i left sacramento, i have not had to rake a leaf! i've even contemplated getting rid of my rake! i have treated myself to lawn care, and i quickly learned that the treat became a necessity! i can't imagine doing that kind of yard care, in the quick time they work, on my own. it is a pleasure, even when i come home in at night, to notice that my yard looks cared about; i even noticed that the last of my leaves fell from my front tree this week-end, and on monday, they had been nicely raked by someone -- an angel leaf compacter perhaps? -- neatly under my tree. My backyard tree has just begun to turn from green to harvest red!

but i remember the sight of fallen leaves, and the delight (?) of families raking them into piles, and children jumping into those neat piles. I do love this time of the season.

and, you may recall, about a year ago this month, i wrote a blog on bridges/pass-overs. i had gone to a clergy gathering on the coast about the same time that our train over-pass here in merced was erected. 2 pictures appeared in that blog, connecting the bridges that week. well, the latest on that 1 1/2 year project is that on Saturday, December 3rd -- same day as the community parade and our you'll-not-want-to-miss united methodist women's bazaar (81st annual! jams, lunch, and yummy other rooms) -- the project will be complete, and people will be able to travel 'g' street in style; it really looks amazing. this will be the only track-free main driving section in merced.

and, by the way, the women have been busy at it this week already, making holiday cheese balls and yes, even fruit cakes for december 3rd. and, quite honestly, these fruitcakes are awesome!

i have to say, merced really is amazing. for all our economic difficulties, we are still a living/breathing community that offers much in the way of life to the central valley. and if all else fails, you can take a trip to oz this december, when playhouse merced opens "the wizard of oz". this will be a holiday delight indeed!

so, at thanksgiving, give thanks for being a part of a land of plenty. even when we do not have what we 'always want to have', we have more than enough. give thanks for at least that much! and remember to offer not only a prayer of thanks! share from your bounty; offer to help distribute good cheer in some way this holiday season.

we were invited to ring the bell at a kettle this holiday season for the salvation army. i've never done that before . . . .

so whatever you do this week-end, share the gift of time with family and/or friends; try to resist the urge to rush through thanksgiving so that you can stand in line for midnight openings so that you can spend money you don't have, securing items people really don't need...instead, spend time, precious as it is, sharing your love. help improve the economy by making every cent count, interest free! if your church doesn't have enough options for holiday ministries, send a donation to "wesley foundation merced" as a gift-in-kind for the ministry of college students. a beautiful card will be sent to the recipient in your name!

but more than anything else, invite someone to take a walk, look at the leaves, in piles or simply falling to the ground, and give thanks for the opportunities before you.

i give thanks for being invited by a group who purchased a wonderful dinner from our service auction back in june. on sunday, 9 of us gathered for a homemade incredible mexican dinner. what a gift! what a treat! what a delight-ful evening!!! the perfect end to my week, and the beginning of a restful day off. and here i am, back at it again, but renewed...ready for another walk among the leaves. . . .

talents . . . gifts . . . mission

in a previous blog about a month ago, i shared that i had passed out 120 marked $1 bills, based on giving to god what belongs to god. my challenge to the congregation was to utilize that $1 bill as seed money and then report back what was done to 'give back to god'.

i report today that there were many things done, and i want to share that information here, at least briefly. all proceeds, unless otherwise stated, were returned to our church where we will send them to our mission fund, world service.

$4 came back that very first Sunday. $2 was sent to World Vision who multiplied that amount by 5 to save young lives. cupcakes were made for our tuesday afterschool program, as well as a cake walk for our halloween carnival. jalapeno jelly was made and sold, the profits given back to the church. our halloween carnival, for which a number of marked dollars were contributed by the way, brought in $300, half going to unicef and the other half going to umcor -- united methodist committee on relief, that serves as a first responder to places throughout the world who are hit by a natural disaster.

someone was inspired to donate $25 for our holiday gift bag ministry for the chowchilla women's prison, as well as purchasing a box full of greeting cards for that same project! Someone bought a 'flock of chicks' from heifer project, funds went to the food pantry, and someone creatively returned the earnings of 'a dollar saved is a dollar earned' philosophy. this seed money was added to donations to a children's toy drive in central baja, and a vacation bible school program in south mexico. someone made straw jewelry, purchased communion bread, and supported the hmong women's car wash. an egg roll sale from one family netted 20 1/2 dozen egg rolls totaling $106.00.

another idea formed from someone who was not even in worship that day. but gwen bortner's husband arlis shared with her this challenge. Gwen, a professional knitter, creatively put together a knitting pattern, with the proceeds going to cancer research. she placed the story on ravelry, basically facebook for knitters. and through a series of sharing -- dare i say, evangelism, or 'you can't keep the good news (of jesus) to yourself! -- people not associated with this church, or any church or even this community, got on board...and you can too! pass this site onto your knitting friends: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mariposa-flip

someone purchased gas to pick green beans, someone held a candy sale, and someone even invested the dollar and made .93 cents! a couple focused on 'found money', having had a series of fortunate instances, and were able to donate $230 to the merced county rescue mission for their thanksgiving dinner. and finally, three yet-to-be completed projects were planned: a crayola crayon box of 64 was purchased to do a crayon ministry, a donation is planned for the children's hospital of central ca, and a soon-to-be knitted scarf will be done for charity.

the point, of course was not about the funds raised but our ability to do more together than we could ever possibly do on our own. allowing god to work through us is the miracle!

the result is that from 120 marked one dollar bills, eight times that amount, or $970.93 has been donated to mission. awesome, don't you think?

new direction unvailed

i spent the first part of my week attending a workshop that explained the new direction for our annual conference -- a church phrase that basically means our group of churches in united methodism in the northern half of california and the northern part of nevada; some 375 churches.

but before i got to that part, i wanted to share the view from my window in the santa cruz mountains. it felt very private and restful! so this is where i spent three days; beginning my morning in time for breakfast at 8 and finishing up by about 9 in the evening. useful time...productive time...even some restful times...and here i am, as they say, 'back at it again!



so this is a picture of what our movement into the 21st century will look like...we are working to re-order our conference so that all our energy and the movement of all of our churches will be aligned with one another, so that we might focus, not on ourselves, but offering the grace of god through jesus to others. our practice will be to 'make disciples of jesus christ for the transformation of the world'.

we united methodists have not always been a 'come to jesus' kind of people...of course we've always believed and lived the jesus way, but we haven't been so 'inviting' in a real and intense way. we've been the 'well, if you want to come to church, come to ours' sort of people...and 'we will feed you a pot-luck meal, and give you church coffee'. (a note about church coffee...if you like weak/see through coffee, come to church. but if you like strength, come to our welcome coffee before church!)

anyway, we're working at learning how to be more intentional. instead of being the 'if you've got nothing else better to do' kind of people, we are learning to be intentional -- listening to other's needs and longings in the spiritual realm; really trying to offer jesus, not as a last chance sort of experience, but as a friend, companion, meaningful way to live; we're trying not to keep jesus a secret -- actually, we're not trying to keep our christian faith so private any longer. as united methodists, particularly in merced, we are wanting to express a more progressive kind of expression for our faith; to be in mission and service, and to invite others to experience the kind of love and life we are encountering.

we hope to share a 'non-judgment christianity', where going to hell isn't an option -- isn't even part of the conversation; christianity in new clothes, so to speak. we're inviting those who are longing to be renewed and have a spiritual presence in their lives to find themselves greeted with the eyes and hands of jesus; to be neighbor, friend, fellow-journeyer in faith; growing in love and grace.

paul nixon (no relation to richard, i don't think) wrote a book called 'i refuse to lead a dying church'. he was one of our presenters. paul offered six concepts -- choices, really -- worth thinking about in terms of becoming a "living faith": 1. life over death. 2. community over isolation. 3. choosing fun over drudgery. 4. being a frontier over being a fortress (people unfamiliar with 'church' aren't about to walk into a 'church building' unless they are invited and have to go -- usually to a funeral or a wedding!) 5. bold over mild (why don't you come with me -- i think you might find what you need; as opposed to, well, you can come if you want!) and 6, now over later -- what is the mission of god calling us to?

exciting times ahead.



and so i took this picture as a reminder that even in the midst of tranquility, life is moving; notice the sun exposing the waterfall, as it cascades over roots that have grown together to be a barrier. the leaves of autumn have fallen into the water, and they can't get out...but not all of them are stuck in that path. some have found their away around the blockage, and are moving forward.

i believe this is a great image...a new direction. this is the reminder that we could, as a church, just pack it in. but if we do that, everyone misses out! we simply need to explore our options and notice that packing it in is only one option. people have many choices now. jesus is but one option.

as christians in the 21st century, we have come to believe that jesus points us to god's message of welcoming grace. others choose other paths. our focus: to be inviting of those who seem to have no path; no direction, or have been discouraged by 'the christian church'. could jesus be what they need?

well, you'll never know unless you enter into conversation. just start with a smile, and a hello. the relationship will develop from there . . . .

november one

somehow, this picture mysteriously moved to the very top of the blog...a spooky mystery. so, you'll have to "read all about it" under the second treat!

if you were to think of this blog as going 'trick or treating', you will notice that you have three visits in which to receive treats....no tricks here! and we'll do a sort of "ginger rogers" -- going backwards, but not in high heals; only in costume!

the first treat is a poem by j. barrie shepherd. it is entitled november one. we usually consider november first as 'all saint's day' in the church; some cultures call it the 'day of the dead', in which we remember those who have gone before us; family members, loved one, mentors in the faith and so on. we remember those who have died in the past year at our church on the first sunday of november. as a tribute, i share this poem by shepherd:

'to all the saints, god bless 'em, we dedicate this day

in hopes that from eternal bliss they'll spare a thought,

or blow a kiss, in sympathy for all who miss

the straight and narrow way.'

and so we remember wonderful people this past year, who offered us love, and care and a glimpse of god here on earth. we have been blessed . . . .

the second treat recognizes our halloween carnival; the first in a long time here at the church. we saw many unique characters, and had a wonderful time! proceeds from the event went to two places -- unicef, to care for the severe famine happening in the horn of africa, and well as umcor -- united methodist committee on relief, who respond instantly to any disaster throughout the world. we are proud to support mission in this way, and have some fun at the same time....

so, to all to the first picture of this great treat, i add the adult costume party. so often we are so amazed at the little ones, that we forget the adults to come with a heart of children on all hallows' eve. this is the night we poke fun at the things we do not understand . . . spooks, and unexplained phenomenons, and even death itself.

for the spiritually faithful, we know to whom we belong, and we do not fear death, at least in theory. halloween is the night we get to have fun. and we did! neighbors, friends and family enjoyed a cake walk (we had enough cakes to feed eternity, i believe), a positive fortune teller, who shared that we were all children of god, a bean-bag toss, bowling, face painting, a basketball toss, fishing game, guessing game, duck pond, hot dogs and nachos, and, of course, a haunted house...great fun that concluded with a costume judging contest -- with great prizes! we do holidays up right!

the third treat was experienced by me as moving day; daughter kristen (who turned 23 on halloween!) and boyfriend ben moved to the oakland hills...what a tough sacrifice!

here is a picture of the bay area from their bedroom porch; i know it will be so tough for them to have to sit there and have their morning coffee; i feel so sorry for them....perhaps i could offer to make the sacrifice for them . . . .

then, of course, there is the sunset; another tough break to sip wine and relax while unwinding from the day....do you think i should offer another sacrifice to sit out there on their behalf? gosh, it is a touch job, but someone has got to do it! what a beautiful view, don't you think? ah...to be young and in love....

ok, back to reality. so my treat was to spend time with this wonderful couple, helping them move in and visit with their very friendly dog ace.



ace really is, literally, a hand-full, but only when you are holding him. otherwise, he is good as gold.
and kristen and ben are delightful; what a treat to watch them grow and share life with each other and those who cross their path.

and so, you've been treated to three gifts today; all memories of things we can do to enrich the world; remember those who have helped us be the best person we can be . . . share the blessings we have received with others, and have a little fun in the process . . . and spend time in the beauty of the day, sharing a little love and giving thanks for the gift of life.

i ask you; could life get any better than this?

a change in life

a change in life. when one, well, changes patterns or things that cause, well, changes. changes in life causes one to stop; see things from a different perspective; give air to normality; take a break!

it has been a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time since i've had a friend visit in merced; so, i got a bit excited; cleaned the house (well, at least aired the guest room) went to the store to stock up on food (made a stew in the crock pot -- it must be autumn!), and even bought flowers, which i hardly ever do for myself.

what a wonderful time to prepare to do something out of the ordinary! changing the routine can be just the ticket to help see life differently; put a little more spring in one's step; it is exciting to be able to share time with others. and to actually take a saturday off from my church life...it was odd, but also very energizing! maybe i'll start a new trend....

actually, another change in life will happen on saturday; daughter kristen and her significant ben will be moving from redwood city to the oakland hills. ok, how did she/they get so lucky? ben secured his doctorate last spring, and has continued to work in his field, but has found a new position that allows him the next step in life. so, away they'll go to 'them thar hills'. lucky them!

so, saturday is part two of the moving experience; the heavy stuff. all that energy of newness; a change in life. so, for the second saturday in a row, i will be doing something non-church related! i'll let you know if the roof is still standing on saturday. it has been a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time since i've taken two saturdays in a row! does this constitute a trend yet?

i'm the 'lunch provider', and the 'what do you need in your new place' kind of dad; how can i help? what won't strain my back or hurt me too much...ah, i'll stand and direct! that looks nice there; oh, what a great view; wow, this is just perfect! do i sound like a great director? i'm good at providing lunch, and i'll even bring dogie treats for ace!

a change in life. i wonder what i can figure out to do next saturday....oh yea! my annual church conference is on sunday. maybe my trend better be to see what my office looks like on a saturday! after all, it will have been a whole two saturdays sitting empty!

a change in life...i'm still wearing my shorts and keeping my windows open at night. unheard of this late in the season. but i'm liking it. how about you? are you doing a little 'change in life' these days? i recommend it...great for the soul!

the 'marked' $1 bill

this blog is written with a nod to michael christensen, who wrote his blog last week from drew university on a similar subject. i hadn't read his blog before i had a nudging from god...and then, there was his empowering story!

i had this challenge from god early last week, as i prepared for my sermon on 'give caesar what is caesar's, and give god what belongs to god (matthew 22:15-22).' there seemed to be a tie-in with my preaching topic for november 13th on the parable of the talents (matthew 25:31-46), where three faithful stewards are entrusted with someone else's money; two double the money, and the other one buries the money for fear of losing it.

the challenge from god, and as it turns out, from me, was to offer the congregation $120 worth of "seed money" -- 120 was the anticipated worship attendance for sunday; 120 marked $1 bills with a sheet of explanation were placed into offering baskets and passed around the congregation. everyone was invited to take a marked bill (for tracking purposes) and see how 'god's money' could be used to further the love of god over the next few weeks.

people were invited to prayerfully consider how to invest this $1, returning the earnings back to god, or sharing how they utilized 'what belongs to god'. i shared some examples: perhaps you could add this $1 bill to your own funds and purchase ingredients for a baking or craft project, selling your wares and retuning to god the results of that project; or use this seed money to help purchase supplies for food items to make a meal for someone in need, or share an event with someone who you've been meaning to get to know better; or add it to someones scholarship fund. just be creative, and do something 'godly' with this $1 bill!

then, folks are invited to either return the marked $1 bill or the results of their investment, and/or a note explaining how they shared 'what belongs to god' on november 13th. i'll share the results -- which is why the dollars got 'marked', when everything is tabulated. i can't wait to see how creative folks will get with what belongs to god -- especially in these economic times!

and, if you weren't able to be in worship on sunday, but would like to be part of this exciting opportunity, just let me know, and i'll send you a marked $1 bill. i have some left...they're going fast...what belongs to god may be eternal, but it doesn't stay around forever!

i'll share one funny story so far. one of the dollar bills was left on the pew, and has been deemed the 'quick return buck'. witty. i never said god did not have a sense of humor! how might you share generously and creatively, what god has shared with you?

something thoughtfully prayerful about east and west

as i traveled down yosemite today, past the busy college parking lot, and the hustle and bustle of the day, i noticed the light dusting of the mountains with snow. last week's snow is still there! i'm dressed in shorts and a short-sleeve shirt! and when i got to the office, there was hustle and bustle here too, but no snow; wha-hoo! i love a useful church building -- busy activity means we are alive!

on my computer desk sets an article from the christian century, a bi-weekly journal to which i subscribe. i've had it setting there for a couple of weeks, just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

so today, hear a little from rodney clapp's 'american soundings; where do you pray?'. clapp shares insight from his three week adventure in egypt, some years ago. egypt is a predominately muslim country. he was talking to a sagacious priest -- i had to look that word up, honestly: meaning possessing/showing sound judgment and keen perception; wise.

this priest suggested the the difference between egypt and america could be summarized in two divergent images. "the image of america is the rocket ship, blasting off into unknown realms, going places no human has been before. america is focused on the future and always looking ahead.
"the imagine of egypt, he isaid, is the pyramids, thousands of years old and still standing in the sands outside cairo. rooted in a deep history, egypt is focused on the past and the importance of tradition."

another difference about america and egypt is our desire for information. for instance, in america, "if we want to know someones church affiliation, we ask the question, 'where do you go to church?' in egypt, people ask, 'where do you pray?'"

on this sunny autumn day surrounded by snow-dusted mountains, when we are encouraged to be 'out and open', with the concern over figuring people out and what box to put them in, in egypt people aske about our spiritual life. the question for me is about the fact that i do pray, not simply go to church.

honestly, as a pastor, i go to church all the time!!! but, where do i pray is a totally different question for me. that question might be a reminder to pray or maybe when was the last time you prayed? or even what have you discerned lately through prayer? when i am in the church building, i pray in the sanctuary, my office (a lot!), in the prayer room -- for centering prayer and other times -- in the choir room and the wesley hall. but when i am out and about, i pray at home, in my car, as i walk. i can pray anywhere; with people or just personally with god.

prayer. do we take time to listen for god in the silence. do we take time to cut through the excessive noise of our world or our minds to hear that still small voice of god? could prayer be in the conversation we're having or the conflict that is distracting us or the trouble/excitement we are invested in in that moment? prayer -- wherever two or more are gathered. we're never alone, even when we are by ourselves.

so, i do get caught up in being american; always looking ahead. but my interest in history also compels me to be a little egyptian; to see where the past informs where i may come out.

coming out in prayer ... seems like the place to be -- historically and presently and in the future. prayer must just be the thing that god has in mind for me today. how about you? where do you pray?

the winds . . . they are a changin'

october has arrived, and as they say, "the winds . . . they are a changin'!" or, perhaps, it is just arriving home from the winds of kansas...i could see how dorothy could have been swept away to the land of oz!

the leadership institute was an experience. positive in many ways, and i am so grateful that six others from our congregation were able to participate. we came back with loads of information, and a keen awareness that there are things we need to be doing more effectively in our community of faith. this actually came as no surprise, since the reason we went was to become more aware, but none-the-less, our suitcases and heads were fuller than when we left!

one of the areas that continues to be a struggle for many within the church in general, is to 'how to be for others' rather than focusing on our wants/desires/needs. there are, at times, the need for personal focus: prayers for respite/wisdom/a spiritual infusion of grace/healing and forgiveness. however, the church, in general, has moved toward an inward focus that has left us disconnected with those whom we are to serve. we prayer for others but not with others. our language, our 'assigned pews', and services that meet 'our needs' do not always translate into a welcome for the "non-religious and nominally religious people (part of church of the resurrection's purpose statement)" of our communities.

i concluded our presentation during sunday's worship with this reflection from a church e-newsletter that was passed along from a 'church member' to someone who is 'non-religious or nominally religious'; i believe this speaks to our struggle with the church of yesteryear living today. just to help you understand better, our bible passage was from matthew 21:33-46, based on the landowner who planted a vineyard and then just left, leaving the tenants/workers to deal with all the work. we also offered the meal of new life; communion, the lord's supper; the meal adam hamilton says is the united methodist altar call -- the invitation to journey with jesus and others who have found forgiveness of misdeeds and the opportunity to live beyond ourselves through the love and grace of god.

the e-newsletter announced that 'next sunday the church would celebrate the lord's supper'. the new christian who read this notice asked two questions about this 'supper thing'; "am i invited and how much will it cost?"

truly, non-church people who are not privileged to be 'in the know' of how church works, begin to ask questions. 'can i come? how much will this supper cost?' how we good church people answer those questions determines our status as faithful tenants/workers. if we, as good church people are able to remember that the table is not ours, that we just work here, and that the vineyard belongs to god, others might join us as we "work the harvest". perhaps we wouldn't be seen as redundant, to use a british term. after all, we could use all the help we can get to share the love of jesus, no?

i'm hoping that we can find a bible passage that speaks to us and our community of merced about what god is calling us to be and do. we are not called to hold onto the story of faith as if it would a good secret meant just for us. we're invited to share the richness that god has shared with us; the harvest. there is plenty. and sharing makes the story of faith, plentiful!

some words of wisdom that came from our kansas trip, that may guide us all in the coming months....'slow down, choose carefully, trust god, and simplify my life; so that i might see clearly, listen carefully, think deeply, enjoy life fully, and serve god effectively.' why not write this phrase down on a sticky note, and place it on your mirror where you can see it every day?! why not use this as your mantra; your prayer; your slowing-down-and-living words of wisdom. i'm going to!

plagues and better

it has been an interesting late summer, leading to this autumn...i truly wondered what was going on in the world, as my home, usually very comfy and a haven of refuge and safety, began to be a source of concern and unhappiness.

i began to experience what felt like a plague...well, first one followed by another followed by another followed by another followed by another....what was going on?

it all began with my grass dying...well, turning brown, at least. not enough water? no, it was an infestation!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence cleared up, i came home to discover mice; yuck. i could probably stand them in the garage, although i would not be happy, but in the house? NEVER! either they had to move, or i did...and i have a mortgage to pay...it wasn't going to be me!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence cleared up, i came home t0 discover ants. uninvited; not part of my family tree. first one or two and then everywhere i went. i thought about putting little signs out that said please go to my yard, but, alas, i needed to be tough!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence taken care of, i came home to discover flies! i seriously thought about not coming home! fliesas big as my thumb! and they were tough! what was happening to my happy home?

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence taken care of, the wind came up friday night in waves (fortunately, no water to go along with that), and i had one of my pieces of artwork blow off the wall! goodness gracious, what was my world turning into?

as i left early saturday for an out-of-town meeting, under a gloomy sky, this is what i saw:

after all those plagues, something better. for those of you in town, this was taken just beyond the railroad tracks on franklin, after turning left off of santa fe. awesome, no?

i didn't have as many plagues as pharaoh, and i didn't have to cross over the red-reed sea; only a railroad crossing -- and for that, i didn't even have to stop for a train! how unusual is that?!

so a group of us, seven as a matter of fact, leave today for leawood, ks to attend a leadership institute put on by the united methodist church of the resurrection -- they use to meet in a mortuary, hence the name! we'll be back in time to celebrate communion and worship with our congregation on sunday. very exciting.

hum...rainbow...kanasas....i'm hoping the rainbow is the sign that dorothy has truly discovered that 'there's no place like home'. honestly, i'm not prepared to face the pestilence of a wicked witch!

being 53 doesn't make me wise!

you know, as i headed to the church this morning, i got to thinking about what i was going to blog about today; then i turned on my computer. all that to say, being 53 doesn't make me any wiser than when i was 52.

what did i expect?! i was 52 on friday and 53 on saturday. what a difference a day makes...well, not really! my birthday celebration began on friday when a number of kind church folks took me out to lunch; lunch and dessert the pastor...what a grand idea. on saturday, the day of the anniversary of my birth, i traveled to be with family and friends for, well yes, lunch and dessert. another grand idea!

then on sunday, more dessert, as coffee fellowship had a cake and singing...for me; blush, blush, enough already! but so very kind.

today is tuesday, and i don't feel any more wise than i did on friday...although i am happy to report that by the time i got to the cake table on sunday, there was no more cake left. that may be the wisest choice i make now that i am 53 -- stay away from the cake table! at sunday school that day -- our new high school group with seven, count them 7(!) youth, there were carrots on the table; a healthier 53rd year beginning.

so, if i did have some wisdom, for all my vast years of experience, what would i share?

1. when your mom can't remember it's your birthday, don't take it personally. mom is at the point now that, at least she remembers the sound of my voice. she thinks she is moving, and she isn't, but she is preparing for it none the less. but she is happy, and perhaps since she has always been an active person, she can't handle being idle. i don't know what to suggest, as she won't get involved in the activities in her new home setting. but, taking things out of her drawers doesn't sound like a wise choice either. does someone have wisdom on this subject?

2. when you return to your office after a holiday, perhaps the first thing to do is NOT turn on your computer. read your mail first...over your recycling container. ease into the work-week by visiting the sanctuary for prayer, walking the campus to see how it looks, visiting with staff, checking on the construction progress of the indoor restrooms in the wesley hall -- finally, we'll have indoor plumbing!!! then, turn on your computer...play a game of solitaire...and when all else fails -- when you just can't stand it any longer -- check your inbox. and while that is coming on line, go for coffee! i'm not really been a procrastinator, but, at 53, maybe this is a good time to learn!

3. do something that helps you be grounded. being grounded means knowing that everything doesn't have to be done in an instant, and that sometimes 'being swift' isn't as necessary as 'being thoughtful'. while i may text and facebook friends to congratulate us on overcoming another piece of sexism in our society -- at least in law, as 'don't ask, don't tell' eliminates the potential to do away with something the church has called 'homophobia' for years -- my hope is that it will actually become a reality, not simply a law. now, if the church could just get its act together, maybe we could really 'combat' things like poverty, malnutrition, and abuse -- to name just a few of the issues jesus pointed out over 2,000 years ago. i texted and facebooked friends, that's the swift part. but i have some notes to write...by hand, with a pen...that's the thoughtful part. that is what keeps me grounded. being grounded takes times. if we would only take the time....

well, another year hasn't made me any wiser, perhaps, but maybe more aware of my responsibility to respond to the ways of jesus. i have a friend, when he wants a yes or no answer, asks, 'what do you think'? in this case, not always wanting to be a polarized thinker, i would say, 'let's stay focused on what jesus said'. that would be the 'yes' answer he would want.

now, back to my mounting e-mails! no rest for the pastor. i guess this means that the dessert table is really empty!

F.R.O.G, 9/11, and such . . . .

not long ago, i received a series of e-mails that included FROG; there is a story to go along with the acronym, of course, that deals with a guardian angel that left a little ceramic frog by the bed of a woman in the hospital; her health improved, and a kind person helped her understand the deeper meaning: frog = forever rely on god...or frog.

we celebrated the 10th anniversary this week-end with a wonderful dinner; 10 years of support for wesley foundation merced; a spiritual ministry to the students, faculty and staff at our community college, merced college, and the newest u.c. campus, uc merced. what a relaxing evening; wonderful conversation, a short but informative and energizing program, and a low key but persuasive was to encourage support for this ministry for the years ahead.

at the end of a great meal and program, out came plate-fulls of frog cookies; a yummy reminder to forever rely on god...for a ministry that was only a dream 10 years ago! we now have a solid program under the direction of our half-time campus minister jennifer goto. and we have great determination to expand this ministry to full time, and be able to fully support our wesley student housing. this is truly takes the support of faithful people, and the full reliance on god. be sure and check out this ministry and lend your support . . . www.wesleymerced.org

not just one reminder of frog...but a whole plate full!

as we remember also this week-end, 9/11; September 11th will be forever a marker for change. as people share 'don't forget'; i'm hopeful that we will 'forever remember' the ways in which we can respond in the face of tragedy; through kindness, understanding, forgiveness, and with opportunity. People talk about where they were when this tragedy struck. I remember what people were like the week following this event; quiet skies, numbness, people going out of their way to be helpful, talking with strangers, taking turns and other acts of kindness; that was short-lived, unfortunately. but these 10 years have brought a continued energy to seek understanding and broaden our awareness of a culture and a people for whom most of us were unexposed. our spiritual capacity has broadened, and hopefully our ability to welcome dialogue and understand diversity in more welcoming ways.

i preached about our capacity to learn to forgive, both ourselves and others, for not being perfect; for being human, and for making mistakes that are harmful and hurtful. to learn how to do repair work; to explore how to expand the love of jesus in a more encompassing way. i utilized comments from a collection of letters complied by an organization called "tuesday's children", in a book entitled the legacy letters; messages of life and hope from 9/11 family members. how difficult it is to move on from tragedy; to live without guilt because you happened to survive. love empowers us to move on; not to forget. to allow life to continue to unfold in new and unimaginable ways. sadness, shock and pain give way to newness. it takes time. the 9/11 memorial in new york city will stand as a tribute that life flows on.

we can be embittered; we can be held hostage by fears and pains. and we can allow our past experiences to inform our current reality, so that we may make a difference. we can speak out against oppression; we can name racism is unacceptable; we can work to overcome injustice; we can lean to find understanding on a topic that is new or unexplored by us, each and every day.

bitterness and anger can be the death of us, if we choose to live in that reality. may we choose not to live in that reality, but f.r.o.g. as micah 6:8 reminds us -- what does the lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your god.

may this be our reality . . . .

may this NOT be your experience

i am on a number of lists...one of which is a united methodist pastors list, that allows us on facebook to have our own private page with a zillion pastors posing questions and writing answers. pastors never seem at a loss for words.

this appeared yesterday (pastors working on labor day?), and is a youtube musical reflection of how our culture can sometimes be a bit self-centered. of course, i do not know anyone who would be singing this seriously in worship!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJp98hoqy5I&feature=player_embedded

even though labor day marks the official end of summer for many of us, i was delighted and pained to go see 'the help'. based on the best-selling book, 'the help' focuses on life in mississippi in the 1950's when racism was blatant, the proper way to behave was expected, and 'the help' was invisible. a powerful story; humor, sock, injustice...all the things that make for a compelling story. if you have not had a chance to see it yet, plan to go to a matinee soon.

it is 2011, and racism is still evident. how to we find our words, our inner-strength not only to stand up, but to speak/act out against this tide that continues? closely associated with this era, both now and then, is sexism.

when do you find yourself holding back, swallowing a comment, resisting the urge to muddy the waters or disturb the status quo? or, what has caused you to find your voice and not hold back, or not swallow down a comment or a retort, or willingly gone against the tide that kept the waters clear and the ripples from being disturbed?

i am preaching on 'answering life's difficult questions' this month. sunday's question deals with forgiveness; 9/11, ten years later. join us, won't you?

from humidity to sunshine; home again, home again....

from humidity (cleveland, ohio) to sunshine (merced, california); home again, home again . . . .

i am home, as are my two traveling companions, from 'sing a new song'; this bi-annual event, co-partnered with reconciling ministries network (rmn), and methodist federation for social action (mfsa), was held at the sawmill creek resort in huron ohio, just outside cleveland. this was my first event.

amazing worship with music by mark miller; amazing preaching by garlinda burton, amy delong, sean delmore, and jennifer battiest; amazing speakers such as (retired) bishops joseph sprauge, judith craig, and clifton ives, and active bishop yvette flunder who is doing amazing ministry in san francisco; bible study by althea spencer-miller; and many other amazing things!

amazing to have over 700 people attend this event. the three of us from merced were able to attend through the generosity of our social action team, and the benefits of a long-standing endowment fund.

the emphasis was intended to help make sure that the united methodist church will one day be fully inclusive, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, et al folks. the struggle for inclusion has long been a struggle for immigrants, people of color, women and persons with disabilities. currently, all mainline denominations are fully inclusive of pastors and marriage, with the exception of the largest denomination -- united methodist. we are working to change that stance at general conference in tampa, april 24-may 4, 2012. i invite your prayers for a fully inclusive church, as we move toward that time.

making change not only takes prayer, as if god needs to know what needs to be accomplished in ministry (!), but a change in the human heart, and active ways to make that heart be changed by the grace of god. in this day and age, the emphasis will not be so much about standing with signs and shouting, but about telling our stories.

story-telling is nothing new. the bible is full of stories that helped faith experiences change. jesus was the master of telling stories, in the form known as parables -- stories with a twist! if anyone could change hearts and minds, it was jesus.

using jesus as our model, i invite you to being to share your stories of personal faith with others. those working toward change in the church at general conference will be making their stories of change known to every delegate who will attend...988 people from all over the world.

but i think the church in general needs to be sharing their faith stories with one another. when people ask you why you go to church, my i suggest that you don't just simply say "it's what i've always done" or "the week wouldn't be complete without it" or even "i like the music and it's where i see my friends". while all of those reasons may be true, people don't ask the "why" question to receive that information.

people not connected with the church, or who have been hurt in some way by the action of the church, want to know the deep "why" answers that speak to the heart...why it is that you are kind to people, why it is that jesus makes such a difference in your life, and why caring for others makes a difference in your life.

i met some amazing people; people who are living their faith-stories every day! people who are making a difference in this world for justice and inclusion because someone has made a difference in their life. be the face of jesus in this day and age; lend a jesus hand; walk in the steps of freedom that jesus lived and died and rose again for. . . . you'll never know the impact of your story of faith and life, unless you share it with others. some of the information from the convocation can be found on the website www.sans2011.org

and just to give you some additional information. while i did not feel the earthquake of the new england area, many of our folks did; earthquakes just don't happen in washington d.c.! then irene came to town; they've had it rough; including transportation back home, delayed. so in your times of praying, lift up the care of others who have struggled with 'natural disaster' kinds of issues as well. i, thankfully, had good flights, nice weather, good food, great dancing and fellowship, and opportunities to write letters -- by hand! -- to those who can make the necessary changes to the church at general conference.

the theme for general conference, by the way, is "love your neighbor". go, jesus says, and do likewise....

0hi0...i made it, singing a new song!

so, i haven't flown since my trip to europe last year! i decided to fly to ohio for the 'sing a new song' convocation, utalizing a red-eye special. the airport doesn't have much to offer in the way of dinner yummies, but i did manage to get the basic food groups, with the exception of veggies...but, better than nothing....my flights went well. i would await two other mercedians who would follow...one with an awful flight experience, and the other with good luck!

so, what does one do in ohio before the workshops begin? take a hike to see lake erie. here it is!














below is the 'sing a new song logo, and the workshop visual for my workshop today with clergy. we are working to help make the church more inclusive....even the issue of marriage! to be the kind of church god wants us to be...we have to be open, inclusive, and willing to be instuments of god's peace. here's hoping!!!!

going to sing a new song

i leave in a little while -- after i pack and drive two hours to the airport and wait for a red-eye special! -- to a convocation entitled 'sing a new song'. sponsored by methodist federation for social action and reconciling ministries network, we will converge on the sawmill creek resort in huron, ohio, about 1/2 an hours outside of cleavland.

bishops sprague and craig will be there. we'll sing, of course -- what united methodist event do you know of that does not include at least a bit of singing?! we will participate in workshops that no doubt will inspire and guide us to teach. Three from our community will join over 600 others at this event, so that we may re-affirm our ability to be a united faith -- including our gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, trangender, diverse racial and differently-abled sisters and brothers.

we will also have worship and fellowship and participate in small groups. we'll share stories and 'mobilize for mission, turning our faith into action, so that we might seek peace and continue to work toward affirming god's creation and ending poverty and hatred.

i've never been to ohio. but i do love ohio states' marching band! the weather report includes a thunder storm! there are very few things that don't get me excited. i've always loved a good thunder storm with lightening, of course. and music!

i was juicing up my walk-person for the trip, and wondered what was taking so long...all that to discover that my computer was downloading all my pictures too...well, if that is the only thing that happens on this trip that is negative, i'll be a very happy camper!

so, please take a few moments to pray for traveling mercies upon all of those who will be attending and, while you are at it, simply pray for god's presence -- for yourself and for those around you, and for those whom you may never meet.

the daily devotional i received recently has this to say -- from jesus calling by sarah young:

"entrust your loved ones to me (jesus says); release them into my protective care. they are much safer with me than in your clinging hands....when you release loved ones to me, you are free to cling to my hand....watch to see what i will do."

i kind of like that image. sometimes when we hold on too tightly, we restrict and dis-empower. but when we release and 'let god', we no longer have to be anxious about the results.

so, here i go. bless you and your journey as well . . . .

what are paraprosdokians...and why do i care?

i received this concept via e-mail this past week; e-mails can be very enlightening!

paraprosdokians -- by definition: (a) figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation. the example given was: "where there's a will, i want to be in it!" another example i found later on came from groucho marx: "i've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it!"

this definition was followed by 38 examples. a few stuck me, and so i thought i'd share a few paraprosdokians and comment about them.

"war does not determine who is right -- only who is left." one could go many directions with this; right and wrong; liberal and conservative. but if you sit with this thought for a while, you begin to think about the wisdom of that statement. there really are no winners in a conflicted situation or a war. the 'winners' have gotten their way, perhaps, but with much casualty. within the win is a loss or many losses. we often simply 'move on' and never reflect on what it took to get to this new reality. i often think of winning in terms of power. sometimes we do not know our own power. and when we do not know our own capabilities, we discover, sometimes too late, the casualties that helped us achieve our win. upon reflection, we can not win without understanding what also we have lost . . . .

"knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." i laughed about this because it is summer, and most people who planted tomatoes, have them coming out of their ears. people give them away; make things and give them away; cook them until they are blue in the face. i can imagine, perhaps, that the next pot-luck i go to will have 'grape tomatoes' in amongst the melons and the berries and peaches/plums/bananas. the sign will read: fruit salad, with a new grape variety. that's a little summer humor, but i'm guessing, if it hasn't happened yet, grape tomatoes will become this centruies' friendliest fruit! what do you think?

"a bus station is where a bus stops. a train station is where a train stops. on my desk, i have a work station." so, i was at my 'work station' as i was reading the e-mail about paraprosdokians. all i could do was laugh! my desk is just covered with piles of 'to be completed' stuff. things are 'en route, in transit, and to be completed'. when i first entered ministry, i prided myself on making sure that my desk was cleared when i went home each night...sometimes, it was a very long day! then i did a sermon on the seven deadly sins, of which pride is one. so, i changed from pride to being proud. what i discovered was that i always had to remember what i was working on, and dig it out the next day. now, experience has taught me that, like windows on a pc, i can keep several things going at a time, and i do not have to complete one task before i begin another. thus, my work station never stops, but is 'to be completed'. now...on to the next one. . .

'i asked god for a bike, but i know god doesn't work that way. so i stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.' now, intellectually, i know that sentence #2 isn't suppose to work, and that in sentence #1, god really doesn't work that way either! BUT, there are DAYS! we're called to be discerning; invite god to lead us; however, there are days when i don't get the 'hint from god' that i need, and just wish god would spell it out! we seem to live in a society in which asking for forgiveness is easier than figuring out 'the way, the truth, and the life'. what we rarely realize until after we've had to ask for forgiveness, is that asking to be forgiven can be much harder. maybe if we did more asking before we just took what we wanted, we'd be in a better space. just a thought . . . .

and finally, the one i love to quote: 'going to church doesn't make you a christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.' the trouble with this quote is that it can feel a little judgmental. and, having grown up in a home where judgment was constant, i am learning that i really do not want to be a judge. i want to be a spiritual christian that is involved and relational and invites people to tell me more, rather than winning or being the know it all. kind of goes back to the first paraprosdokian -- when we seek to be the winner, loss is all around us. of course, i'm not sure i want to always be 'the loser' all the time either! maybe what we really need is to get the world to buy into another favorite saying: it is not whether we win or lose, but how we played the game...i bet someone made a paraprosdokian out of this statement! what do you think?

pastor's privilege

one of the pastoral privileges for clergy is the old adage, 'marry and bury'. while weddings can be very joyous, with people tending to be on their best behavior, they can also be very stressful...making sure that everything is 'perfect'. and, i won't even go into the cost! people think nothing of spending thousands on the reception, but consider that the ceremony needs to be very economical (read that as FREE). just for the record, i do enjoy a good wedding, and if i know the family, i can have a very good time at the reception. but, churches have costs like everyone else, and when you add up the time spent planning the ceremony, and the cost of this service, you'll note that churches are still a bargain! thanks be to god!!

now on to memorial services. rarely do we see a 'funeral' any longer; the body present, everyone in black; deep sadness. more common is a memorial service, or a 'celebration of life'. why such a change? i believe this change attests to the hope that is offered for the future. as a clergy person, i feel much more privileged to help lead the grieving than i do the celebrating (of a wedding). at a wedding, i don't want to be center stage; i leave that for the couple. i want the couple to be thinking of, not me, but what comes after the wedding: the marriage. and i want them to rely on the presence of god's grace to see them through their struggles and their joys, and to remember that the church/clergy person who participated with them can also help guide them in that next step of the journey.

but with a memorial service/celebration of life, the clergy person is much more visible. people may not remember the words expressed that day, but they will remember the experience. did the 'preacher' share "hell-fire and damnation", or words of grace and comfort? was the church comforting and supportive; welcoming of the family -- even if they did not go to church there? was the reception offered with love? would they find their way back to that church after the ceremony ended?

we've done two memorials/celebrations of life this week, and i will be working with a family later on this week as we prepared for a ceremony that we know is coming, but just not sure when. both services this week were unique. they spoke of the nature of the person that had died. people shared stories about how moved they were to have known both people. while tears were shed, there was laughter, and a genuine sense that god's love and grace had been apart of their relationship with one another. even the receptions were different. we try not to do the same thing for each service, but respond to the uniqueness of each person.

with weddings, the planning for the ceremony takes little time. couples meet with the pastor three times, and sometimes much of the time is taken up with the stress of preparation for the reception and the preparation -- not the ceremony.

but with memorial services, much of the time is spent talking and sharing about the person; the kind of person they were, the relationships they shared, their successes and failures; the deep sadness of a life that will surely be missed; sometimes even being able to express the relief from suffering. sadness and joy. the celebration of life. yes, there is the 'yuck' that comes out, but even that is healing. because, in the end, we realize that we are all human. and being human, we are not perfect. while the emphasis on weddings is the perfection, the emphasis on death is about new life.

funny, how similar weddings and memorials are in this way; they are about new life; they are about relationships and possibilities. and after both of these ceremonies, there is one question that is the same: now what? how do we live now?

and perhaps, even the answers are not so very different. for the couple, the "now what" is answered with questions like: what happens when we disagree, when we run into money troubles, when we discover that there are things i don't like about the other person. problem solving is big when one talks about the 'marriage after the wedding'. there is loss as well: 'i use to have the whole closet; now i only have half'; 'i can't stand living with a slob -- i hate how much you control everything'. who do you talk to when there is an issue?

for the person grieving, the person who is dead is no longer there to disagree with or compromise with, or simply be with; a new form of "now what?" and "how do i live now?" takes priority. who do you talk to when there is an issue?

ah, the pastor's privilege. marry and bury becomes more than just two ceremonies. i am privileged to work with the relationship of helping people to deal with the questions of 'now what'. and then asking perhaps one key question in return. 'on whom do you depend?' where do you find your comfort. with whom do you have your grounding.

i love working with people, and when they begin to ask the spiritual questions, i find myself grateful that god has given me the privilege to serve as guide, confidant, friend, and listening ear. i don't have the answers...but i know the one whom i depend upon. and, just maybe, that is the answer we all long to discover.

youth . . . do they EVER run down????

let me clarify . . . youth 2011, an 'urban camp experience with awesome worship, great study groups, wonderful mission experiences, and no down time . . . is NOT vacation!

not that i didn't have a great experience. i just wonder about youth . . . do they EVER run down???

we began with worship that included a concert-like feel, with the Rezlife Worship Band; awesome. ok, so my ears were ringing by the time i left; i'm old! but, with the message about believing by texas pastor fred lynch, and artwork by scott erickson, the spirit was very present.

there was workshops, opportunities for faith development, food galore, and youth all over the place. i got to volunteer, helping with workshops, mission offerings and hospitality.




this was the end result of the habitat for humanity mission project. we created these garden boxes, complete with soil and hoses. i know...me with a hammer! watch out!

i worked a kairos ministry booth where students wrote letters of encouragement/drew and colored pictures for inmates; i watched as youth got 8 inches of their hair cut to be donated for children's wigs; i participated in stop hunger now that put together bags of dehydrated meals for children around the world at a cost of 25 cents per meal! These meals will also be used to encourage parents to send their children to school. i got to experience youth spiritual growth classes, how to pray with all that you are, and small group enrichment.

youth stayed up for 'after hours' activities, and i was in bed by 10 -- honest mom, who turned 85 yesterday! -- and i hardly stirred when hundreds of youth excitedly returned to the hotel at midnight each night. honestly, they were up by 6 the next morning. how do they do that? i lived on caffeine!

but what an experience to spend four days with 12 - 1,500 youth and worship with nearly 2,000. i'm hopeful that our youth will attend the next event in 1215. maybe i will have caught up on my sleep by then! this truly was more than just a youth event. no wonder it takes four years to plan!

the latest news about youth? volunteers, not staff, are the energy behind youth groups these days. so, i've got my sign up sheet all ready...who has a heart (and the stamina) for this awesome ministry . . . .