Faith to Move Mountains
The theme of the servant trip was: Move! What an appropriate theme it was! First we had to move from Ironwood, MI to
We were moved by all of the things we had in common with the people from that declining former mining town in
It is fair to say that we were ministered to as much as we ministered to others. The Youthworks! staff, who organized and facilitated the work, meals, and led our times of worship and devotion, ministered directly to the sixty or so youth and adult leaders who were staying in Mahanoy City. The other youth groups who were with us ministered to each other as they went about their work and lived in less than comfortable accommodations. But most importantly we were ministered to by the people of that community who put aside their pride and out of deep humility allowed us into their lives to do something meaningful. But most importantly we were ministered to by Christ who washed our feet and commissioned us to go into the world to serve as he served.
The week was not without difficulty, or sacrifice on the part of the youth or the adult leaders as we went about loving God and neighbor, but the struggles seemed to be made easier and the discomforts weren’t as irritating as they could have simply because God carried us when we were tired, hot, and in need of a shower and gave us the eyes to see that our faith was moving mountains. Maybe these were not mountains of rock and earth, but mountains of trust, goodwill, and concern for the least of these were moved in
My prayer is that the momentum and movement of this journey is carried forward into our own community. My hope is that the inspiration we have received is contagious and the renewal of our faith changes those we meet upon our return. My desire is that when people ask us how our trip was they forgive us when we say more than, “It was just great!” It was a life transforming experience. It was a daily encounter of the divine. It was a chance to meet Christ disguised as young children, as little old ladies, as nursing home residents, and as citizens of a declining town.
God bless you all for supporting this ministry.
Some more classic wheels getting a wash
Pentecost 5 A 2008
It is a wonder to me that anyone would want to hold a public office in this country. It is a wonder to me that this day in age anyone would want to assume a position of leadership, in government, in business, in the church or in the community. It is a wonder to me, after listening to Bill O’Reily and Kieth Oberman’s constant complaining about the leadership of this country that anyone would aspire to work in government. The vitriolic discourse of those on the ends of the political spectrum, both liberal and conservative, reveals a vision of those on the other side as the enemy. The tenor of the political debate is so much less than civil. People speak of their elected officials as idiots, deadbeats, slick, shady, and a whole lot of words I cannot say from the pulpit.
But the problem ranges far beyond the sphere of politics. Often when people rise to a position of leadership, they become an easy target for people’s disenfranchisement. When people take a position of leadership, no matter what their platform, they become targets of ridicule and criticism. Now I am not talking about constructive or dialogical criticism which is done in safety and in which differing opinions are expressed not out of anger or resentment, but out of love and with the intention of correcting. This constructive criticism leaves room for response. Negative criticism consists of bitter words aimed like arrows. Constructive criticism sounds like wisdom.
Constructive criticism offers another possibility, another solution, another way of looking at the problem. Negative criticism offers the only possibility, the only solution, and the only way of seeing the problem. Constructive criticism is empathetic and cares about the other, negative criticism is uncaring and sees the other only in terms of being wrong.
We live in a climate where there is a whole lot of negative criticism. Talk radio and television programs where the goal is to excoriate and condemn the evil doers is just one tiny facet of the lack of civil dialogue in this American life. The saddest part of this trend is that we find neighbors who used to be friends, families who used to be loving, and community members who used to care. Lucky for us most leaders don’t take it personally, and don’t go into their positions to be our friends, to be loved, and to be cared for, but to do what they think is right. But sadly for us many competent leaders avoid leadership positions for fear of becoming easy targets.
In today’s gospel text Jesus summons the twelve disciples. He gives them authority to heal and make whole and sends them out with some pretty specific instructions. Jesus sends out the laborers to work on his behalf, to work among the harvest, bringing in those who are in need of reconciliation and new life with Christ. Jesus sends them out on this their first missionary event because he had compassion on the people—those who were spiritually harassed and helpless. He sent them out offering another possibility, another solution, and another way of looking at their problems. He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom where the sick are cured, the dead are raised, the lepers are cleansed, and the demonic is cast out.
But it is important to note who some of these people are. It is important that Jesus would employ both Matthew the Tax Collector and Simon the Zealot in the work or proclaiming the
Now, I am sure that Jesus did not moderate their positions. I am sure that Jesus did not speak out of both sides of his mouth. Jesus did not say to Matthew, “Hey Matthew, keep on collecting taxes for Caesar, because that’s ok.” Instead, He said, “Matthew, follow me.” I am sure that Jesus did not say to Simon the Zealot, “Hey Simon, It is ok to be part of a paramilitary group of avenging priests and to commit atrocities in the name of God.” Instead, Jesus said, “Simon, follow me.”
But following Jesus is not a walk in the park. Jesus warns his disciples about the downside of being His follower. Jesus tells the twelve, “See, I am sending you out like sheep in to the midst of wolves…. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their gathering places; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me…. Brother will betray brother to death; and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name.”
It is a wonder that anyone becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a wonder that anyone can go out on a limb and speak on behalf of something that transcends tax collector or zealot; Republican or Democrat; liberal or conservative. It is a wonder that anyone can go out on a limb and believe in more than just themselves and their ability to effect change. It is a wonder that amidst debates that rage over school consolidation, the war, the economy, the price of gas, that anyone has the guts to stand up and shout, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, and here’s what that looks like, the sick are cured, the dead are raised, the lepers are cleansed, and the demonic is cast out.”
We have received without payment and now it is time to give without payment, not with the expectation of safety, prosperity, security, growth, but with the assurance that the harvest is plentiful and that compassion is the motivation behind our mission.
A real miracle happened on Sunday. We had two sheet cakes for the fellowship following the service and there was enough left over to feed the nursing home residents next door!
Here's the joint choir warming up.
"OK, ugh, hmm, well, just follow along in your bulletins and with God's help and guidance we'll make it through together."
The new youth worship team made their debut with a driving prelude and a rocking postlude!
Sorry, I did forget to mention the bowling outing. Here we are dancing the "Macarena." No, Jim is not dancing out of step. He is taking his turn at bowling. We got a little side-tracked I am afraid, but I bowled one of my best games ever! I am not sure of the theological significance of bowling, but the fact that you see this pastor doing the the Macarena is proof that with Christ all things are possible.
Here is a photo of the Church School Spring Musical.
Bishop Tom and Luann Skrenes are the presenters and guests of honor at the Spring Women's Banquet hosted by the Parish men's group.
Bishop Tom and Luann Skrenes are joined at the table by Augustin Kormann Muellerleile (Such a big name for a little guy).
Bad photo of the water polo game at the Christ Parish Pool Party.Easter 4 A 2008
When I was in the "in-between times" between college and seminary I had many wonderful work experiences one of which prepared me for ministry in ways that I never could have foreseen. I worked on a little organic vegetable farm for two seasons and that experience gave me insight into the parables and sayings of Jesus that are agrarian in nature. This Pastor actually has experience working with sheep. Now, I make no claims about knowing anything about first century Middle Eastern shepherding, but I do have the real life experience of taking care of a herd of about forty sheep.
Lambing time is happening right now on the farm. The sheep are not out in the pasture because the muddy and snowy ground is void of fodder. There is nothing out in the pasture for those poor sheep to eat. They are locked away in their sheepfold. They are gated off for their own protection from feral dogs and coyotes. They are 100 percent dependant upon the farmers for hay, grain, water, and minerals. The dried up nutrients of the earth from last summer’s growth are keeping them alive, but this is no abundant life. This is simple survival. The sheepfold is desolate, bare, and muddy. The gates are shut off because right now there are no green pastures and the still waters are even now frozen over. The vision of last summer’s growth and abundance is almost lost.
But when the time is right, when the fields are green and the ground is solid underfoot, then the gates are opened and the sheep are allowed to roam. When it comes time to move the sheep out of their sheepfold, often the lambs jump where the gate was. They have never known any other life than that of the sheepfold. This new world is a mystery and yet they leap right into it. Their mothers are a bit more skittish. They run nervously and anxiously through the gate, but they follow the voice that means food and water. They follow trusting the voice that provided hay, gain, and water through the winter months. They follow the voice that means life.
As the lambs leap into greener pastures and ewes nervously cross the threshold of the sheepfold, it is easy to understand their response, and both responses are correct. The ewes know the perils of the pasture. There are flesh eating enemies out there—there are dangers and dark valleys. There are thunder storms and no place to take refuge. No wonder they are nervous and a bit skittish. No wonder they are anxious. But they follow the voice of the shepherd, a voice they know and trust.
Now, as the lambs leap into the new world of the pasture their response is correct as well. They follow the voice too, but their response of leaping forth into new and uncharted territory is driven by the promise that the grass is so much greener, and richer, and abundant than it was in the sheepfold. They have just started to nibble at the tender shoots of spring—they have tasted it, and know that it is good. Beyond the sheepfold life is less certain, but it is more exciting and full of possibility. Abundant life is not possible in the sheepfold. Life in the sheepfold is based on predictable deprivation. In the sheepfold there is just enough fodder for survival. In the pasture the sheep grow fat on the abundance of forage.
The winter has been long and full of deprivations. Economic insecurity, social problems that result from forty years of decline, empty buildings, rampant alcohol and drug abuse, a community marked by high anxiety, bitter conflicts, steady decline, and the herd is not growing any younger. We have grown accustomed to the sheepfold and its dreary muddiness. We have developed a taste for what is dried up and hard to swallow. We have settled for our predictable rations that we have to stretch further and further as the storehouses and hay bails dwindle. But this life of deprivation is not the life that God in Jesus Christ has called you into. The voice of the Good Shepherd calls us out of the old life of the sheepfold into the new life of the pasture.
Abundant life is not found in here, it is somewhere out there. It is beyond the gate of our fears, and the sheepfold of our insecurity. It is beyond the winter of our discontent in the springtime of new and abundant life. This is where God is leading us. Jesus is calling us out of our upper rooms where we hide for fear of thieves and bandits, those who would steal us away from what God is doing in and among us. Spring is coming; it is almost here and when it is, the door will be flung wide. The gate will be opened and some will leap across the threshold while others will move with a bit more caution.
Abundant life is with the Good Shepherd who leads us out of the sheepfold and into new and uncharted territory. Abundant life is with Jesus Christ who leads us beside still waters and restores our souls. But abundant life is not without its challenges. There will be enemies, there will be dark valleys, there will be the shadow of death, but that shadow is just an illusion. When we are in the midst of the abundant life of the good shepherd who prepares a table before us, then death looses its sting—death becomes the gate to eternal life. When we are in the presence of the Good Shepherd, when we have come to follow him who has defeated death, then all things become possible including abundant life even in the face of death and decline. I repeat: abundant life even in the face of death and decline.
We follow Jesus because we trust Him. We follow him because he calls us by name. We follow him because he leads us into green pastures and besides still waters and protects us from death and destruction. Sometimes we follow him cautiously and other times we follow him with abandon, but we follow him because we know his voice.
Amen.
Kindness Eggs
You know you're a Yooper if...
