Cilantro, Heavy Lifting, and Sales Receipts

The "Tuesday Team" was back at it yesterday; we prepared Mexican Chili for today's lunch at The Largest Table. I woke up this morning looking forward to lunch - the smells were great as we were leaving last night! The chili will be served with a dollop of sour cream and a few snips of fresh cilantro from the children's garden. There was something really thrilling about being able to harvest a huge amount of fresh cilantro from right outside our doors and know that it was the children of the church who planted it. I am sure not everyone will opt for the cilantro garnish today, but I think it is what will make this soup.

I also have a renewed appreciation for Joan and Mary, and our core "Wednesday Team." Between all of the cans of tomatoes, beef broth and black beans that were opened to make chili for 300 last night, I think Latsi was opening cans for more than an hour straight! I am sure she will be able to feel the workout on her arms this morning. And then there was Stephanie who was able to lift our largest pots FULL of browned ground beef, onions, and peppers to drain them and return it the pan. But that is not at all unusual. Our volunteers often need to open that many cans. We always have full and heavy pots. The quantities of food we are preparing now are really quite amazing. I wish I had taken a photo of all of the empty cans - maybe I can get one later today and post it here. Think multiple cases that filled the entire back of my car! So, I have renewed appreciation for the physical labor that our volunteers engage in week after week.

I also have a renewed appreciation for their thriftiness. I am not sure how Joan does it. Routinely, she is able to shop for a meal to serve 200-300 people for less than $200. That is less than $1 per serving for a home cooked meal with all of the food groups. Repeat: I am not sure how Joan does it. I think of myself as a pretty good shopper, but I wasn't quite able to work her magic. I think she has the in with the loaves and fishes guy.

Why Bother? Part Two

Yesterday I blogged about why I "bother" to go to the General Synod, and likened it to why I bother to the read the news, or enter into dialogue about issues that have no apparent resolution. There is another reason I "bother" to go; and it is the same reason I "bother" with worship. Worship - long before I was a pastor - was a central and essential part of my life.

At its best, worship reminds me of my highest aspirations and connects me to God as well as to the larger community. When I am struggling, I realize there are others who are struggling also. When I am too proud or too focused on myself, worship pulls me out of my self-centeredness and focuses me on a larger picture.

At Synod, we had some inspiring worship experiences with marvelous preaching, and wonderful singing. I only knew a handful of people but I felt connected through our common bond in Christ. Today I am looking forward to being in my home congregation where I know and am known by nearly everyone. It's not a bother; it's a blessing!

Why Bother?

With every new members class I find myself talking about how the autonomy (or the freedom) each congregation in the United Church of Christ has is both a blessing and burden. This freedom is certainly a blessing because we are free to govern ourselves and make our own decisions; we can live as fully into God's call for us as we are attentive, inspired, and willing to do. Yet, it is also a burden for these very same reasons. Within our denomination there is no one who will mandate what our position should be on an issue, or whether we should restructure ourselves, or change hymnals, or perform commitment ceremonies. That sounds great until we realize that in order to bring about change we must risk initiating those changes. We must risk being the one to take a stand or initiate dialogue. There is no larger structure to hide behind with the excuse that "they are making us do this!"

Upon returning from the General Synod, I have had a couple of people ask me (essentially), "Why Bother?" Why bother going to the national meeting when there is nothing that really happens with any authority? Why bother going through the whole resolution process and sitting through discussions and plenarys when all that ends up happening is that the national church gives us some recommendations?

On this Independence Day, I woke up and realized that my answer to "Why Bother?" is much the same as to why I listen to the news, why I read different perspectives, why being a part of a community is so important to me. If I live in my own little world (as comfortable as that can be), I can't possibly live responsibly. If I am not aware of different problems and perspectives, how can I respond to them?

At the Synod we spent much time talking about the challenges we still face with racism. We didn't solve the problems, but I became more sensitive to them, as well as more hopeful for the future because I know there are many who care. I felt stretched by things I have heard and found myself reflecting more deeply on the intersections of race and poverty, race and our criminal justice system, race and education. I am not sure where that is leading yet, but I know I was helped by the discussion.

I came upon this photograph titled Freedom is the Possibility of Isolation. It is titled after a quote from "The Book of Disquiet" by Fernando Pessoa. I am one who loves the beautiful sand and sky and times of isolation; yet on this Independence Day, I am saying a prayer of thanks for the community that pulls me into relationship and responsibility.