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 . . . .