What a Week!

When I came in to the office this past Tuesday, the Tuesday Morning Team (headed up by Suzanne Kull) was quickly finishing their preparations for Wednesday’s Largest Table. The timing could not have been better because as they were finishing their work the sewer had just begun to back flow into the kitchen. Little did we know then what a challenge would ensue.

Bonnie quickly called Rescue Rooter and they were able to get a team out to help us about 4:00 p.m. Rescue Rooter called it a night about 10:00 p.m. and came back first thing the next morning, along with the company, PureClean, who we called in to clean and sanitize the kitchen. After both companies had worked for a couple of hours on Wednesday morning it became clear that we would not be able to serve the luncheon in Fellowship Hall that day. The clean up job had become massive and we still had not determined the exact source of the problem.

That Wednesday morning I experienced The Largest Table as I have never experienced it before. Not once did I hear words of frustration or irritation. “Let’s move it outside” one person said. “How great that we planned to have picnic food!” said another. The PureClean team sanitized a path through the kitchen so that we could cart out the food. The work table in the office was set up to prepare our usual dessert smorgasbord. Tables were taken outside and everyone seemed to take delight in the new set up. Two guests took me aside to express their gratitude for the meal taking place in spite of the challenges and uncertainty we were facing. I appreciated their kind remarks, but even as they said them I knew our volunteers had never even considered canceling.

By the end of Wednesday, we realized that we were facing much more than a stopped up drain. By then, Gary Baas, Mike Rangel and David Wolfe were all on board with their own questions, concerns, and expertise. Together, with Dallas from Rescue Rooter, Mike and Gary sought to determine the extent of the problem and the appropriate course of action. It was pretty much a non-stop investigation through Friday morning! As of this writing, we are still waiting on all of the bids but we know that the work is going to be extensive.

This past week’s lectionary reading was the story of Mary and Martha found in the gospel of Luke. Jesus criticizes Martha, who was hard at work in the kitchen, for being “distracted by many things.” Often this story is interpreted to suggest that Mary’s listening and attentiveness were “better” than Martha’s hard work. As I thought about this text and my experience of the people of St. John’s this week, I realized it was not Martha’s actions that Jesus was so concerned about, but rather her being so distracted.

I am especially grateful for the many people at St. John’s who when faced with a challenge are able to set aside differences, focus on the matter at hand, and get to work. Thanks for all you do!

When you don't know what to say ....

It is not often when I am at a loss for words.

However, I was at a loss for words this past Monday night after sharing with the Consistory my resignation as pastor of St. John's. What does one say at a time that is mixed with so many different emotions? As I scanned the room and looked into the eyes of so many different people I will miss, words escaped me.

I think that is why I haven't been blogging much these past few months - because I have been living with the possibility of a new position and all that entails, as well as the reality of the loss I will feel when I leave. Not only has it been a mix of feelings, but it has felt somewhat ingenuous to be blogging about my perceptions of ministry at St. John's without being forthright about where I am in regard to everything. I hope now that the news is out I can use this blog as a vehicle for sharing some of the things for which I am truly grateful @ 3rd & Mound.

Our Consistory meeting on Monday evening ended the way it always does. Our president invited us to stand, hold hands, and pray The Lord's Prayer. I thought about the many times I had prayed that very same prayer. Some times hastily, some times - like Monday - with a lump in my throat. When we don't know what to say, Jesus gives us the words ... "Our Father, who art in heaven ... "

What Tomorrow's Church Requires

This time last week the leadership of St. John's was meeting with David Schoen, Minister and Team Leader for the United Church of Christ. David spent time with us exploring what tomorrow's church will require. To help us get a sense of some of the cultural shifts that have been happening, he shared this video Did You Know? I have been thinking about these rapid cultural shifts as well as his presentation all week. We talked about the need for the church to be missional in purpose, relational in outreach, and conversational in witness.

Later in the week I had a couple of different conversations, each with individuals who question the role of the church in their lives and struggle with the strict dogma of the churches they grew up in. Their memory of the experience in their youth is a constant filter for how they interpret what the church is today. They are torn because while there are some things they feel as though they must reject, they are drawn to the community, to the mystery, and to the concrete acts of service of the church. I found myself saying, "I don't believe in the God you don't believe in either" and longing to be able to bear witness to all that I find is good and right and beautiful with the particular community of faith to which I serve and belong. And I thought again about how accurate David was in the challenges he raised for us.

On one level, meeting the needs of many generations in a rapidly changing society is overwhelming. We certainly cannot continue doing all of the same old things we have always been doing and expect that it will be satisfying, sufficient, or even faithful.

But it is also a hopeful time. Phyllis Tickle suggests that the church goes through a "rummage sale" every 500 years when it is able to keep what is helpful and get rid of what is not. We are certainly living through that time right now. On Thursday I began reading a new book by my colleague and friend, Phil Snyder. The book, Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church is Good News for Mainline Congregations is a breath of fresh air and I can't wait to keep reading.

Perhaps if there are enough us who are willing to stay with this "rummage sale" we will be able to be what the church requires for the future.

Made Whole

What if we weren’t alone after all?

What if you were really a fragment of a

Great and glorious mind

Like an individual wave

Is part of the magnificent ocean?

Then anything would be possible.

This poem, by Joan Borysenko, captured my feeling as I left our Service for Healing of Body, Mind and Spirit yesterday. During the service everyone had the opportunity to write prayer concerns that were then shared during an intercessory prayer at the end of the service. The mounting of concerns – Haiti, cancer, marital difficulties, financial concerns, and more – could have been overwhelming to some, but I experienced it differently. As I watched person after person bring forward their concerns, and I had the honor of giving them voice, I was reminded of how every single person faces challenges. Every single person present had something weighing on his or her heart. Often we bear these burdens silently, but yesterday we named them out loud, and I felt us pulling together. Through this process, I felt a deeper connection with all who were present. I also felt a sense of hopefulness that God will help bring us through our personal and collective trials and make us stronger.

As I prepared for this healing service I was very aware that there were some people in our midst who were praying for cures so that they might be made well. I share in their hope and prayer, but I also have found myself reflecting on what it means to be well, what it means to be “made whole.” As I looked out on the congregation I saw persons who are filled with vitality, creativity, and a love for life who happen to have a disability. I saw persons who move a little more slowly and need to have some things repeated every so often because they are losing their hearing, but whose very lives embody love and wisdom. I saw persons who live with cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s who exude an inner peace and a reverence for life that bears witness to the living Christ within them.

My favorite communion chalice is a cup that appears as though it was broken and put back together again. For me, it resembles not only what happened with Jesus but happens with all of us. God welcomes and loves us, however it is that we are; God takes all of the broken pieces, nurturing and shaping us into something that is perfectly whole and all the more beautiful. Today, I am giving thanks for all of the people who make up this community of faith, who through sharing their brokenness as well as their strengths, make a beautiful whole.

The light shines in the darkness

Christmas is upon us. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, I am aware that there are many around me who are grieving sudden and difficult losses. Today I am holding these people in prayer, praying that as they show up to places where they likely don't feel like going, they will experience the peace of Christ and the love of God in ways that bring them comfort and strength, even joy.

One of the great blessings of my work is that I must "show up" even when I don't feel like it. I need to read and reflect on scripture every week. I need to come to worship. And when I simply show up and pay attention I am nearly always blessed by the people around me, by the scripture I read, and by the Spirit which is so evident to me in this place. Woody Allen said "80% of life is just showing up."

It may take everything some people have this week to get out of bed, to attend a funeral service, to wish someone "Merry Christmas," or enter our church doors for our Christmas Eve service. I am praying that God gives each of these people the strength to "simply show up." And the blessing will follow.

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not be overcome." John 1:5

Loving One Another into Wholeness

A couple of people had suggested we consider having an Animal Blessing Service. I had heard about these services but had never attended one nor could I really imagine what to expect, but I was glad to try to create a service that would honor and bless our animal companions. Nearly 100 people, with their animal companions, came to the Animal Blessing held in Schiller Park on Saturday, October 17th. Some people came with their cats in crates or their dogs on leashes. Others brought photos from home, or some hair from the tail of a horse to receive a blessing. One by one, I had the privilege of blessing these creatures and I left that evening feeling as though I was the one who received the blessing. Never before have I had such intimate contact with so many animals. Never before had I experienced the wide array of personalities in animals! I heard stories of animals who had been abused or abandoned and then welcomed into a home. I heard stories of companionship. I heard stories of animals who were struggling with cancer, bone decay, or diabetes. I witnessed people who are loving their animal companions into wholeness and animals who are loving their human companions into wholeness. A blessing indeed!

I am thankful to everyone who helped create such a wonderful experience. Brenda Burris and Susan Olson passed out lots of flyers in German Village. Karen Corcoran designed a poster we used for publicity. The choir, as always, provided leadership through song. Laura Kuntz accompanied the choir on All Things Bright and Beautiful with her guitar, and lots of people played bells to All Creatures of Our God and King. Earl Wurdlow provided us with a sound system. Ralph Quellhorst, Walt Adams, Mike and Diana Rangel helped with the set up, greeting, and refreshments. Drew Klamar made tasty homemade dog and cats treats in the shape of crosses for the animals. Sara Cosgill, Walt Adams, Meredith Reece, and Earl Wurdlow all served as readers. Bonnie Vallette created the wonderful program and certificates. Diana Rangel even arrived with complimentary “poop kits” for those who might have forgotten to bring along supplies!

“All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all”

Sit Down and Shut Up!

As this week began I was concerned that there were so many things scheduled that I wouldn't have much time to think or reflect or prepare for any of them, but then a scratchy throat quickly gave way to strep and my concerns immediately changed. Instead of figuring out how to fit it all in, I kept calling one person after another canceling my commitments. I found myself with nowhere to go and plenty of time to think and reflect. My physician has told me that strep has "colonized" in me, meaning that whenever my immune system is down strep is the first thing to appear. With no voice, I am quickly put in my place. I have decided it is some divine way to tell me to "sit down and shut up."

I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped me this week, picking up pieces I could not handle. I am grateful, too, for the perennial lesson I need to be reminded of: none of us, for the tasks we do, are indispensable. All of us, for the people we are, are irreplaceable. We all need time to be still and quiet if only to remember these truths. I know I do. Perhaps if I took more time to be still and quiet on a daily basis, nature would not need to force it upon me.

Tonight is our first TAIZE service of the season (first Thursdays from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.). There are few ways I like to be still and quiet more than when I am surrounded by candlelight and beautiful music in our sanctuary. Even though I am feeling better, I am still planning to sit still and be quiet tonight. I hope you will join me there.

The Old Wooden Doors

We had the doors on the East side of the building varnished last week. They are old, heavy, wooden doors; and the ones on the East side get battered by the wind, rain, sun, and snow so they need to be varnished frequently. Every time we do this I think of Howard Nicklaus.

Howard Nicklaus was the first person I met at St. John's after meeting with the search committee and going through the search process. From the moment I met him I knew he cared deeply about St. John's. He was involved in many ways - as an usher, the chair of the Personnel Committee, the maintenance team, and more. He would occasionally meet me on a Sunday morning with a friendly suggestion about something we could do to make things better, or he gently coached me on traditions of the church. I valued his guidance and support.

What I remember most, though, was how Howard would varnish the doors. As far as I could tell no one had asked him to do it; he took the doors on as a project he could do that would be helpful. Even when he faced physical limitations and some health challenges, he would still show up every couple of months with varnish and his paint brush and spend the good part of the day freshening up the beautiful doors. When he no longer could do it, I knew he was concerned about how it would get done. His quiet faithfulness continues to inspire me every time I smell the new varnish and walk through our doors.

Many, many people have walked through those doors. Some of those people, like Howard, have passed on to the saints of light. Some have been here for generations, and through their faithfulness and shared wisdom continue to inspire those of us who have not been here as long. This year we are beginning what I hope will become a new tradition, Heritage Sunday. On September 27 we will honor all of the people who have been members of St. John's for 50 years or more and thank them for their faithfulness to God and to St. John's.

Manna from Heaven!

One person called it, "manna from heaven!" She was referring to the amazing generosity of so many people over the past several weeks to The Largest Table. Jerry, a new member who worked at The Ohio State Fair, coordinated getting us all of the leftovers from the Ohio Poultry Association - we're talking hundreds of pounds of mashed potatoes, chicken, and turkey and other wonderful food! Suzanne, a friend a St. John's, linked up with the Leave A Mark Church who has planted an incredible community garden this year. For the past several Tuesdays Suzanne has been harvesting fresh vegetables from the garden, bringing them to St. John's, and cleaning them all so that they are ready for our Wednesday crew to prepare the next day. To see photos of the "first harvest" go to the Leave A Mark web site, click-on the “What We Do” link and then “Community Garden.” This is easy to navigate but for some reason I was unable to connect the link here.

On Wednesday, as I sat with guests at The Largest Table, I heard comment after comment about how great it was to have fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and of course a regular favorite - Nancy Dietz' taco salad. A couple of people mentioned that is so rare for them to eat fresh vegetables ... and these were so fresh you could smell that they were picked the previous day!

Amidst all of these generous gifts of food, we have lost some of our regular volunteers. A couple of people have left because of illness, and several other summer volunteers are heading back to school next week. As our guest list continues to increase, we are in need of some more volunteers. I am hoping they might fall from heaven, too - a few to help serve on Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and a few more saints who can help clean from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Floating Hope

Every morning I wake up to find a "quote of the day" from http://www.gratefulness.org/ in my inbox. I look forward to these short quotes that always help me put things in a positive perspective, but usually the quote is quickly discarded. Several days ago, though, one particular quote caught my attention and it has been in my inbox ever since.

When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens like one of those fluted Japanese blossoms, flimsy and spastic, bright and warm. This almost always seems to happen in community.

Anne Lamott "The Impossible Will Take a Little While," Plan B

I love this image! Returning home from vacation and re-entering the community of St. John's, I am filled with all sorts of hopes for this coming year. Hopes and goals are helpful; they give us vision and purpose. And yet, as I am listening both to the hopes and the concerns of others I recognize that several things will not unfold as I had first envisioned. My family will tell you that once I get an idea in my head: watch out! I get pretty determined to make it a reality. It is an on-going challenge for me to let go of "shiny expectations."

However, knowing this community as I do, I know that the outcome of a community effort is always better than a single effort. I have seen such great blossoming in this community so often, I have come to trust it. And I am looking forward to seeing what will be blossoming this fall.

p.s. I really don't know what a fluted Japanese blossom is; the above is my best guess from a little searching on google and my own imagination.

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.