I had this thought about using some of this time to look at offering some ideas about a bible study that could be brief following the lectionary. Our leadership in the church is encouraged to do devotions based on Disciplines from the Upper Room. There is also a discussion guide that goes along with it. I want to take some of what the guide says and over the week expand on it. Even though this is Tuesday I hope to be able to start on Mondays with the scriptures to read and some reflections on those. Then during the week expand on those.
The scriptures for this week are Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, and Luke 4:21-30. I would invite you to read these scriptures this week. Some questions to reflect on include from Jeremiah what is your sense of calling, mission and vocation? How have you responded to that call? The Psalm seems to be written from the standpoint of an someone being elderly and nostalgic. The question to reflect on is what pull does the way things used to be have on your life? Corinthians is a favorite passage on love often used in weddings. Yet Paul talks about some day we will see things more clearly. What do you hope to see more clearly when you come face to face? Luke points out how difficult it is to be willing to take a stand especially with people who know you.
I will discuss in more depth as we continue our journey together.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Committees
Our church just went through the process of getting our committees together to work on our ministries for the year. I am excited about what we are doing. The ideas that were generated give great hope. Now comes the part of actually doing them. I know that we have very dedicated people in our congregation who give of their time, talent, and even their treasure to support our ministries. I thank God for them. We are also looking at how we can extend an invitation to others to become part of our work.
We will be working hard this year especially to respond to the tragedy in Haiti. As always we are responding to the needs of the people there and to support the relief work in prayer and action.
I also want to copy some of the ideas that I read from Homelitics regarding committees. I know that these do not apply to us, but we all have had experiences that would speak to some of the ideas. I share them not as a commentary but as a time that we can laugh and enjoy as we go about our work.
Author and pastor Nancy Ortberg offers thoughts for building better teamwork into church teams. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Ortberg recognizes five unity destroyers and offers ideas to address them:
• Absence of trust: Make every ministry team a place where honesty and vulnerability are required. Open meetings with “shared life,” and then get to “shared mission” second.
• Fear of conflict: Conflict isn’t bad, but how we handle it can be. Require conflict-resolution training for every team in the church, and bring in an expert to help.
• Inability to commit: Once a team makes a decision, ask if everyone has “buy-in” and ask how each person will implement the decision. Without buy-in, a decision wasn’t actually made.
• Avoidance of accountability: If the cause we’re supporting with our gifts is worthwhile, then we should value accountability. It’s the natural result of trust and commitment.
• Inattention to results: The church body needs evaluation, just as the human body does. Did we do what God wanted us to do? If not, how do we improve for next time?
________________________________________
Oh, give me a pity, I’m on a committee,
Which means that from morning to night,
We attend and amend and contend and defend
Without a conclusion in sight.
We confer and concur, we defer and demur
And reiterate all of our thoughts.
We revise the agenda with frequent addenda
And consider a load of reports.
We compose and propose, we suppose and oppose
And the points of procedure are fun!
But though various notions are brought up as motions
There’s terribly little gets done.
We resolve and absolve, but never dissolve
Since it’s out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity to end our committee.
Where else could we make such a fuss?
—Phong Ngo. glenandpaula.com/quotes/index.php?quote_id=737&retrieve=1. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
________________________________________
When it comes to facing up to serious problems, each candidate will pledge to appoint a committee. And what is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. But it all sounds great in a campaign speech.
—Richard Long Harkness.
To get something done, a committee should consist of three men, two of whom are absent.
—Robert Copeland.
If you want to kill any idea in the world today, get a committee working on it.
—Charles F. Kettering.
A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.
—Milton Berle.
A committee can make a decision that is dumber than any of its members.
—David Coblit.
To kill time, a committee meeting is the perfect weapon.
—Author unknown.
If you see a snake, just kill it — don’t appoint a committee on snakes.
—Ross Perot.
________________________________________
As winter approaches, we read all kinds of suggestions for conserving fuel and making our dwelling places warm. Here are a few pointers for keeping warm in church:
Rush to the front of the church to avoid the draft in the rear.
Invite your neighbors and friends and sit 10 people to a pew.
Seat yourself near the pulpit; much hot air is emitted from that area.
Fuss and fume when you don’t like what the preacher says.
Wear thermal underwear (in the appropriate liturgical colors).
Wait for an unfamiliar hymn, and then watch the sparks fly!
Let the Holy Spirit fill you; he will warm your heart and body.
________________________________________
A man is on a boat. He is not alone, but acts as if he were. One night, without warning, he suddenly begins to cut a hole under his seat.
The other people on the boat shout and shriek at him: “What on earth are you doing? Have you gone mad? Do you want to sink us all? Are you trying to destroy us?”
Calmly, the man answers: “I don’t understand what you want. What I’m doing is none of your business. I paid my way. I’m not cutting under your seat. Leave me alone!”
What the fanatic (and the egotist) will not accept, but what you and I cannot forget, is that all of us are in the same boat.
— Elie Wiesel, “When passion is dangerous,” Parade magazine, April 19, 1992.
________________________________________
Independence ... [is] middle-class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.
— George Bernard Shaw.
________________________________________
Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.
—Virginia Burden.
We will be working hard this year especially to respond to the tragedy in Haiti. As always we are responding to the needs of the people there and to support the relief work in prayer and action.
I also want to copy some of the ideas that I read from Homelitics regarding committees. I know that these do not apply to us, but we all have had experiences that would speak to some of the ideas. I share them not as a commentary but as a time that we can laugh and enjoy as we go about our work.
Author and pastor Nancy Ortberg offers thoughts for building better teamwork into church teams. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Ortberg recognizes five unity destroyers and offers ideas to address them:
• Absence of trust: Make every ministry team a place where honesty and vulnerability are required. Open meetings with “shared life,” and then get to “shared mission” second.
• Fear of conflict: Conflict isn’t bad, but how we handle it can be. Require conflict-resolution training for every team in the church, and bring in an expert to help.
• Inability to commit: Once a team makes a decision, ask if everyone has “buy-in” and ask how each person will implement the decision. Without buy-in, a decision wasn’t actually made.
• Avoidance of accountability: If the cause we’re supporting with our gifts is worthwhile, then we should value accountability. It’s the natural result of trust and commitment.
• Inattention to results: The church body needs evaluation, just as the human body does. Did we do what God wanted us to do? If not, how do we improve for next time?
________________________________________
Oh, give me a pity, I’m on a committee,
Which means that from morning to night,
We attend and amend and contend and defend
Without a conclusion in sight.
We confer and concur, we defer and demur
And reiterate all of our thoughts.
We revise the agenda with frequent addenda
And consider a load of reports.
We compose and propose, we suppose and oppose
And the points of procedure are fun!
But though various notions are brought up as motions
There’s terribly little gets done.
We resolve and absolve, but never dissolve
Since it’s out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity to end our committee.
Where else could we make such a fuss?
—Phong Ngo. glenandpaula.com/quotes/index.php?quote_id=737&retrieve=1. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
________________________________________
When it comes to facing up to serious problems, each candidate will pledge to appoint a committee. And what is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. But it all sounds great in a campaign speech.
—Richard Long Harkness.
To get something done, a committee should consist of three men, two of whom are absent.
—Robert Copeland.
If you want to kill any idea in the world today, get a committee working on it.
—Charles F. Kettering.
A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.
—Milton Berle.
A committee can make a decision that is dumber than any of its members.
—David Coblit.
To kill time, a committee meeting is the perfect weapon.
—Author unknown.
If you see a snake, just kill it — don’t appoint a committee on snakes.
—Ross Perot.
________________________________________
As winter approaches, we read all kinds of suggestions for conserving fuel and making our dwelling places warm. Here are a few pointers for keeping warm in church:
Rush to the front of the church to avoid the draft in the rear.
Invite your neighbors and friends and sit 10 people to a pew.
Seat yourself near the pulpit; much hot air is emitted from that area.
Fuss and fume when you don’t like what the preacher says.
Wear thermal underwear (in the appropriate liturgical colors).
Wait for an unfamiliar hymn, and then watch the sparks fly!
Let the Holy Spirit fill you; he will warm your heart and body.
________________________________________
A man is on a boat. He is not alone, but acts as if he were. One night, without warning, he suddenly begins to cut a hole under his seat.
The other people on the boat shout and shriek at him: “What on earth are you doing? Have you gone mad? Do you want to sink us all? Are you trying to destroy us?”
Calmly, the man answers: “I don’t understand what you want. What I’m doing is none of your business. I paid my way. I’m not cutting under your seat. Leave me alone!”
What the fanatic (and the egotist) will not accept, but what you and I cannot forget, is that all of us are in the same boat.
— Elie Wiesel, “When passion is dangerous,” Parade magazine, April 19, 1992.
________________________________________
Independence ... [is] middle-class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.
— George Bernard Shaw.
________________________________________
Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.
—Virginia Burden.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A New Year
It seems that I have abandoned my blog and I have decided that I needed to get back into writing. Partly for my benefit as it helps me collect my thoughts and helps me be better disciplined about my life. The start of this year has been one of many diverse feelings. The very first church that I served as a student closed last Sunday. The people there had come to the difficult decision that they could no longer afford to keep the church going. They had been faithful over their 125+ years of serving Dawson. The last decade or more they have been a student charge that have shaped a number of students including myself. They have done a wonderful job but like life itself there comes a time and a season that one has to move on. An interesting event was that a former member of the Barada Church which I also served as a student asked me to baptize her son. This happened at the same service as the deconsecration service. I was honored to be asked but also I felt that there was a theological message that even in death life continues. That there really is no end only new beginnings. And so it is with the people of the Dawson Bethel United Methodist Church, their ministry did not end but only has a new beginning.
As I reflect on this event and as I prepare to talk about the church that I am serving and asking the question, What is Church? I am mindful of the tragedy that is happening in Haiti. Part of being church is responding to the need of those who have suffered such a tremendous loss in lives and property. We are preparing to do a special offering to help with those who have survived. I hope that in the future we can send volunteers to help in whatever way we can.
I also wanted to close this with some quotes that I came across from my magazine Homiletics. I hope that you enjoy and reflect on what is said.
Advertising for a new church plant: “Has the heaviness of your old-fashioned church got you weighted down? Try us! We are the New and Improved Lite Church of the Valley. Studies have shown we have 24 percent fewer commitments. We trim off guilt as we are low-Cal ... low Calvin, that is. We feature a 7.5 percent tithe and a 35-minute worship service, with seven-minute sermons. Next Sunday’s sermon is on the feeding of the 500.”
________________________________________
Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.
—Billy Graham.
________________________________________
In their book The Ascent of a Leader (1999), Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol and Ken McElrath tell of a woman who has a dream in which she wanders into a shop at the mall and finds Jesus behind a counter.
Jesus says, “You can have anything your heart desires.”
Astounded but pleased, the woman asks for peace, joy, happiness, wisdom and freedom from fear. Then she adds, “Not just for me, but for the whole earth.”
Jesus smiles and says, “I think you misunderstand me. We don’t sell fruits, only seeds.”
________________________________________
The problem is not that the churches are filled with empty pews but that the pews are filled with empty people.
—Charlie Shedd.
The church is the great lost-and-found department.
—Robert Short.
Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.
—G.K. Chesterton.
________________________________________
From an anonymous worship bulletin: “We have decided to have four worship services each Sunday. There will be one for those new to the faith. Another for those who like traditional worship. One for those who have lost their faith and are seeking to get it back. And one for those who had a bad experience with the church and are constantly complaining about it. After long discussions, we agreed to a name for each of the services: Finders, Keepers, Losers, Weepers!”
Kathleen Norris, in her book Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith (see the Homiletics Interview with Norris at HomileticsOnline.com), talks about “organized religion.” She writes: “I have begun to wonder what people mean, exactly, when they say they have no use for ‘organized’ religion. ... I have come to suspect that when people complain about ‘organized’ religion what they’re really saying is that they can’t stand other people. At least not enough to trust them to help work out a ‘personal’ spirituality. How can they possibly trust these unknown others, people with whom they may have little in common, to help them along on their religious journey? ...
“Joining a church is not like joining a hobby club; you will find all sorts of people there, not all of whom will share your interests, let alone your opinions. But there is a vast difference between the giant abstraction called ‘organized’ religion and religion as people actually live it .... [religion] organized enough to keep a city church going, one that offers an AIDS support group, perhaps a soup kitchen, services to the elderly and, wonder of wonders, the eucharist itself. In the rural area where I live, churches are still the only institutions capable of sustaining community ministries such as a food pantry and a domestic violence hotline. But they provide something more, that even the most well-intentioned ‘social services’ cannot replace. It is called salvation, but it begins small, at the local level, in a church that provides a time and space for people to meet a God who has promised to be there. People are encouraged to sing, whether they can or not. And they receive a special blessing, just for showing up” (258-61).
As I reflect on this event and as I prepare to talk about the church that I am serving and asking the question, What is Church? I am mindful of the tragedy that is happening in Haiti. Part of being church is responding to the need of those who have suffered such a tremendous loss in lives and property. We are preparing to do a special offering to help with those who have survived. I hope that in the future we can send volunteers to help in whatever way we can.
I also wanted to close this with some quotes that I came across from my magazine Homiletics. I hope that you enjoy and reflect on what is said.
Advertising for a new church plant: “Has the heaviness of your old-fashioned church got you weighted down? Try us! We are the New and Improved Lite Church of the Valley. Studies have shown we have 24 percent fewer commitments. We trim off guilt as we are low-Cal ... low Calvin, that is. We feature a 7.5 percent tithe and a 35-minute worship service, with seven-minute sermons. Next Sunday’s sermon is on the feeding of the 500.”
________________________________________
Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.
—Billy Graham.
________________________________________
In their book The Ascent of a Leader (1999), Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol and Ken McElrath tell of a woman who has a dream in which she wanders into a shop at the mall and finds Jesus behind a counter.
Jesus says, “You can have anything your heart desires.”
Astounded but pleased, the woman asks for peace, joy, happiness, wisdom and freedom from fear. Then she adds, “Not just for me, but for the whole earth.”
Jesus smiles and says, “I think you misunderstand me. We don’t sell fruits, only seeds.”
________________________________________
The problem is not that the churches are filled with empty pews but that the pews are filled with empty people.
—Charlie Shedd.
The church is the great lost-and-found department.
—Robert Short.
Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.
—G.K. Chesterton.
________________________________________
From an anonymous worship bulletin: “We have decided to have four worship services each Sunday. There will be one for those new to the faith. Another for those who like traditional worship. One for those who have lost their faith and are seeking to get it back. And one for those who had a bad experience with the church and are constantly complaining about it. After long discussions, we agreed to a name for each of the services: Finders, Keepers, Losers, Weepers!”
Kathleen Norris, in her book Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith (see the Homiletics Interview with Norris at HomileticsOnline.com), talks about “organized religion.” She writes: “I have begun to wonder what people mean, exactly, when they say they have no use for ‘organized’ religion. ... I have come to suspect that when people complain about ‘organized’ religion what they’re really saying is that they can’t stand other people. At least not enough to trust them to help work out a ‘personal’ spirituality. How can they possibly trust these unknown others, people with whom they may have little in common, to help them along on their religious journey? ...
“Joining a church is not like joining a hobby club; you will find all sorts of people there, not all of whom will share your interests, let alone your opinions. But there is a vast difference between the giant abstraction called ‘organized’ religion and religion as people actually live it .... [religion] organized enough to keep a city church going, one that offers an AIDS support group, perhaps a soup kitchen, services to the elderly and, wonder of wonders, the eucharist itself. In the rural area where I live, churches are still the only institutions capable of sustaining community ministries such as a food pantry and a domestic violence hotline. But they provide something more, that even the most well-intentioned ‘social services’ cannot replace. It is called salvation, but it begins small, at the local level, in a church that provides a time and space for people to meet a God who has promised to be there. People are encouraged to sing, whether they can or not. And they receive a special blessing, just for showing up” (258-61).
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Just a quick note
Nancy and I will blessed with the receiving of a cd done by Spirit Wave which is a gospel group from Auburn United Methodist Church. We have known the members of the group every since we joined the church down in Auburn prior to my going into ministry. The group are quite talented and I greatly enjoy their music. They even came to Springfield to sing.
What makes this CD even more exciting is that Nancy did the art work on the cover of the album and the CD. It is great to continue to be part of the group's work. I would invite those who might be interested to come and listen to them.
What makes this CD even more exciting is that Nancy did the art work on the cover of the album and the CD. It is great to continue to be part of the group's work. I would invite those who might be interested to come and listen to them.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Wednesday December 9th
We survived another snow storm. We received about 8-9" and with the wind had a four foot drift in the middle of our driveway. With that drift and the one made by the street by the plows, there was a part of me wondering if I would not have to get out until the next thaw. All I have is a snow shovel and a small electric snow blower that certainly is a help but with those drifts nearly impossible to use. As I was using the small snow blower having to lift and use it like a shovel someone drove by with a plow on their pickup. He and his wife turned around and plowed out the driveway. I did not know them and when I asked if I could do anything for them all they said was "that is what neighbors are for." Indeed that is what it means to be a neighbor to do something for someone that you don't know and not expect anything in return. I guess that is why it is important to thank those who help you and to pass it forward to someone else.
What made this more meaningful for me, was that I was reading for our Advent study about there was no room for them at the inn Luke 2:7b. The author was talking about that the very first villain in the New Testament was the inn keeper. Where I don't necessarily agree with that, I do think about how important it is to be willing to receive others in our lives. Also it is important to be open to those who are often alone, rejected, depressed, anxious, hungry, and seeking something to make sense of their lives. We can be like this neighbor who is unknown but like the good Samaritan or we can be like the inn keeper keeping people out. I certainly saw the work of God in this neighbor's act. I pray that I can do the same for someone else.
What made this more meaningful for me, was that I was reading for our Advent study about there was no room for them at the inn Luke 2:7b. The author was talking about that the very first villain in the New Testament was the inn keeper. Where I don't necessarily agree with that, I do think about how important it is to be willing to receive others in our lives. Also it is important to be open to those who are often alone, rejected, depressed, anxious, hungry, and seeking something to make sense of their lives. We can be like this neighbor who is unknown but like the good Samaritan or we can be like the inn keeper keeping people out. I certainly saw the work of God in this neighbor's act. I pray that I can do the same for someone else.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Advent study
Yesterday was the first of our Advent studies. We began by looking at this time as a time like preparing for a Christmas pageant. Last night was looking at the prophets and the backdrop for setting the stage. We looked at four different aspects of this background. They included preparation, promise, peace, and messenger. As we discussed what Advent was we focused on the season as we come to Christmas.
We discussed ways that we have to prepare ourselves for this season. In many ways and in many traditions, we found that when we spent time to reflect we were aware of the traditions that speak to the birth of our Savior. We also have some traditions that may not point to the coming of our Lord. As one member stated it was a time of life versus life. That is what is it that we choose to focus on this worldly life or the life that we find when we receive Jesus and the life he offers.
The question remains as to what are we preparing for, what promises do we trust, where do we find peace in our lives, and where do we look for God's messengers today? I believe it is important that we spend some of our time and effort to remember what God has done and what God is doing and what God will do. Let this Advent time be a time for all of us in preparing not only for the Holy day but also in the anticipation of God's promise fulfilled.
We discussed ways that we have to prepare ourselves for this season. In many ways and in many traditions, we found that when we spent time to reflect we were aware of the traditions that speak to the birth of our Savior. We also have some traditions that may not point to the coming of our Lord. As one member stated it was a time of life versus life. That is what is it that we choose to focus on this worldly life or the life that we find when we receive Jesus and the life he offers.
The question remains as to what are we preparing for, what promises do we trust, where do we find peace in our lives, and where do we look for God's messengers today? I believe it is important that we spend some of our time and effort to remember what God has done and what God is doing and what God will do. Let this Advent time be a time for all of us in preparing not only for the Holy day but also in the anticipation of God's promise fulfilled.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday Advent meditation
As I prepare for the Wednesday communion services, I have been reading and meditating on a variety of devotionals. There are two in particular that have struck me. One I picked up at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church titled 5 minutes in the Word. I have found that to be very insightful in a variety of ways. I also picked an Advent devotional based on some of the writings of my favorite author Henri Nouwen. The devotional is titled Advent and Christmas. Each day of Advent has a scripture, a word of wisdom from the works of Henri Nouwen, a prayer and ends with something to add to each day for preparation for Christmas. I have taken some of the ideas that the writer puts, Judith Baeur, and want to share some of those insights. I would recommend the book printed by A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication which I picked up at Soul Desires in Omaha. Here is what I will be sharing for this week at the communion event. I will be expanding on some of these and this only takes some ideas from the book and others.
Advent Week one preparations
1. Each day look for one small sign that God is present in your daily life. Give thanks for His presence.
2. Prepare the way of the Lord by making proposed contributions of service or positive changes in your own spiritual life. Though don’t plan too precisely leave some room for God’s input.
3. Jesus went out to deserted places to pray. Look at times in your life that you have been active and times when you have had solitude. Note how you felt in both situations. This Advent make sure that there is a balance between the two.
4. Find a scriptural motto and hold the words close in your heart every day.
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