Last night at our church we read the Scripture in Genesis 32 which tells the story of Jacob's wrestling match with God. Jacob is changed by the all night struggle and is given a new name to mark that change. It was a well chosen story to reflect upon on this first "dinner church" meeting of our church. We lost our rented space to another tenant who would use it more and pay more for that use so we have been looking for another vacated storefront in the community but were unsuccessful. Another church in the area offered us some space in their church but since the building is small it worked out that we would meet at night. So, we met for dinner and then a worship service around the tables. We were able to have time for reflection on the passage from Scripture and celebrate Communion together.
It has been a struggle for the church to sense what God is calling us to be in that community. Thanks to another expression of the Body of Christ we have a place for this month. But, we are not done looking for a more "permanent home". We were reminded that the church really is the people as we gathered in a new place and at a new time but were still the church.
I struggled with the change, too. I have always gone to church in the morning. I pastored churches which had morning services for almost 40 years. It was like it said somewhere in God's Word that His people would gather at 10 am or 11 am with Sunday School before or after but He preferred before. I have been to evening services or special events at night but that was always Extra! So, when we left church last Sunday after our last morning service for awhile, I said to my wife, I don't think I can do this. We will have to go somewhere else next Sunday morning. I don't know if I can change. You know, something about old dogs and new tricks. My wife was silent. She knew. Saturday night she asked what we were going to do for church on Sunday. I said, let's see in the morning. She knew. When we got up we knew we did not want to go to church somewhere else. Our church was meeting at 5 pm. I knew.
We walked, read, prayed, visited our son's family who were camping nearby, took the dog and one grandson on a long walk and then sat at the playground by a beautiful lake. It was peaceful. We came home and made pancakes and then read some more. Then it was time to go to church. Traffic was light and our church meeting place was simply yet tastefully decorated for dinner. Many potlucks filled a table. We sat at tables of six to eight. We got caught up on the stuff of our lives and we laughed with each other. I was able to find out why a man who had not been to church for several weeks had not been coming. I could tell him I missed him and had been praying for him.
Then, we sang, studied the Scripture passage, prayed and celebrated communion. We prayed for a blessing on a young family who had decided it was time for them to leave our church community to seek a new place to worship. We cleaned up and it was time to go home. It had been a good day all around. God knew.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Leftovers
Matthew chapter 14 is one of the texts in the gospels that tell how Jesus fed a lot of people. After a day of healing and teaching, Jesus' disciples advised him to check the time and see that it was getting late and they were in the desert a long way from home - so he might want to think about calling it a day and send the folks home. Disregarding their advice, Jesus told them to go ahead and feed the people. Thinking it must be a joke the disciples quickly added up their resources and reported they barely had enough for their own picnic supper. Jesus took their resources and after blessing and breaking the loaves he began to feed the large crowd. Five loaves and two fishes for over 5,000 people.
There were probably a few people eating Jesus' fast food who saw the benefits of hanging around Jesus: food, health care and good Bible teaching. And, I imagine there were some others who were calculating the risks involved. Who is this guy and what does he want from us. There is no free lunch they were thinking. We are even more leery in this modern age. Every day the media recounts stories of scams, frauds and Madoff like promises that what we know is too good to be true. Still, we sign on. It's like spending $100 of our hard earned money on lottery tickets because today our luck may have changed.
While the appeal of Jesus may have generated both of these responses, neither one comes close to what he was doing. He was living the life he came to live and to give. John, in his gospel, called it "abundant life". Which is another way of talking about the Jesus life. It is a full and fulfilling way of life. But, it not just for those who choose to follow the Jesus Way. It is meant to be shared. That's why there were leftovers. Pick them up and give it away to others. That's the way the Jesus Life is lived.
There were probably a few people eating Jesus' fast food who saw the benefits of hanging around Jesus: food, health care and good Bible teaching. And, I imagine there were some others who were calculating the risks involved. Who is this guy and what does he want from us. There is no free lunch they were thinking. We are even more leery in this modern age. Every day the media recounts stories of scams, frauds and Madoff like promises that what we know is too good to be true. Still, we sign on. It's like spending $100 of our hard earned money on lottery tickets because today our luck may have changed.
While the appeal of Jesus may have generated both of these responses, neither one comes close to what he was doing. He was living the life he came to live and to give. John, in his gospel, called it "abundant life". Which is another way of talking about the Jesus life. It is a full and fulfilling way of life. But, it not just for those who choose to follow the Jesus Way. It is meant to be shared. That's why there were leftovers. Pick them up and give it away to others. That's the way the Jesus Life is lived.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Look of love
Like many people I don't think of myself as rich. I'm almost glad I'm not rich, thankful even. There are many warnings in the Bible to the rich. They may have it now but they may be in trouble later. There are cautions in the Psalms against imitating the rich and then there is the story of the rich man and Lazarus in the gospels. So, when I turn to read the story Jesus told about the rich, young man, I am pretty sure who he was talking about and it was not me. I guess I see the young rich guy as a Wall Street investment banker making tons of money for himself and not caring about anyone else. He pulls up to Jesus in a Lexus SUV and turns down the thump thump of his bass just long enough to get his question answered. How do I score the investment you are talking about, Jesus, he asks. Jesus tells him to give away what he owns to the poor and you will have invested for eternity. The man wasn't expecting that so he got back in his car, turned up the stereo and went back to making money.
Today, Marilyn McEntyre in her book, What's in a Phrase, helped me see this story a little more clearly. She focuses on v. 21 in Mark 10, "and Jesus, looking at him, loved him." Even before answering his question he takes a second, longer look at this young man, she writes. He takes the young man and his question seriously because he sees both his immaturity and his spiritual hunger, she says. Then she writes,"since I haven't given up my possessions, and know few who have, I realize most of us don't have any stones to throw at this rich young man when he went away sorrowing because he could not give up his wealth." She claims she tithes to her church and gives her canned goods to the food bank, but states she will probably carry her laptop to the grave.
The point of the story, she points out, is not judgment but love. Jesus loves even those who are not yet wholehearted, pure and generous. He turns toward us with a compassionate gaze, listening to our imperfect prayers, to petitions that smack of self-righteousness, and self-interest, seeing us through our learning moments, our resistances, and our spiritual failures - is how she puts it.
Some people left everything to follow him immediately. Others went home to fields in need of plowing, and children in need of raising and families needing to be fed. They go home to ponder what Jesus said, what it means to live by grace and how righteousness is reckoned. McEntyre helps me see the rich man in a different light. Some probably did go home sorrowing or at least feeling like they wished they could be more like the disciples who could follow Jesus and not look back on what they were leaving behind. Like we might look at those who move into a house church situated in the midst of the city or among the poor of the third world. We wish we had that commitment or sense of purpose.
But McEntyre is a good and true guide, I think. She sees this story as a complement to the stories of the calling of the 12 disciples. It is more ordinary. Perhaps, she suggests, the rich young man did not leave without hope; perhaps Jesus look of love stayed with him a long while; perhaps he did not conclude right away that Jesus' way was not for him. "I imagine, McEntyre writes, he went home to restless nights, and days of wrestling with what the Lord requires of him." He had a lot to sort out, she says, and I imagine Jesus' love stayed with him and encouraged his growth process. Jesus look of love was what sustained him as he groped his way toward a new relationship with God. As it sustains us in our following Jesus.
Today, Marilyn McEntyre in her book, What's in a Phrase, helped me see this story a little more clearly. She focuses on v. 21 in Mark 10, "and Jesus, looking at him, loved him." Even before answering his question he takes a second, longer look at this young man, she writes. He takes the young man and his question seriously because he sees both his immaturity and his spiritual hunger, she says. Then she writes,"since I haven't given up my possessions, and know few who have, I realize most of us don't have any stones to throw at this rich young man when he went away sorrowing because he could not give up his wealth." She claims she tithes to her church and gives her canned goods to the food bank, but states she will probably carry her laptop to the grave.
The point of the story, she points out, is not judgment but love. Jesus loves even those who are not yet wholehearted, pure and generous. He turns toward us with a compassionate gaze, listening to our imperfect prayers, to petitions that smack of self-righteousness, and self-interest, seeing us through our learning moments, our resistances, and our spiritual failures - is how she puts it.
Some people left everything to follow him immediately. Others went home to fields in need of plowing, and children in need of raising and families needing to be fed. They go home to ponder what Jesus said, what it means to live by grace and how righteousness is reckoned. McEntyre helps me see the rich man in a different light. Some probably did go home sorrowing or at least feeling like they wished they could be more like the disciples who could follow Jesus and not look back on what they were leaving behind. Like we might look at those who move into a house church situated in the midst of the city or among the poor of the third world. We wish we had that commitment or sense of purpose.
But McEntyre is a good and true guide, I think. She sees this story as a complement to the stories of the calling of the 12 disciples. It is more ordinary. Perhaps, she suggests, the rich young man did not leave without hope; perhaps Jesus look of love stayed with him a long while; perhaps he did not conclude right away that Jesus' way was not for him. "I imagine, McEntyre writes, he went home to restless nights, and days of wrestling with what the Lord requires of him." He had a lot to sort out, she says, and I imagine Jesus' love stayed with him and encouraged his growth process. Jesus look of love was what sustained him as he groped his way toward a new relationship with God. As it sustains us in our following Jesus.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
I was reading in Matthew 14 today. Jesus walks on water is the title of this section. It's a favorite. I have always thought it cool that Peter actually was able to take a few steps on the water. Just like Jesus. He didn't make it far but he tried. I realized that Matthew probably took this story from Mark's gospel. Mark's main source was Peter himself many scholars believe. So if Peter was telling the story why did he leave himself out? Some scholars think that Peter's pride got in the way. But Mark includes other Peter stories that do not show him in a good light, for instance, his denial of being one of Jesus's followers before the crucifixion. Michael Card in his book, Mark: the Gospel of Passion, writes he used to think that, as well. But after spending more time with Peter in the book of Acts and his two letters he changed his mind. Now, he thinks Peter told Mark to leave him out of this story because he walked on water. Humility, Card says, was the reason for Peter's absence from the story, not pride.
Peter did walk on water which is something not too many people can claim. His walking on water could have been a distraction from what Peter/Mark were teaching. When Matthew tells the story with Peter in it, the focus is more on Peter's failure than his brief success. He is going down when he sticks out his hand and yells for Jesus to save him.
It was Peter's failure more than his success that taught him humility. He took a few steps on water but he was a goner if Jesus did not reach out to him. Littlefaiths is what Jesus calls him and the rest of the disciples. Peter never forgot. Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand and he will lift you up is what Peter wrote in his first letter. He had experienced that.
We are more success oriented that failure oriented. We try to hide our failures and play up our successes. Our resumes do not usually contain a bullet list of our failures. Yet we know we often learn more from failure than success. In this case, Peter made the most of a life long lesson he learned the day he was sinking in the deep. Cast your cares on him because he cares for you.
I'm glad Peter held his water walking out of Mark's gospel story. But, I am glad Matthew included it in his. Mark shows us a lesson in humility and Matthew shows us how Peter learned it.
Peter did walk on water which is something not too many people can claim. His walking on water could have been a distraction from what Peter/Mark were teaching. When Matthew tells the story with Peter in it, the focus is more on Peter's failure than his brief success. He is going down when he sticks out his hand and yells for Jesus to save him.
It was Peter's failure more than his success that taught him humility. He took a few steps on water but he was a goner if Jesus did not reach out to him. Littlefaiths is what Jesus calls him and the rest of the disciples. Peter never forgot. Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand and he will lift you up is what Peter wrote in his first letter. He had experienced that.
We are more success oriented that failure oriented. We try to hide our failures and play up our successes. Our resumes do not usually contain a bullet list of our failures. Yet we know we often learn more from failure than success. In this case, Peter made the most of a life long lesson he learned the day he was sinking in the deep. Cast your cares on him because he cares for you.
I'm glad Peter held his water walking out of Mark's gospel story. But, I am glad Matthew included it in his. Mark shows us a lesson in humility and Matthew shows us how Peter learned it.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Church in the city
We are attending a small church in the city. It is in the historic (= old and rundown) section of the city that is undergoing revitalization (= people who have lived there a long have to move out as it becomes popular to move in there). The church meets in a storefront on Main St. On August 1 the lease will expire and so the church has been looking for a new (= old) storefront to move into. The church only has use of the present space on Sundays so people have to set up and take down every week and meetings are held in people's homes. Hopefully, the new space comes with more permanency.
Yesterday there were about 27 of us, including children, there. The pastor just returned from a week of vacation with her family on the Gulf Coast but she was able to preach a thoughtful sermon on hospitality. Another person on the mission committee presented a summary of their work on a non profit agency in the community which the church could support by volunteering. Each week for three weeks an agency will be previewed and then the church will decide on one of them. This week we heard about an agency that works on revitalizing people, especially, children and families where one of the parents is in jail. There is tutoring for the children and mentoring for the offenders who are released. There are family reunion parties to encourage positive relationships with the offender and his/her family and others. Then, in our service, another person read scripture, and another led our prayer time which we all closed by praying the Lord's Prayer and another introduced communion and the children led it.
Another person led the singing. The last song was written by Michael Hansen. I had trouble finding the words and music. So here are the words to A Generous Man:
He comes upon a place of famine
With food in his hands.
And people come from miles around.
They have heard,
They went to meet this Generous Man.
They were not worthy, they could not pay.
But still he opens his hands.
He comes upon a place of sickness
with healing in his hands.
And people come from miles around.
They have heard,
they want to meet this Generous Man.
And they are not worthy, and they cannot pay.
But still he opens his hands.
You give it away.
You give it away.
LORD, come give it away.
Come, give it away.
Then we formed a circle, held hands, and some of the children led us in a closing prayer.
Yesterday there were about 27 of us, including children, there. The pastor just returned from a week of vacation with her family on the Gulf Coast but she was able to preach a thoughtful sermon on hospitality. Another person on the mission committee presented a summary of their work on a non profit agency in the community which the church could support by volunteering. Each week for three weeks an agency will be previewed and then the church will decide on one of them. This week we heard about an agency that works on revitalizing people, especially, children and families where one of the parents is in jail. There is tutoring for the children and mentoring for the offenders who are released. There are family reunion parties to encourage positive relationships with the offender and his/her family and others. Then, in our service, another person read scripture, and another led our prayer time which we all closed by praying the Lord's Prayer and another introduced communion and the children led it.
Another person led the singing. The last song was written by Michael Hansen. I had trouble finding the words and music. So here are the words to A Generous Man:
He comes upon a place of famine
With food in his hands.
And people come from miles around.
They have heard,
They went to meet this Generous Man.
They were not worthy, they could not pay.
But still he opens his hands.
He comes upon a place of sickness
with healing in his hands.
And people come from miles around.
They have heard,
they want to meet this Generous Man.
And they are not worthy, and they cannot pay.
But still he opens his hands.
You give it away.
You give it away.
LORD, come give it away.
Come, give it away.
Then we formed a circle, held hands, and some of the children led us in a closing prayer.
Monday, June 9, 2014
yellow fly
Yellow Fly, so quick and quiet, it is on you before you know it,
It may be hours before you realize what bit you.
Then there is pain and itching and swelling.
It got you.
You recognize it now that you have been bitten.
You know what to expect.
If you are watchful you can flick it away before it bites
but most of the time it is on you before you know it, stealth like.
There is nothing to do but deal with the pain, heal up, you will.
When the pain is gone, and the yellow fly season is over
don't be surprised, be ready, next year.
It may be hours before you realize what bit you.
Then there is pain and itching and swelling.
It got you.
You recognize it now that you have been bitten.
You know what to expect.
If you are watchful you can flick it away before it bites
but most of the time it is on you before you know it, stealth like.
There is nothing to do but deal with the pain, heal up, you will.
When the pain is gone, and the yellow fly season is over
don't be surprised, be ready, next year.
Almost summer
It's summertime, almost, but don't tell anyone down here in the NE corner of Florida where it has been summertime for some time now. It is so hot and humid it is out of the question to try to do anything outside after sunrise at 6:30 am. So, if it is walking or bike riding or hiking, a headlamp is the most important gear you need for outdoor activities. It is so hot and humid that if you have to do yard work, you slather on the sunscreen and get it done as fast as you can. You may sweat the rest of the day inside with the a/c on. It is so hot and humid that you wake up and step outside and think you are in a steam room. It seems like a half hour before the car a/c can cool the car down. And then there are the bugs. My wife has a sensitivity to many of them. This is yellow fly season, there is always a season for something. If she gets a yellow fly bite she swells up like she has a small melon under her skin. She itches, and feels miserable for days. Benadryl is her best friend. So she has another reason to spend these pre-summertime days inside.
Then there is the sunscreen which I have already mentioned. We have become sunscreen addicts. We shout to each other, did you remember to put on sunscreen? Florida is the sunscreen state. At least, there is no shortage of dermatologists here. We have had spots burned, biopsied and surgeried off. But, we can't blame Florida for that! That was from pre-Florida sun abuse. It's ironic that now that we are here we are told by our doctor to make sure we avoid the sun!
And then there are the summer storms which arrive nearly daily. Thunderous thunder, dazzling flashes of lightening, and plenty of rain, as our neighbor says, "it flat laid down a bunch of rain." To put it mildly. The yards flood, roads are under water and some of the older septic tanks fill up with water and you can't flush the toilets for days. The rain brings out the frogs which bark joyfully all night long after a storm. They crawl up the windows so you can see their little feet when you look outside. They are on your car when you go out in the morning. Sometimes they jump in when you open the door and they are so quick they hide themselves before you can show them the way out. You know something they don't: the daytime temperature inside a parked car is not hospitable to frogs or humans.
Florida is not a deep state. The whole state could have a sign out at the border that says: Clean Fill Wanted. There is not enough ground to dig a basement if you wanted one. The other day a man stopped at the house and said he noticed we did not have gutters on our house. True, most Floridians don't. You know, he said, houses here are built on sandstone. When you get uncontrolled water runoff from the roof, that's how sinkholes happen. Not trying to scare you, just saying, as he leaned up against his truck that prominently displayed his company logo: Roofing and Gutters.
It's almost summer and the livin', as they say, is interesting.
Then there is the sunscreen which I have already mentioned. We have become sunscreen addicts. We shout to each other, did you remember to put on sunscreen? Florida is the sunscreen state. At least, there is no shortage of dermatologists here. We have had spots burned, biopsied and surgeried off. But, we can't blame Florida for that! That was from pre-Florida sun abuse. It's ironic that now that we are here we are told by our doctor to make sure we avoid the sun!
And then there are the summer storms which arrive nearly daily. Thunderous thunder, dazzling flashes of lightening, and plenty of rain, as our neighbor says, "it flat laid down a bunch of rain." To put it mildly. The yards flood, roads are under water and some of the older septic tanks fill up with water and you can't flush the toilets for days. The rain brings out the frogs which bark joyfully all night long after a storm. They crawl up the windows so you can see their little feet when you look outside. They are on your car when you go out in the morning. Sometimes they jump in when you open the door and they are so quick they hide themselves before you can show them the way out. You know something they don't: the daytime temperature inside a parked car is not hospitable to frogs or humans.
Florida is not a deep state. The whole state could have a sign out at the border that says: Clean Fill Wanted. There is not enough ground to dig a basement if you wanted one. The other day a man stopped at the house and said he noticed we did not have gutters on our house. True, most Floridians don't. You know, he said, houses here are built on sandstone. When you get uncontrolled water runoff from the roof, that's how sinkholes happen. Not trying to scare you, just saying, as he leaned up against his truck that prominently displayed his company logo: Roofing and Gutters.
It's almost summer and the livin', as they say, is interesting.
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