scituatedrev

What I'm reading

2011-12-15T17:19:00.001-05:00

A couple more books are working through my mind these days.....

"The way we're working isn't working" by Tony Schwartz (outstanding and highly recommended!)
"Building the bridge as you walk on it" by Robert Quinn

When/what/how to do church announcements

2011-12-09T08:28:00.001-05:00

Below is copied a complete article you can find on another website - a great series of insights and questions to consider before deciding to include something in your announcements during worship. In my increasing number of visits to churches these days, this is the one area we see a significant need for improvement.

Enjoy!

The Epic-Fail of Church Announcements

November 21, 2011 by Adam Stadtmiller

Picture this scene. You’re in your pew. The worship is amazing, almost transcendent. The song ends in a moment of awe-filled silence. It’s just you and God. And then—train wreck; you are catapulted from a state of ethereal wonder to an awkward announcement about the church cookie bake-off or a video that never seems to have the sound start until seven seconds after it begins.

Nothing in the history of Christendom, save perhaps the Second Crusade, rivals the ineffectiveness of the church’s ability to accomplish an intended purpose more than the medium of in-service announcements.

I recently tweeted that I wished the Bible had some direction in regard to announcements. I was blown away by the response to that tweet. I was not alone in my frustration.

So why are announcements chronically bad? There are a number of answers: ranging from announcement guy or gal walking on stage unprepared and oblivious to where the congregation is emotively; to the presenter thinking this is a great opportunity to practice their stand-up routine.

One of the responses I received on Twitter said, “ The Bible does not have announcements, why should we?” At first I thought, “Yeah, that’s right, down with announcements altogether!” Then, I thought about it. It’s actually not true that the Bible does not have announcements. As a matter of fact, the Bible is one giant announcement.

Let’s start with Jesus. Prophets, kings, psalmists, angels and John the Baptist announced Jesus coming. Or what about the book of Revelation? Is it not just a giant announcement of what is to come? Even the rapture will start with an announcement from the heavens. Notice that these announcements really matter. There’s not a bake sale in the bunch.

Here’s the point. When we fail at offering our people life-giving announcements that really matter, we are failing at something that the word of God does extremely effectively and on purpose.

The Bible uses announcements so effectively because God understands the nature of proclamation. When done right and under the direction of the Holy Spirit, announcements have the ability to bridge people into God’s purposes for their lives. An effective announcement can see a marriage healed through the conference you are hosting or an alcoholic find sobriety through the Celebrate Recovery ministry your church sponsors. Simply put, announcements are a passage to seeing people transformed. Every time we do announcements poorly or perfunctory, it means people, your people, are missing an opportunity to be changed.

So what is the answer? It’s pretty simple. Announcements need to be valued in the same way you value worship and teaching. No, I’m not saying that your announcements are on par with the eternal word of God, but they should contribute to a functional life-giving worship experience.

While there is not a spiritual gift of “announcements” listed in the scriptures, I do think you want your most talented and Sprit-led people doing them.
Next, these people need to be prepared. Think memorized with no notes. Nothing crushes announcements like the presenter not knowing the details. When that happens, they are telling the audience, “I don’t care about this enough to know about it, so why should you?”
Announcements need to be covered in prayer and directly relate to the global mission of your church. While the Yahtzee ministry’s rummage sale is important, I’m not sure the entire church needs to know about it. But a night to support all the missionaries your church supports would be. This means that your in-service announcements need to push the ball down field for the whole church, not just a small section of it. The rest goes in the bulletin. Trust me, people read the bulletin.
Another important lesson is not to focus on what you’re doing, but why you’re doing it. The practical details of next week’s service project won’t entice anyone to come (“It starts at 7:30? Yes!”), but a story of how it changes someone’s life probably will. Put the details in the bulletin. Put why it matters on stage for people to see.

There are lots of great and creative ways to do announcements from videos to quick interviews. The medium is up to you. The non-negotiable is that they need to offer your people life.

What I'm reading

2011-11-30T14:30:00.001-05:00

When I was serving in a local congregation, in each month's newsletter, I would list the books that I was reading as a way to let the community know what I was using to keep up with various issues related to the church, and also to give them some insight into what I'm paying attention to, what I'm thinking about, etc.

So, you may or may not have interest, but I thought I'd start doing the same here. If I'm ambitious enough, I may even come back and reflect on what I found in these books I'm reading.

Here's my latest...

Sacrilege by Hugh Halter
Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker
Working with Words by Stanley Hauerwas

Sanctuary

2011-11-15T21:53:00.001-05:00

Great things are happening at the new start/restart in Marshfield, MA. Just to remind you, Sanctuary is a new project that partners the UMC and the ELCA, launched this past April. Below is a picture showing their recent service project to make 50,000 feeding kits to be delivered overseas. Over 580 volunteers from over 30 different organizations, in addition to individuals, came to Sanctuary on 11/11/11 to fill these kits, a true community effort focused on saving lives. Want to learn more about Sanctuary, go HERE.www.sanctuarymarshfield.org

Planning Advent Worship

2011-11-13T15:13:00.001-05:00

Still looking for ideas for your season of Advent? Is your worship leadership wanting to bring the community into a deeper experience as you gather? If so, you have a great opportunity with the materials available from Marcia McFee. She has a full length podcast and many materials to help you and the worship team create worship experiences to move both the head and the heart.

Just in case you didn't get the message, the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church has subscribed so that every church in the conference can take advantage of this incredible tool. Contact your district office to find out how you can begin to use this website today.

Exciting news!

2011-10-23T09:41:00.002-04:00

The Office of Congregational Development is excited to announce the recipients of this year's Together for Tomorrow and Urban Ministry Grants. We received nearly $250,000 of grant requests, but with just under $90,000 available to award, some difficult choices had to made. We pray God's blessing on these ministry projects and look forward to sharing stories in the future of God's transforming power from each of these projects.

Together for Tomorrow Grant Recipients

First UMC, Amesbury, MA
First United Parish, Everett, MA
St. Andrews UMC, Jamaica Plain, MA
First UMC, Brewer, ME
Stafford Springs UMC, Stafford Springs, CT
The Vine, Haverhill, MA
Carter Memorial UMC, Needham, MA
Open Table of Christ, Providence, RI
Good Shepherd UMC, Malden, MA
The River, Woonsocket, RI

Urban Ministry Grant Recipients

Safe Harbor Drop-In Center, Bangor, ME
Brockton Afterschool Program, Brockton, MA
First United Parish, Everett, MA
Christ UMC, Lawrence, MA
Mathewson St. UMC, Providence, RI
First UMC, Pittsfield, MA
Nueva Vida UMC, Chelsea, MA
St. Andrews UMC, Jamaica Plain, MA
Christ Center (new start), Lynn, MA
Buck City Krump, Brockton, MA

A Second Resurrection

2011-10-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

Don't know how this book slipped past me - but it's a must read for many of our pastors in churches needing revitalization. It will make you angry (I hope) but will potentially be key in helping you rediscover your first love. Check out "A Second Resurrection" by Bill Easum - it will be worth your time and the time of your leaders.

NCD Coaching and Passionate Spirituality

2011-10-18T13:06:00.002-04:00

Dear friends:

Great things are happening around NCD in New England! I'm beginning to hear stories of increasing health and vitality. For example, most recently, a church that took the first survey a few years ago, receiving an average score of 20, took the survey again a couple of months ago and increased their score to 50! Every one of the 8 characteristics was in the average range (compared to none the first time) and this church is increasing in both mission and vitality.

As you may know, we are changing the way we are dispatching coaches. Before a church is assigned a coach, I will meet with the church to determine whether they are ready to engage the process, and will agree to covenant that includes a commitment to preparation and follow through. Then, should they be determined as ready, I'll assign a coach. That coach may or may not be in the geographic area of the church. Given the fact that the 40 of you are spread out unevenly in our conference, it is unrealistic to put coaches and churches together based on location. We already do this kind of coaching with our new church plants, with some coaches being out of state.

Recently I was talking to one of our coaches, who was not sure if there were specific resources available to help churches negotiate the process. In other words, are there specific things churches can be directed toward in addressing their minimum factor. The good news is: YES! Below is an example of several things churches can do as relates to Passionate Spirituality. These resources come from the resource "Releasing Your Church's Potential," something every church that engages in NCD will be expected to use. Enjoy!

Increasing passionate spirituality:

The pastor and those involved in ministry in our church have developed a plan how to intensify their personal prayer life. What does it look like?

At least 2 times a year the pastor spends a whole day to seek God in prayer and listen to God's guidance. When was this last done?

The meaning of prayer is often illustrated by practical examples during the sermons. When did this occur the last time?

Church members are encouraged to share personal experiences with God during the worship service and in small groups. When last?

Our leadership team meets regularly for prayer. When was the last time?

75% of those attending worship are involved in a ministry that corresponds to their spiritual gifts. How has this been checked?

A regular prayer ministry has been started in our church. What does it look like?

We have identified all Christians with the gift of praying. Names?

We have developed concrete possibilities for Christians with this gift to get involved in the ministry of our church. Which possibilities?

Christians with the gift of prayer are continually supplied with prayer requests of the church. Who is organizing this?

We have identified Christians with the gift of counseling. Names?

We have helped Christians with the gift of counseling to get involved in appropriate ministries. Which ministries?

We have started a prayer team which is praying for the pastor and the church. When and where?

Church Planters Wanted!

2011-10-13T09:37:00.002-04:00

I believe a new day is dawning in New England, an opportunity for a new thing as a a way of sharing the incredible love God has for people. The new day is centered on new church starts - there are so many places that the good news of God's love is needed, from Western MA to Connecticut to VT, NH and Maine and across the Commonwealth.

In order to embrace this new day, we have an even bigger need: church planters. We need people with entrepreneurial gifts, steeped in the reality of God's love for all people everywhere, with a willingness to sacrifice for a greater cause, and a desire to invite people into experiencing that love for themselves.

Know anyone like this? Do you fit this description? If so, please contact me! There are resources to make this a reality, but it requires someone with the willingness to develop a clear plan for sustainable ministry, develop a team, and then go!

Please be in prayer as we continue to raise up new communities where the relentless, life-transforming love of Christ might be known!

What if?

2011-09-20T15:42:00.001-04:00

My new position in the church gives me the privilege of meeting some amazing people doing amazing things in reaching communities with the love and grace of Jesus. Recently I've been working with a team looking to plant a church in southern NH (I'll give more details once things come together more concretely.) What impresses me about this particular project is the way the planting pastor will go about developing the new community. He starts very simply. He walks the streets of the target area and meets the people, passing out flyers inviting them to an invitational meeting. The meeting has a particular focus - some topic that is of interest to families, or to people looking for work, or other social issues. In this case, he'll give a presentation on cyber-bullying and parents can protect their children. He's developed a Powerpoint presentation, and will hold these meetings for several weeks.

While meeting the people, holding these meetings, he'll begin to test the waters, finding out who is already involved in a church, who isn't, and of those who are not, who might be interested in learning about the Bible and what it has to say about dealing with various life issues. In no time, he'll hold regular Bible studies. The studies include basic teachings of the United Methodist Church. Some studies will focus on what it takes to be a leader in the model of Jesus. Those who show signs of leadership will be encouraged to step up and receive more training. Those who step up in leadership will become leaders of small groups, who will then gather groups in their homes to teach the groups the same basic truths about church, the United Methodist Church and discipleship. In time, these groups will gather weekly to give thanks and praise to God in worship.

Here's the one part of this story that really inspires and challenges me: the planting pastor will hit the streets and during the first week plan on making hundreds of contacts with people. Hundreds! I recently attended a church planter bootcamp in a more traditional model, and the person teaching told planters they should set a goal of making 25 new contacts each week. And yet this pastor expects to make hundreds - and I believe, with his commitment to sharing the love of Christ with others, will reach many of those folks with the life-changing good news of the gospel.

Here's my question: what might we learn, those of us in the traditional, mainline church, from this planter, in reaching our communities with the good news of Jesus? What if we sought to make this kind of contact with the communities we're called to serve and reach?

Jon Acuff article

2011-09-09T09:57:00.000-04:00

Jon Acuff is a humorist with a Christian twist - or maybe a Christian with a humorous twist. I don't know. Anyway, he often has some great insights, offered in funny ways, about life, faith, etc., and usually holds up a mirror to those in the world who say they follow Jesus, challenging us in how we live the life.

Here's a great example - an article entitled "How not to be jerk on the internet." Good stuff!

School of Congregational Development 2011

2011-09-01T14:50:00.000-04:00

We are always looking to make the New England SCD event better, and this year making even greater attempts to include folks that speak a language other than English. For the first time we'll be providing Spanish, Portuguese and Korean interpreters! In addition, one of the planning team members has translated the brochure into Spanish and Portuguese. Here's the LINK so you can view and share it with your friends. This year's event is shaping up to be the best so far!

Living a transformed life

2011-08-25T12:51:00.000-04:00

Related to my last post, you might enjoy this article by Dallas Willard on living the life of passion and experiencing transformation as we seek to grow more like Christ. It's been around a while, but the content is relevant in every season.

Enjoy.

Cultivating passionate spirituality

2011-08-25T12:42:00.000-04:00

It's a been a while since I've lifted up the topic of passionate spirituality. Ministry flows out of a passionate spirituality. In other words, you can't give what you don't have. There are many components to a church growing in passion, and certainly one of those components is each follower taking steps in his or her own journey with Christ. Here are a few ways you can cultivate passion in your relationship with God. (Taken from Releasing Your Church's Potential from Churchsmart resources.)

1. Nurture your relationship with God by scheduling extended times to meet with God (devotional studies, worship, prayer, etc.)
2. Renew spiritual and emotional reserves by observing Sabbath times and personal retreats.
3. Maintain physical health through diet, rest and exercise.
4. Respond in immediate obedience to the prompting of the Spirit, no matter how small.
5. Discover and use the gifts God has given you.
6. Pray for and find a spiritual mentor to meet with on a regular basis.

What is one step you can take today to cultivate a deeper passion for God?

The power of "and"

2011-08-22T12:32:00.000-04:00

...a truly visionary organization "embraces continuity and change, conservatism and progressiveness, stability and revolution, predictability and chaos, heritage and renewal, fundamentals and craziness. And, and, and!" (Jim Collins as quoted in "On the Verge" by Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson.)

This book, On the verge, is a must read for our existing pastors and church leaders. It speaks directly to what many of our churches are facing: what does it mean to follow Jesus in the current context? How does the church negotiate the paradigm shift that is occurring right in front of us? Many of the so-called solutions offered seem to promote an either/or approach. The church must either abandon the attractional model and embrace the missional model or die. The church must do either this or that. This false choice does nothing to get to the underlying issues. The church today must do more than change methods - it must recognize that the context of doing ministry has changed while at the same time drawing up on the gifts and abilities that already exist within it. The good news is that God has already given us what we need to reach our communities. The question is, are we willing to recognize how significantly the world around us has changed? What got us here won't get us there.

This book does a great job of describing the paradigm shift, and then invites the reader to imagine what it might look like to make the shift in their context. The book is set up for a set of leaders to work through questions as it applies to where they are in ministry. Don't misunderstand me - using this resource will still require boldness and courage. Our current ecclesiology is based on a paradigm to which many adhere - and those adherents will resist any attempt to change things.

The exciting thing is that this book invites us to dream - invites us to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and begin to dream of the church that truly reaches the community.

If you are a pastor or church leader, consider using this resource as your next study.

Launchpad Day 1

2011-08-19T19:14:00.001-04:00

Today was a good day of learning and conversation at the church planter "bootcamp" designed especially for the Northeast context. Over 60 people representing 24 new church starts in the Northeast Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church gathering to listen and learn from leaders out of Path1, specifically Gary Shockley, Paul Nixon and Bener Agtarap.

There's much to process, with a great deal of information being shared over the course of the day, but one thing bubbles to the top in terms of my ongoing ministry. As we spend more time and energy (and resources) identifying places to start new faith communities, we will need to spend an equal amount of energy identifying innovative leaders. Right now the culture of our denomination as a whole does not seem to support the new church movement. There are too many stories of new church pastors/teams running into people from UM churches who either refuse to support (through prayer and partnerships) or actively interfere with a new church start. New churches are considered to be "competition" for existing churches. And frankly, they aren't to be blamed. Quite simply, this is how we have taught our churches and pastors to behave. Seminary training has been all about teaching pastors how to take care of the folks already in the building. We don't teach pastors or church leaders that part of what it means to be a healthy church is to be a church that gives birth to new congregations. Which brings me back to my take away from today's session at Launchpad - we need to raise up leaders who think in terms of starting new and multiplication. Praise be to God that does indeed seem to be happening.

Our own history as UM's should remind us that new churches are the best way to reach new people. There was a day when we were multiplying churches at the rate of one new church a day. The sad irony is that as new communities grow, it strengthens the work of the kingdom as a whole. As they saying goes, when the water in the harbor rises, all the boats rise as well (unless of course the boats are anchored so tightly they have no room to move - but that's an issue for another day!) New churches are on the whole good for existing churches.

Pray for these 24 new church starts. Pray for their leaders. And pray for our existing churches, that they might all begin to embrace their call to be the kind of communities who make it possible to make new communities who make new communities who make new communities.....(see Acts 2!)

Why? To reach new people for Christ for nothing less than the transformation of the world.

3....2....1.....Launchpad!

2011-08-18T19:09:00.000-04:00

I've arrived in NJ for Launchpad! The sessions start tomorrow, so tonight was a chance to hit the gym and then relax before starting a full day.

Launchpad is a church planter's bootcamp put together by Pathone, the United Methodist new church start group out of the General Board. Launchpad has been developed particularly for the Northeast context.

What's really exciting is that there will be 50 people at this bootcamp! I'm told the largest gathering of UM church planters in the Northeast Jurisdiction! We have a couple of teams from the New England Conference. As things get going, I'll be posting/twittering to keep you updated on this exciting movement in New England. This is our best way of reaching new people in new places. Please be in prayer throughout the weekend for Launchpad.

Peace

Rick

Using strength to address weakness

2011-07-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

Before offering a few more questions you can use in thinking about passionate spirituality in your faith community, I thought I'd address the issue of the minimum factor and whether it's better to focus on strengths or on weaknesses.

One of the misunderstandings in implementing Natural Church Development is the idea that the church is to concentrate only on its least capable issue. For example, if the minimum factor is passionate spirituality, then often church health teams (and coaches) will focus only on that area, failing to remember that this is only one part of the whole. As Christian Schwarz notes, "the question of whether we should concentrate on strengths or weaknesses proves to be a false alternative."

So what is the better approach? First, we should definitely be working on developing our strengths and not overemphasize the time and energy spent on weaknesses. Strengths can then be used in addressing weaknesses.

At the same time, weaknesses cannot be ignored. Focusing only on strengths isn't any better than focusing only on weaknesses. For example, if the church's strength is in the area of inspiring worship and minimum factor is passionate spirituality, only working on making worship even stronger will not address the matter of spirituality since growth and health is being impeded due to passionate spirituality. However, the strong worship component of this particular church could be used to strengthen passionate spirituality and thereby improving the health and vitality of the church as a whole. This interplay holds true between all of the 8 characteristics.

For a more detailed description of how this works, go to Part 2 of the book "Natural Church Development" by Christian Schwarz, or speak to one of the trained coaches in New England.

National School of Congregational Development Webcasts

2011-07-21T12:33:00.001-04:00

You can watch the plenary sessions of the National SCD online by going to: http://gbgm-umc.org/scdlive

WEBCAST SCHEDULE: (all times Central)

Wednesday, July 27: 2:30 pm

From Crises to Christ Centered: Bishop Earl Bledsoe

Thursday, July 28: 9:00 am

From Attraction to Invitation: Fiona Maclead & Jim Ozier

Friday, July 29: 9:00 am

From Maintenance to Movement: Elaine A. Heath

Saturday, July 30: 9:00 am

From Ourselves to Others: Reuben Saenz, Jr., Danny A. Hernaez, &

Andrew Forrest

Sunday, July 31: 7:30 pm

From Giving Up to Going Out: Tyrone Gordon

Passionate Spirituality

2011-07-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

In my new work as the director of congregational development, one of my tasks is helping churches develop ways of improving their health and vitality as they seek to fulfill the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Our primary (but not only) vehicle to do this is through the Natural Church Development process. This is a proven instrument to help churches measure and reflect upon the 8 characteristics that make up what it means to be a healthy and growing congregation.

Repeatedly, the one area that shows up as the weakest in New England is that of Passionate Spirituality. Tomorrow I'll write a bit about using strengths to address weaknesses, but I thought it would helpful to many to have a simple checklist that you and your church might use in thinking about increasing passionate spirituality in your faith community. This list comes from the book "Natural Church Development Implementation Guide." Consider using this list in your own context...

The pastor and those involved in ministry in our church have developed a plan how to intensify their personal prayer life. What does it look like?
At least 2 times a year the pastor spends a whole day to seek God in prayer and listen to God's guidance. When was this last done?
The meaning of prayer is often illustrated by practical examples during the sermons. When did this occur the last time?
Church members are encouraged to share personal experiences with God during the worship service and in small groups. When last?
Our leadership team meets regularly for prayer. When was the last time?
75% of those attending worship are involved in a ministry that corresponds to their spiritual gifts. How has this been checked?
A regular prayer ministry has been started in our church. What does it look like?
We have identified all Christians with the gift of praying. Names?
We have developed concrete possibilities for Christians with this gift to get involved in the ministry of our church. Which possibilities?
Christians with the gift of prayer are continually supplied with prayer requests of the church. Who is organizing this?
We have identified Christians with the gift of counseling. Names?
We have helped Christians with the gift of counseling to get involved in appropriate ministries. Which ministries?
We have started a prayer team which is praying for the pastor and the church. When and where?

These are just a few things to consider. I'll post more ideas and associated questions in a few days. In the meantime, the next time your leadership meets, consider taking on three or four of these ideas. How could you implement one or two in order to develop more passionate spirituality in your congregation?

Did you know....

2011-07-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

that we have a new start/relaunch in Marshfield, Massachusetts? In April of this year, the new church "Sanctuary" launched it's first service. Sanctuary is a cooperative effort between the ELCA and the UMC and the community worships in the former Marshfield United Methodist Church building. The story on how this came to be is a longer one, but essentially, the pastor of Marshfield UMC began to meet with the ELCA pastor sent to Marshfield to plant a new church, and after talking, praying, and dreaming, they realized that God was calling them toward something even bigger than they imagined. With the support of the Bishops of both the UMC and ELCA in New England, the work began on relaunching the UMC and launching the new ELCA church as one community.

The new community that is Sanctuary has been busy engaging the Marshfield area in mission, ministry and worship. Below you'll see a couple of pictures from the recent VBS. 75 children from the community attended the week. And yes, that is a Bounce house set up INSIDE the newly renovated worship space.

This weekend the community will celebrate the wedding of two of its newest members and next week will baptize 2 adults into the faith! Add to that a monthly movie night for families and a newly forming coffeehouse, and you see a community stepping out to change the world one life at a time. For more information about this exciting new adventure, contact the pastor Mark Huber or supporting UM pastor Jenny Styers.

And here's a question: how does this story help you imagine new ways God might call your community to partner with others in furthering God's mission?

Did you know....

2011-07-18T09:20:00.001-04:00

that we are launching a new church in Somerville, MA? The former College Ave UMC community has come through a long journey of discernment and visioning. Now, they are on the cusp of launching a new thing in the city! This is another one of several new things happening in the New England Conference. There are many things about which to be excited regarding the new community, but one of them is their name: Connexion. Those of you familiar with your UM history will know that this was common spelling when Wesley and others referred to the networking of Methodist communities emerging - that each community is not an entity unto itself but part of something much larger!

The same is true for this new thing in Somerville, and there are tangible things you can do to invest in this Connexion. First, pray. This is no small request. This newly forming community needs your prayer as they launch themselves into the Somerville area helping connect new people to the vision God has for them. There are many obstacles that Christ followers face, and Jesus reminds us that the way through many of these obstacles is through prayer. Second, for those of you within a 10 - 15 mile radius of Somerville, they need "missionaries" to come and be part of the community for 6 to 9 months. Some of you will hear more about this in particular, but for now, please consider what it might look like for you to be sent out of your current ministry context for a short period of time to help the new community Connexion through your presence. They will be looking for specific kinds of help, so stay tuned for more in the days ahead.

This is not our only new church start - there are many more and I look forward to sharing stories about the exciting things that are happening, north and south, east and west in the New England area!

2011 School of Congregational Development

2011-07-14T13:37:00.003-04:00

Only one more day for the Super Super Early Bird Registration for Inside Out - School of Congregational Development. Go HERE to sign your team up now!

Launchpad for the NEJ

2011-07-14T12:40:00.000-04:00

LAUNCHPAD IN THE NEJ

A New Church Planter Training and Support Initiative for the Northeastern Jurisdiction
The Northeastern United States is about to experience a wave of new United Methodist churches – the most new faith communities that this region has seen planted in more than a century! It is a wondrous and amazing time! Conferences that planted only a few new faith communities in a decade are thinking about planting up to ten in a single year!

And yet, the NEJ is different territory from other parts of the United States. The Path 1 Team of The United Methodist Church has heard the people of the Northeast say clearly, “It is a different game up here! We cannot use planting models based in suburban communities in the South and Midwest and expect them to work here.”
So... Path 1 and the congregational developers of the NEJ introduce LAUNCHPAD as a response to the unique challenge of planting new churches in the Northeast!

Who is leading it?
Leaders include:
• Bener Agtarap, who has served as a planting pastor, mother church pastor and district superintendent (overseeing multiple new church projects) in the Philippines.
• Gary Shockley, church planter, coach and author, who has planted two new churches, including one near Pittsburgh – in the NEJ! Gary is Executive Director of Path 1.
• Paul Nixon, church planter, coach and author, who has planted three new faith communities. Paul has planted in suburban, resort and central city contexts, each in partnership with a strong, healthy existing congregation. His last book is entitled Finding Jesus on the Metro.

Here’s how it works...
1. A three-day training experience is set for August 19-21, 2011, at Memorial UMC (101 West Sylvania Avenue, Neptune City, NJ 07753), about an hour south of New York City and two hours north of Philadelphia.

During this training the planter leaders and their teams will sketch out ministry plans for the next nine months. Subjects covered will include theology and call, affinity groups, vision-casting, best practices, community networking, bonding with the mission field, fund-raising, self and family care, and how to hold effective meetings one-on-one or with a group.

This training is similar to what is often called “Planter Boot Camp” except that...
• The pacing will be less rigorous and allow for more community-building among participants.
• The registration fee of only $28.19 covers snacks and lunches for the planter leader and up to four additional team members at the August event.
• All participants in the August event will attend worship August 21 (alongside their peers) in a United Methodist faith community, currently under development in New Jersey, New York or Eastern Pennsylvania. After the service and lunch, participants will “give and take” with the pastors of these new congregations and a Path 1 facilitator, reflecting on learning.

2. The event will encourage the planter peer groups to continue their training by meeting together virtually with an experienced church-planting guide on a monthly basis, September, 2011, through June, 2012. This is not the equivalent of a church planter coach assigned to the plant, but it is a valuable format for learning and leadership development nonetheless. This option will be available to teams for an additional charge and will be discussed further at the August event.

3. The planter leaders will gather about a dozen persons from their emerging launch teams to share in a web- based seminar and local team retreat on January 20-21, 2011, linked with two-dozen other new church teams in the NEJ. Planters and their team members will work on visioning and planning together, with leadership from the national Path 1 team. They will gather in their local community during this mid- year training – something offered by no planter boot camp in America. This mid-year training will build on the August training and will include small group development, “taste-and-see” community events, and planning for public worship launch.

Here’s what it costs...
• $28.19 per team, plus cost of travel, lodging and some meals for the August event. This fee covers planter teams of up to five people. Deadline for registration: August 5, 2011.

If you or a team from your church is interested in attending, please contact Rick McKinley at rickm@neumc.org

Stories from the field

2011-07-13T11:37:00.002-04:00

I am now officially in my new position of ministry with the New England Conference. This blog will begin to focus more specifically on stories related to congregational development. My hope is to post lots of pictures and stories about what is happening related to churches growing in vitality and mission around New England. If you have stories to share, please let me know! Just email them to rickm@neumc.org and I'll find a way to spread the word.

It's an exciting time to be a follower of Jesus. A new thing is happening - new places are emerging - new lives are being transformed - as people experience the power of the life changing relationship with God.

Peace

Rick

Living God's future now

2011-05-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

In researching and reading for the assigned epistle for this coming weekend, 1 Peter 1:17 - 23, I reread a sermon delivered by Bishop Peter Storey in 1982 to a congregation in South Africa. This was during the time of apartheid, when people of color were oppressed and subjected to violence at the hands of the ruling government. Apartheid did not officially end until 1994 - but those who opposed it believed that God is on the side of justice, and that justice could be won without resorting to violence. Below is the closing section of the sermon....

"If false gods are failing and if God's victory is assured, then even though this world has yet to acknowledge him, we must live in his future now. For the followers of Christ, he is already Lord - now!

In a world of cruelty we know that compassion and caring will one day rule - so we will demonstrate them now.
While this world bows to the love of power, we will cry, 'No!' - we will live by the power of love now.
While truth lies fallen in the streets, we will affirm that Jesus, who is the truth, is Lord - and we will live by his truth now.
While people live comfortably with injustice we know that justice will one day rule - it must therefore be our standard now.
While people continue to trust in military might, we know that the Prince of Peace is Lord - and we will cast out violence from our midst now.

That is what 'business as usual' is all about for Christians. That is what the Christian hope is all about - not sentimental optimism but the insight that enables us even in the face of the darkest hour to know that Christ is Lord. Christian hope is living by God's future in the now.

I pray that we may be so filled with this quality of hope that when all this begins to happen, we will be able to stand upright and hold our heads high knowing that our liberation is near."

Great words by a great man - and a call to those of us who profess to follow Jesus to go about "business as usual."

Thoughts from yesterday

2011-05-02T08:39:00.000-04:00

As I read the news this morning, and read the many reactions raised up on the social networks about Bin Laden's death, I couldn't help but think about a portion of my message I offered during worship yesterday. The context of this message is 1 Peter 1: 3 - 9 - and really, the entire letter of 1 Peter, which is a call to those who follow Christ to live distinctively different lives. (You can listen to the entire message on the church website if you like.)

Though those expectations cannot be imposed on others, and it would be foolish to think they could or should, this letter should cause those who seek to embody the ways of Christ in their life both personally and corporately to take some time to think through the meaning of what has happened. There are many layers to the event, including the emotions stirred up as we remember the senseless deaths of thousands of people on 9/11/01. But for those who follow a Savior who refused to take life but instead gave his own, we ought to spend at least a little time in prayer and reflection and not simply react. Indeed, this is hardly a time to celebrate - taking a life, no matter who it is, is always cause for sadness. For each life taken, we have once again shown that we indeed live in a fallen world in need of redemption. This is a time to remember. This is a time to consider what it means to live in a world where so many wars are being fought on so many fronts. This is a time to consider who we are - and maybe even more importantly, whose we are.

And so, with that, here are a few of the words I offered yesterday in thinking about what it means to be an "resident alien," a "peculiar people" called to live according to different standards.

"One of the phrases the author (of 1 Peter) uses is that followers of Jesus are “aliens” - a holy people - set apart. The KJV version uses the phrase “peculiar people.” That is, for those who follow the way of Christ, their way of life and conduct is not shaped by prevailing culture and society. In a sense, they no longer belong.

That really impacts what it means to be the church. From this point of view, the world needs the church - that is, you and me - the body together - not to to help the world run more smoothly or to make the world a better and safer place for Christians to live. The world needs the church because, without the church, the world does not know who it is. The only way for the world to know that it is being redeemed - for that is God’s promise, to redeem the world and use the church to do so - the only way for the world to know that it is being redeemed is for the church to point to the Redeemer by being a redeemed people. The only way for the world to know that it is in need of redemption is for the church to enable the world to hit hard against something that is completely different from what the world offers. (paraphrased from Stanley Hauerwas, Resident Aliens)...

This letter (1 Peter) continues to provide great encouragement to Christians today who face difficulties. Around the world, people who seek to follow Jesus are harassed, ridiculed, and sometimes attacked for their faith. What a great thing it must be to hear these words: 'Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy.'

But what about those of us who are neither afflicted or suffer for Christ? How does Peter’s vision of 'living hope' speak to our situation in which Christian living often goes hand in hand with comfort and convenience?

I think we need to let the words challenge us. For those of us who have become well adjusted to the present age, I think we need to ask ourselves if our lives are 'distinctively different.' Are we a 'peculiar' people? Do we live and love as a community in a way that is clearly distinguished from how the world defines things. Is hope simply wishful thinking or are we willing to have a 'living hope' where God’s future intrudes on the present?

So let’s bring this down to practical terms - living like that - allowing God’s future to intrude on the present - to inform our lives and impact our decisions means focusing on Jesus and the power of his resurrection. This also is based on solid science on how the mind works.

There is something called the “law of exposure” - well documented - in effect, it’s a proven principle. Your mind will think most about what it is most exposed to. What repeatedly enters your mind occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you are.

Children are exposed to thousands of acts of violence on television and movies. They see it on video games and hear it in music and lots of other places. Then we are surprised to learn about another young woman bullied, another young person who takes their own life after being harassed, another school shooting, and so on. Most of us in this room have been indoctrinated with the belief, even though we might have never heard it said explicitly, that violence works or is a reasonable response to violence. Think about this - whether it’s on a cartoon or the latest action flick. When someone is in trouble - when there is the “good guy” against the “bad guy” - the good side against the “bad side” - how does good win over evil? By violently removing it. We are exposed to this message over and over and it becomes the pattern we adopt or condone without our ever having thought it through. Why? Because our minds have been saturated with it.

It’s amazing how many people think or live as if they could get away with violating the law of exposure. People say, 'Oh, I can read this or watch that or listen to this but it doesn’t really affect me.' But science has come to prove what the scriptures have said all along - we are changed by what we expose ourselves to.

The events you attend, the material you read (or don’t read), the music you hear, the images you watch, the conversations you hold - all are shaping you mind, and ultimately your character.

But the message of Christ is opposite of retributive violence. In the face of evil, God’s response is sacrificial love - to lose your life rather than take a life. See what I mean about countercultural? Many people reject it immediately because it runs so counter to what we see all the time.

Beyond Shelter

2011-04-30T19:28:00.003-04:00

Seth Godin Video

2011-04-17T17:53:00.002-04:00

It comes down to leadership

2011-04-16T20:37:00.001-04:00

I'm reading Seth Godin's book "Tribes" - it's a few years old, been on my list for a while - but like what happens many times, it's the right book at the right time. I just read a paragraph that absolutely grabbed me (not that most of the rest of the book hasn't, but anyway....) here it is:

"Folks who do nothing but mindlessly follow instructions let you down in two ways....(and to jump immediately to the second)...They're not going to do a very good job of recruiting new members to your tribe. That's because evangelism requires leadership. Leading someone toward giving up one worldview and embracing yours isn't easy and it's not always comfortable. Consider any vibrant group - political activists, nonprofit volunteers, or brand fanatics. In each case, it's the microleaders in the trenches and their enthusiastic followers who make the difference, not the honcho who is ostensibly running the group."

As far as I know, Seth Godin isn't connected the church, though based on what I've been reading, I wouldn't be surprised if he is. Earlier in the book he gives the example of preachers who avoid delivering an audacious sermon because they are afraid of the reaction they might get. Anyway, this idea of the relationship between leadership and evangelism just grabbed my imagination, and the power of the "microleaders in the trenches".

An example - I am a self-avowed Apple fanatic. My wife and I each own an iPhone 4, a Macbook Pro, and an iPad (she owns the iPad 2!) We are Apple fanatics for several reasons, one of which is that Apple products just work, and two, they stand up behind their product, even if you're the one who screws it up. (I'll be happy to tell you my longer story about that - a story that saved me $1300.) Anyway, I don't stay with Mac because of Steve Jobs. I stay with them because their "microleaders" at the stores deliver the Apple vision - they are evangelists of the Apple message and I have been caught up in that message. I see the computer world through the Mac worldview. When someone asks me about my experience with any Mac product, I will quickly share the message.

This is a great lesson for the church. Pastors are in a sense the "microleaders" on the ground, sharing the message - the incredible, life changing message of Jesus - the leader of the tribe. It is not easy and it is not a way life that is always comfortable. If it is, I would say you're doing it wrong. It is without question inviting people to adopt a new worldview - to see the world through the lens of what Jesus calls the "kingdom of God." The pastor rallies a tribe (a local church) to center its life on this worldview - and then equips the tribe/church to go into the world as new microleaders themselves, sent as enthusiastic evangelistic leaders to recruit new members for the tribe.

Evangelism requires leadership. And leadership is scarce because "few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead." This is Seth again, and he closes this section with an incredible statement, one worth taking some time to think about - "If you're not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it's almost certain you're not reaching your potential as a leader."

Wow. If you're not uncomfortable in your role as leader, you're missing the mark. You're not really leading. If you are pushing through fear, discomfort, or new territory in some way, you have settled for the status quo. And the last time I checked, accepting the status quo means we're accepting some pretty terrible things: overwhelming poverty in most of the world, patterns of violence committed by nation-states which only lead to more violence, major issues of injustice, etc. The status quo is unacceptable. And the tribe of Jesus - the church - is called to step out. The tribe of Jesus needs leaders willing to lead, and willing to be uncomfortable as they do. The tribe of Jesus needs leaders willing to acknowledge the fear the erupts deep in their gut, and then willing to push through the fear to act anyway.

If we do, I don't think we can help it. We'll change the world.

Love Wins

2011-04-15T13:24:00.000-04:00

I know I'm late to the conversation, but I just got around to reading the latest book by Rob Bell. In fact, I avoided reading much of the online conversation until recently as well. It was hard to avoid some of the blow back that resulted (see Chad Holtz), but I wanted to come to the book without the additional baggage.

This morning I read Jeremy Smith's take and he does a nice job, as is usual for Jeremy, of unpacking some of the issues. One of the things that Rob writes near the beginning of the book is that he is not trying to offer anything new; that the thoughts and ideas he's presenting you can find in historical Christian conversations. And he's correct. I remember dealing with some of the same issues in seminary as we read documents going back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Early Christians struggled with identifying the "real" Jesus - the nature of Christ and the implications the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has for humanity. This is in essence what Rob does.

A great book to read alongside "Love Wins" would be "Surprised by Hope" by N.T. Wright. This is not to say that the books are comparable in terms of content and theological depth. That's sort of the point. What N.T. offers in a more apologetic, didactic manner, calling the church to reclaim the ancient traditions and meanings of faith, Rob offers as a poet. In both, we are invited into a conversation. One thing Jeremy points out in his post is right on - Rob asks lots of questions. Rather than presenting information in black and white terms, he invites the reader to go deep - to engage rather than simply reacting.

So, all this is to say - read the book. Talk to friends about it. It will help you. Read N.T. Wright's book - it will enrich you. And quite possibly, the truth of the Bell's book title will find tangible expression in the midst of those conversations: love wins.

The Age of the Unthinkable

2011-04-01T13:53:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading an incredible book called "The Age of the Unthinkable" by Joshua Cooper Ramo. It's far too complex a book to quickly and simply summarize here but essentially it is a book that challenges current national policy decisions that are intended to effect change and create security in a world that grows increasingly unstable and unpredictable. Current policy in fact makes things more unstable and creates greater violence (note the current situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East.) The author has the credentials to challenge said policies, but his "solutions" are amazing. Moreover, much of the answer, he insists, rests on each of us. Here are some words from the closing pages....

"It is also possible that each of us, any of us, can unleash powerful and permanent change. Some of this change will be simple. We can each start to live more resiliently: saving more, eating better, driving smart, educating our children to be global and competitive, volunteering, reaching out to neighbors and new friends. Such things are essential elements of deep security. But far more of the change will be difficult. It will involve tremendous sacrifice. At times it will involve profound discomfort, when we won't know if our sacrifices will succeed or be worth the effort....It will mean learning to react differently to the threats we face...At the times we're most scared we'll need to replace the habit of striking back with new efforts to connect to the world instead of alienating it and isolating ourselves....What matters is beginning to explore the idea that we can do unthinkably decent things with our lives, from starting schools to leaping into that 'caring economy'...investing years of our lives to understand cultures different from our own."

There is more - and it's just as good. I love the term "unthinkably decent things" - and in his call I hear the echoes of the kingdom of God - the invitation from Christ to live in such a way that people find it "unthinkably decent" - unthinkably compassionate, unthinkably forgiving, unthinkably, sacrificially loving - all ways of acting that go against the tendency to get what we think we have coming to us and knocking down anybody who gets in our way, or anyone who tries to take what we have. In the end, our security as people, as nations, as a society, is found in our willingness and ability to get to know and love our neighbor - the one living literally next door and the one living across the ocean.

His book closes with a question that I think too resonates with what it means to be a person of faith, and it is: "This age, what does it demand of me?"

Lessons from the ballroom

2011-03-28T18:50:00.000-04:00

My wife and I just finished 8 weeks of ballroom dancing lessons. Before you start making old people jokes, we were joined by several young couples doing the same thing. It was a great time, and I took away some life lessons....

1. Someone has to lead (or you don't get anywhere.) In dancing, the man is charged with leading, and if the couple is going to negotiate the steps of a dance and negotiate the dance floor without crashing into the others dancing, he must in fact lead. Lack of leadership creates a messy dance, sore toes, and a big, uncoordinated mess.

2. Variations are encouraged. Our teachers at least weren't insisting on perfection, and in fact, instead of calling something wrong or a mistake, they called it a "variation." That is, the step wasn't exactly to form but it varied slightly. These variations created diversity and sometimes joy. They made each partner unique as they moved through the room.

3. The importance of good teachers/guides. We needed Roger and Claire, our teachers, to be there for instruction, encouragement, and modeling. They described the steps. They showed us the steps. Sometimes they came over and moved us. Sometimes they stepped in as a partner to literally guide us through the dance. Over time, they had us take charge of our own progress.

4. The need for regular discipline. This is a fact of any skill or practice. To develop any degree of skill, to grow in comfort, to begin to worry less about technique and begin to simply enjoy the activity, requires a great deal of practice - of devotion to the discipline. Lori and I now know the basic forms of 4 different dances. A few of them we actually look like we know what we are doing. But for a few others, we are definitely looking like we have two left feet - each! This fact of needing to commit to regular discipline of dance reminds me of the same need in terms of our relationship with God - the need to "practice" prayer, scripture reading/reflection, service to others and so on - so the practices become smoother, a more integrated part of who we are.

5. Tension works against you. Though ballroom dancing involves a particular stance, the stance needs to be relaxed. The arms, though entwined, need to rest comfortably. The hands cupped together gently. The arms are relaxed and don't push against your partner. The steps are meant to flow easily, one into the next. The more stress you add to the experience, the more tension between the partners, the less easily they move across the floor.

There are certainly more lessons - maybe I'll revisit this another time. In the meantime, if you get a chance, try dancing. It will bring you joy!

Is God here with us or not?

2011-03-26T08:34:00.000-04:00

This is the question the Israelites ask Moses. (Exodus 17:7) This is the Old Testament text assigned for this coming Sunday's worship. Rescued from Egypt and now wandering around in the desert, anxiety is setting in. They've been promised a new life. They've been promised a new land. They've been promised things will be better and God will be with them but so far it just seems like it's one dusty day after another. When promises are a long time coming, it's easy to lose your way.

So now they have no water. Water is a big deal in the desert. Water is a big deal in the hearts and minds of the Israelites. When you live in a desert and when droughts are common, water is a big deal. In fact, when you read through the Scriptures, you realize that one of the pictures associated with God and the fulfillment of God's promise of "heaven on earth" is water. God is the fountain of living water. When Ezekiel was given a vision of the heavenly temple, water flowed in every direction (Ez/ 37). Water means God is with you.

But in the desert, there is no water. Hence the question: is God here with us or not?

My sense is the woman at the well wondered the same kind of thing. This is the gospel text for this weekend - a well known story within the walls of the church. This woman is the embodiment of a wilderness life. She knows dryness. She knows emptiness. She's tried and tried but nothing seems to have come together. She is longing for God. "Please, give me this living water you speak of." There is a thirst in her - a longing. She is asking for Jesus quench her thirst - her longing for God. She could easily be asking the question the Israelites ask. "Is God here or not?" How ironic when he is sitting right in front of her.

In the end, Jesus just comes out and tells her plainly. "I am he." I am the One you are looking for. I am the One who will quench your thirst. In the flesh.

Today many people are asking the same question: Is God here with us or not? In a world that seems more unstable than ever, with our country once again entering conflict, countries still reeling from devastating earthquakes, floods and so forth (Haiti, Australia, Japan, we could keep going), people wonder: where is God? Is there a God?

That's where you and I come in. The core profession of the Christian faith is that God took flesh and walked among us. God came in body - the body of Jesus. Guess where God resides today?

That's right. In the church - in you and me, together. Not you by yourself. Not me by myself. In us - together - the body of Christ. That means that we are to be the vessel through which living water pours to those in need. You and are meant to be an answer to the question: Is God here with us or not? As the body of Christ, we are called to come alongside those in need, be it near or far, and quench the thirst of those who long to know if God is here.

It is a mighty calling. It is a calling that goes beyond what you and I can do alone, or on our own. We need each other, and we need the Spirit of God to help - we need to continually drink from the well of living water in order to be the body that can quench the thirst of others.

Is God here with us or not? The answer, at least in part, has a great deal to do with you.

Hiatus is over

2011-03-25T21:56:00.002-04:00

Dear blogger world,

It has been much too long that I've been away - but then again, it has been just the right amount of time. My last post of the 11 things I don't need ended up taking me to some pretty deep places and have created a domino effect of changes. Those changes have been good and necessary, and now have created the mental and spiritual space necessary to begin writing about my observations of faith, church and the intersection of both with the world. I look forward to a rich conversation in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Grace and peace

Rick

11 things I don't need

2010-12-31T15:04:00.007-05:00

I've recently discovered an amazing blog, Ordinary Courage. One of her earlier posts was looking ahead to 2011, and invited readers to list 11 things they don't need in their life for 2011, what they plan on doing to eliminate them, and how your life would change by getting rid of them. As I prepared to write this list, I realized two things. One, coming up with 11 things wasn't especially easy for me. It actually took a couple of sessions of thinking and writing. Two, putting the list out here in public makes me feel more vulnerable than I imagined, since I want my list to be real and not just a bunch of meaningless words. So if you respond, please be kind.

Here's my list:

1. Days without devotion - Too many days went by in 2010 without my taking time to reflect on scripture, let it ferment in my heart and think about what it means for my life. I had set a goal to read through the Bible, but it turns out that that kind of thing doesn't do much for me, just reading to read. However, "chewing" on Scripture - I know how much this practice makes a difference in my being aware of God's activity around me, so, a new rhythm.

2. Alcohol - Brene Brown's book (The Gift of Imperfection) has got me thinking about what things we use to numb - food, activity, busyness, alcohol, whatever that we do to use as tools to "take the edge off" but really allow us to avoid whatever it is we are trying to avoid. By taking away the low, we unfortunately limit our ability to experience the high. So this year, the goal is no alcohol. I see this change allowing me to go places I've been unwilling/unable to go this past year.

3. Drivers who drive on my side of the road - Seems to be a lot of these folks in MA. Not sure what I can do to change it - drive less? I certainly know it will create less anxiety on the road!

4. Stuff - Our garage is full of stuff. Our basement is full of stuff. Stuff we don't need. Stuff we don't use. A yard sale is in our future! And the money could be used to fund some things we really want to accomplish, like a mission trip to Nicaragua. Not to mention all the additional space in our house!

5. Junky food - We're pretty good about eating right, but then we fall off the rhythm and eat crap for a week or two. So, here's to more veggies and fruits - and won't I feel better!

6. Excuses not to right - One of the things on my bucket list has been to write a book. I love to create with words, which is one of the things I love about writing messages for worship each week. I love creating images with words and inviting others to respond. This would allow me to exercise my creative juices and hopefully add something meaningful to the world.

7. Debt - Our family has done incredible work the last few years in reducing debt, but there's still work to do. Our goal is to be completely debt free. We have a plan. We have a goal. We just need to keep working the plan. Talk about experiencing true change and freedom!

8. The 15 pounds around my waist - I figure #2 and #5 will go a long way to helping me achieve this one. My visits to the gym will be a lot more productive as well. I know I'll more energy and just feel better.

9. Days without playing my guitar - Music connects me, especially to God. It's something I enjoy - it's good for my heart. It helps me with #1 on this list as well. None of this is rocket science - just a matter of making it happen.

10. Wasted hours on the Internet - Sometimes the Internet is play - a chance to wind down. Sometimes it's for work - research, preparation for messages. A fair amount of time it's just mind-numbing. We got rid of TV years ago to get rid of some of that in our lives. Computer time is doing a good job of replacing it. (I don't consider blogging mind-numbing; it actually forces me to think deeply about a particular thing.)

11. Emails in my inbox - okay, so one kind of silly, but really, I keep old emails in my inbox way longer than necessary. Before I know it I've go 600 messages sitting there. Just deal with them, file them or delete them.

That's it - it was harder than I thought. This one I'm going to have to come back to and check on - add to my daily journal. Have fun with you own list!

Colbert Clip: Jesus is a Liberal Democrat

2010-12-18T16:12:00.001-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>

March to Keep Fear Alive

The Latest from Barna

2010-12-15T16:45:00.003-05:00

Here's the latest article from Barna group. Interesting and important stuff for the church to listen to and filter. These findings are not necessarily endorsements of what should be but of what Barna has found to be true in their polling. Take a moment to read and reflect on the implications.

"Change usually happens slowly in the Church. But a review of the past year's research conducted by the Barna Group provides a time-lapse portrayal of how the religious environment in the U.S. is morphing into something new.

Analyzing insights drawn from more than 5,000 non-proprietary interviews conducted over the past 11 months, George Barna indicated that the following patterns were evident in the survey findings.

1. The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate.
What used to be basic, universally-known truths about Christianity are now unknown mysteries to a large and growing share of Americans--especially young adults. For instance, Barna Group studies in 2010 showed that while most people regard Easter as a religious holiday, only a minority of adults associate Easter with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other examples include the finding that few adults believe that their faith is meant to be the focal point of their life or to be integrated into every aspect of their existence. Further, a growing majority believe the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God's presence or power, but not a living entity. As the two younger generations (Busters and Mosaics) ascend to numerical and positional supremacy in churches across the nation, the data suggest that biblical literacy is likely to decline significantly. The theological free-for-all that is encroaching in Protestant churches nationwide suggests the coming decade will be a time of unparalleled theological diversity and inconsistency.

2. Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented.
Despite technological advances that make communications instant and far-reaching, Christians are becoming more spiritually isolated from non-Christians than was true a decade ago. Examples of this tendency include the fact that less than one-third of born again Christians planned to invite anyone to join them at a church event during the Easter season; teenagers are less inclined to discuss Christianity with their friends than was true in the past; most of the people who become Christians these days do so in response to a personal crisis or the fear of death (particularly among older Americans); and most Americans are unimpressed with the contributions Christians and churches have made to society over the past few years. As young adults have children, the prospect of them seeking a Christian church is diminishing--especially given the absence of faith talk in their conversations with the people they most trust. With atheists becoming more strategic in championing their godless worldview, as well as the increased religious plurality driven by education and immigration, the increasing reticence of Christians to engage in faith-oriented conversations assumes heightened significance.

3. Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.
When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams. Among adults the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success, and personal achievements. Those dimensions have risen at the expense of investment in both faith and family. The turbo-charged pace of society leaves people with little time for reflection. The deeper thinking that occurs typically relates to economic concerns or relational pressures. Spiritual practices like contemplation, solitude, silence, and simplicity are rare. (It is ironic that more than four out of five adults claim to live a simple life.) Practical to a fault, Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities. Because we continue to separate our spirituality from other dimensions of life through compartmentalization, a relatively superficial approach to faith has become a central means of optimizing our life experience.

4. Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating.
Largely driven by the passion and energy of young adults, Christians are more open to and more involved in community service activities than has been true in the recent past. While we remain more self-indulgent than self-sacrificing, the expanded focus on justice and service has struck a chord with many. However, despite the increased emphasis, churches run the risk of watching congregants’ engagement wane unless they embrace a strong spiritual basis for such service. Simply doing good works because it's the socially esteemed choice of the moment will not produce much staying power.

To facilitate service as a long-term way of living and to provide people with the intrinsic joy of blessing others, churches have a window of opportunity to support such action with biblical perspective. And the more that churches and believers can be recognized as people doing good deeds out of genuine love and compassion, the more appealing the Christian life will be to those who are on the sidelines watching. Showing that community action as a viable alternative to government programs is another means of introducing the value of the Christian faith in society.

5. The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church.
Our biblical illiteracy and lack of spiritual confidence has caused Americans to avoid making discerning choices for fear of being labeled judgmental. The result is a Church that has become tolerant of a vast array of morally and spiritually dubious behaviors and philosophies. This increased leniency is made possible by the very limited accountability that occurs within the body of Christ. There are fewer and fewer issues that Christians believe churches should be dogmatic about. The idea of love has been redefined to mean the absence of conflict and confrontation, as if there are no moral absolutes that are worth fighting for. That may not be surprising in a Church in which a minority believes there are moral absolutes dictated by the scriptures.

The challenge today is for Christian leaders to achieve the delicate balance between representing truth and acting in love. The challenge for every Christian in the U.S. is to know his/her faith well enough to understand which fights are worth fighting, and which stands are non-negotiable. There is a place for tolerance in Christianity; knowing when and where to draw the line appears to perplex a growing proportion of Christians in this age of tolerance.

6. The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.
Christianity has arguably added more value to American culture than any other religion, philosophy, ideology or community. Yet, contemporary Americans are hard pressed to identify any specific value added. Partly due to the nature of today’s media, they have no problem identifying the faults of the churches and Christian people.

In a period of history where image is reality, and life-changing decisions are made on the basis of such images, the Christian Church is in desperate need of a more positive and accessible image. The primary obstacle is not the substance of the principles on which Christianity is based, and therefore the solution is not solely providing an increase in preaching or public relations. The most influential aspect of Christianity in America is how believers do--or do not--implement their faith in public and private. American culture is driven by the snap judgments and decisions that people make amidst busy schedules and incomplete information. With little time or energy available for or devoted to research and reflection, it is people’s observations of the integration of a believer’s faith into how he/she responds to life’s opportunities and challenges that most substantially shape people’s impressions of and interest in Christianity. Jesus frequently spoke about the importance of the fruit that emerges from a Christian life; these days the pace of life and avalanche of competing ideas underscores the significance of visible spiritual fruit as a source of cultural influence.

With the likelihood of an accelerating pace of life and increasingly incomplete cues being given to the population, Christian leaders would do well to revisit their criteria for "success" and the measures used to assess it. In a society in which choice is king, there are no absolutes, every individual is a free agent, we are taught to be self-reliant and independent, and Christianity is no longer the automatic, default faith of young adults, new ways of relating to Americans and exposing the heart and soul of the Christian faith are required.

About the Research
This summary is based upon a series of national research studies conducted in the Barna Poll by the Barna Group throughout 2010. Each study was conducted via telephone interviews with a random sample of adults selected from across the continental United States, age 18 and older. With one exception, each study included a minimum of 1,000 adults; the exceptions were one study among 400 adults, and one among 603 adults. Each survey included a proportional number of interviews among people using cell phones. The data set for each study was subjected to minimal statistical weighting to calibrate the aggregate sample to known population percentages in relation to several key demographic variables.

Mosaics are individuals born between 1984 and 2002. Baby Busters are individuals born between 1965 and 1983.

Barna Group (which includes its research division, the Barna Research Group) is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization that conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984.

If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-monthly update on the latest research findings from the Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website (www.barna.org). Additional research-based resources are also available through this website.

Hemorrhaging Pastors

2010-11-12T17:50:00.002-05:00

Not posting much these days - I promise - the season to come back to the blog is upon me! So....the first post in a long time is really a post of another amazing pastor, Tod Bolsinger. This one is big - really big. Take the time - think about it - what does this do to you? How does this inform you for your own community?

"Three. In one day.

On Monday, I heard of three of my pastor friends who all resigned this week. No affairs, no scandal, no one is renouncing faith. But three, really good, experienced, pastors all turned in resignations and walked away. Two are leaving church ministry all together.

The details are as different as the pastors themselves, but the common thread is that they finally got worn down by trying to bring change to a church system that was stuck.

I have been hearing from more pastors these days. Some of it is related to my work with TAG Consulting, a lot of it is because I am, well, one of them. We chat and email and text and the common thread is always the same: “The church is stuck and we don’t know what to do.”

Stuck and declining. Stuck and clinging to the past. Stuck and lurching to quick fixes, trying to find an easy answer for what is clearly a systemic challenge. (“If only you could preach better, pastor!” “If only you were more ‘pastoral’ and caring, pastor!” “If only our worship was more dynamic, pastor!” “Please, pastor, DO something…That is what we pay you for isn’t it?”)

In some cases, the leaders of the church had turned on the pastor making him the scapegoat. In others, there was a sense that the church just wanted to stop any change process. For some, they are early in their tenures and are trying to get at the core issues early and bravely, looking squarely at what Jim Colllins calls “the brutal facts.” But most of them are so far into their ministry at the church that it seems like whatever they do is too little too late. After trying so hard, it seems that the church just gave up and hunkered down. As one of my friends said, “This church has gone deaf to my voice.” And soon after the finger-pointing begins, immediately followed by a big severance, a disillusioned pastor and a crippled church.

Most of my pastor friends acknowledge that they contributed in some way to the very circumstances that are forcing them out of the calling they love. All of us acknowledge that seminary didn’t prepare us for this. But, trying to rise to the occasion, they find themselves facing a wall of resistance that quickly turns into a voice of rejection. The underlying, unspoken issue seems to be: “If only the pastor would stop trying to lead us and just pastor us, then we’d be fine.”

Except we are not fine. The culture is changing, the world is changing and churches are facing change on an unprecedented scale. We are heading into uncharted territory and pastors and lay leaders need to learn to lead a mission together where there are real obstacles, real challenges and where the future is nothing like the past.

Until we do, we’ll keep bleeding pastors and we will watch our churches wither away."

Series on Wisdom

2010-10-07T22:18:00.000-04:00

Where do we turn for wisdom today? Dr. Phil? Oprah? Family? Friends? For nearly 3,000 years people have looked to the Book of Proverbs – that biblical book which offers the wisdom of the ages for people of faith. The Proverbs were written from the perspective of elders passing on great truths about God and daily life to the next generation. In our upcoming series of sermons we’ll study major themes from the Book of Proverbs including the character of the wise, communicating with wisdom, the managing of anger, and the wise use of money. For each message we’ll even have from some of our own elders in the church passing on their wisdom to the next generation. For those willing to get a bit more serious about this study, we’ll provide guides for reading the entire book of Proverbs and we’ll even invite you to commit one Proverb a week to memory. Series begins October 10 - you’ll not want to miss a single message!

October Offering

2010-10-01T20:00:00.001-04:00

Dear friends:

We live in a complex and often complicated world. Every day we are faced with making decisions, some simple and some difficult. Some choices are simply about what we are going to have for lunch (yet at any restaurant we are overwhelmed by the number of choices!) Some choices are more important - choices about where we will live, about our career, about whether or not to have children. We sometimes have time to think about our decision, but other times the choice must be made in a matter of minutes or seconds. Where do you turn when you have decisions to make? How do you discern whether or not your choice is the wisest option? In short, where do you find wisdom?
Some people, when faced with decisions, seek advice from friends or family. Some go to parents or grandparents. Others find wisdom from television shows, from people like Oprah or Dr. Phil. In years past, people would write to Dear Abby seeking answers for a problem they faced. Others seek wisdom by searching the Internet. Certainly we can find wisdom, at least to some degree, from each of these sources. Hopefully over the course of time, we ourselves are growing in wisdom.
Beginning on October 10 we will begin a new series on the topic of wisdom. The source for our discussion will be an ancient book, the book of Proverbs. This book is a collection of sayings culled from several ancient cultures, then combined by the people of Israel, shaped and informed by their relationship with God. Even though there are other sources from which we might gain wisdom, there are at least two advantages that come from studying the book of Proverbs. The first advantage is that this book isn’t based on the latest fad. Whereas fads tell you that your life will have meaning and make you happy if you digest, ingest or purchase the latest diet, exercise program or technological gizmo, the book of Proverbs is based on truth tested over time. Proverbs teaches that wisdom come through the wider and deeper community. The second advantage is that we understand that this book is inspired by God. Wisdom is not simply a human faculty; instead, wisdom is a gift from God. Keeping God at the center of one’s life opens us to God’s love, knowledge and direction.
So for seven weeks, we are going to study and digest bits of wisdom from this ancient book. We’ll begin by looking at wisdom itself. What is wisdom? What does it mean to be wise? What are the characteristics of wisdom and how can tap into the wisdom of God in order to help guide our lives? Then we’ll look at the opposite of wisdom; we’ll look at foolishness. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about fools. Does one foolish act make one a fool, or is there more to it? How do I avoid foolishness or avoid making consistently foolish decisions? In third through seventh weeks, we’ll focus on particular issues as they relate to wisdom. We’ll consider the issue of speech, that the manner in which we speak reveals something about what is going on in our heart. We’ll rediscover the ancient truth that there is great power in our tongue, the power to build up and the power to destroy. We’ll talk about anger and managing anger - about how we deal with anger can lead us toward the path of wisdom or of foolishness. In the final weeks, we’ll look at the issue of money and how we can be wise with our money. It’s important to remember that out of the many parables that Jesus told, nearly half of them deal with the issue of money and/or possessions. Clearly there is a strong connection between matters of the spirit and matters of finance.
In addition to wanting us to grow in wisdom, both as individuals and as a community, with this series I am hopeful for something else. I hope you’ll use this series as a way to invite a friend or neighbor. Chances are you know someone who is struggling or has struggled with an important decision. Chances are you know someone who wishes they could control their anger better, or who needs to learn to speak in ways that build up rather than cut down. I know you know someone that needs to learn wisdom when it comes to finances. So tell them about this series. Share with them the topics we’ll cover. Point them to the website where they can get a few more details or listen to previous messages to get a sense of what their experience will be.
The Worship Design Team has been busily planning and preparing for this exciting series. Our hope is that each week you’ll experience something during the worship celebration, something you see or hear or feel or touch that draws you deeper into a relationship with the living God, and that these ancient words of wisdom will come alive in you.
Grace and peace

Rick

Connection and more

2010-10-01T19:56:00.002-04:00

Wow - has it really been since July since my last post? Terrible?

Here's a great post from Kathy Escobar - good things to think about. Enjoy.

I'll also post the latest offering for the Harbor newsletter....

a little while ago a friend of mine was telling me what he was learning in the overseas adoption book he was reading. he and his wife are dear friends of ours, and they are adopting 2 boys from ethiopia. we are all so excited for their arrival into our extended family! he was sharing how their responsibility as a parent was to help these boys, who have been orphaned, cultivate “connection, resiliency, and identity.” these 3 words powerfully sunk in, and i had this flash across my mind that these are 3 things that most everyone i intersect with is trying to cultivate in some way, shape or form! so many i know, both in and outside of the refuge community, are somehow “orphaned” and these 3 things–connection, resiliency & identity–get stunted, lost, wounded, broken, some-how-messed-up. to me, part of our spiritual/emotional growth & transformation comes from growing in our ability to connect with others, ourselves, God and our ability to bounce back from adversity & life’s struggles, and in discovering our true identity.

since then, i have used this thought to stir up a few conversations in some different groups/venues i facilitate; every time, in different ways, everyone seems to resonate with the need to cultivate more of these 3 things in our lives. in terms of nurturing the refuge community, i’d say that these 3 things are core areas that i hope become stronger and healthier for not just my friends, but for me, too.

i have no idea how the adoption book defined these 3 words, but here’s my translation; they are definitely slanted toward grownups and our spiritual & emotional journies:

connection:

ability to be connected to others, ourselves, God
flow instead of stuckness
attached & not lonely
resiliency:

ability to absorb pain & struggle but not let it kill us
a “bounce-back-ness” that isn’t fake or denying but real & deep
meeting calamity with serenity (one of my favorite lines from AA material)
identity:

embracing our story instead of running from it
a deep sense of knowing who we are apart from others
clarity
on a solid foundation, with deep roots
each time i have shared these 3 words, the one that everyone seems to focus in on the most is “identity.” maybe it’s because so many of us have gotten “lost” or “orphaned” along the way. we don’t know who we really are. we are not on a firm foundation of love & hope. there’s far too much insecurity & brokenness & lack of confidence, and loss of freedom & hope & purpose for so many of us. and whether we’ve been part of “the church” or not hasn’t seemed to make the difference it was probably supposed to make. sure, we talk about identity in Christ, but i will be honest, most of the conversations in the typical churchey ways haven’t lead to the kind of true freedom, creativity, hope, and peace that i think was always God’s idea for us.

i am not God, of that i am quite sure. at the same time, sometimes i think of my heart for my kids and those that i love dearly & how passionate i am on their behalf, how much i want for them, how fierce and deep my heart is for them to know they are beautiful, loved, treasured, valued. and i am reminded in those moments of how God must feel about us on such a bigger, wider, much wilder scale. and in reflecting on my kids, i can firmly say that i hope each of them grow to be very solid in terms of these 3 things. i want them to feel connected, be resilient, and be sure of their identities. already, even with 2 somewhat solid parents & a lot of pouring into, i see how tricky it is for these things really take hold. but they’re worth cultivating & fighting for & caring about. they’re worth focusing energy on. they’re worth praying for & nurturing & teaching in really tangible ways. and i don’t want them for my kids (my real kids & my “adopted” family ) just so they can have an “easier life.” i want these things for them so that they can live more fully, try more crazy things, be willing to chase their dreams, be brave enough to stand up for what they believe, to risk more on behalf of others. i do believe that the more these things are developed in us, the better off the world is & that the “kingdom now” is far more present despite the world’s brokenness.

yeah, i think we all have a little part to play in helping others cultivate connection, resiliency & identity. and i think we need others to help us develop these things in ourselves as well. it is a lifelong process, but i think that there are seasons where we might need more intention on them than others.

here are some of the questions i have tossed out in a few groups conversations to consider:

how is connection, resiliency, or identity being cultivated in your life right now?
what’s hard about it?
what’s good about it?
this year, which of these feels like one that might need more attention than the other?
in reflecting on these questions in a few different contexts, i shared that i was feeling halfway good in the connection department; in fact, i could use a little less connection with people, ha ha, but always a little more in the God one. i am also hoping to continue to grow in resiliency & my ability to “bounce back” from adversity & conflict. learning the fine art of freedom from codependence is not easy or cheap, especially when it’s a natural reflex. i have encountered several really hard things in the past few weeks where i noticed a shift in “bend-back-into-shapeness” that wasn’t denial or fakeness but actually something deeper, better. and, like so many of my friends, the one that feels the strongest is to grow in my true identity. as i keep growing up & healing & learning & changing, i want to step into the reality that this life as a community cultivator is in my bones & heart & what i’m supposed to be doing and to live out of that freedom and strength. and at the same time, that is just one part of me. i am much more than only this. or being a mom. or a wife. or a friend. i must always remember that, otherwise who i am is tied to something that isn’t permanent or anchored in the deep. yeah, i am learning that i am a woman made to dream, to hope, to create, to love, to live dangerously, to try things that are meant to be tried and to not worry so much about success or failure because those things don’t really matter. understanding that i am 43 years old & probably pretty done with the first half of my life & don’t want to spend the last half worrying so much about what people think. knowing that i want to notice the beauty in God’s work in my life and those around me each and every day and be less impatient. I want to radically intersect with the gospel not just for others but for myself, too. yeah, i want my roots to go down deep and be anchored in God’s love, hope, and peace in the midst of all of the wild twists & turns of real life. i want to live on solid ground.

anyway, i think these words are going to linger for me. i think they should somehow be cornerstones in developing & nurturing places of healing so that more-alive-bonded-healther-stronger-free-er-grounded people can emerge (and i think that’s what “the church” is supposed to be about).

i’d love to hear some of your reactions to these words. how are these being cultivated in your life right now? what do you long for more of? what are you learning along the way?

Marks of healthy churches

2010-07-24T09:23:00.003-04:00

This came from this site; important enough article that it needs to be passed along and read by many people! Basic, solid, important information!

By Alfredo Garcia
Religion News Service

(RNS) What is the key to a healthy church? United Methodists have paid big bucks to find out.

As the sour economy and aging buildings wreak havoc on church budgets, United Methodists are trying to get ahead of the problem and assess the health of their congregations in a bid to reverse declining fortunes.

The church recently concluded a study of more than 32,000 Methodist congregations across North America, seeking the "key factors impacting vital congregations." The study surveyed everybody from bishops to district superintendents to people in the pews.

Working with New York-based Towers Watson consultants, researchers constructed a "vitality index" to measure each church and concluded "that all kinds of UMC churches are vital--small, large, across geographies, and church setting."

The report identified four key areas that fuel vitality: small groups and programs; worship services that mix traditional and contemporary styles with an emphasis on relevant sermons; pastors who work hard on mentorship and cultivation of the laity; and an emphasis on effective lay leadership.

These four factors "are consistent regardless of church size, predominant ethnicity, and jurisdiction," the study concluded.

July Offering

2010-06-29T10:11:00.001-04:00

Dear friends:

The summer is upon us. It’s a great time of year in this part of the world: warm summer breezes, summer rainstorms, the beach, gardens and all of the great activities out of doors. It is also a season of growth. Unfortunately, in New England anyway, it is often the time when some people take the opposite posture when it comes to faith - it is sometimes a season of stagnation. As one pastor acquaintance says, “Summer is when you find out who the real Jesus followers are.” Whether he is correct about that or not, it is worth considering - will this be a season of growth for you?
This summer I’ve planned a series of messages that I hope will help do exactly that, a series considering the issue of healing. Let me set the stage. If you’re able to read this epistle, chances are you or someone you know has been physically sick, emotionally depressed, or financially stressed. Just a quick look at our world reveals situations and places where there is injustice, places where people are oppressed, have no access to clean water and healthy food, no access to adequate health care. When you consider our planet and its resources, we see polluted rivers, lakes, ruined coastlines, poisoned soil and other damage to our world. These are all places in need of healing. Broken lives. Broken hearts. Oppression. Division. If there ever a time in history in need of healing, this is certainly one.
Healing is a touchy subject for many. Start talking about divine healing and its not long before the subject turns to things like “faith healing,” one part magic show, one part theater and a whole lot of quackery. You hear about people who refused medical treatment because they were going to wait for God to take care of the problem. In our contemporary, logical, scientific culture, divine healing doesn’t seem to fit.
This series will address these issues and more. We’ll talk at length about what we mean when we say “divine healing.” What is it? What is it not? Is being healed the sam as being cured? What part do we play in experiencing healing? We’ll confront the question, “Do we want to be made well?” In other words, are we willing to make the changes necessary in order to experience the life God intends for us? How does prayer fit into the healing process? How can we talk about healing in the face of death? At the end of the summer, we’ll conclude the series by talking about how ritual and spiritual practices play a part in healing, and then close with a service of healing. By then my hope is that you know more fully what it means to participate in this kind of service, and that you might experience God’s presence and power in a transformational way.
Chances are, you also have a friend who has experienced brokenness and/or illness. You know someone who has gone through a serious illness, someone who has been through a difficult divorce, someone who has felt lonely or depressed, someone who has struggled in some area of life. This series could be the way God begins to work in that person’s life, helping them come to experience healing and wholeness, experiencing the work of God’s power to restore and redeem. You could be the person that helps them start that process by inviting them to join you in worship.

Connect. Grow. Serve. Reach out. Let us be the vision we want to see.

Grace and peace

Rick

School of Congregational Development 2010!

2010-06-08T20:55:00.003-04:00

Misguided missions

2010-06-07T14:57:00.001-04:00

This article appeared in a recent edition of Christian Century. I thought it was worth a repost as many churches gear up for "mission trip" season.

Ten worst practices

by Mark Wm. Radecke

Short-term mission trips continue to rise in popularity. In leading such trips and researching their impact, I've found that they can have a profound effect on the faith and life of participants, and good work is often done: people living in poverty have their needs addressed by energetic and caring people.

But the liability of badly implemented mission trips far exceeds the missed opportunities of staying home. Poorly conceived trips can distract hosts from their primary ministries, use up significant sums of money and energy on low-priority tasks and create unreasonable expectations for visible results in a short period of time. These are familiar criticisms; it's well known that short-term mission trips can be done poorly or well. Here is a brief inventory of the worst practices that can undermine the best intentions.

Here to ogle: Participants in short-term missions routinely report that what affects them most profoundly is getting to know their hosts, enjoying their hospitality, hearing their stories and witnessing the vitality of their faith. Hosts and partners are not like animals in a zoo. We visitors do not go to observe them; we go, at their invitation, to enter into their world and to experience—however briefly and incompletely—their realities. Dean Brackley writes eloquently about the potential impact of norte os' encounters with the campesinos of El Salvador:
If we allow them to share their suffering with us, they communicate some of their hope to us as well. The smile that seems to have no foundation in the facts is not phony; the spirit of fiesta is not an escape but a recognition that something else is going on in the world besides injustice and destruction. The poor smile because they suspect that this something is more powerful than the injustice. When they insist on sharing their tortilla with a visiting gringo, we recognize there is something going on in the world that is more wonderful than we dared to imagine.
This is the sort of encounter we want for short-term missionaries. But taking photos of makeshift dwellings and ill-clad children without permission—and without inquiring into the conditions that compel human beings to live in such circumstances in the first place—turns a mission trip into socioeconomic voyeurism.

It's all about me: Martin Luther described the essence of sinfulness with the phrase homo incurvatus in se: the person curved in on himself or herself. Of all the potential ironies of a short-term mission trip, objectifying people is perhaps the most spiritually damaging. When we fail to become acquainted with our hosts and their communities, we not only forfeit rich opportunities for accompanying them but inadvertently commodify the very people we intend to help. We take interest in them only insofar as they can help us achieve something else—which, too often, is feeling good about ourselves and what we're doing. With our culture's values as part of our baggage, we treat the mission trip as a thing to be consumed for our entertainment, edification and enjoyment.

If this is 2010, then we must be in Tanzania: Tanzania this year, Bosnia next year, Nicaragua the year after that, and the Philippines in year four: a different country on a different continent every year! Changing the mission trip location each year may provide variety for participants, but it subverts the goal of establishing deep and lasting relationships. Better to make a commitment to one community.

Naturally, team members will change from year to year. Different leaders may take turns. Reciprocal visits by members of the host communities may or may not be possible, given the ever-tightening constraints of border controls. The goal, however, should be to establish meaningful, mutual and ongoing relationships.

Ethnocentrism, or "that's dumb": When the teams I take to Central America complete their home stays, they give each host family a small gift. Their hosts often react in a way that seems unappreciative to Americans—which has prompted more than a few participants to take offense. But that's simply the way people in that culture respond to gifts. They regard they way we gush at the mementoes they give us as peculiar, even childish. This is ethnocentrism: each is judging the other's actions by the standards of his or her own culture.

The gifts we take on these trips often have to do with time: an engraved clock, a photo calendar of Pennsylvania. But punctuality is not valued in Latin America the way it is in North America. "Where's the bus?" a participant might ask. "The driver said she'd be here at 3:00. It's already 3:15!" I encourage participants to turn their perturbation into a question, to suspend judgment and simply ask why things are the way they are. Maybe a friend stopped by as the driver was preparing to leave home and pick us up. In her culture, it would be unthinkably rude for her to abbreviate that visit just to pick us up at three on the dot.

Who am I to judge? On the other hand, it's a false sense of multiculturalism that suggests that it is always inappropriate for participants to form any moral judgment about another culture. This cultural relativism is the flip side of ethnocentrism: both preclude actually taking another culture seriously.

To be sure, two weeks is far too short to understand another society's complexities. But that doesn't mean that participants must suspend all moral judgment. If the goal is to promote global awareness, then we need to equip short-term missionaries with the tools required to think critically about what they experience abroad.

I see what your problem is: Having an engineer on your mission team can be a mixed blessing. Engineers are trained to diagnose and repair problems; it's part of their professional DNA. They will typically go to a service site and immediately begin to calculate the most efficient approach to the tasks at hand—most efficient, that is, in their world of meaning and reference. This won't always work in another culture, and it may even be offensive.

A team I led a decade ago agreed to help lay the foundation for a modest new church. I sent a check ahead to hire someone to dig the foundation trenches before we arrived—a half day's work at most, with the proper equipment. When we got there, there was no such equipment to be seen, the job was less than half finished, and I was less than half thrilled. But as my Costa Rican friends saw it, it would be crazy to give the money to someone already rich enough to own a Bobcat; there were six unemployed adults in the community who were eager to do the work with picks and shovels for the same sum, even though it would take all six of them three full days to do it.

When we enter into our hosts' world, we do things their way.

I have, you need: A truck pulls into a poor community, and visitors open the back door and begin to distribute whatever it is they've brought: vitamins, food, toiletries, clothing. This may be a good model for first responders to a natural disaster. It is seldom if ever an acceptable one for mission teams. For one thing, it is undignified. For another, it casts the norteamericanos in the role of beneficent givers and the recipients in the role of charity cases.

A better model is to give the donated materials to a local congregation or social-service agency and ask that local leaders distribute it. They may know the people of the community and their degree of need; they may also be familiar with unscrupulous individuals who might attempt to exploit the opportunity. What's more, this approach feeds two birds with one crumb: along with getting the donated materials to the intended recipients, it enhances the local group's ministry.

Let's see some results: Noel Becchetti of the Center for Student Missions tells of a local pastor in Mexico who tries to get visiting teams to help with his mission of outreach to men. Some teams, however, are dead set on building something: they want to see some (literally) concrete results. So the pastor has a wall that he has such teams work on. He has no idea what the wall will ever be or become, but building it keeps the visiting teams busy and out of his hair, and at the end of their time they can rejoice and be glad that they accomplished something tangible.

I have the privilege of seeing projects grow over the years. Team members, however, have only the perspective of their two weeks, and it isn't wrong to want to see results. When I sent photos of the church that was eventually constructed to the team members that did the foundation work described above, they were delighted and got a new perspective on the value of their labors. I now try to manage expectations, so that team members know if they are likely to begin, advance or finish a project; few are the projects that can be begun and completed in a week or two. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase."

Where did you go to grad school? It is certainly appropriate to draw on the expertise of local professors, pastors and others with advanced degrees. Some of our most powerful learning experiences, however, have come through presentations by Nicaraguan refugees and immigrants living in Costa Rica, only one of whom has completed high school. These friends have told us powerful stories of civil war and unemployment in their native land, and they have eloquently explained to us what Christ and his church have meant to them in the midst of tragic, trying and life-altering experiences.

Carbon footprints in the sand: The apostle Paul describes an irony that lies close to the heart of short-term mission trips: we want to do what is good, but various forms of evil can compromise our efforts. The air, bus and boat travel for one Central American trip may generate more than 41 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Contributing to the degradation of the environment is hardly consistent with the Christian faith. In an effort to offset our carbon emissions, we have made tree-planting—directed by local officials—part of recent ventures. (We're aware, however, that experts disagree as to how effective this is.)

Or consider the practice of purchasing T-shirts for team members. How ironic would it be if such purchases supported companies that operate sweatshops exploiting the very people whose lives the mission team seeks to improve? It requires only a little research to make sure you're buying sweatshop-free materials.

They'll figure it out: When I began leading mission trips, I assumed that participants would naturally come to new understandings and integrate them into their faith and life. What I failed to appreciate was the importance of reflection—so critical that some practitioners refer to it as the "hyphen in service-learning." When reflection is minimal or missing—when those involved in short-term missions do not ruminate on their experiences, ponder the situations of those served and relate them to their own faith—a precious opportunity is lost.

Often because of time constraints or the simple disinclination to expend mental and spiritual energy, we complete each day's work, say a prayer and go our separate ways. Like the servant who buries the master's treasure, we play it safe. We know we have encountered something that can challenge our convictions, deepen our discipleship and shape the contours of our own and others' lives. Such encounters disturb our spiritual status quo. It is one thing to work alongside people living in humble circumstances; it is quite another to ask why the prosperity of a relative few is predicated upon the existence of a permanent global underclass.

We often consent to dispense with reflection or at least keep it superficial, preferring the comfort of knowing that we have done a good work—which, in most cases, we truly have—and that those we have served are at least a little better off. Their need is addressed, our guilt is assuaged, and all can return to life as we know it. But this is not transformation; it's deformation.

Short-term mission teams travel down roads paved with good intentions; it's important to avoid these wrong turns. Instead, those of us who lead such trips can foster solidarity and Christian friendship with the partners alongside whom we serve, and we can create space in which all participants—guests and hosts—can ponder, reflect and grow.

Mark Wm. Radecke is chaplain and associate professor of religion at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

June offering

2010-06-05T14:32:00.002-04:00

Dear friends:

I read an article recently that said that John Calvin, 16th century theologian and principal figure behind the system that came to be known as Calvinism, was touted in 2009 by 3 major magazines as the “come back kid,’ declaring him one of the 10 most-often quoted people in America. One of the central tenets of Calvinism is predestination - that God has a plan for your life - that everything is preordained, preprogrammed, and predetermined. As the article notes, one popular author in recent years wrote in his book: “Because God made you for a reason, he also decided when you would be born, every single detail of your body and the uniqueness of your personality, and how long you will live. He planned the days of your life in advance, choosing the exact time of your birth and your death.”

This way of thinking about God has had tremendous appeal, and I think for good reason. In a world that often seems out of control, it’s comforting to think that someone is in control. In a time of social, economic, and political upheaval, it’s comforting to think that somehow, despite of how unsettled and anxious we might feel, there is a greater purpose to it all and that things are happening just like they are supposed to.

There are significant problems with this theology, however. One is that it fails to account for human freedom. You and I were created in the image of God. Therefore, the spark of divinity is alive in each person, a spark that includes freedom, the freedom to love or to not love, the freedom to choose God or to reject God. If that were not the case, then our so-called “choice” to love God and love each other is really no choice at all! Again, as the article above emphasizes in quoting John Wesley - Without true freedom, “the stones of the earth would be as capable of reward and as liable to punishment as [human beings.] Yea it would be as absurd to ascribe either virtue or vice to him [sic] as to ascribe it to the stock of a tree.”

Maybe you’re thinking, “What does all of this matter? It seems like theological babble to me, just splitting hairs about this belief or that. How does this impact my life?” Consider these examples: In the last 24 hours, 30,000 children died somewhere in the world because of factors related to malnutrition. They died because they didn’t have enough food. Somewhere in the world, a parent prayed over their child as they lay dying of cancer. Somewhere in the world, one person acted in violence toward another, or toward themselves. On the streets of cities around the world, including the streets of Boston, thousands of families slept on sidewalks because they had no home of their own.

Are all of these things “preordained, preprogrammed, and predetermined?” Is this “God’s plan,” and all of these details were set before the foundations of the earth? Is that what God was taking joy in planning? (See Ephesians 1: 4 - 6, The Message version)

My understanding of God and how God fits in with the examples listed above is that as children die without food, God weeps. At every hand raised in violence, God weeps. As each person goes to sleep curled around a heating grate on the sidewalk, God weeps. When a child grows weaker as the cancer spreads, God’s heart breaks. And God’s heart breaks when any of us choose to center our lives on things other than God. This heart that breaks for humanity is revealed most fully in Jesus, who, when looking upon the city of Jerusalem, people living without an awareness of God’s love, or people choosing another way, longed to gather them like a mother hen gathers her chicks. (Matthew 23:36-38)

I guess the message I most want you to hear is: God is love. God is love. God is love. And this God who is love desperately loves you. That may be the one thing that is “preordained, preprogrammed, and predetermined” that we can count on.

Grace and peace

Rick

What I Meant to Say

2010-05-11T21:33:00.002-04:00

I almost think I should make this a regular kind of post after each weekend, because there are almost always things that I wish I had said, or things I wish I had spent more time explaining, those asides that really should be developed into full thought, or things that end up on the cutting room floor there is just no room to fit them.

So this there were two things I mentioned - two direct implications of a spiritual truth - that I wish I had had more time about which to talk. I was moving toward the end of my talk and landed on John 6:40 where Jesus says that to have eternal life we must "look to the Son and believe in him." I was talking about how important it is that Jesus be the focus - the most important part of what it means to be connected to the Jesus community (i.e. church). And two things occurred to me - two important things to remember when it comes to making sure that Jesus is the center, that we remember that he is the vine and we are the branches.

The first relates to the fact that our faith community is growing. As we continue to grow, we will gain the attention of the opposition. Our opponent isn’t flesh and blood but the powers of darkness - the evil that pushes back. (Ephesians 6:12). Not everybody has had this experience, but most everybody recognizes the power of evil. You don't have to dig too deeply into a newspaper or spend much time watching the news to see how prevalent evil is. In terms of church, when the body really starts being the body - when we are acting in ways that bring heaven in the real world, the opposition starts pushing back. The push back doesn't have to come in big, flashy, loud ways. All that power has to do, the goal of the "god of this world" (read 2 Corinthians 4) is draw our attention away from the source of strength - away from the vine. If successful, we will find things around us start to go wrong. People will experience physical ailments. Turmoil will emerge between people, between groups. Tensions will inexplicably increase. Disunity and division will increase and there will be difficulty explaining it. Complaints and irritability will show up in unexpected ways in unexpected places. The remedy?We need a group of people praying daily for the church. We need people interceding on behalf o the community, getting in the opposition's way. This is not a task for the faint of heart. This is a real battle with real power, and that power gets ticked when opposed.

Second, as a faith community grows, people need to connect to Jesus and to each other. This is why small groups are so important. They’re most important as a vehicle for you to reach out to friends and invite. A pastor's job is not to attract people to the church. The pastor's job is to equip for the work of ministry, which includes equipping the body to make disciples. Every disciples' job is to make new disciples. Every disciple should have someone in their life that they are intentionally apprenticing to grow as a follower of Jesus. Another reason small groups are so important is that they help connect people in the church to the other people in the church instead of the talking head up front. The pastor cannot be the primary connection for every person in a local church. Dependence on the pastor is a sign of a problem. It is impossible for a pastor to provide real care to more than a small group of people - it's no different for anyone else. In addition, reliance on a pastor actually interferes with the discipleship process, and causes a community to plateau at the 125 - 130 mark. If people rely completely on the pastor for care and community and sustenance, at some point, there will be a breakdown as more and more people compete for the leader's time and attention.

Which brings us back to where we began: Jesus first. And loving Jesus means loving his bride - the church. So connecting to Christ means also connecting to his bride - the body - the church.

So, that's what I would have said if I had more time. And I'd say more if it wasn't so late and today hadn't been so long. So, there it is....thoughts? What do you need to do to make sure you are staying attached to the vine, and are connecting to his body, the church, in real ways?

Exponential 2010

2010-04-26T16:19:00.002-04:00

Got back from Exponential '10 in Orlando, FL Saturday night, and thought it time to jot down a few reflections. A friend of mine called earlier today and asked me what my one big "take-away" from the event was. I'm not sure this is my "final answer" but it's a good one. Think REPRODUCE. Every time you start a ministry, be sure that it's a ministry that is reproducible. That the leader can find someone to be an apprentice so a new leader can be produced. That the ministry itself can be replicated - new teams developed and launched - from the smallest all the up to the biggest - the church itself.

Also, I was warned that this may suffer from a bit of an ego problem - that the presenters lean toward talking about how wonderful their new thing is and that you just have to be as wonderful as them and you too might have the same result. Actually, I found quite the opposite. The plenary speakers, beginning with Mark Batterson from NCC in Washington D.C. to Louie Giglio and Ken Blanchard and Matt Chandler - all of them offering a word with humility - a conviction that we all stand on the same ground beneath the cross of Jesus.

In fact, three messages came through just about every plenary or workshop I attended. First, (1) the most important thing is your relationship with Jesus. Everything else flows from this. Center your life in Christ. Be passionate and devoted to him; talk with him; listen to him; keep him at the center.

Second, followers of Jesus are those who are intentional about introducing others to Jesus, and equipping them to do the same for others. You can't fake this - you have to know Jesus to introduce him (see #1) - but followers reproduce followers. That's been true for 2000 years, and if you are not making new followers who make new followers, you have to ask yourself some serious questions about your relationship with Christ.

Third, healthy churches reproduce churches that reproduce churches that reproduce churches...you get the idea. You and I go to a church that was planted by another at one point or another, whether that plant was 200 years ago or it was 50 years ago or 10 years ago. A group of believers caught the vision that new believers would come to know Jesus only if another church was planted in the neighborhood, and that church was connected contextually to what was happening in that community.

There are other thoughts that have come as I've written this, but I'll save those for another time. This is enough for now. But hopefully I've given you some things to think about. Such as, are you keeping Jesus at the center? Is there someone in your life in whom you are investing so that they might become a reproducing follower of Jesus? And what does the idea that a healthy church reproduces churches that reproduce do to your concept of what it means to be "church"?

When doubt creeps in

2010-04-18T19:34:00.002-04:00

I just got around to reading (rather than just skimming) the column published in the Boston Globe by Drake Dennett, an article that talks about how many clergy experience doubt when it comes to faith. It is an important question - the issue of doubt related to faith - one that any person on a spiritual journey experiences. I do think that either the editor or Mr. Bennett misrepresented what Mother Teresa spoke of regarding her own experience of God's absence. They fail to also note that she taught that feelings were not to be trusted, particularly in light of what one knows to be true. She knew God's promises in Christ to be true - and acted on those promises for her whole life, regardless of how she felt. Below is published the transcript of a message I delivered a few weeks ago on this very subject. I pray it helps you wrestle with your faith when (not if) you experience your own "dark night of the soul."

From March 26, 2010: Where is God?

Where is God?
Mark 15: 33 - 37

[Prayer]

In the years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the apostles came under a great deal of pressure from various individuals and groups - people who argued about who Jesus was or was not. Over time, they began to crystalize what they knew to be true into faith statements. It’s believed that these faith statements began to be grouped together, so that by the second century, they became set as a creed. The creed we recited, the Apostles’ Creed, is a collection of those statements. Irenaeus, a leader of the church in the middle of the second century, refers to this creed and gives credit to the apostles.

Let’s just say right up front - the creed contains a lot of stuff - a lot of things to just take on faith. That’s what we’re going to talk about today - faith - in particular, having faith when it is hard to have faith.

Let me start by asking you some questions. Has there ever been a time in your life when God has felt distant? You were seeking, pursuing, trying to know God but it seemed like God had signed out - just not there - like God was hiding? When you read things like the creed, have you or do you ever struggle believing some of the things in there - like the resurrection - do you ever doubt what you’re saying? Have you ever gotten angry with God and wanted to yell at God but it seemed pointless? Have you ever felt like God let you down - that God didn’t have your back when you really needed God to be there?

Most people, to some degree, have felt these things at some point in their journey. So let me just put this out there and then we’ll talk about it. Faith is not the absence of doubt, anger, or unbelief. In fact, the Bible defines faith quite differently. Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Faith is not the absence of doubt, anger and unbelief. What we’re going to see today is Jesus himself experiencing some of these emotions, and discover faith is something else. So if you have your Bibles, open them up to Mark 15, starting with verse 33.

[Read from Bible: Mark 15:33-37.]

The last sound we hear from Jesus in Mark’s gospel is a loud cry - fonay megas - a loud scream - a scream of terror. What’s different about Mark’s gospel from the other gospels is that Mark’s telling of the story is raw - it’s hard and to the point. Mark never cuts away from the hard stuff - he keeps the lens focused right on it. He shows us: Jesus’ death is not a peaceful death. It’s a tormented death. We’ve been talking about the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life - and it’s been a day filled agony, heartache, abandonment and torture. Last week we talked about what he went through being flogged - the unbelievable beating he took at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Now he’s on the cross. Crucifixion has been described as the cruelest form of death humanity has ever come up with - it was a long, slow, painful death. Bleeding from the scourging, nails through his wrist bones, and through his feet. Mark tells us that Jesus is put on the cross at the third hour - that’s 9 a.m. - and he screams and breathes his last at 3 p.m. - 6 hours, suffering on the cross.

He either bled to death or suffocated. A person hanging on the cross is constantly trying to stand up, taking the pressure off of his hands - but also taking the pressure off his lungs. With the arms hyperextended, Jesus would have difficulty inhaling, and so he would have to push up to relieve the pressure. In time, he would become exhausted. This is why Roman soldiers would often break the legs of the person on the cross, preventing the person from pushing up and thereby speeding up the process.

Jesus’ death is not pretty. Jesus dies feeling abandoned by God. At his death, Jesus is screaming, “Where is God?” “My God, my God, why have your forsaken me.” Forsaken. Abandoned. And he screams. First abandoned by his friends, now he feels abandoned by God. Can you imagine - the son of God - screaming this question: “where is God?”

Sometimes you’ll hear people who have had near-death experiences where they describe seeing a light - this peaceful, beckoning light - and then they’re turned gently away. Jesus saw no light. Jesus dies feeling God-forsaken. Jesus went into utter darkness. The creed says “he descended to the dead,” or the traditional reading is “he descended into hell.” This part of the creed comes from the book of Ephesians -the Bible and these creeds - these faith statements - were being written and passed around at the same time - Ephesians 4:9 reads: “When it says ‘he ascended’ (that is, ascended into heaven) what does it mean but that he had also descended into hell?”

Jesus dies screaming the question: where is God? When I went to South Africa, I remember hearing the story of a woman, the wife of a pastor, who escaped from the Congo - villagers were being massacred by rebels - and this woman and her family, 5 children, walking at night, hundreds of miles - and she spoke of hearing neighbors screaming for God as their children were being taken out of their homes and killed.

Where is God? In the face of evil, how could this all powerful God stay silent? His own son, stretched out and dying on the cross - and he does nothing! How could God do this? How is it that God seems to abandon us to the forces of wickedness - of evil - of disease? How can God be silent when children are dying of cancer? Where is God as 30,000 children die every single day from issues related to malnutrition? Where is God?

St. John of the Cross was a priest - a mystic - who lived in the 16th century in Spain. He’s best known for a piece of writing called “Dark Night of the Soul” - a poem really. The main idea of the poem describes the painful experience that people endure as they seek to grow in spiritual maturity. It describes those periods when it seems God is nowhere to be found. Have you ever had a dark night of the soul? A time when it seems Jesus has left the building? It happens, for most people seeking God, to varying degrees. Some people, after experiencing personal tragedy, go so far as to turn away from God completely. They lose somebody they care about to disease or to tragedy, or some other life catastrophe occurs and that’s it. They get so angry with God in their heart they are yelling at God: “I hate you God! I hate you for what happened! It’s your fault God. Where were you God?”

St. John of the Cross isn’t the only person of deep faith to have experienced a dark night of the soul. I asked on my FB page if anyone had ever felt abandoned by God, and one person, a person I know to be of deep faith, a true follower of Jesus wrote this: When I was in my late twenties my 5 week old baby died. The Church refused to bury her in a their cemetery because she had not been baptized in the church yet; even though I baptized her when I found her dead. I was so mad at God and truly felt He had abandon me.”

Dark night of the soul. Many people have described this as part of their relationship with God, including Mother Teresa.

Did you know that? For most of Mother Teresa’s life she experienced God as absent. The first time she mentions the “darkness” she’s 25 years old and the feeling continued up to her death. Listen to a few things she wrote in letters:

“The place of God in my soul is blank. He does not want me.
“There’s a terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead.”
“I want to love Jesus...yet there is terrible emptiness, that terrible feeling of the absence of God.”
“Sometimes I just hear my own heart cry out ‘My God’ and nothing else comes.”

On retreat in 1946 she heard the call to go to the poorest of the poor in India, but then for the entire time she ran the Missionaries of Charity except for a few weeks in 1958, she was not enjoying God’s presence. She thought God did not want her.

Ever thought: I can never be like Mother Teresa; she’s just so spiritual. Guess what? If you’ve ever experienced doubt, or the absence of God, or anger at God, or wondered “Where’s God?,” you are like Mother Teresa!

But how many of us would have just quit at that point?

The people around her never new that she was living in spiritual agony. She always presented a smile and encouraging spirit. In fact, she would often say to the nuns she taught and worked with, “Don’t give into your feelings.”

Why? Because faith isn’t about how you feel, or about feeling the presence of God. Faith is acting on the promise of God regardless of how you feel. Imagine what the world would be like if Mother Teresa had quit!

Out of this we hear that question: where are you God? How can an all powerful God stay silent - be impotent - in the face of evil? So the question isn’t just where are you God, but why God? Isn’t that what Jesus asked? Why God? Why have you forsaken me?

One of the oldest books in the Bible - anyone know which one that is? The earliest written book of the Bible? Job. For years the Bible was simply passed on telling stories. When they started writing these things down, they didn’t start with Genesis and then keep going. The earliest book appears to be Job. What’s Job about?

Why? Why do good people seem to lose the favor and protection of God? Why do bad things seem happen to good people and the wicked prosper? I mean Job - every horrible thing that could happen to a person happens to Job. He loses his health, his wealth, and the worst of all things, he loses his family. It’s like the people you and I know who have raised their children in the faith, and the parents have prayed for them to be safe from harm and then lose them to an accident or to sickness.

In the book of Job God never gives a clear answer as to why they good sometimes suffer at the hands of evil, but Paul gives us some insight. Paul is the first practical theologian. Paul is the one who first experiences the resurrection of Christ in his life and starts to write down what it means.

So in Philippians, he writes this - chapter 3: 10. Philippians is to the right in your Bible - little book - he writes this:

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection....”

Now all of us are for that - the good part - the new life part. But if we stop there, we are worshiping something less than God - stopping there puts us in the prosperity gospel - the health and wealth god - the god of our imagination.

So let’s hear Paul out. “I want to know the power of the resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becomes like him in his death.”

The Greek word there for the word “sharing” is the word for fellowship - it’s the word “koinonia.” We’ve talked about this word before. Koinonia - to invest yourself - to share fully - to be an invested member of the community. Paul says to know the power of the resurrection means to participate in the suffering - to become part of the community of the abandoned. To put yourself there on purpose.

To know the power of his resurrection, the redeeming resurrection power - to make a difference in the world around you, you must becomes one with Christ in the fellowship of the abandoned.

That’s what God was doing in Christ on the cross. Jesus, God incarnate - the Word made flesh - becomes one with the community of the abandoned.

He became one with the men, women and children who were killed in the Holocaust.
He became one with the millions being slaughtered in the Sudan.
He became one with the 30,000 children who die every single day from malnutrition - 1300 kids while we’ve been worshiping here.
He became one with the children of our friends who have died from accident and disease.

God is God of the forsaken because God has been forsaken. On the cross, Christ became one with the abandoned - he shared - he invested in the suffering of humanity.

You know who gets this, who really gets this? People who have suffered. When I’ve gone to places where people have truly experienced suffering - people of South Africa or the refugees who were in South Africa escaping violence in their own country - people who have seen their families massacred - it is difficult to describe the depth of their faith. To be in worship - Max, you tasted some of this in Cuba - to be in worship with them - they worship as if their very life depended on God - because they know it does.

We will never know the power of God working in through our lives as a redemptive force in the life of another if we don’t become one with Jesus in the fellowship of the abandoned - if we don’t invest ourselves in the community of those on the margins.

Faith isn’t the absence of doubt, fear, or anger. So the question changes. The question is: what are you going to do? What are you going to do with doubt - with anger - with the feeling that God seems absent. Faith isn’t about how you feel - faith is acting on the promises of God regardless of how you feel. So it comes down to what you’re going to do with your doubt or anger because we all have it to one degree or another, in different parts of our journey.

So one option is to shut down - to let your feelings create paralysis - to shut down and check out. Feelings can do that - but feelings are not required and may even be misleading. As Mother Teresa’s story makes clear - absence of feeling does not equal the absence of God. The message from Mother Teresa is, regardless of how you feel, keep acting on the promises of God.

That’s exactly what Jesus went did. He screamed going down into darkness - God, where are you? Why have you abandoned me? But he kept moving forward, trusting in the promise of the resurrection.

Faith is obeying God, acting on God’s truth, while in doubt.
Faith is obeying God, acting on God’s truth, while experiencing anger.
Faith is obeying God in numbness.
Faith is doing what you know you need to do until your heart follows.

Isn’t it amazing what God did through Mother Teresa with her not feeling God’s presence. The author of her biography put it like this - that if we are struggling with how to move forward - if we are experiencing those kinds of feelings, he writes:

“Starting by loving the unloved, the unwanted, the lonely closest to us, in our own homes, in our communities and neighborhoods, we can follow her example of loving until it hurts, of doing always a little more than we feel ready to do.”

What are we going to do? Shut down and check out? Or keep moving?

There are a couple of great verses that will help us keep moving - to persevere in acting on God’s promises. These will help you in answering the question: what are you going to do?

The first comes from Job. Job has gone through all kinds of hell and his friends show up to see what’s going on. And after learning what has happened to Job - the loss of his wealth and seeing his body covered with sores - they say to Job: Man, you must have really screwed up. God is really ticked off at you to be putting you through this.

And Job tells them to shut up and then says here’s how it is. This is Job 13:15), he says: Though God slay me, yet will I hope in him. Job didn’t even have Jesus to look to and Job knew the faithfulness of God. You and I can look at Jesus - we see the faithfulness of God in Jesus’ giving of himself to the world - not letting even the cross stop him.

The other verse comes from Mark. In the ninth chapter, a man comes to Jesus with his son who is having seizures, and foaming at the mouth, hurting himself as he thrashes around. And the man says to Jesus, “If you are able to do anything, please, help us.”

And Jesus answers, “What do you mean, if I can? All things are possible to those who have faith - to those who believe.” We’re going to talk about that more next week - on Easter - on resurrection day - to find out how much faith you need - and it’s not much. It’s about activating the faith you do have.
 Jesus says, “All things are possible to those who believe.” And immediately the dad answers, v. 24: “I believe; help my unbelief!”

In other words, I believe - so I’m going to put the belief I have to work, while you work on the parts of my life that are stuck in unbelief. You with me here, church?

This morning, as we get ready to come to this table, I want to invite you to believe again. I’m not talking about that sort of mental belief - that belief that just stays in your head. I’m talking about acting on faith - about doing what you know you need to do until your heart follows. I’m talking about getting real with Jesus, having that conversation with him and yourself saying, “You know, life is short. Teach me to pay attention the days I have and use them for your purposes. Not my will. Not how I feel.”

I’m talking about acting on the promises of God regardless of how you feel. Following Mother Teresa’s example of loving the unwanted, the lonely, the people right in our neighborhoods and in our families, of loving until it hurts - joining the community of the abandoned - doing always a little more than we feel ready to do. Doing the small things with great love.

Let’s just take a moment of silent prayer - of silent confession - before we come to this table.

Michael J. Fox

2010-04-17T22:54:00.002-04:00

Incredible conversation...would love to hear more. Check it out....

Authentic Friendships

2010-03-27T17:12:00.002-04:00

Here's an early look at my offering for the upcoming Harbor & Marshfield newsletter.....

Dear friends:

Whenever I visit a large city, or even a large mall, inevitably I find myself standing in front of one of those large maps that are placed strategically for those who find themselves lost. On those maps you will find a little arrow and the words, “You are here.”

These maps are a good metaphor for the spiritual life. And just like when you arrive at a new map in a new location in the city, and the arrow with the words “You are here” has also changed, so it is for our spiritual life. The life with God is a journey. It’s a journey includes incredible, mountain-top experiences. It’s a journey that includes horrible experiences, deep in the dark valley moments. It’s a journey that includes other people. And all along the way, the place where the “You are here” arrow points changes. We take steps. And every step we take starts from wherever we are at any given moment. We can’t do anything else.

In our community, you are surrounded by people who at their own particular place in the journey of faith. The place to which the arrow points on their spiritual journey is unlikely to be the same for where it points in your life. You can’t make them be where you are, and vice versa.

Even so, it is still a shared journey. We make this journey together, connected as part of a larger body. Each of us is learning for ourselves what it means to be on this life-changing, grace-filled adventure with God and God’s people. For real change to occur, we must be able to trust the people around us. When Jesus talks about the kingdom of God, he describes it as something that grows over time - a mustard seed that in time grows into a large tree, a safe harbor for God’s creatures; seeds planted that in time God grace works to bring fruit; a lost son who eventually finds his way home into the arms of a loving Father. Life in the kingdom of God is a process, a journey, one step after another. It’s a process, and it’s always relational. It is a shared process - a shared journey.

One of our focus areas this year is for each of us to intentionally build friendships - to know people more. The Bible’s word for these friendships is “koinonia” (koy-no-nee-ah). It means to invest yourself - to be intentional about sharing yourself with others. Acts 2:42 - “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Here’s what we know to be true and the whole point of this offering - people who don’t find meaningful relationships in the life of the community “will either leave, or they will stay as silent observers from their Sunday morning seats.” (Mark Waltz)

Here’s a simple exercise: on Sunday after worship, for the first 3 to 5 minutes, seek out someone you don’t know very well and speak to them. You can catch up with others afterward. But initially, seek out a new face and find out something about them. Share something about yourself. Invest a few minutes of your time - it is, in the words of Mother Teresa, a way of “doing a small thing with great love.”

This simple act is another step forward in your journey - a way of moving your arrow from where you are to the next place God wants to take you. And my guess is that as you build this new friendship, you will find yourself happily amazed to learn you how much your truly share in common with this fellow traveler.

Grace and peace,

Rick

The Last Words

2010-03-10T17:51:00.000-05:00

Pretty incredible video - the best words are near the end. Wait for it....

Monthly Epistle for March

2010-03-02T16:59:00.002-05:00

Here's my letter to the congregations I serve.....

Dear friends,

Think about the important relationships in your life - family members, friends, co-workers. The connections we have with others are so important. Each of those relationships has some influence on us. Even a vague connection can impact our decision making and our actions. We buy things from a salesperson we like. We recommend people we know for a new job we heard about. We go to restaurants or watch certain movies because a friend told us he/she thought we’d enjoy it. Sometimes we’ll even move to another state because a friend spoke so highly of it (that’s how Lori and I ended up in North Carolina!)

The closer those relationships, the more influence they have in our lives. For example, shopping, particularly in thrift stores or flea markets, is not my favorite thing to do. But if my wife Lori asks me to go with her to do those things, I’ll go. We go because we care about the other person. That’s reason enough.

When it comes to the church, we fail to recognize the influence of relationships. You’ve heard me regularly encourage you to pray for friends and neighbors, and then look for the opportunity to invite them to worship or to your small group. And many of us no doubt think, “Oh, I really should invite so and so next time,” but then never do. It turns out we are missing an incredible opportunity. Research consistently shows that nearly 90% of people will come to church if invited by a friend or acquaintance. We are also missing out on the opportunity of seeing a friend begin the journey toward a new life with Christ.

I’m so grateful for the people in my life that have helped me come to know and accept Jesus for myself. I think of my mom, who made sure that I, along my brothers and sister, gathered with the community each weekend when we were young. I think of Mrs. Stacey, my Sunday School teacher when I was in second grade, how her love allowed me to experience God’s grace. I think of Dave Myers, a pastor who came to the church when I was in my early teens, who guided me toward experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the joy that comes in serving others. Because of Dave, I had the opportunity to play basketball against inmates in a local prison as part of a church group. (Picture it: one scrawny 11 year old on a team of all adults playing against adult inmates. A wild time to be sure!) I think of Bob Duane, who came alongside me when my life was coming apart at the seams. Bob led me to embrace Jesus again as an adult - to really come to know the transforming power of God’s grace and what life can really be like. Mrs. Stacey, Dave Myers, Bob Duane - everyone of them an important part of my growing to be a follower of Jesus. There are no words to express the gratitude I have for what they did and what they’ve meant in my faith journey. I bet there are people in your life who have done the same for you.

Here’s the thing: you can be that someone for another person. There is someone you know, a friend, an acquaintance, a neighbor, that you could begin to invest in and then in time invite to a celebration or small group.

We’re going to spend a fair amount of time after Easter talking about Jesus’ call to be fishers of people. It’s part of living into our goal that each us begin to “invest and invite” - to reach out and ask others to join the journey. You’ll be given some tools in the next few months to do that; we’ll try to make it easy for you. For example, the reason we’re following the series “24 Hours that Changed the World” during Lent is so that you’ll have something exciting to invite your friends to. This series is a close look at the events of Jesus’ final twenty-fours on earth, events that did indeed change the world, for everyone even if they don’t believe. (Just the fact that we refer to this year as “2010” is because of Jesus.) We’ll provide you with postcards to use as we often do. This is an easy way to invite someone. Even better, call them up and offer to pick them up. Take them out for breakfast beforehand, or maybe lunch afterward. Begin to invest in them the way others have invested in you.

Grace and peace

Rick

Melting Ice and Ugliness

2010-02-26T15:17:00.001-05:00

Really powerful post from Shane Claiborne....take the time to listen for the whisper of God's kingdom....

Something sort of mystical and magical happened after a 19 year old kid named Papito was killed on our block a few weeks ago. As our neighborhood ached and grieved and cried with his family, we began to create a memorial for Papito where he died, a familiar ritual in the inner city. Those who knew and loved him brought photos and flowers. Kids on our block brought stuffed animals or whatever they had and laid them on the sidewalk memorial. And everyone brought candles. But here’s where the magic happened. It was the next day that the east coast was to be hammered with one of the worst snowstorms since we’ve kept records. As the snow showered down, I thought the little candles, sheltered only beneath a little shanty of soggy cardboard, would not stand a chance in the blizzard. But on they burned. Hour after hour, even through the night they burned. And the warmth of the fire melted down the snow as it fell. Flake by flake melted from the warmth of the fire. The next morning I went out to find the candles still burning, on a little patch of wet sidewalk like an oasis of warmth glowing in the middle of 2 feet of snow encroaching on all sides.

The next week we held a prayer vigil at the local gunshop, praying for an end to violence… and specifically asking and praying that the owner of “The Shooter Shop” would agree to a voluntary “Code of Conduct” drafted by Mayors from all over the country who agree that these ten simple steps would prevent deaths like Papito’s. So on February 13, we walked in silence with friends and neighbors from the candle memorial where Papito died three blocks to The Shooter Shop down the street. And we carried candles. It was there that I remembered the candles gentle warmth as it faced the coldness of a winter storm.

As we gathered with dozens of other Christians from around Philadelphia to pray for peace, we were met by a counter-demonstration that had been organized by guns-rights groups. They shouted some of the meanest things I have ever heard. I didn’t mind them calling me a “scumbag”, and I even concede on the “you need a shower” comment… but then the insults shot like bullets – racial, economic, angry insults… some of them to kids from our block… some of them whispered just loud enough to hear, “stupid immigrant”. As we started a sacred moment of silence to remember Papito and the other kids killed with illegal guns… the silence was pierced with insults and meanness. As we prayed the Lord’s Prayer it was interrupted with the singing of “God Bless America.” A deep theological cagematch was happening in the heavens it seems.

While I do not believe the folks we met reflect the character or views of most gun owners or even NRA members (heck I’ve shot some squirrels for dinner back in TN)… the ugly counterprotest was organized by folks who started off by saying things like this:

Be advised that Shooter’s Shop is located in a dicey neighborhood. You should have no problem in daylight, and I doubt the local neighborhood folks are going to mess with a bunch of NRA members, but carry your gun with you, do not leave it unattended in a vehicle if you go where someone could break into your car and steal it!

(from the website “Snowflakes in Hell”… which incidently may flow with my candle metaphor!)

So the fact that they are not from the neighborhood may explain some of the behavior we saw and inability to lament the bloodshed we see on these streets from guns sold to straw buyers at gunshops like the Shooter Shop (not many folks are buying hunting rifles from a gunshop in Kensington… we don’t have many deer here).

There is no doubt that my grandmother was right when she used to say, “God doesn’t like ugly.” And the Scriptures speak clearly that we are not fighting against people but against principalities and powers – ugly, filthy, sick principalities and powers. When we look at Jesus’s cross we see what love looks like when it stares evil in the face. It is nonviolent, it is forgiving, it is steady and courageous. It is this courageous love that exposes evil by making it so uncomfortable that it has to be dealt with. Colossians is correct when it says that as Jesus rose from the dead he made a spectacle of the cross. As he listened to insults, had people spit in his face, curse him and kill him… he knew full well that he was exposing the ugliness… and in the end love wins over hatred.

When we came back to the house we got a chance to unpack things with some of the teenagers from the block who were at the vigil. They shared about how powerful it was to see us return meanness with kindness. We remembered how Martin Luther King said to those who were so mean to him: “To our most bitter opponents we say: ‘Throw us in jail and we will still love you. Bomb our houses and we will still love you. Beat us and leave us half dead, and we will still love you… but be ye assured that we will wear you down with our love.” As the early Christian martyrs said: “Grace dulls even the sharpest sword.”

We will continue to hold vigil and to pray for a conversion of heart from the gunshop owner. In fact, the steady witness is growing… over 100 pastors and Church leaders have drafted letters (like this one) to the gunshop owner urging him to seize this opportunity to lead with integrity and show irresponsible gunshop owners a better way. Please light your candle and send your letter to Mr. Haney. When he signs the Code of Conduct we will alert the press and have a huge celebration outside The Shooter Shop (I might even buy a new bb-gun from him).

This morning I woke up and saw the snow falling again, and the candles still burning (they’ve been burning for almost 3 weeks now)… they are still melting the snow. As I thought about the vigil last week, I had once thought we were sheep among wolves… but now I’m thinking we were just candles in the middle of a blizzard. And snow melts, but the light keeps glowing. We are to be the light, to be the salt… both of which can melt the toughest ice or the coldest heart.

Change the World

2010-02-25T17:00:00.002-05:00

A great article posted recently on UM Portal...check it out....and be changed.

One recent Sunday morning, I was preaching on God’s mission as Jesus describes it in Luke 4:18-19.

I talked about how when we are younger we feel like we can change the world, but as we age we gradually lose that feeling. And I said that the church needs to reclaim the idea that we can make the world a better place, more like the way God wants it to be.

I talked about how the church is the body of Christ in the world today, sent on the same mission Jesus Christ was sent on. And how when we lose sight of that mission and focus on other things, we lose our connection to God and become just another social organization.

I then asked the congregation: “If you wore a nametag that said, ‘I go to Campbell United Methodist Church,’ and someone asked you why our church exists, what would you say?”

I asked for people to call out their responses: “To connect people together.” “To share the love of God with others.” “To offer Christ to people.”

And then, a quiet, but confident 10-year-old voice from the middle of the room said, “To change the world.”

There it is. There’s a mission statement for you! Why does the church exist? To change the world. And who says it out loud better than anyone else? A 10-year-old.

The Holy Spirit was thick in the room at that moment. I had to repeat what he had said so that everyone could hear it. People craned their necks to try to see who it was, and whispers could be heard as the grown-ups asked one another who had brought the sermon to a halt with a burst of Holy Spirit-inspired truth.

The sermon was irrelevant, insignificant fluff. Power had been spoken aloud, and I did not know how to proceed.

So I didn’t—for a while. I had to let the moment expand and wash over people. My mind, my heart and my voice were all caught up in what had just happened.

What more needs to be said when a 10-year-old believes that his church exists to change the world?

The Rev. Bryan is an elder in the Missouri Conference. Excerpted from his blog,entertherainbow.blogspot.com.

These Forty Days

2010-02-12T15:05:00.003-05:00

I really like Lent - the visceral, sensual, dramatic re-experiencing of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. I also like when someone does something creative as they think through what it means for their life. Hence, the video below....it's okay to laugh. It's funny! (HT to Gavoweb)

Jesus Fight Club

2010-02-07T14:51:00.004-05:00

I know this is news that is almost a week old (and therefore moving quickly out of the public eye and conscious thought) but I'm just getting around to reading material around this. Apparently churches, in an effort to reach the younger adult male are starting fight clubs. Here's the NY Times article, and then a nice follow up article on Church Marketing Sucks.

I think CM Sucks poses some good questions. What exactly is being communicated here being so closely juxtaposed to the gospel of Jesus. I am certainly one who things that following Jesus requires courage - as much courage, if not more than, it takes to return violence for violence. Jesus' teaching of "turning one's cheek" isn't a let-them-run-over-you-like-a-doormat teaching but one that invites the oppressed to stand up and face the oppressor, insisting on equal human treatment.

But when courage turns toward violent aggression, I think we've moved past Jesus into something else. Would be curious what others think....

Community Goals for 2010

2010-01-30T17:17:00.001-05:00

Dear friends:

On January 30, the leadership team met for a day of visioning, planning and goal setting. We came away with some clear plans for the year, looking to improve how we can reach the community through the two campuses. In addition, we came away with what we are calling “Focus on Four.” These are four goals that we are encouraging every member of the faith community to take steps in achieving in 2010. These goals are built around our mission statement (connect, grow and serve) and we have added one additional goal (reach out), keeping in mind the Great Commission to “go and make disciples.”

The first goal, under connect, is the every person will seek to build friendships within the community: know people more. Being connected to others is the glue that strengthen any community. It’s important that we getting to know each other. As I mentioned in a recent message, Christian community is centered on “koinonia” - a commitment to invest in others and expect that others will invest in us. Some of you are clearly well on your way to this kind of connection. We want to see every person doing the same. Following Jesus is not just about coming to the worship celebration on the weekend - it’s also about walking the journey of faith with others. Some of you may find that small groups help you do that. Some may find it’s better for you to connect in more informal ways. We will also be creating opportunities and events to help you. Whatever way, we encourage you to intentionally find ways to build friendships.

Second, under the area of grow, is the goal to read your Bible. Our life together is grounded in the Word of God. We believe that scripture is “God-breathed” and vital for growing and maturing as a follower of Jesus. Notice, the goal is to read your Bible. We encourage you to have a Bible of your own and to make reading the scriptures a regular practice. We encourage you to bring your Bible to worship. For 2010, I will be inviting you to open to the scripture we are studying each weekend, and will be using the New Revised Standard Version. If you don’t have a Bible, you will be able to purchase one (I’ve ordered 15 that will be available for only $5!)

Third, under serve, the goal is for you to take the next step in service. Followers of Jesus are instruments of the kingdom of God. Our hands and feet can be used to bless others in acts of service. Some of you have served on mission teams to Downeast Maine, or overseas. Some have served through the food pantry, or at the Long Island Shelter. Some are just beginning to learn what it means to love God by serving others. Wherever you are, we invite you to take the next step. Maybe you’ve served at the local food pantry, but now need to stretch yourself by going to the Long Island homeless shelter. Maybe you’ve brought clothing in for the Maine mission, but you’ve never gone on a mission trip. Maybe this is the year! In addition to the regular opportunities for service we had all along, we’ll be putting together “Service Saturdays” throughout the year. These will be short, simple, focused opportunities to serve, and a great way to invite a friend. Leading to our fourth goal....

Invest and invite. As a follower of Christ, we are commanded to reach out to others and invite them to be part of the journey. We are surrounded by neighbors, friends, co-workers, who don’t know the joy of a life with God. The first step is simply to make friends - to invest in others for no other reason than people matter. The truth is that people in our neighborhoods are looking for something that will give their life a deeper meaning and purpose. Reaching out sometimes seems like a scary or overwhelming task, so we’re going to give you tools and teaching in order to make it easier. We’ll continue to give you postcards to use to invite friends to new series. We’ll be launching “Big Sundays” throughout the year (more on that another time), and after Easter I’ll be doing an eight week series called “Go Fish” which will explain why it is so important to reach out, and how you can do so in natural, inoffensive ways.

Build friendships, read your Bible, take the next step in service, and invest and invite. That’s our focus for 2010. We hope and pray that you’ll join us in living into these goals. Imagine what would happen if everyone made these a priority. Imagine the lives that would be changed, and the impact we could make together for the kingdom of God.

Grace and peace

Rick

Reach out

2010-01-29T08:22:00.001-05:00

I’m so grateful for the people in my life that have helped me come to know and accept Jesus for myself. I think of my mom, who made sure that I, along my brothers and sister, gathering with the community each weekend when we were young. I think of Mrs. Stacey, my Sunday School teacher when I was in second grade, how her love allowed me to experience God’s grace. I think of Dave Myers, a pastor who came to the church when I was in my early teens, who guided me toward experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the joy that comes in serving others. Because of Dave, I had the opportunity to play basketball against inmates in a local prison as part of a church group. (Picture it: one scrawny 11 year old on a team of all adults playing against adult inmates. A wild time to be sure!) I think of Bob Duane, who came alongside me when my life was coming apart at the seams. Bob led me to embrace Jesus again as an adult - to really come to know the transforming power of God’s grace and what life can really be like. Mrs. Stacey, Dave Myers, Bob Duane - everyone of them an important part of my growing to be a follower of Jesus. There are no words to express the gratitude I have for what they did and what they’ve meant in my faith journey. I bet there are people in your life who have done the same for you.

Here’s the thing: you can be that someone for another person. There is someone you know, a friend, an acquaintance, a neighbor, that you could begin to invest in and then in time invite to a celebration or small group.

We’re going to spend a fair amount of time after Easter talking about Jesus’ call to be fishers of people. You’ll be given some tools in the next few months to do that; we’ll try to make it easy for you. For example, the reason we’re starting a series called “24 Hours that Changed the World” during Lent is so that you’ll have something exciting to invite your friends to. This series is a close look at the events of Jesus’ final twenty-fours on earth, events that did indeed change the world, for everyone even they don’t believe. (Just the fact that we refer to this year as “2010” is because of Jesus.) We’ll provide you with postcards to use as we often do. This is an easy way to invite someone. Even better, call them up and offer to pick them up. Take them out for breakfast beforehand, or maybe lunch afterward. Begin to invest in them the way others have invested in you.

Grace and peace

Rick

Help for Haiti

2010-01-15T08:59:00.001-05:00

If you are still looking for a way to help those surviving the devastating earthquake in Haiti, you can go to this LINK and give. 100% of the money you give will go directly to supporting the relief work.

January Offering

2010-01-03T09:49:00.004-05:00

Here is my offering that will appear in the upcoming Harbor/Marshfield newsletter. With our missing the opportunity to gather as a community again, I thought this might be helpful as you intentionally consider God's call to take another step in your faith journey.

"Dear friends,

The start of a new year is often a time when people think about changes they need to make, i.e. lose weight, break bad habits, etc. This is a good thing. We ought to take inventory of our lives from time to time. Reflecting on where we are in life is an important part of being a whole and maturing person. This is true for our spiritual life as well. For followers of Jesus, or, as the Bible calls them, disciples, learning and growing is an ongoing expectation.
Sometimes the expectation of what it means to be a disciple is misunderstood. Author Kary Oberbrunner says that many times, the church teaches something that looks like this: accept Jesus into your heart, don’t do bad things now, withdraw from culture, hang out with Christians, go to church, read your Bible, pray, be happy that you are saved, and then tell others how happy they can be if they would do all that stuff too.
If that’s all church is, then I have to tell you - I’m not that interested. Sounds pretty boring, actually. Where’s the passion? Where’s the adventure? Oberbrunner suggests that Jesus’ invitation to be his disciple looks quite different from the list in the paragraph above. He writes that Jesus calls us in this way:

I want your whole life - everything - including your heart, soul, mind and strength.
I want to form myself in you.
I want to transform you and then have you transform culture.
I want you to be in the world as I was.
I want you to be the church, the incarnation of me.
I want you to embody the Word to others.
I am giving you abundant life now and will do so throughout eternity.
Be my hands and feet in this world and see people as people, not projects to convert.

This list sounds more like an adventure.

It’s a call to commit everything!

A call to allow our hearts to be changed by Jesus so that we might change the world!

A call to live the ways of the kingdom so that others might experience a taste of heaven on earth through us!

This year I challenge all of us to take the next step in our walk of faith. Those steps will look different for each of us, but at the very least, they will include three elements. First, growing as a disciple requires that we are theologically informed. To love God with all our heart and mind means that we must commit to learning the ways of Jesus, studying the teachings of Jesus and what it means to be part of his church. Second, growing as a disciple requires that we are spiritually transformed. Loving God will all of our heart and soul means that we commit to the means of grace, such as prayer, worship, small groups, tithing, and experiencing the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). Third, growing as a disciples means that we commit to living our faith daily in the world. Loving God with all we are means that we seek to serve God by serving others, working for justice and mercy, developing relationships with non and nominally religious people, using our spiritual gifts, and sharing our faith.
2009 was an amazing year for our community. So many wonderful things have been accomplished, and so many amazing people have joined the community, adding their gifts, offering their talents, enriching all of our lives by their presence. As I look ahead to 2010, I see even greater things in store - a bakery in Nicaragua to build, mission trips, continued strengthening of the ministry in Marshfield, new people to welcome to the community. None of these things will come by our own power, but only through submitting our lives to the One who can do all things - abundantly far more than we could ever ask or imagine. And it all begins with one step - the next step. What is your next step? In what area do you need to grow? Take the step. Let’s all take a step forward together. Just imagine what God will do next!"

Grace and peace

Rick

Second challenge of new year: change the world

2010-01-01T17:41:00.002-05:00

So my previous post invites you to join me in reading the entire Bible in one year. The next challenge is more outwardly directed. The first challenge is for you to engage in a practice that will lead you to be more theologically informed and spiritually transformed. The second challenge is an invitation to put wheels on your faith. The invitation is simple.

Change the world.

I'm serious. Get involved. Do something to effect positive change - to bring justice and righteousness to places where those things are absent.

Need an idea?

Try Kiva. For just under one year, Lori and I have been giving microloans to individuals looking to start businesses in places where that is very difficult. We've chosen to focus on Africa but you can give loans to people around the world. So far, we've given 8 loans of $25 each. Actually, that's sort of an exaggeration since the early loans have been paid back and we simply loaned the money again, so our investment is less than $200. Through these small loans, lives are changed. People are able to earn a living and feed their children, in places where the average income is often less than $2 a day.

Get involved. Change the world. Do it today.

Read the Bible in One Year

2010-01-01T10:50:00.002-05:00

So, I read the Bible - a lot. I read it for sermon preparation. I read it for Bible study. But I must confess - I don't read it a lot these days for personal devotion. Today I was reading Batterson's book "Primal" and he kicked me right in the butt - in a way similar to his own experience of backside encouragement. He quoted another author/teacher who said: "Any Christian worth his salt ought to read the Bible from cover to cover every year."

Hmmm.

Today there's no reason or obstacle that should keep us from reading the Book. In fact, in our current context, there are lots of resources to help you do just that. One of them is YouVersion.com. So my plan is to choose a reading plan (there are LOTS of them) and read the Bible - the whole thing - in 2010. I'd love it if you would join me. You can sign up with YouVersion and find me there - we can share experiences, encourage each other and so forth.

Of course, the point isn't simply to read the Bible. It's to hear God's voice. And we can't hear God's voice if we aren't paying attention to the things God has spoken through the written Word.

Happy reading!

Star Bakery

2009-12-23T15:27:00.001-05:00

The video posted in this blog will hopefully touch your heart - and give you insight into why the bakery planned through the Star Bakery Project (www.starbakery.org) is so important.

A line from the Talmud reads: "Whoever destroys one life, it is as though [the person] has destroyed a whole world; and whoever saves one life, it is as though [the person] has saved a whole world." Every act of generosity sends ripples of the kingdom of God - ripples that can change history.

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

2009-12-22T07:59:00.001-05:00

HT to Melinda for sending this along - enjoy!

Junky Car Club

2009-12-20T18:16:00.002-05:00

So I'm probably behind the times on this one, but on this wonderful snowy day, in between shoveling, I've had some time to just cruise the web. Just a few minutes ago I ran across this website, the Junky Car Club. Below is a video explaining it.

What I love is the way this ground roots movement of "spending less to give more" shows up in so many different ways. It definitely fits in well with the Advent Conspiracy movement. If you are connected to Harbor UMC or Marshfield UMC, don't forget - you can be part of the conspiracy by giving to the Star Bakery Project on Christmas Eve.

Enjoy!

Special Christmas Offering

2009-12-08T19:23:00.004-05:00

At the Harbor, we haven't been in the habit of taking an offering during the Christmas Eve services. With so many visitors, it just felt like the wrong thing to do - kind of self-serving and all that. But this year is going to be different. This year, we are taking an offering on both campuses. But here's the cool thing about it.

We're giving all the money away.

That's right. None of the money collected during our Christmas Eve services will stay at Harbor or Marshfield. All of it is going toward supporting the Star Bakery Project. If you haven't heard about this amazing vision of two people in our congregation working with the people of NITCA, then please take a few minutes to visit the websites and learn more. The project is quite simply about feeding the poor. The goal is to build a bakery in the poorest district of Managua, Nicaragua, a bakery that will be self-sustaining. It will result in jobs in a city where jobs are hard to come by. It will provide an income for families that will literally take kids off the street and put bread in their belly.

Christmas. It's not your birthday. Think about the difference you could make in the lives of so many.

Pastoral Leadership in Stewardship

2009-12-02T05:58:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've cruised blog world, primarily through Google Reader, but this morning, with an early rise as I head out to a day long meeting, I stopped by Bishop Will Willimon's blog and read the following. It's a post that deserves making its way to a wider audience than the Conference in which Willimon serves. Pretty amazing stuff - and a challenge to all pastors as they are called to lead the way in the area of stewardship. Enjoy.

He writes:

"Bishop Al Gwinn, who is doing some great things in the North Carolina Conference, shared with me a study that was done in the West Ohio Conference related to the impact of pastoral leadership on the fair-share giving (apportionments) of a congregation. I found it interesting:

In the late 90’s Dr. Don House of the University of Texas ….had his graduate students run correlations on all the statistics of all the churches in the denominations to determine what were the critical factors in the payment of apportionments. The single biggest predictor of a church’s level of payment was its previous performance. This related directly to the pastor, i.e., the strongest correlation was to the pastor of the church. As the pastor moved, so did the apportionment payments. The second strongest correlation was with the district superintendent; the third was with the bishop.

In West Ohio, I’ve run studies of pastors and churches to see if patterns existed. This was done by looking at the payment history three years prior to a pastoral change, all during the pastor’s tenure at a church, and then three years following the pastor’s leaving for every appointment in the pastor’s career. Different conditions gave different results.

A. If a pastor with a history of paying apportionments in full was appointed to a church that had a history of paying in full the church always continued to pay 100%.

B. If a pastor with a history of paying less than 100% was appointed to a church that had a history of paying in full, the church stopped paying at the 100% level within the first year of appointment. If the pastor was appointed somewhere else within three years, the church returned to 100% payments within a year following the pastor’s departure. If the pastor stayed more than five years with the church paying less than 100%, it seldom returned to 100%.

C. If a pastor with a history of paying 100% was appointed to a church that had a history of paying less than 100%, the church usually moved to payment in full within two years and sometimes within the first year of the appointment.

D. The combination of a church and pastor with both having a history of less than 100% usually decreased payment from the highest point that either had ever attained. It often went to zero.”

Pastor	Church	Result
Pays 100%	Pays 100%	Pays 100%
Pays <100%	Pays 100%	Pays <100%
Pays 100%	Pays <100%	Pays 100%
Pays <100%	Pays <100%	Pays <100%

Stan’s conclusions were that if appointments were based solely on placement in order to gain payout percentages, you would put:

(1) 100% pastors in 100% churches and less than 100% churches who have high apportionment balances and

(2) less than 100% pastors only in less than 100% churches with the smallest payout pastors going to churches with the smallest apportionment levels.

Our Annual Conference continues to have a low level of apportionment participation (when compared with other SEJ Conferences). I am sure that the findings of this study would apply directly to our Annual Conference. We have some pastors who have not led a church to full mission giving participation in their entire ministry; we have many more pastors who have never served a church, in any location or situation, that has not fully participated in our giving.

What this says to me is that the Cabinet (our DS’s receive salaries that are based, in part, on their proven ability to lead churches to participate in apportioned giving) need to take greater note of a pastor’s record of stewardship leadership in appointing pastors.

It also reminds us that apportionment participation is a testimony to a pastor’s leadership gifts in this area. Pastors who are truly committed to mission giving produce churches that pay 100% of apportionments regardless of that church’s financial situation. Pastors who aren’t committed to mission giving produce churches that are unfaithful in this area. Period.

Will Willimon

How has your congregation done in its giving patterns last Sunday, last month, over the past seven years?

Responsibility "to" instead of "for"

2009-11-30T09:13:00.002-05:00

I'm reading a great book called "Lasting Impressions" by David Waltz, pastor of connections at the Granger Community Church. In one chapter, he talks about the shift as a leader that comes when we understand that we are not responsible for people's spiritual journey, but rather, we are responsible to people. It's a great reminder, no matter what position of leadership in which you find yourself.

He writes:

When I'm responsible to people, I understand they have choices. When I'm responsible for people, I think I should decide for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must figure out their next steps. When I'm responsible for people, I try to tell them what their next steps are.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must bear the consequences of their own chosen actions. When I'm responsible for people, I assume the guilt - or worse, the shame - for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I share their journeys, offering encouragement and teaching. When I'm responsible for people, I try to direct their journeys, never allowing them to wrestle, mess up, or make a wrong turn.
When I'm responsible to people, I talk to God a lot on their behalf. When I'm responsible for people, I talk to people a lot on God's behalf.

Early release

2009-11-25T22:07:00.001-05:00

Hey blog world, here's an early release of my offering for the upcoming Harbor/Marshfield newsletter. Enjoy!

The season of Advent is upon us, the official start of the church calendar. This year our focus during Advent will be to “Rethink Christmas.” In May of 2009, the United Methodist Church launched a campaign called “Rethink Church.” You may have seen some of the ads on television. The goal is both awesome and ambitious - nothing less than to invite the church and those unchurched who seek spiritual fulfillment, to become more outwardly focused and engaged in the world. The campaign seeks to offer the church, not as a place to come to and stay within, but as a base of operation for expressing faith by moving out into communities and around the globe to become part of God’s plan for world transformation.

The invitation is to reframe church from a noun to a verb. The campaign, which includes a website (www.10thousanddoors.org), provides visitors with the opportunity to explore church as a 365-day active experience, revealing the myriad paths that lead to and from Sunday worship – all paths that lead seekers into spiritual interaction and faith discovery. It demonstrates how United Methodists are engaged in the world around us, and invites seekers to participate in the United Methodist mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

As you might imagine, this puts a challenge before each local church. If people come exploring, looking for that experience, looking for ways to participate in the mission, the church needs to be ready to provide those opportunities. We need to lead by example. Today, most people find The Harbor & Marshfield through our website, which gives a quick snapshot of life in this community. On that site, we say we offer worship that is relevant and meaningful. If someone asked you about the worship experience, would you be able to describe the importance and meaning of worship in your life? We describe small groups as a key component of life in this community. Do you know how to help get people connected to a small group? Are you connected? We say we provide a number of ways to get involved in serving our world. Are you aware of those opportunities, and how to help other people get involved? When people come through the doors, they will be looking for guides to help them negotiate. They’ll be looking for you.

This Advent, we will spend each week “rethinking” an aspect of the faith. By the time you get this newsletter, we’ll have begun by rethinking promises. On December 6, we’ll be blessed with a guest preacher, Rev. Mark Huber, who will share his call to start a new faith community on the South Shore as we rethink the gift of salvation. The third week we’ll rethink repentance, and finally, in week four, servanthood. These messages will invite each of us to “rethink” our faith, and to embrace the truth that church is not simply a place, a destination, but instead a journey. Church is a verb!

Grace and peace,

Rick

Promises

2009-11-24T08:21:00.001-05:00

How has your life been affected by a broken or kept promise?

Church is odd

2009-10-31T09:34:00.003-04:00

Let’s face it - church is odd, peculiar. Oh, it’s not so odd for those of us who have been part of “church” for a while, but for folks who haven’t been part of church for a while, or maybe never, church is odd. And if they attend a church like ours, it’s a little more peculiar. We all sit in rows (on hard benches, mind you) and from time to time we get up - then we sit down - and then we get up - and sit down. And we sing. I have to tell you, there’s not a lot of singing going on out there in the world - at least not in one big group. Most people just listen to music. If they sing, it’s usually when they are riding in their car - alone. Or they’re at a Red Sox game (...Sweet Caroline, oh, oh, oh).

Then there’s the reputation issue. We’ve talked about this before, but as we head into the “holiday” season, it’s good to be reminded. People who don’t regularly come to church resist coming because of what they are afraid they might encounter. Judgment. Awkwardness. You just don’t know where people are coming from and what their experience has been when it comes to church. And they think we’re odd. So how we respond when a visitor arrives is really, really important.

Like the story I just read in a book called “Less clutter, less noise” about a man who regularly attends church. He sat down behind a family with a teenage boy playing his Game Boy. As the service started, he became irritated that the boy continued to play his game. The longer the service went on and the boy kept playing, the more agitated the man became. It was on mute but still distracting and unnerving. He was just about to lean forward to ask the boy to put the game away when something caused him to stop. He waited a few minutes, leaned forward, tapped the boy on the shoulder, and said,

“I’ve got the guide with all the moves to beat that game if you want it.”

How about that? What the man did not know was that the teenage boy in front of him was autistic. He also didn’t know that the family hadn’t been able to attend church for years because of their son’s inability to sit still. Imagine how differently things might have gone if the man had instead insisted the boy put the Game Boy away.

Every week we see new faces in our worship gatherings. We don’t know their stories. We don’t know what they are carrying in with them, what kind of heartaches, what kind of dreams, what kind of hopes. And as the author of the book mentioned above says, as a church we seek to offer a message of hope and redemption. But before the people in our world ever encounter that message, they encounter you and me.

So this fall and Advent season, take a moment to look around you. Look for the new faces. Take a moment to remember that they came for a reason; they are looking for something. Looking for hope. Looking for connection. They’ve gotten up their courage to walk through the doors and enter a strange place, with strange (or should I say “odd”) people. What kind of experience will they have? How will they be received?

The answer is up to you.

Grace and peace,

Rick

Repost of United Methodeviations blog

2009-10-20T08:39:00.002-04:00

Each spring and fall at Harbor and Marshfield, we host "Pizza with the Pastor" for folks who are considering entering full covenant with the church. As part of the process, each person completes a spiritual gifts survey - very powerful - very insightful - and really helps the folks consider how God has put them together for service and mission. This recent post by Dan at his blog United Methodeviations, is a great reflection on how important spiritual gifts are, and the place they hold in the life of the body. Enjoy.

From his blog....

"I met a man years ago who possessed the true spiritual gift of evangelism. He shared faith in such an authentic and unguarded way that even atheists listened to him with respect. More than any words he said, any actions he took, he simply exuded an assurance and a non-anxious presence. People responded to him in exceptional ways. He wasn’t a biblical scholar, nor was he a studied theologian. He spoke openly from his heart. He shared his convictions and he offered others an invitation to meet his Savior. I have never known anyone else who introduced more people to Christ. He wasn’t overly persuasive, charismatic, or influential, but when he shared his faith it was as if there was a spiritual-chemical reaction. His spirit touched other spirits and lives were changed.

Spiritual gifts tend to work this way. They defy simple explanation. When used well and wisely, the results exceed any rational expectation. An acquaintance from Texas with the gift of giving has made and given away three fortunes, and he is just fifty. A woman in St. Louis with the gift of compassion rallied a community to feed over 500 people each week. A teenager in Colorado with the gift of leadership organized a recycling movement that employs dozens of low income residents. A gifted teacher is named by over fifty successful former students as both the source of their effectiveness as well as the source of their faith. One man with the gift of apostleship sold his business and his home and moved to China, where he serves as a Christian missionary. In so many cases, when people live from their spiritual gifts the result is transformation.

When Barbara and I were doing the research for our spiritual gifts discovery process, Equipped for Every Good Work, we discovered that only about 5% of laity and 7% of clergy were aware of their spiritual gifts. If the biblical admonition to be good stewards by serving one another with whatever gift we have been given is valid, shouldn’t we at least know what those gifts are? It is impossible to use well what we don’t even realize we possess. And yet, if we can trust the apostle Paul, each of us has gifts empowered by the very Spirit of God. Each of us is equipped with standard spiritual equipment to do amazing things.

But gifts seem to lie dormant in many people. Hundreds of people have said to me over the years, “I don’t have any gifts.” Don’t believe it. To the extent that we are created in God’s image and as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, we ARE gifted. It cannot be otherwise. Discovering, exploring, developing, improving in our use of, and sharing our gifts is at the heart of the life of Christian discipleship. It isn’t ever that we don’t have gifts, only that we don’t understand how to use them (or don’t see our gifts as we use them). Often in the process of gifts discovery someone will say, “My highest gift is x, but I don’t see that as my gift.” Immediately, others in the group will begin to argue with the person, affirming that indeed they do have a particular gift. So discovery is important, as is understanding, but there are a couple other important factors as well.

First, gifted people are most effective when they are grounded in prayer and spiritual reflection. Prayer is the energy source that fuels our spiritual gifts. Like tools intended for specific purposes, spiritual gifts are most effective when employed to do God’s will. The best way to discern the will of God is in prayerful community, seeking together a vision of what God calls us to do and be. Spiritual reflection helps us to clarify what we believe God calls us to do and how we can best work together to achieve success. No spiritual gift is adequate unto itself. We need the gifts of others to maximize the impact and value of our own. Teaching is much more effective when linked with knowledge, wisdom, discernment, and leadership. Healing is more powerful when linked with compassion, faith, servanthood, and administration. Evangelism is more effective when linked with prophecy, discernment, exhortation and shepherding. Together we are always greater than the sum of our parts. We are much more successful as the body of Christ, instead of a bunch of disconnected body parts.

Second, we need to practice. As with anything else we want to get really good at, using our gifts requires active, intentional engagement. And not just AT CHURCH. The gifts have not been given to us so that we can serve the needs of the local church. The local church exists that we might be equipped with our gifts to BE the church for the world. Certainly, we may be able to use our gifts to support the mission and ministry of a local congregation, but our gifts don’t belong to the church with a little “c” — they belong to the “Big C” church. Spiritual gifts define us as the body of Christ. We live most effectively from our gifts when we use them at home, at work, at school, driving down the street, when we’re out shopping, as well as when we gather in our church buildings. Our gifts allow us to witness to our relationship to God in the normal, ordinary things we do each and every day.

Third, we need to value and celebrate our spiritual gifts. Ours is a culture that devalues “soft” skills. Wisdom, compassion, discernment, prophecy, helping, exhortation (encouragement), and faith are often ignored or taken for granted because they are less tangible or obvious than other gifts. We rarely make as big a deal over the gift of time or energy as we do money or material goods. Many gifts work “below the surface” — they are not noticeable, even though they are critical for success. Unintentionally, we may show preference for leadership, giving, teaching, healing or administration, simply because they are more visible. To study, discuss, explore and investigate spiritual gifts helps us recognize the gifts in everyone — offering the whole congregation something to celebrate.

Every person is gifted. Beyond spiritual gifts, we possess unique knowledge, experience, wisdom, skills, talents, and abilities. Additionally, we each harbor deep passions and interests that help define who we are. At its best, the congregation is a place where we can explore, develop, and combine our gifts to achieve amazing results. And what is true of individuals is also true of entire faith communities. When one gifted congregation joins other gifted congregations, the whole world can be transformed. A vision for such unity is well worth pursuing, and the catalyst for such global conversion is already within our grasp — gifts from God given to us all."

Painting on wet canvas

2009-10-03T08:19:00.001-04:00

Recently Lori and I went to hear pastor and author Rob Bell speak at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. It was a powerful presentation, and during his talk, Rob referred to a book entitled “Art & Fear” by David Bayles and Ted Orland. Intrigued, I got the book and only a few pages in read these words:

“One of the basic and difficult lessons every artist must learn is that even the failed pieces are essential. X- rays of famous paintings reveal that even master artists sometimes made basic mid-course corrections (or deleted really dumb mistakes) by overpainting the still-wet canvas. The point is that you learn how to make your work by making your work, and a great many of the pieces you make along the way will never stand out as finished art. The best you can do is make art you care about...The rest is largely a matter of perseverance.”

The paragraph strikes me as a great description of the spiritual life, and life in Christian community. Even our failed “pieces” are essential. The time we failed to get the job. To meet the deadline. We failed to remember the birthday, the anniversary. We failed to love our neighbor. We failed to serve the poor. We failed to be an obedient church. We failed to forgive. In those times, it’s important to remember that we are “God’s work of art” (Ephesians 2:10). We are work in progress. God’s Spirit, acting in and through us, continues to mold us, making those “mid- course” corrections, overpainting the still-wet canvas of our lives.

And one of the great truths repeated in scripture is the key role perseverance plays in all of it. Paul writes to the church in Rome: “We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” The failures, the moments of “suffering,” produce perseverance, which shapes the very character of our lives. Perseverance allows us to make those mid-course corrections. It gives God a chance to paint on the canvas of our lives.

Rob Bell told a story of an experiment in which two groups of people were told to produce art. One group was told that it was to only produce one piece in a given amount of time, and for it to be the very best piece it could possibly be. The second group was told to produce as many pieces as possible in the same amount of time given. At the end, the works were compared. And it turned out that every single person in the second group produced a work of art far superior to any of the pieces in the first group. The first group spent its energy studying about great works of art, but very little time actually making art. The second group learned as it created, making those mid-course cor- rections as they went. It turns out that it really is a matter of perseverance.

The same is true for following Jesus. We learn as we go. But we must go. Perseverance implies movement - activity. “You learn how to make your work by making your work.” So we learn how to forgive by making our- selves present and vulnerable to the community of other followers, forgiving and being forgiven. We learn to pray by praying with and for the community. We learn to worship together, to serve others in need, to understand Jesus’ memoirs (the New Testament) by actively participating in the activities of the life of community. What we find is that as we go, with God alongside us every step of the way, we learn how to be the church. The Artist of artists, the most creative of Creators, continues to shape us into the masterpiece we were always meant to be.

Let the church say: Bravo!

What men want women to know about men

2009-09-23T10:27:00.001-04:00

A video highlighting this week's message at The Harbor & Marshfield Church. Plan on joining us!

Single Minded Devotion

2009-09-14T09:26:00.004-04:00

As part of my reading this morning, I read what I think is one of the most challenging and on point paragraph's I have read in some time. It is the opening paragraph of chapter 3 in Brennan Manning's book "The importance of being foolish." It goes like this:

"There are certain burning questions that every Christian must answer in total candor. Do you hunger for Jesus Christ? Do you yearn to spend time alone with him in prayer? Is he the most important person in your life? Does he fill your soul like a song of joy? Is he on your lips as a shout of praise? Or has he been smothered by distractions, nullified by pride? Do you eagerly turn to his memoirs, his Testament, to learn more of him? Do you thirst for the living water of his Holy Spirit? Are you making the effort to die daily to anything and everything that inhibits, diminishes, or threatens your friendship with him?"

Wow!! Now having served as pastor for over 8 years, these questions hit close to home. Do I burn with the same fire for Christ as I first did? Am I focused on Jesus or is my focus on the "work" of Jesus? Am I distracted by the work to the expense of a growing relationship with Christ? Some days, I must confess, Jesus loses out to church work. There are things that I must die to in order to make more room for him and my relationship with him.

How about you? Is Jesus the most important person in your life?

The Limits of Memory

2009-09-11T13:15:00.003-04:00

I posted a link to this article of my FB but it needs to be posted here as well - an outstanding reflection on today by Dan Dick on his blog. Here's the full text:

I was talking with a colleague who is scheduling some work in south Manhattan. He shook his head and shared, incredulously, that he wanted to come in the second week of September to meet with ecumenical leadership and they wouldn’t do it because of September 11th. He looked at me and said, “Man, why don’t they just get over it!”

The comment took me by surprise. 9/11 is a defining moment for the United States in the 21st century. Not only the day and the tragic event, but major decisions following it that have impacted the entire planet. It is difficult to get over something that is still going on. But there is a larger factor at work for me, and it has to do with our national identity. I guess I’m not sure we have one. The structures of community are so fractured in the United States, and the rampant consumeristic individualism makes any kind of “us” tenuous at best. (Look at the current debate over universal health care. Those who ”have” see no value in providing for those who don’t. So long as “us” is cared for, “them” can fend for themselves.) And that is the crux of my friends comment: he’s from Kentucky — 9/11 didn’t happen to him, it happened to “them” (New Yorkers), and because “they” won’t let it go, it inconveniences him.

The same sort of thing happened with hurricane Katrina. In the moment and the immediate aftermath, there was a great outpouring of compassion, aid and support. But that was then, this is now. Forget the fact that entire communities are gone and have yet to be rebuilt. Forget that thousands are still struggling to survive in new and different lives. Forget that recovery work is way behind, and in many places has halted altogether due to lack of funding and relief workers. Katrina was four years ago. “They” should just get over it.

If our faith — both in its Jewish roots and Christian transformation — tells us anything it is this: we are one. There is NO “them.” What happens to the least of these happens to the Christ, and what hurts any of us hurts all of us. For the Jews, sin wasn’t something that a person did wrong, sin was a condition that affected everyone. If one sinned, all sinned. The community, the culture, was only as strong as its weakest member. That is why there is such a strong emphasis in the Hebrew faith on responsibility. When we see someone in trouble and help them, it makes the whole community stronger.

Many Christian leaders today point to the early church as described in Acts 2 as some marvelous aberration. Today, of course it is. We don’t think communally. We operate from an ego-centric entitlement mentality. The only reason one would go to church is because one gets something from it. We don’t go to give or to be, we go in order to get. We want to be taken care of, taught, inspired, comforted, coddled, and conformed. Place too many demands on us, impose expectations, hold us accountable and we will go somewhere else. But in Jesus’ day, and the time immediately following, what is described in Acts 2 was not all that exceptional (except that it centered in the teaching of the apostles). “We” was more important than any “me,” and what defined “us” from “them” was challenged. One of the central tenets of Pauline theology was a global, universal salvation — a movement to eliminate any concept of “them” — neither slave nor free, male nor female, gentile nor Jew, for Jesus destroyed the dividing walls of hostility and ALL could be ONE in Christ.

A few years ago I spent some time with a small group of Jicarilla Apache’s in New Mexico. I was privileged to sit with them in a service of remembrance where they lamented many tragedies from their past, but the focus of the service was on the future. They asked for reconciliation, that they might become one people with the ancestors of those who had taken so much from them, that they might make amends for the violence on both sides in their past, and that in time the “brotherhood” could erase all differences and pain. They engaged in a variety of rituals of remembrance that brought to my mind communion.

Why was it so important to Jesus that the twelve remember? Why did he imprint his life, teaching and mission on them in his final time? I think it is because without memory there is no heart and soul. We lose compassion. We become hard. We see life differently. When we forget, we are made less. Without reminders of who we are, what’s really important, and why we’re here, we end up just drifting through our days.

September 11, 2001 — eight years ago. A long time, and no time. A tragedy both unique and ordinary. Part of the painful shock of that day was the realization that what happened daily to “them” around the world could actually happen to “us.” We came to the shocking conclusion that maybe we weren’t so special, weren’t so different, after all. We had a brief glimpse of the truth that we need each other, and that the only way we can get through these things is together. We may have missed a golden opportunity as a nation to become one with the larger global community in the weeks following 9/11, but we should never forget what a life-changing experience it was and continues to be. It didn’t just happen to the people in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and the diverse spots called home by the passengers on the planes and in the buildings. It happened to the human family, it happened to the global community, it happened to all of us and we all should remember — and by remembering we should commit ourselves to find ways to make sure it never happens again — to any of US.

On the eve of 9/11

2009-09-10T22:14:00.001-04:00

In one of the many blogs I read, I find an astounding reflection on the anniversary of a day that changed life for many - 9/11. You can, and should, read it HERE.

God's peace,

Rick

FB's question about faith

2009-08-30T15:41:00.002-04:00

The Washington Post published a well developed article about what kind of thought people put into filling a very simple blank under one's FB profile. Religious views: ______________. Check it out here - great insight into where people, particularly younger adults are at, when it comes to the issue of faith.

Great post Kathy

2009-08-24T17:57:00.003-04:00

Check out this post on a blog I read regularly - she really draws out some important points and reminders of what it means to be the community of Jesus. Wish I written this....well done Kathy.

I'm back!

2009-08-24T12:18:00.002-04:00

Hey bloggers,

I'm back after a wonderfully relaxing vacation - lots of time by the ocean, enjoying the beach. I read a bunch of books just for fun and am renewed and reenergized. Good thing since my "to-do" list is growing exponentially on this first day back.

The main reason for this post is to point you to a great article on worship - an article asking the question, "Why do we worship?" Here's the link - but I've copied the entire article below as well. It's worth the read. And worth spending time answering the question for yourself: why do you worship?

By Andrew C. Thompson
UMR Columnist

Why do we worship?

I’ve been asking myself that question a lot this summer. And I think our confusion over it represents a problem that ripples through our understanding of Christian discipleship.

I worked at a summer program for high school youth last month that invites teenagers to view their calling in life through the lens of Christian worship. For most of them, it was a revolutionary experience.

But of course, summer is also the time when regular attendance in most churches falls significantly. That suggests many churchgoers think a simple change of season is reason enough to relax their attitudes about weekly worship attendance.

It also seems like a lot of our thinking about worship focuses on what it can do for us practically.

Our United Methodist anxiety over the numbers of youth and young adults in our churches leads us to think that mechanically altering worship styles will solve many of our problems.

So we use terms like “traditional,” “blended,” “contemporary” or “emergent” to describe our services. And we employ terms like “relevant” and “exciting” and “cutting edge” to describe what we hope worship will be.

Those approaches suggest that we really think worship is about meeting our own perceived needs: The “right” worship will draw young people and reverse numerical decline. Worship that is “relevant” will speak to the contemporary culture around us. And an “exciting” or “powerful” worship service will make us feel good and convince us that coming to church at an inconvenient hour of the week was worth it after all.

Notice anything missing?

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, written in the 1640s during the English Civil War, asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

That statement—while not official Methodist doctrine—says something profound about how we should think about worship. We come together to hear the word of God preached, to receive the sacraments, and to pray and sing our faith because those activities bring glory to the God we know in Jesus Christ. That means worship is the best way to pursue the very end for which we’re created!

The second part of the Westminster Catechism’s teaching is also significant. It says that a part of our chief end is to enjoy God forever. It sounds simple enough, but the Catechism doesn’t mean “enjoy” in a simplistic sense. To enjoy God is to become like God, to be progressively healed of the sin that plagues our lives and to be renewed in God’s own image.

Here’s where our own Wesleyan tradition can help us understand how we should worship—and why it is so vitally important.

Enjoying God, in the Wesleyan sense, means being sanctified or being made truly whole by the working of grace. That can only happen through our committed and sustained participation in the means of grace that God has provided for us.

Wesley wrote quite a bit about the means of grace. And not surprisingly, he associates most of the central means of grace with worship: prayer, searching the Scriptures and the Lord’s Supper. These practices must be done in community because the power of the grace we receive through them is manifested primarily in congregational worship.

When Wesley says, “There is no holiness but social holiness,” he’s referring to the reality that the Holy Spirit works to transform individuals as they relate corporately in Christian love to God and one another.

So worship should be put at the center of the Christian life because it is the way we glorify God and learn to enjoy him through being transformed by him.

The consequences of this understanding are enormous.

We can stop squabbling over worship “styles” because we will realize that worship should be done for God’s glory and not our own felt needs. We can joyfully pull our kids out of the summer extracurricular activities that deprive them of the opportunity to worship God on Sundays.

And we can stop fooling ourselves into thinking that Jesus Christ can be worshipped as easily from an individual perch on a fishing boat, a living room sofa or a beach chair as he can from a sanctuary full of worshipers where his word is preached and his body and blood lay on the altar.

And who knows? Maybe worship attendance will actually jump in the summertime.

The Rev. Thompson maintains a blog at http://www.genxrising.com. e-mail:andrew@mandatum.org.

Amazing video

2009-08-17T09:51:00.002-04:00

Hey blog world,

I know I've been rather quiet on the blog front recently - just a lot going on. Recently back from a mission trip. This week, after a service of death and resurrection this morning, I'll be on vacation - so, 2 hours until FB, blog, and tweet silence!

This morning my wife posted this amazing video on twitter - really gives you a sense of what things are like regarding social media. It is well worth your 4 minutes. Check it out.

New Sermon Series starts this weekend

2009-07-29T20:46:00.003-04:00

Come to The Harbor & Marshfield for a great new series starting this weekend.

Awesome article

2009-07-29T08:34:00.001-04:00

Read an amazing article this morning - you can go here to read it yourself. The closing quote is below - powerful but simple message.

"Their message will be simple: 'Anything can happen when you live in the moment, one step at a time,' said Mark Soehner, 51, one of the mentors to the young friars. 'But to find that out, you have to be willing to take that one step.'"

Christianity's poor reputation

2009-07-28T18:14:00.003-04:00

Greetings:

The second chapter of David Kinnaman’s book “UnChristian” opens with this story. Kinnaman was browsing in the religious section of a bookstore. As he stood there, 2 young men and a young woman wandered into the same section. It was obvious that the 3 twenty-somethings were not searching for books. They were hanging out, discussing life and joking as friends do. Kinnaman wasn’t paying much attention until he heard one of them say, “Oh, check this out. It’s a Bible with a metal cover!” That caught Kinnaman’s attention.

The young woman said, “What? What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, look. It’s a Bible encased in metal.”

“Huh? What’s that for?”

“How the heck should I know? Maybe it’s supposed to be indestructible. Let’s see if it is.” Then Kinnaman heard the Bible hit the floor.

“I guess not!” They laughed, stuffing the battered book back onto the shelf. And they moved on.

Maybe that story offends your sensibilities, your sense of the proper treatment of the Bible. I hope you felt something. But what I most want you to understand is that this story is an example of how people in general view Christianity, and by extension, the church. The church has a reputation problem. Its image is tarnished, particularly in the eyes of those between the ages of 18 and 29. Interestingly enough, they admire Jesus. Some even try to follow his teachings. Many others are involved in other spiritual pursuits. They just don’t see very much of Jesus in Christians they meet. And so they have rejected the church.

Kinnaman notes that the mindset of this generation is both incredibly savvy and unusually jaded. And yet, it also turns out that relationships are incredibly important to them, including a relationship with God. The way they connect, however, is very different from how most of us connect, or most of us can even appreciate.

For example, only this year I opened a Facebook account, and only a few weeks ago, a Twitter account. I don’t really need either of these. But these are ways the next generation (and a growing portion of other generations) connects. The reactions I get about this are interesting. Occasionally when I tell colleagues or members of the church about these accounts, they respond with some variation of “Oh, I don’t have anything to do with that stuff,” often with their face scrunched up in disgust. And like I said – these are not things I find necessary to make my life more complete. They are, however, necessary for me to be part of if I expect to get the opportunity to connect with this generation, and hopefully have a chance to connect them to a life-giving relationship in Christ. If I simply dismiss these ways of connecting without at least considering what’s going on, I risk missing a huge opportunity.

Which brings me back to our problem. Our reputation problem. It’s pretty big. It’s pretty serious. To those outside the church, we seem disconnected from “real” life. So beginning August 2 and continuing for six weeks, I’ll be preaching a series of sermons looking at why so many people look so negatively at the church? Why do so many people consider the church (that is, people who call themselves Christian) to be hypocritical, judgmental, and anti-homosexual (the top three)? Is the reputation deserved? And more importantly, are there things you and I can do to help change that? How can we authentically reach out and connect with our neighbors?

Here’s where the issue really comes home. This generation, many of these young people are your children and/or your grandchildren. And they aren’t part of the church, any church. They’ve stayed away. If we believe, as we say we do, that the most important thing they can come to experience is a life-changing, life-saving relationship with God, shouldn’t we find out why they are staying away?

Grace and peace,

Rick

VBS Day Two

2009-07-21T18:31:00.002-04:00

God guides me. As in, God shows up with signs, pointers, stars even, to send us off in the direction we need to go. It was a great morning - and especially enlightening as I shared the story of the wise men and the journey toward Bethlehem. Many of our kids are not familiar with the basics of the story - only a few knew of Bethlehem and its connection to Jesus.

I'm grateful to be hosting this year and having this chance to be with so many kids from the community; we even have a few families who are "unchurched/dechurched," and I hope this experience launches them into wanting more.

So, look for the signs. Look for the messages. And it's not like some big secret. The most powerful and clear sign God has offered is himself, in person, in Jesus. You can read about it, starting with a book that goes by the name of Matthew. If that's too long, try Mark. Page turners all of them. Check it out.

God guides us all.

VBS Day One

2009-07-21T07:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we started our week of vacation bible school at The Harbor, hosting this year's ecumenical VBS. We are using the program Camp E.D.G.E from Cokesbury which offers great music, easy to plug and play video, and great stories to carry us through the week. More than 60 kids and many, many adult and youth servants, are part of the week which has started off great.

For me, the exciting moment was when we announced the mission: to collect white socks for the residents of the Long Island Shelter in Boston. As our Camp Director, "Blaze," announced the project, the kids got more and more excited, the noise rising to a crescendo as they thought about how many baskets they could fill with socks!

The other piece from the day was the theme: God is with me. I will stay with God.

How simple. To the point. Great reminder.

God is with us.

The weekend message "wordled"

2009-07-09T18:06:00.002-04:00

Here's a wordle of the message for this weekend. Wordles are word clouds based on a collection of text. The more a particular word shows up, the larger it appears in the cloud. Can you figure out the topic? Enjoy!

Monthly Epistle

2009-06-30T05:26:00.002-04:00

Here's my monthly letter to the churches I serve - an advance read before the newsletter comes out. Enjoy!

Greetings beloved of God,

I’ve been reading a book called “The Monkey and the Fish” in which the author tells the story of the kiwi. Have you ever eaten a kiwi? Delicious! And if you had eaten a kiwi in the 1970’s or 80’s, the time when the kiwi market exploded, chances are it came from New Zealand. During this time the people of New Zealander became known as “kiwis”. The fruit became the key part of the economic and cultural foundation of the entire country. Then something changed. Other countries jumped on the kiwi bandwagon. Today if you eat a kiwi, it could just as easily have come from South Africa or Chile as New Zealand. As the global market of the kiwi expanded in the 1990’s, New Zealand’s economy was threatened. If the industry didn’t do something quickly, the nation could have been in serious trouble.

To shorten a much longer story, they decided to do things differently. New Zealand farmers entered partnerships with other farmers in Japan and the U.S., allowing them to benefit from the global market. They experimented with the kiwi so that today you can buy kiwis that come in all sorts of colors and flavors – some sweeter, some tangier. In short, they changed. They innovated. The leaders of the kiwi industry looked at the world around them and realized that they needed to approach things in a whole new way.

If you haven’t noticed, the church is in a similar situation. The world around us has changed, and is changing at an ever-increasing pace. And in reality, this has always been the case. The church has always had to adjust in order to find ways to make the gospel relevant. The difference is that we live in a time when change occurs much faster pace (think about the rapid change in cell phone and internet technology in the last 10 years). This isn’t about changing for change’s sake. It’s about the church adjusting its posture toward the world in order to connect with the hearts of people. It’s about finding ways to deliver the same message in new ways for the transformation of the world. As the author of the book mentioned above puts it:

“Just like the kiwi, the church needs to look different, feel different, taste different,

sound different, be different to the people in our churches and the people we hope

will be in our churches.

Same mission.

Same dream.

Same truth.

Same message.

Yet new forms.

New languages.

New containers.

New priests and messengers.

New relationships.”

Paul put it like this: “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9: 19-23, NLT, emphasis mine)

As we enter our fifth year of ministry together, and the first year of a new partnership with the community in Marshfield, I would challenge all of us to keep our eyes open for the new ways we might connect with our community. What new “containers” might we need to use to reach others with the message of God’s love? What new ministries, new styles of worship, new partnerships, will we need to develop so that God’s vision of peace, compassion, love and mercy might be furthered here and now?

Because we all forget sometimes...

2009-06-28T15:26:00.003-04:00

Here's a great video reminding us (or teaching some of us) what it means to be part of the crazy idea Jesus has called "the church." Enjoy - and may you have the courage to live it out and challenge me to do the same. Shaun also as a great song out entitled the same.

Kingdom Coming from Shaun Groves on Vimeo.

Divine appointments

2009-06-26T14:38:00.008-04:00

This past week my son and I spent a few days in the woods around Grafton Notch in Maine, backpacking around the Loop. It was a very wet time in the woods, I must say, though we had some great moments, even a few dangerous ones as we climbed over Lightning Ledge and a very slippery East Baldpate Mountain top. (Pics at right.)

On the third night we made it to one of the lean-to's on the Appalachian Trail, very grateful for a dry spot to bunk down. However, as we prepared for supper that night, getting water, we found that our water filter had given up - and no back up! With only three miles back to the road, we decided we would cut our trip short by one day. So we got up at 5 a.m. the next morning, hiked to the road, and then walked the 8 miles or so down Rt. 26 back to where we parked the car.

On our way, we passed Screw Auger Falls, a spectacular spot to rest weary feet. (We also were a bit parched and risked getting Montezuma's Revenge by drinking directly from the stream - so far so good!) Anyway, while standing by the edge of the stream, another man came walking up, the only other person there. He asked where we had hiked and how the weather had been. I of course shared the stories of being wet and mountaintops mostly covered in clouds. He then shared his own story. He told me that the day before, he had buried his father. He said that as they gathered at the graveside, the rain and fog surrounded them as well, just as it had my son and me up on the mountain. It was appropriately somber weather for a somber event. The man continued.

He said, with a voice beginning to crack, overwhelmed with emotion as he recalled the scene, "Then, the time came to lower my father into the grave. As we did, just for that moment, the rained stopped, and the clouds opened, and the sun shone down right on us. I knew in that moment, the door to heaven had opened to welcome my father."

And that, for me, was a divine appointment - a moment God reached into space and time, speaking through the grief and heartache of this man and said, "I am here. Always here, present in every moment. Don't ever forget that."

Thank you Donovan (the man we met) for giving me the privilege of your story, and thank you God for your constant presence.

Time to get the word out!

2009-06-15T17:03:00.005-04:00

Save the date!!!

Message Wordled

2009-06-13T17:26:00.001-04:00

Here's tomorrow's message run through Wordle. Enjoy!

Important article

2009-06-11T11:01:00.003-04:00

US News and World Report recently published an article highlighting the recent ad campaigns being offered by the more mainline denominations, the UMC included. This is a worthwhile read, and more importantly, important to reflect on what it means for each of us on the ground. If the reputation of the church in general is as poor as it seems to be, we have much work to do.

One of the more telling comments was that of Stephen Prothero of Boston University, that mainline Protestantism doesn't stand out in any way from the culture around it. The church has failed to be distinctive in its message. That should be a HUGE wake up call for people claiming to be representatives of a "kingdom" not of this world. Let's get real: if we aren't living, loving, serving, and forgiving in a world so desperate for authentic, sacrificial love and service, why are we even opening our doors?

I'm grateful to be living in such a time as these. There is a great opportunity awaiting for those who are willing to step forward and answer God's call to offer ourselves as a "holy and living sacrifice" to the world, seeking to bless the world around us. Not because we must, but rather because we can. As I was reminded by Zan Holmes in our closing Disciple class last night, we love not because we must but because we can. We love because are loved. We forgive because we are forgiven. We give everything, even if we are to die, because Jesus gave everything for us, even to death.

So, church. Here's our chance. Ads or no ads. Let us be God's people. Let us be salt, flavoring the world around us. Let us be light, shining into dark places. Let us be the aroma of Christ, so that when God's people are around, the scent of our love draws others toward Jesus like hungry people to the smell of a great meal.

Weekly eNote

2009-06-11T09:06:00.001-04:00

Greetings friends and family of the Harbor:

Last night the six people who completed the 34-week Disciple Bible Study were welcomed by those who had taken the course in previous years. Liz Watson, Linda Ross, Ann White, Judy Dyrenforth, Steve Smith and Robin Smith (Jerry Fay also took the course, a huge addition to the group and very much missed last night, moving away in April) were recognized. It was a great celebration of worship recognizing both the accomplishment and, more importantly, a renewal of the commitment to the new covenant God has offered in Jesus. I am excited as I think about the ways in which God will continue to work through each of these people in the days, weeks, and months to come. Be sure to take a moment to congratulate them for their dedication to growing in Christ, and ask them about their experience - you will be blessed!

This weekend we move forward one more phrase in the Lord's Prayer, looking at what it means to say the words, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who sin against us." What are we saying? Do we really mean to forgive those who would do us harm? I know I've been challenged, and am sure you will be as well as we continue this journey together.

Here's what is happening around the Harbor:

1. Yard Sale: Judy Dyrenforth, spouse of the pastor at Marshfield UMC, is organizing a yard sale on June 13th from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. which will be held at the Marshfield campus, 185 Plain St., Marshfield (Rt. 139). She is setting it up as "buy a table" for $10 and then bring what you want to sell. The $10 will go towards mission shares. The small groups at Harbor are being encouraged to buy tables and use the proceeds from the sale to support the various outreach projects they are involved in (Magic Moon Foundation, Carolina Hills, Senior Center, etc.) Our youth will have a table raising money toward the summer mission trip. You may want to join a small group in their effort, or get a table on your own or with a few others. If interested, contact Judy at 781-837-4151 or by email. This will also be a great opportunity for us to begin forming a relationship with our new partners in ministry!

2. Sunday Evening Worship: This week we begin our newest worship service, each Sunday evening at 5 p.m. This will be a very simple service, with guitar or piano leading music, some time for prayer, a message, and the holy meal together. Each new service is a new opportunity to invite a friend or neighbor - a new opening. Be sure to let someone know - and then bring them with you!

3. Small Group Births: The two new small groups have birthed out of their "mother" groups. Mary Sheehan is leading a group that meets on Sundays at 6 while Diane Evans continues to lead a group in a different location at the same time. Laura O'Keefe is leading a group that meets on Friday evenings (starting June 12th) and I will continue to lead Thursday night, but we will begin to meet in Marshfield. The Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, and Wednesday evening groups continue as they were. Contact any of the leaders (see the website for the complete contact information for all of the leaders) to find out you can get involved in this life changing ministry.

4. Adult Mission Trip to Downeast Maine: The dates for this summer's adult mission trip have been confirmed!!! It will be from July 26th to August 1st. If you are interested in going, please email Diane and let her know.

5. Special Opportunity at Annual Conference: Many of you will remember Adam Hamilton from our World Religion series. Adam is the pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City who narrated and preached in the videos we watched. At Annual Conference, the yearly gathering of all the United Methodist Churches of New England at Gordon College in Wenham, MA, Adam will be speaking two different times, talking about issues related to strengthening the church and extending the mission of Christ. Adam is a powerful, engaging speaker. These presentations, the first on Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 p.m. and the second on Friday, June 19 around 8:30 a.m., are open to everyone and we want to help you attend. If you are interested in attending one or both sessions, contact me or Laura O'Keefe so we can arrange a car pool. You will also need to register online. (There is no cost to attend.)

Grace and peace,

Rick

"Love God more.

Love people more.

Love more people."

www.scituatedrev.blogspot.com

Panaderia La Estrella (Star Bakery)

2009-06-08T15:47:00.002-04:00

This year a small team, led by Kevin and Joanne McNally, went to Nicaragua, working in one of the poorest sections of Managua. While there, they learned of a dream - a vision - to provide jobs and bread for those living in one of the poorest sections of Managua. That vision is called "Panaderia La Estrella," or The Star Bakery. This bakery is being developed under the NITCA Foundation, a community based program devoted to children who work the streets. I encourage you to visit the website to learn more about NITCA and its mission and accomplishments.

This past May the McNallys suggested that the bakery might become a project that the churches in this area might take on. For the past few weeks I have thought and prayed deeply about this. At first, it seemed like it was too much. Over $100,000 will need to be raised. I was also unaware of the level of preparation that had gone into the project already, and of the strength of the organization, NITCA, that was behind it all. Now, I think the project is very doable. I believe God will use the churches of Harbor and Marshfield to be instruments through which the money will be raised. We also plan to make this a community effort, inviting all persons on the South Shore and beyond to join us in making this vision come true. Details on how people can get involved will be coming soon.

For us at Harbor/Marshfield, the project is wrapped around Christmas (pun intended.) A few years ago four churches developed what they called the Advent Conspiracy, challenging the church to return to the heart of Christmas. Rather than adding to the $450 billion Americans spend on themselves each Christmas, they were challenged to give to others - particularly those in need. Consider that only $10 billion would solve the clean water issue around the globe - and we spend 45 times that on ourselves each year.

So this Christmas, you too are invited to join the Conspiracy. Plan now on how you will radically change life for someone in the world who is desperate need of your help. As I said, more details will be coming soon, allowing you to buy bricks, kitchen equipment, flour, etc as part of building the Star Bakery.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20-23)

The root causes of war

2009-06-04T17:30:00.003-04:00

From time to time someone will say that the biggest cause of conflict between people/nations is religion, and for some reason, I've heard that a few times lately. I've copied below a post by Steve Cordle from some time ago summarizing what the real story is. I think it's helpful to be reminded of this truth.

From Steve: "Lately I have heard several comments that go something like: 'The world would be better off if there were no such thing as religion — religion has started more wars and caused more death than anything else. Just think of the Crusades…'

This is a factually false statement. Without justifying the Crusades in any way, it simply isn’t true that religion is the source of most of the world’s war and harm.

In a list of the worst things people have done to one another throughout history, here are the top 10 in terms of most people killed,

1. World War II (55 million dead),

2. Mao Tse Tung (40M),

3. Mongol conquests (40M),

4. An Lushan Revolt (36M),

5. Fall of Ming Dynasty (25M) ,

6. Taiping Rebellion (20M) ,

7. Annihilation of American Indians (20M),

8. Josef Stalin (20M),

9. Mideast Slave Trade (19M),

10. Atlantic slave trade (18M)

Now, how many of those are religiously rooted/caused? Exactly zero.

In fact, of the top 20, only #17 (Thirty Years War in 17th century Europe) has any connection to religion. (And we would assert that state religion is a lot different than following of Jesus.)

(see http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat0.htm for further detail - and this is not a Christian site)

To the contrary, the Church has benefitted humanity in ways which can never be calculated: the establishment of the hospital, most scientific discoveries were based on Christian philosophical principles (order of the universe, etc), education (it was the monks who kept learning alive in the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome), charitable work.

So, next time you hear someone say religion is the source of all wars, ask for the data to back that up. Then you can share that it is not the people of God who wreak havoc, it is those who reject God and make gods of themselves that most harm humanity."

Love in action

2009-06-04T13:39:00.002-04:00

Imagine if the body of Christ could be so imaginative. Check this out!

HT to Nate Barksdale at Culture Making

New Worship Service

2009-06-04T12:29:00.002-04:00