Musings for a Beautiful Day

Promises to God - Lent

2012-01-26T09:18:00.000-06:00

Lent seems like a long way away, but as a pastor you write your February ponderings in January.

Ihave never been very good with making New Year’s Resolutions, even before Ibecame a pastor. There was somethingabout making a promise to myself to change what was wrong with me … loseweight, eat well, exercise more … that just wouldn’t stick. I would be lucky if I made it through thefirst week. I could make the resolutionand before the day is done I could break it. This places me in good company, for one of the pieces of chatter duringthe Rose parade was how long will you keep your New Year’s resolution and theanswer was that most people had already broken it. It is a Holidayafter all and how can you eat better when you have snacks for the game and ameal with family occurring. So lately Idon’t even bother making a resolution. Iknow myself and know that when it is cold I am not going to go for a long walk,especially if there is snow or ice on the ground.

Butsomething changes for me when Lent arrives. This time seems the right time for making promises, for makingchanges. During Lent I have found I cankeep my promise, even when it involves no chocolate or fancy coffees for fortydays. Part of the reason is because thepromise I am making are to God and not me. When I know that this is about deepening my connection with God I ammore accountable and more able to start again when I fail. During Lent I remind myself, that when I havethe urge for chocolate or coffee I am to stop and pray. To stop and be still and remember that duringthis time, this Holy Time my hunger or thirst is a reminder that Jesus willnever again eat or drink “until that day when I (Jesus) drink it new in theKingdom of God.”(Mark 14:25) My thirstand hunger stops me and says be open, that one day in your kingdom we will feastagain together. And then when I take themoney from that craving and put it aside in my prayer box to present back toGod, I am making tangible my offering. Iam setting aside this money to do the necessary work to build the kingdom, onepiece at a time.

So whatpromise will you make to God this Lent? What resolution will you make? Will you give up meat on Fridays and set the money aside to help thehungry? Will you give up your greatestvice (coffee, chocolate, texting, TV) and use those moments when you have theurge to pray or to serve the kingdom with your labor? May this Lent allow you a chance to drawcloser to God who is already reaching for you…

Text of Terror - the Movie: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2012-01-13T14:49:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, Imade a mistake, I went to see a movie based on the TV rather than I seeing what the subject matter was. After all it was being described as the bestthriller of the year. Since then I havehad images in my head that I don’t want of sexual violence and rape. These were scenes that were beyond graphicand made me feel like a voyeur who was unable to step in and make it stop. Even the mystery at the heart of the movie isabout the brutal murder and dismemberment and rape of women based upon biblicalpassages. “The Girl with the DragonTattoo” would have been better titled as it Swedish title, “Men who hate Women.” Then at least I would have thought twiceabout seeing this movie that was proclaimed to have a feminist protagonist, story line, maybe in a frat boysunderstanding of girl superheroes.

I wish I had readthis review in the New York Times before seeing the movie, so I could have madea different choice. “Sexual violence isa lurid thread running through “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” and Mr.Fincher approaches it with queasy, teasing sensationalism. Lisbeth’s dealingswith Bjurman include a vicious rape and a correspondingly brutal act ofrevenge, and there is something prurient and salacious about the way theinitial assault is filmed. The vengeance, while graphic, is visually morecircumspect.” (Tattooed Heroine Metes Out Slick, PunitiveViolence, A. O. SCOTT, December 19, 2011).

But as I experienced the film there is this movieabout female revenge and outrage against violence against women that graphicallydepicts and exploits those acts. I feltlike I was in the middle of what Phyllis Tribble calls a text of terror, afterall as part of the mystery scripture is used to describe the how and in thekillers mind the why of the killing. Text of terror are those passages and stories that we don’t want to lookat because they make us uncomfortable in wondering how Scripture, the faithstories of the people of God can be so violent and horrible to women. Trible takes us to look at the stories wherechaos reigns and if women have a voice it isn’t heard. These are the stories of Hagar, Tamar, AnUnnamed Woman, and The Daughter of Jephthah. Watching the evening news or going to the movies, we hear stories of therejection suffered by daughters of Hagar; we encounter the bodies of raped andabused women crying out for justice; and see women sacrificed in the name ofreligion.

One of the stories Trible sheds light on is in Judges19:1-30, An Unnamed Woman.

As they were enjoying themselves, suddenly certain men of the city,perverted men, surrounded the house and beat on the door. Theyspoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man whocame to your house, that we may know him carnally!” But the man, themaster of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brethren! I begyou, do not act so wickedly! Seeing this man has come into my house,do not commit this outrage. Look, here is my virgin daughterand the man’s concubine; let me bring them out now. Humble them, anddo with them as you please; but to this man do not do such a vilething!” But the men would not heed him. So the man took his concubine andbrought her out to them. And they knew her and abused her all nightuntil morning; and when the day began to break, they let her go. Thenthe woman came as the day was dawning, and fell down at the door of the man’shouse where her master was, till it was light. When her masterarose in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go hisway, there was his concubine, fallen at the door of the house withher hands on the threshold. And he said to her, “Get up and let us begoing.” But there was no answer. So the man lifted her onto the donkey; and theman got up and went to his place. When he entered his house he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine,and divided her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughoutall the territory of Israel.

As Trible says "First of all, we can recognize the contemporaneity of the story. Misogyny belongs to every age, including our own. Violence andvengeance are not just characteristics of a distant, pre-Christian past; theyinfect the community of the elect to this day. Woman as object is stillcaptured, betrayed, raped, tortured, murdered, dismembered and scattered. To take to heart this ancient story, then, is to confess its presentreality. The story is alive, and all is not well. Beyond confessionwe must take counsel and say, “Never again.” Yet this counsel is itselfineffectual unless we direct our hearts to that most uncompromising of allbiblical commands, speaking the words not to others but to ourselves: Repent. Repent." (Trible, Texts of Terror)

Repent. Repent. That is what I want from the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I don’t want Lisbeth to be a feminist hero, Iwant us to repent the violence that was displayed. I want us to say never again. Repent. Turn Around. Turn Back to God.

Jesus Story - Our Story

2011-12-28T08:23:00.000-06:00

Thereis a story found in a native society describing how one tribe learned to findits way on long journeys. Thesetravelers navigated by singing a song as they journeyed, a song that was aroadmap by which they could remember changes in direction and key landmarks. This song would change as the hunting groundchanges with the season. Their song charteda course for the season. How do we chartour course? Do we need a story to singas we go? One of the ways we can readthe Gospel of Mark is as the song to sing that guides us through our life storyand journey with God. When we see howJesus interacts with the lives of people he encounters, we see people’s livesbeing transformed and their stories changing. The story of people being renewed and healed makes it possible toenvision our renewal.

We are going to begin this New Yearwith Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark. Thestory opens with “The beginning of the good news about Jesus, the anointed one,the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Thebeginning, a word we’ve heard before, at the very start: “The beginning, God created the heavens andthe earth” (Genesis 1:1). This is thenew beginning, the new story that God is going to share with us. As we enter Mark’s story we enter “a world ofconflict and suspense, a world of surprising reversals and strange ironies, aworld of riddle and hidden meanings, a world of subversive actions andpolitical intrigues. And the protagonist — Jesus — is most surprising ofall” (David Rhoads, Mark as Story, 1). Toenter Mark’s story is to enter a world where you are to join the story andbecome a means to help bring about God’s kingdom. This story challenges us to see the worlddifferently and invites you to act to make the story of God real.

We will begin Our Story - Mark’s Storywith John the Baptist, preparing the way and hearing the words spoken overJesus “you are my beloved, I delighted in choosing you.” This leads to Jesus’ time in the wilderness. Hecomes out of the wilderness preaching “The right time is fulfilled, and therule of God has arrived. Turn around andput faith in the Good News. “Jesus then calls the first disciples, heals a manwith unclean spirit, heals Simon/Peter’s mother-in-law, spends time in pray,and heals a leper. In each of theseencounters with people in the first chapter of Mark, Jesus takes the story ofthe Holy One of Israel and returns salvation to God’s people. As Ched Myers says, scripture is once againthe story of God’s liberating love and call to live according to it (Binding the Strong Man).

We are called to be prepared, toaccept the risks that come from allowing our story to become part of God’sstory. To chart our course, we need astory that we sing as we go, will we allow that song to be Jesus’ song? Will we sing of a life transformed by theHoly One of Israel? As Bell teaches uscome walk and sleep; come savor and sit; come eat and discover; come share andgive; come close and find; come stand and loose; come leave and come welcome. Come find that love which never ends andopens your heart wide.

Come join me in this story,

Sing Hey for the Carpenter

Comewith me, come wander,

Comewelcome the world,

Wherestrangers might smile

Orwhere stones may be hurled;

Comeleave what you cling to,

Laydown what you clutch

Andfind, with hands empty,

Thathearts can hold much.

SingHey for the carpenter

Leavinghis tools!

SingHey for the Pharisees

Leavingtheir rules!

SingHey for the fishermen

Leavingtheir nets!

SingHey for the people

Wholeave their regrets!

Comewalk in my company,

Comesleep by my side,

Comesavor a lifestyle

Withnothing to hide;

Comesit at my table

Andeat with my friends,

Discoveringthat love

Whichthe world never ends.

Comeshare in my laughter,

Comeclose to my fears,

Comefind yourself washed

Withthe kiss of my tears;

Comestand close at hand

WhileI suffer and die,

Andfind in three days

HowI never will lie.

Comeleave your possessions,

Comeshare out your treasure,

Comegive and receive

Withoutmethod or measure;

Comeloose every bond

That’srestraining the spirit,

Enablingthe earth

Tobe yours to inherit.

- John L. Bell

Christmas for the Outcasts

2011-12-24T08:09:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I was ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. While I was there with my son and a girl from church, we rang with our broken bell that kept losing all its parts and watched the people go in and out of Walmart. It's interesting to watch as people tried to avoid you at all cost. My sons favorite was the baby block where the mother held up her baby so that it blocked us from eye contact. What I noticed was who gave and who didn't. I can understand not giving, if there like me I never have cash in my wallet. But I know how much this money helps the people of our community with rent, utilities, a tank of gas or groceries. So when someone who looks like they didn't have much managed to give you could feel the power of hope in the kettle.
One of may favorite Christmas songs in Father Christmas by the Kinks. Here is someone wanting to share the spirit of Christmas who is being mugged. Christmas is so hard that the muggers want the money for they know its the rich kids that get the toys. This song asks us to remember those who have nothing at Christmas.
A state that breaks the heart of those who this week in our community met with people who had little for Christmas. One particular girl had nothing for her baby at Christmas: crashing on the floor of friends, paying them back with money from babysitting by getting toiletries, with the father of her baby in jail for beating the baby. She came seeking help and hope. As she broke open the heart of those who met with her. They tried to find the organizations that could give her a hand up. They help her with toiletries presents for those she crashed with because one of the church's had collected tins, grabbing gifts that had been donated. These people who gather monthly to help those without much in our community experienced what Christmas can be about. That a baby came into the world among the lowly and poor, a baby whose mother upon meeting the shepherds. These shepherds were rough, dirty, not even considered good enough to be counted. Yet God's Angel's appeared to them bringing good news of peace, about a baby come to save us all. Jesus the baby came to the outcast and marginal. As Mary pondered in her heart the presence of these shepherd she probably heard her song again. Her song that shares how God lifts up the lowly, is with the poor, and wants the hungry to eat.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and myspirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked withfavor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations willcall me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great thingsfor me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for those whofear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shownstrength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of theirhearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from theirthrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungrywith good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54 He hashelped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55 accordingto the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendantsforever." Luke 1

Have Yourself a Merry, Merry Christmas

Have yourself a really good time

But remember the Kids who got nothing

The Kinks

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

2011-12-19T17:32:00.003-06:00

There's a star in the East on Christmas morn,
Rise up shepherd and follow.
It will lead to the place where the Saviour's born,
Rise up shepherd and follow.

Follow, follow,
Rise up shepherd and follow.
Follow the star of Bethlehem.
Rise up shepherd and follow.

Who will you be following this Christmas? Will you take time these season to seek the Christ child?

Christmas Hope

2011-12-10T14:55:00.001-06:00

I love Christmas movies. I could watch them all day long fromThanksgiving to Christmas, from the Hallmark Channel to black and whiteclassics. My son who is 16 is not quite the fan ofChristmas movies that I am, so as I was trying to find a good movie to writeabout for this letter I came across a dystopian Sci-Fi film for Reed to watchwith me, “Children of Men.” This is amovie about moving from despair to hope. The movie begins with a drunken Theo almost being blown up trying to getcoffee. He has just been driftingthrough life after the death of his son and all of the children of earth. As Theo says, “I can't really remember when I last had anyhope, and I certainly can't remember when anyone else did either. Becausereally, since women stopped being able to have babies, what's left to hope for?” Theo is paid tosave an African refugee because of his political connections. He learns that Kee is pregnant. His mission is to get them sanctuarywith a group called the Human Project. This is no easy task as the government and rebels are fighting eachother. But in the midst of a refugeecamp this baby is born, a baby who will change the world. This movie shows us how very sad a worldwithout children will be. When this babyis born, even though there are bombs and bullets flying, as Theo guides Kee andthe baby out of ground zero, everyone who hears the child cry stops andlistens, falling to their knees and making the sign of the cross, offer ablessing, or just for a moment feeling wonder and hope. As Jasper says, “Your baby is the miracle thewhole world has been waiting for.”

Christmas is that time of year when we get to stop and take amoment to believe in and practice hope. This time of year we wait for a baby to come into the world bringinghope and salvation. My prayer thisChristmas is that you will allow yourself to discover the hope ofChristmas. That even in the midst ofdarkness, trouble, despair, we are taught to hope:

"Hopein the Lord! Be strong! Let your heart take courage! Hope in the Lord!" Psalm 27:14

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They willsoar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk andnot be faint, Isaiah 40:31

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, sothat you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, Romans 15:13

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, andhe healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who hewas. This was to fulfill what wasspoken through the prophet Isaiah: "Here is my servant whom Ihave chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will putmy Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to thenations. … In his name the nations will put theirhope." Matthew 12:15-18, 21

May you discover the hope you need this Christmas.

Mary's Song

2011-12-06T18:19:00.001-06:00

What would you do if you were a teenager and pregnant? If you knew that God had a plan for you and your baby, yet still you think about what to do? How can I care for a baby when I haven't even started to care for myself? How would you respond to the looks that said you had done the unthinkable? How would you deal with your boyfriend who isn't the father? So you run. You head to a place where you hope you will be welcomed or at least not rejected.
Then you arrive at your cousins house and her first words to you are you are blessed. She wraps you in a hug and for that moment you feel safe, you feel comforted, you think that maybe everything will be ok. And you start to sing.

"My soul glorifies the Lord 47 andmy spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for hehas been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Fromnow on all generations will call me blessed, 49 forthe Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is hisname. 50 His mercy extends to those who fearhim, from generation to generation. 51 He hasperformed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered thosewho are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 Hehas brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He hashelped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 toAbraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to ourfathers."

With the arrogance of youth she says now everyone will call me blessed, because God has done great things for me. Deep within me I feel God's presence, my soul and my spirit glow. And then there is a moment when her own experience gets transformed into a song of revolution, a song to change the world. The last, the lost, and the lowly will be the first, the found, and exalted. The world will be turned upside down by this baby you have allowed to enter my life.
Who would believe that a teenage girl could birth something so beautiful? Could sing of revolution and inspire us all? But God does work through us when we are open to the calls of our spirit. We can change the world.
A story that came to mind was of Lovette Conto. As a baby her father fled the war in Liberia to a refugee camp in Ghana. At this camp, she fought for her friend who needed a place to go to school but was blind. Her fight led her to be noticed by someone who could offer her a scholarship to make her dream of being a designer. She came to the US where she was inspired. She saw a leaf with life printed on it and then she thought to take bullets from the war in Liberia and turn them into jewlery. She took something of war and created something of love. Akawelle is her jewelry which means aka (also known as) wel'le (love). She knew this was possible for: In Africa,everywhere you turn you are told, “It ain’t gonnahappen”. But my dad would always say "Keep walking. Press on. It's going tohappen." He was right.
Like Mary, Lovette sings a song that is different from the world. She sings of hope and beauty in a world that can be full of pain. Will you sing with Mary this Christmas? Will you create love?

Elizabeth's Song (Ave Maria)

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000-06:00

WhenI was doing my CPE unit, one of the patients who was in for a couple of weeksmade it her mission to teach me the Hail Mary. The first time I had stopped in her room and talked with her andfinished by asking people if they wanted me to pray with them something I wasonly becoming comfortable with. Now Iwas faced with having to say a prayer I had never learned. So I told her I didn’t know it but I wouldpray with her while she said it. Thatnight I looked up the prayer so when I saw her the next day we could say ittogether. She wasn’t content that I readit she wanted me to be able to say it from my heart. So that night I set about memorizing it.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed isthe fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary,Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.

Ifelt a little odd saying this prayer, it just wasn’t part of my experience ortradition. Then I took a class on theGospel of Luke and wrote a paper on Mary. I wanted to find out why Jesus would reject her when she is outside theplace he is teaching. While studying allthe reference to Mary I learned about Elizabeth’s Song, otherwise know as theAve Maria or Hail Mary in Luke 1.

"Blessed are you among women, andblessed is the fruit of your womb.43 And why has this happened tome, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon asI heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Andblessed is she who believed that there would be afulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

Thefirst song given to us in Luke’s gospel begins with a shout of joy. Elizabeth a woman who never expected to behaving a baby has been blessed by God with a baby. This gift allows her the ability to see thedivine, the holy when it appears before her. So when she opens the door to a pregnant Mary, she is able to see God atwork and pours out a blessing upon Mary. She declares her blessed and her baby blessed. She then shares how her own baby leaped forjoy. Elizabeth than says you are blessedMary, not just because of this baby but because you heard what God was saying toyou and believed. You are blessed becauseyou believe.

Thisfirst song of Christmas is asking us to bless. To greet those we meet with God’s blessing. To greet those we meet with joy. To share what it means to live a blessedlife. To share God’s blessing with thoseyou meet.

Sothis first Sunday of Christmas, let us pray for blessings.

Bless you, O God, father of all and gentlecaring mother, do not forget your children.

Bless you, O God, who has given us the greatgifts of creation and scripture.

And you bless us, with love, withforgiveness, with vision.

Bless us this day so we may share our hopesto you:

Hope for those caught up in war…

Hopefor those who are homeless…

Hopefor those who are ill…

Hopefor those struggling in relationships during this family time…

Andfor the deepest hope of our hearts…

God is with us and our hope is reborn. Amen.

What is Christmas about?

2011-11-23T14:28:00.001-06:00

Iwas sitting with a group of kids getting ready for the Christmas play inworship one Christmas. While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, Iasked them what they wanted Santa to bring them for Christmas. One ofthem told me a DSI, one said a special Barbie. I said I wanted an icecream maker. A 3 year old little girl, in her Cindi Lou who costume withred cheeks, pigtails, and twirly dress, looked at me very solemnly and said,"Santa only brings toys." Santa only brings toys.

Iremember one Christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas Tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a Silent Night and they sold me a fairy story

These littleones were a quiver of excitement that Santa was coming to bring them adream. The dream for Christmas was of packages and the bearded man withhis toys. This story came back to methis year as I thought about our Christmas dilemma. Where will we be Sunday ChristmasMorning? Some churches are cancelingservices. So when we make a choice aboutChristmas day and spending it with family will we take time during the day toremember the reason for the celebration?

Inthe song, I Believe in Father Christmas, the author contrasts the belief inFather Christmas with the belief in the Israelites, the rain with the virgin’stears. On Sunday December 25^thwill we remember the magic of Christmas is a story of the coming birth ofbabies who will grow up to change the world? The Gospel of Luke begins with the stories of two coming babies, thestruggles the families go through to have these babies and the hope thesebabies represent.

ThisChristmas we will sing Zechariah’s Song from Luke 1:68-79, about his new babyJohn, the Baptist. In this song /prayer, the baby will help to usher in the dawn from on high. He will be great in the sight of the Lord andfilled with God's Spirit. He will turn people to the Lord. He willprepare the people for the One who is coming to bring salvation.

68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he haslooked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 76 And you,child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before theLord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation tohis people by the forgiveness of their sins. 78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on highwill break upon us, 79 to give light tothose who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into theway of peace."

We willalso sing Mary’s love song to God and her child in Luke 1:46-55. Shesings of our God who looks on us with mercy, our God is on the side of the poorand hungry, and fulfills the promises made to our ancestors.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and myspirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on thelowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call meblessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is hisname. 50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughtsof their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, andlifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent therich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of hismercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and tohis descendants forever."

Sothis Christmas will we believe in this dream and hope for a Christmas ofsalvation and peace. As Bono sings "I wish ... at Christmas we get what we deserve." May we meet this season the God of the Israelites, the God behind the plan ofsalvation who turns the world upside down and inside out. As Mary andZechariah sing, even when we experience anguish, pain and sorrow, will weremember the God of Mercy who sends babies to change the world.

I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave New Year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear

A Kitten for Mission 1

2011-11-09T09:03:00.001-06:00

OnMonday night, I came to church and was going around the building opening it upfor the Ecclesiastical Council ( the UCC final step for ordination where the association votes to affirm thepersons call on the condition ofreceiving a job offer) we were having for our recent seminary graduate. So I am turning on the lights and unlockingthe doors and I get to the outside door where people come into the building forthe food pantry. As I got to the door, Isaw a box and thought someone brought food for our Mission 1 collection. The United Church of Christ is on a missiontogether to collect food for the hungry, dollars for neighbors in need, anoffering of letters to congress and money for African famine relief. We hadbegun to fill up the windowsill in the sanctuary; I was really hoping for morefood. So then I bent down to pick up thebox and it meowed at me. Which caused meto actually read the writing on the boxwhich told a story of a person seeking on home for the kitten. The weather was turning cold and whilewanting to care for the kitten the person knew that wasn’t possible. The note asked us to please find the kitten ahome.

I was torn, knowing I couldn’t afford another pet with twoof my own that we had rescued I asked the people to call around and find wherewe could take the kitten. But while celebratingthis beautiful moment for our seminarian whose call from God is to grow achurch devoted to earth care many of us were worried about this kitten. I knew myself and didn’t go look or pet it becauseI would take it home.

We found a place to take the kitten but it got me thinkingabout hunger and poverty. When food forpeople becomes hard to attain then those companion animals also suffer. There is less food and less money for medicalcare. Here we were as a churchconfronted with this economic crisis in the form of a kitten. What are you supposed to do with a abandonedanimal? Experts recommend that peoplestruggling financially to support their pets take the following steps:

·        Contact local shelters or rescue groups tolocate pet food pantries or to find pet-friendly apartments if you have tomove. They can link you with programs that can help with necessary vet care,medications or low-cost spay/neuter. In an increasing number of cities, groupsare forming to provide short-term foster care for pets whose owners need alittle time to get stable again.
·        Go to the home page of the Humane Society of theUnited States (hsus.org) and click on PetTip, which offers a state-by-state, ever-growing list of groups offering freeor discounted pet food, medical care or temporary foster care.
·        Barter a short-term living arrangement for yourpets. You provide free dog-walking or housekeeping or landscaping services forsomeone who gives your animal a home until your finances improve.
·        If you conclude you must give up your pet: See whether responsible pet-loving friends orfamily can take it. If it's a purebred, contact the breed rescue group in yourregion. A few will also consider mixed-breed dogs that are primarily aparticular breed. Contact no-kill shelters or rescue groups first.

But…What are our obligations as a church to this lost kittenand the other companion animals who are being hurt during times of economicturmoil? When our seminarian was askedwhat her favorite scripture passage was, she said “The earth is the Lord’s andall that’s in it.” So when we as theUnited Church of Christ are thinking about confronting food related injusticeduring this 11 days, one of those injustices that never even crossed my mind untila lost kitten appeared on our church doorstep, was how will we help all theearth that is suffering. Will we addpetfood to our list of healthy food donated to the local food pantries? When we say all are welcome will we welcomethe lost kitten on our doorstep? Whowill we include when we pray “that they may all be one”?

Spirit Lake or Devil's Lake

2011-10-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

Devil's Lake State Park, WI

Devil's Lake State Park

This weekend while I was on Halloween Break as my son and I like to call the vacationdays he gets the last weekend in October. We decided to take a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. On the way, we stopped at Devil's Lake State Park. A number of people had told me howbeautiful it was, so we decided to hike along the lake.

At one point on the hike above the bluff myBrother-in-law remarked about how still and quiet it was at the peak. How he had being hearing birds and forestnoises for the whole trip up but when he reached the peak it was still andquiet. I said that maybe this was asacred site, a spot where earth and heaven touch and you can just sense God’spresence. We then began talking abouthow there are thin places in the world and how in the United States some ofthese thin places have been renamed Devil’s Lake. Our ancestors believed there was one way toGod and the Native American practices deemed not from God.

Devil's Lake State Park, WI

Whenwe got home, I wanted to check and see if my guess about the name of Devil’s Lakewas accurate. Diane Pillsbury on thepark website writes: “Native Americans have been at the park since the glaciersreceded over 10,000 years ago. The Ho-Chunk name for the lake is Tawacunchukdahor Sacred Lake, which may have been mistaken for an evil connotation andtranslated as Devil's Lake. The Ho-Chunks maintain that the bluffs were createdduring a fierce battle between the thunderbirds and the water spirits. Moundlocations seem to confirm this belief. A 150-foot bird mound on thesoutheastern shore of the lake represents the upper world. Bear and panthermounds on the north end of the lake, represent the opposing lower world.”

Devil's Lake State Park, WI

So we took a lake called SpiritLake or Sacred Lake and turned it into Devil’s Lake. Yet the energy of this spot still speaks topeople of the sacredness of the earth. This lake and trails still remind people of the beauty of creation. Even those who are not religious notice abeauty and stillness to this park that once was used as a sacred space. It’s at moments like these when I stop to saya psalm like 104

10 You make springsgush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, 11 givingdrink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst. 12 Bythe streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they singamong the branches. 13 From your lofty abode you water themountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 Youcause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, 15 and wine togladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthenthe human heart.16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. 17 In them the birdsbuild their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. 18 Thehigh mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys. 19 Youhave made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20 Youmake darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest comecreeping out. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seekingtheir food from God. 22 When the sun rises, they withdraw andlie down in their dens. 23 People go out to their work and totheir labor until the evening. 24 O Lord, how manifold areyour works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of yourcreatures.

Mission 1

2011-10-21T09:55:00.000-05:00

When Iwas little, one of the nights we gathered around the TV was to watch"Mission Impossible." It wason the only station we got, but it was a show all of us loved. The show always began the same way. Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) would receive atape recorded message which said, "Jim, your mission, if you choose toaccept it is..." and then it began. Jim was then given an impossible mission to save the world. He always accepted the mission and set about choosing agents, with the right skills to complete the mission. As you might guess, thesuper secret agents of Mission Impossible were always able to complete theirmission and save the US or the world from catastrophe.

Well this is your tape recorded mission, shouldyou choose to accept it. From 11-1-11 to11-11-11, the United Church of Christ and our congregation will be focusing onhunger in the United States and around the world. The goals for the campaignfrom the United Church of Christ are:

Collect more than 1 MILLION ITEMS OF HEALTHY FOOD and other household items for localfood banks
to gather more than $111,111 DOLLARS for Neighbors in Need
to gather $100,000 for African famine relief
Offer more than 11,111 LETTERS to Congress asking our government to reform U.S.foreign assistance in a way that more effectively benefits hungry and poorpeople worldwide

Aspart of this focus, our Mission will begin on November 1, 2011 with an AllSaints Day Prayer Service focused on hunger. During the service we will read scripture, sing songs, and focus onraising awareness about hunger and poverty and turning that awareness intoaction. You are invited to bring foodfor the Lake Geneva Food Pantry and/or make a donation for hunger relief inAfrica. On Sunday, November 6 we will continue our focus onhunger with Each One Bring One Sunday. The motto of the United Church of Christ is Jesus’ prayer “that they mayall be one.” On this Sunday, as wecelebrate being one together as Christ’s body on Earth, you are invited to: Bring 1+ Can(s) of Food for the Food Pantry; Bring1+ Dollar(s) for Neighbors in Need; Bring 1+ Friend(s) to Worship; Bring 1+Offering of Letters to Worship ( a sample can be found at: http://www.bread.org/ol/2011/sample-letter.html). After worship the adult education class in the pastor’s office willfocus on hunger.

Eachof us in the Church, like Mission Impossible agents, have been given specialtalents to help accomplish the mission. Who among us have the resourcesnecessary to help others? Who among usare willing to sharing our faith with others and inviting them to participatein our worship and mission? Who among uswill write letters to congress? Whoamong us will teach others about hunger? Each of us can bring our gifts to this mission and then the goals for theUnited Church of Christ can become a living possibility expressing our beliefthat they may all be one.

Howabout you? Are you willing to accept your mission?

My Grandmother's Generosity

2011-10-13T09:55:00.002-05:00

When I moved in with my grandmother whileattending graduate school at the University of Connecticut, one of the thingsthat frustrated me, exasperated me, that I can now look back at and chuckle andappreciate is the thriftiness of my grandmother. She knew that there was a second use for manyitems from bread loaf bags to cottage cheese containers. One of my fondest memories of her is of thislittle, and I mean tiny, pink suitcase she would pack to set off on her trip tovisit family. She knew that all youreally needed was a day dress, a Sunday morning dress, underwear, stockings, anda nightgown. Everything she needed fit inthis little case. She would then set outto visit my parents in Illinois or my aunt’s family in California. On the way, she would stop and stay at everyrelative that had settled from shore to shore. She knew there was someone who would put her and my great aunt orgrandpa up for the night. She expectedto receive generosity, but it also helped her to be a generous person. She gave of herself and her wealth. What she had was never much, but there wasalways enough to feed my 26 cousins and 14 aunts and uncles when they droppedby. There was always enough to help thenursing students she adopted knowing how tough it was to get through schoolwith a family. Generosity was a way oflife, a part of who she was and what she expected of us, her family. Grandma never had material wealth but she wasblessed with the gift of generosity. AsJesus says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be themeasure you get back (Luke 6:38).” Jesusis telling us to live lives of blessing. The more generous we are the more blessed the world will appear to be. Our life will be full of giving and receiving.

Whenwe give to our faith communities, we are experiencing part of what it means to live ablessed life. When we give, we providefood for those who hunger spiritually, emotionally and physically. We give so that as we celebrate the Lord's Supper and share coffee after worship so as we eat together we become the body of Christ. We give so that our building is ready to host theLake Geneva Food Pantry which serves over 500 adults and children a month; Sideby Side which provides assistance (rent, utilities, medical) to over 200families a year. We give so that our childrenmay be fed the stories of our faith. We give so that our spirits may be fed bymusic that moves our souls. We give sothat 75 young children can come to our building to grow and learn in United ChildCare Center. We give to OCWM (OurChurch’s Wider Mission) to assist our church in the work of Jesus Christthroughout the world. We give so thatwhen a hurting neighbor calls, we are able to listen to what is happening intheir lives, pray for them, and offer our support.

"Give and it will be Given to You."

What Comes from the Heart

2011-09-28T09:32:00.000-05:00

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat." 3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?4 For God said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say that whoever tells father or mother, "Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,' then that person need not honor the father. 6 So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: 8 "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' " 10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?" 13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit." 15 But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 Then he said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile." Matthew 15:1-20

When I entered my first parish fresh out of seminary, I was excited to be heading to a church where I would not have to worry about my theology for they were an Open and Affirming Congregation in the United Church of Christ who shared a building with Unitarians. I was excited that I would be able to preach the good news and not have to worry about my politics. So imagine my shock when I started receiving hate mail, hate emails, treatise, and telephone calls telling me that I was going to hell. Granted I was used to being told I was going to hell as a UCC'er growing up in the bible belt because I hadn't said the magic words making me a Christian. It didn't mater that my father was a pastor, I never missed church or Sunday school, had been baptized and could proof text with the best of you. But I wasn't a "Christian." But here in my first parish it was a whole new level of disagreement. Growing up I was just shunned. There in my first parish I was to be the voice of hope. I was to share the good news of Jesus with a hurting world. There in Casper, WY, the hometown of Matthew Shepherd, I was to lead a congregation that had been picketed by Fred Phelps and had had these quiet strong elderly woman called names that were unthinkable just because they voted to be a congregation that said we will not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

So the first time I received a phone call at home telling me I was going to hell and threatening my life, I tried to argue back with them. As they told me that homosexuality was against biblical law, I shared my interpretation of scripture pointing to every time and outsider or sinner was welcomed. After a while, when up on the mountain hiking and I would get one of these calls I wanted it to stop. I would never enter their private life and threaten them. I wouldn't begin to think they were going to hell ( being UCC have many questions about the entire concept). But what are we to do?

In the scripture lesson today, Jesus is asked why don't your disciples follow the rules. Why don't they wash their hands before eating. Aren't they going to be religious. Aren't they going to show what it means to be a good Jew. Jesus responds back to them first by asking about a different law. You say follow the commandment such as honor your parents but then make an exception saying if you give the money to the temple you have done the greater good. Is that really what was intended in the law.

Jesus goes on to talk to first the crowd and then the disciples sharing with them that it is not what goes in a body that is the problem. They problem is what comes out of the mouth, what the heart speaks that we should be concerned about. And for Jesus what is at the heart of the law and the prophets. When asked for the greatest commandment he says, "Love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all you mind. And the second of these is love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-38)." So when faced with a conflict, when threatened with hell; can we remember to think with the heart of God. For how we respond to our enemies says more about ourselves and our hearts, then any words they direct at us.

First Born of Mary

2011-09-19T13:04:00.001-05:00

In worship this month we have been singing First Born of Mary as an response to a drama we are doing. This song has been stuck in my head for a while. I love to listen to the prayer that is found on the "There is One Among Us " Cd written by John Bell and the Wild Goose Worship Group from Iona. So this is my take on their prayer.