In my journey, I have been the recipient of many parent's angst about their teenager who has rejected religion in one way or another. Perhaps it is a child brought up in the church, was always at every children's event and when they reach adolescence they say...."um I don't think I believe this"...or there is the young adult who has searched and had an open heart but the rhetoric they hear just doesn't make any sense and so they feel they have no choice but to reject it and become a "non-believer." Finally, there are the youth who have not heard any part of the Good News, except the shaming and judgmental parts - which by the way; why is that what always get the press? And they say, "if that is what religion is all about I don't want anything to do with it."
Except for the last example, these revelations usually come at great distress for their family and parents especially. They fear they have done something wrong, that they have failed somewhere along the way, and that their child's lack of conviction is somehow a reflection on them.
1) Questions about faith and about God are not all bad! Being brave enough to ask a question that lays out the parts of God that are too fantastic to believe - is a sign of faith. One has to believe in something to question it. Of course, if you wanted to belittle, and deride - belief is not part of that, but most of the time a child on a faith journey is not belittling but truly searching.
2) Religion - the man made belief systems of our denominations are but a container of the Good News that God has intervened in our human story. If this container isn't providing what is needed, there are alot more out there. As a parent, I have asked myself how I would feel if my child were tell me they wanted to change containers....while I would have to be sure they knew what they were doing - in the end, why would I stop them. Something is better than nothing. Journey on, keep me up to date on what you are learning, let's talk about what is feeding you out that other jar...
3) Faith through transitions - As our children go through different stages of their life; achieving "upper classmen" status, graduating, college, young adulthood - as parents we have to be able to talk about our own faith as we walked those paths. Not as a lesson on what to do like me, or what not to do like me...but rather, "I remember feeling alone in a crowd." "I know you will be tempted by lifestyles." "You are an amazing example of living the life that Christ has talked about." Words that empathize, warn, affirm and then follow them with some words of faith. "When I don't know what to do, I turn to the scriptures for help." "Do you pray?" Share your faith! I once heard the quote, "You can argue with someone's beliefs, but you can't argue with their experience." How have you experienced God? Start there! You might be surprised the doors it opens.
4) Remember your baptism - as baptized children our faith informs us that God has claimed this child has his own. It is irrevocable, and you can't wash it off. Sure, you can walk away from it, but the seal is there and my trust and belief is that God does not let that lost sheep wander without the hope that it will return and if needed he will go and get it - maybe not till the time has come to say farewell, but I trust that God doesn't make mistakes and it is God that acts in baptism, not us....so it never hurts to remind a baptized, agnostic, child of God, that God is with them, even if they don't want him there....
unfinished............
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Snow days
It was a great joy that I was able to watch it snow on Thursday. I had not place to go and a warm place to watch from and did it ever come down! I was impressed as well, that it seemed the community had heeded all the warnings and there was no traffic for most of the day. What an odd and beautiful sight to see 6 inches of snow, undisturbed on a street!
It didn't take long until the plows got out and started making messes of all the pristine snow - but I have this back yard...it is many acres big and somewhat isolated from foot traffic - so I got to enjoy the glistening flakes for another day. And then there has slowly appeared the evidence of movement.
First were the set of three foot prints treking from one corner of the yard, all the way to the hill just behind the church. Evidence of a sled between the footprints and even a hat in the snow half way to the hill. Then the birds began looking for food at the feeder. Little prints became big ones as footprints to the feeder appeared. The squirrels began digging around the foot of the tree looking for that acorn they knew was there and there were even some large webbed foot prints in the middle of the yard that form a perfect V. No trail in or out, just a V - my guess is a goose wandered a moment and then flew off. I can now see deer prints around the oak tree and the crows are making a mess of the feeder. I wouldn't have known of the visitors to our yard without the prints I can keep track of.
Praising God for a clean slate of new fallen snow, the moments to appreciate what "new beginnings" can look like and then thankful too that we are not left alone and sterile too long - visitors come and leave evidence of their journey and bring us back to routines that propel us to the next new day.
Wonder when the next snow day will come????
It didn't take long until the plows got out and started making messes of all the pristine snow - but I have this back yard...it is many acres big and somewhat isolated from foot traffic - so I got to enjoy the glistening flakes for another day. And then there has slowly appeared the evidence of movement.
First were the set of three foot prints treking from one corner of the yard, all the way to the hill just behind the church. Evidence of a sled between the footprints and even a hat in the snow half way to the hill. Then the birds began looking for food at the feeder. Little prints became big ones as footprints to the feeder appeared. The squirrels began digging around the foot of the tree looking for that acorn they knew was there and there were even some large webbed foot prints in the middle of the yard that form a perfect V. No trail in or out, just a V - my guess is a goose wandered a moment and then flew off. I can now see deer prints around the oak tree and the crows are making a mess of the feeder. I wouldn't have known of the visitors to our yard without the prints I can keep track of.
Praising God for a clean slate of new fallen snow, the moments to appreciate what "new beginnings" can look like and then thankful too that we are not left alone and sterile too long - visitors come and leave evidence of their journey and bring us back to routines that propel us to the next new day.
Wonder when the next snow day will come????
Monday, January 7, 2013
When God Makes a Circle
This notion has been rolling around in my head for some time now. Especially as I have returned to the St. Louis area and find myself in uncannily familiar places doing oddly familiar things. I smile as God connects my loose ends and makes a circle in my life. I ponder a book about looking for the ways that God makes circles in our life, most of the time beyond our conciousness.
Among my many circles is the return to chaplaincy. For those who know me, you know that chaplaincy was my first calling to ministry. It is where I am able to use my caregiver gifts and graces to offer encouragement, support and healing the most. My time in the local church was anything but chaplaincy and I often felt I was floundering to accomplish a task or goal. Yet, I learned more than I ever would have about church or people or ministry than if I had never done it. Those too loose ends come together in the present setting where I am part caregiver and part church pastor. I smile as I walk into the hospital where I did my CPE training and would never have thought I would be back. As I drive around west county and see the landmarks that I knew as a college student at Maryville - I smile at the ends that click together.
I think God desires circles for us, and I am trying to be aware of them for me and see if there are places I can lead others into finding this expression of God's love for us.
Among my many circles is the return to chaplaincy. For those who know me, you know that chaplaincy was my first calling to ministry. It is where I am able to use my caregiver gifts and graces to offer encouragement, support and healing the most. My time in the local church was anything but chaplaincy and I often felt I was floundering to accomplish a task or goal. Yet, I learned more than I ever would have about church or people or ministry than if I had never done it. Those too loose ends come together in the present setting where I am part caregiver and part church pastor. I smile as I walk into the hospital where I did my CPE training and would never have thought I would be back. As I drive around west county and see the landmarks that I knew as a college student at Maryville - I smile at the ends that click together.
I think God desires circles for us, and I am trying to be aware of them for me and see if there are places I can lead others into finding this expression of God's love for us.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Collecting Momentoes
It only took about a week in my new job before I became aware that my desk was becoming a bit cluttered. How can this be happening - I don't even know my way around this place? I found that the things that were collecting were actually other peoples "stuff."
As I began meeting the folks here at Gambrill Gardens it was noteworthy to me that they would pretty much always begin with the work they did in their life. One gentleman was a hospital administrator...and I would say sometime before that was the specialized position that it is now. We shared our history of hospitals and the changes we had seen in healthcare over the years and marveled at how times have changed. Pretty soon he told me about the employee manual he wrote for the hospital. It was the first one this small rural hospital had and this was in the early 80's. He went to great pains to color code the sections to be meaningful to the topic at hand...green for payroll policies, pink for termination and grievance procedures, blue for vacation policies...etc. I smiled to imagine the work and detail that had gone into this document that was the first of its kind. Within an hour, he brought me one - and thought I might enjoy taking a look at it. A 30 year old booklet that he had held onto for these years. Item 1
Next I met a retired educator. She was new to Gambrill and had moved from Oklahoma. She has her PhD in education and was a leader in that state's education department. As we visited I learned that she was on the forefront of "Character Education" that is all the rage here and elsewhere. She had authored curriculum that taught children about respect, honor, trustworthyness, etc, etc. She showed me her workbooks and we talked about the ethics of deciding what and how to teach multiple ethnic diversities some very Eurocentric values. She gave me her workbooks. Item 2
There are many good church folks at Gambrill and among them a delightful couple who have dedicated themselves to serving God and the church in all that they do. They have gone on many mission trip and led a very exciting life. She passed on a whole file about several mission sites they had been to and have kept in touch with. Item 3
Now I have the task of how to honor these gifts. Do I leave them on my desk as works in progress? Do I file them away for safe keeping?
These are the legacies of people who are at a point in their life where they are in need of some affirmation, some record keeping that their lives have made a difference somewhere in the world. I am the grateful recipient of these thoughts and words and faith. I am no different, I too want to know that my life and time spent with people past and present has made a difference. I just haven't created the legacy gifts I can give to someone to keep for me to be my witness to the age that I was here and that it mattered.
As I began meeting the folks here at Gambrill Gardens it was noteworthy to me that they would pretty much always begin with the work they did in their life. One gentleman was a hospital administrator...and I would say sometime before that was the specialized position that it is now. We shared our history of hospitals and the changes we had seen in healthcare over the years and marveled at how times have changed. Pretty soon he told me about the employee manual he wrote for the hospital. It was the first one this small rural hospital had and this was in the early 80's. He went to great pains to color code the sections to be meaningful to the topic at hand...green for payroll policies, pink for termination and grievance procedures, blue for vacation policies...etc. I smiled to imagine the work and detail that had gone into this document that was the first of its kind. Within an hour, he brought me one - and thought I might enjoy taking a look at it. A 30 year old booklet that he had held onto for these years. Item 1
Next I met a retired educator. She was new to Gambrill and had moved from Oklahoma. She has her PhD in education and was a leader in that state's education department. As we visited I learned that she was on the forefront of "Character Education" that is all the rage here and elsewhere. She had authored curriculum that taught children about respect, honor, trustworthyness, etc, etc. She showed me her workbooks and we talked about the ethics of deciding what and how to teach multiple ethnic diversities some very Eurocentric values. She gave me her workbooks. Item 2
There are many good church folks at Gambrill and among them a delightful couple who have dedicated themselves to serving God and the church in all that they do. They have gone on many mission trip and led a very exciting life. She passed on a whole file about several mission sites they had been to and have kept in touch with. Item 3
Now I have the task of how to honor these gifts. Do I leave them on my desk as works in progress? Do I file them away for safe keeping?
These are the legacies of people who are at a point in their life where they are in need of some affirmation, some record keeping that their lives have made a difference somewhere in the world. I am the grateful recipient of these thoughts and words and faith. I am no different, I too want to know that my life and time spent with people past and present has made a difference. I just haven't created the legacy gifts I can give to someone to keep for me to be my witness to the age that I was here and that it mattered.
Monday, December 17, 2012
A Return to Discipline
My goodness! How time flies and here it is another year is about to pass. I have been away from the blog world for nearly 2 years! The community center, that was the focus of several posts, has been finished and is in operation and serving the people of Jefferson City and God in great abundance. And my life is completely changed from the posts I reread today.
Mark was appointed to a new church in July and we moved 150 miles "back" toward home to step into new roles and new life. Zach is a freshman in college and Sarah has been moved 1/2 way through her high school education and is a junior now. I am working as a chaplain at a retirement home that is home to 300 of the "greatest generation" and those that closely followed them. EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. Identity, routine, jobs, parenting, income, community, friends and neighbors.
So, I find a calling to return to the discipline of writing, don't have any agenda, or any clear topics, but I have learned that to be a well read writer it takes the discipline of writing on a regular basis and that is my hope and desire.
Here's to new beginnings, beginning again and the grace to do it!
Mark was appointed to a new church in July and we moved 150 miles "back" toward home to step into new roles and new life. Zach is a freshman in college and Sarah has been moved 1/2 way through her high school education and is a junior now. I am working as a chaplain at a retirement home that is home to 300 of the "greatest generation" and those that closely followed them. EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. Identity, routine, jobs, parenting, income, community, friends and neighbors.
So, I find a calling to return to the discipline of writing, don't have any agenda, or any clear topics, but I have learned that to be a well read writer it takes the discipline of writing on a regular basis and that is my hope and desire.
Here's to new beginnings, beginning again and the grace to do it!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Time Away
I am very well aware of how long it has been since I posted on this blog. I have felt as though there was nothing to say...and then there was no time to write it so that it was said well. So I took a break, wrote a couple of sermons - so I did do some writing - and am looking again for things to say. Time away has been good but it's time to get back to it.
I continue to reflect and pray and listen as we get deeper into the choices around the community center. I am listening to the conversations that are going on around the church and find there is a wide diversity of concerns. Some are just a matter of understanding the details, and some are more troubling because they reveal an underlying fear/inward focus that we know is a deadend for the mission of the church.
The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Making followers of Jesus Christ so that the world will be CHANGED. We are part of what gets changed as the world changes. There is so much more that needs to be changed in me, and I want to be part of this transformation but sometimes I''m not sure we all think that. Sometimes I think we look out from our lofty perches and say You need to change, but I'm fine right where I am....
If the mission of the church is to be about those in the world who do not know the love of God, and not to take care of ourselves, then we have to lift up our heads, lift up our eyes and look around to see where we go. FUMC has been blessed to see need in lands far away but we are being called to look a little closer to home too.
I think the best question is why this? Why this broken down building, why this partnership, why this vision? I can't say this enough: This is what God has given us to do. This notion has been lurking around for six months. And believe me when we first heard about it, we (the pastors) were VERY skeptical...and it laid on the shelf for a good six weeks with all of us saying huh? But it also wouldn't die. In each of our prayers, we asked what will you have us do now, God? And the move of the Spirit kept coming back to this idea. Think of the message this gives to this community...this broken down, hopeless building CAN be restored and put to usefulness for good for those who care. "Those people" (insert you) care enough to do this. And it fulfills the feeding, clothing, visiting, call we all have as Christ-followers.
Some have asked, can't we rent another building and do this another way? Of course, but where is the building? Do you know of a place that is in the middle of a neighborhood? A neighborhood in need? Please test your ideas! God will move us to where we need to be...but I'm not seeing anything else in the windshield. So this suggestion becomes a way to undermine the vision we feel we have been given...if you honestly believe there is another way...please bring it forward!
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that through conversations with other churches, there seems to be a light that dawns as the vision unfolds and people get excited for this "answer to their prayers" about how they can serve the community or fulfill the gifts for ministry that they feel they have been given. Our faith tells us this is God at work, this is the confirmation that comes as we discern everyday.
Save your anger, share your thoughts, the future is open and God is in it!
I continue to reflect and pray and listen as we get deeper into the choices around the community center. I am listening to the conversations that are going on around the church and find there is a wide diversity of concerns. Some are just a matter of understanding the details, and some are more troubling because they reveal an underlying fear/inward focus that we know is a deadend for the mission of the church.
The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Making followers of Jesus Christ so that the world will be CHANGED. We are part of what gets changed as the world changes. There is so much more that needs to be changed in me, and I want to be part of this transformation but sometimes I''m not sure we all think that. Sometimes I think we look out from our lofty perches and say You need to change, but I'm fine right where I am....
If the mission of the church is to be about those in the world who do not know the love of God, and not to take care of ourselves, then we have to lift up our heads, lift up our eyes and look around to see where we go. FUMC has been blessed to see need in lands far away but we are being called to look a little closer to home too.
I think the best question is why this? Why this broken down building, why this partnership, why this vision? I can't say this enough: This is what God has given us to do. This notion has been lurking around for six months. And believe me when we first heard about it, we (the pastors) were VERY skeptical...and it laid on the shelf for a good six weeks with all of us saying huh? But it also wouldn't die. In each of our prayers, we asked what will you have us do now, God? And the move of the Spirit kept coming back to this idea. Think of the message this gives to this community...this broken down, hopeless building CAN be restored and put to usefulness for good for those who care. "Those people" (insert you) care enough to do this. And it fulfills the feeding, clothing, visiting, call we all have as Christ-followers.
Some have asked, can't we rent another building and do this another way? Of course, but where is the building? Do you know of a place that is in the middle of a neighborhood? A neighborhood in need? Please test your ideas! God will move us to where we need to be...but I'm not seeing anything else in the windshield. So this suggestion becomes a way to undermine the vision we feel we have been given...if you honestly believe there is another way...please bring it forward!
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that through conversations with other churches, there seems to be a light that dawns as the vision unfolds and people get excited for this "answer to their prayers" about how they can serve the community or fulfill the gifts for ministry that they feel they have been given. Our faith tells us this is God at work, this is the confirmation that comes as we discern everyday.
Save your anger, share your thoughts, the future is open and God is in it!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Whew! Like Giving Birth or Something
Well, it was one week ago that I was onstage with 12 other actors, performing in the play "The Diary of Anne Frank." And that a culmination of 10 weeks of hard work! I am so very happy and honored to have been given the chance to repeat my interpretation of Petronella Van Daan. The story of these people in 1943-44 Amsterdam, as the Nazi's were taking control, is truly one of such amazing courage! The courage to go "underground", to hide right under the enemy's noses, to get up day in and day out and know that there is no where to go...I can't imagine the inner fortitude that took. I sometimes wonder if I would have just given up...
So in the last week, I find myself kind of missing my "stage family" and feeling a little like postpartum depression has set in. I'm moping around wondering what's next on the horizon. But so, so thankful for for it all!
So in the last week, I find myself kind of missing my "stage family" and feeling a little like postpartum depression has set in. I'm moping around wondering what's next on the horizon. But so, so thankful for for it all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)