It is difficult living in a foreign land when you want to communicate something important. There were times in India when I wanted to engage in conversation but could not because I only spoke English. Often, my frustration would be lived out in ever insistant actions that made me look like I was playing charades on a sugar rush. I would get frustrated at my own lack of language skills. I would even start to get mad at those who did not know my language. But mostly, I would remain quiet. I would find ways to exist that did not cause me to interact with others. I would allow the lack of common language to become a wall of isolation keeping me apart from the culture around me.
We are living this same experience today as the church becomes more isolated from society.
It seems as if the church and culture no longer speak the same language. Perceptions and past hurts build barriers isolating one from the other. Each makes assumptions about the other that squelch any desire to engage at a deep level. Failures on both sides to genuinely connect drain energy when we begin to try again. In many ways, we have been isolated from each other for so long it is easy to accept living apart as the norm.
This comes at a cost. When we no longer connect with each other the church becomes neurotically focused on the trivial and the community loses the gifts of the Body of Christ offering true grace, mercy and joy to the world. So how do we break through our seperation?
In India, I was motivated to try again when I became too lonely. I realized I needed the moments when there was connection. I discovered that it really was true there is more we share in common than the differences keeping us apart.
As we launch into a new program year, we are recieving clarity about the direction of our ministry in the days ahead. A significant part of our calling is focused on taking this exciting ministry out into the community. We cannot wait or expect the world to come to us. We must go to the world and enter into honest relationship. In doing this we will discover a lot of truth about ourselves, our faith and the amazing way God can make a way where none previously existed. It will begin when we as individuals reach out to others seeking genuine friendship. When we break through the barriers and really listen and care for others, we will find our address will have changed. We will no longer be in a foreign land, we shall be in the Kingdom of God.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Shower of Joy
Tomorrow we remember our Baptism. Before we start worship tomorrow, let me ask you. Do you remember you baptism? What do you remember about it? Who was there and where did it occur?
If you do not remember on your own, what do you know about it? What have you been told about it and who told you? If it is possible, call someone today who was there and find out what you can about the moment. I only found out last year the day I was Baptized. I enjoy knowing when my baptismal anniversary was so each year I have a day to remember it and give thanks.
To be counted as a baptized child of God means you are intitiated into a life of faith and as a part of the family of the church. This marking of baptismal water is an outward sign of a miracle occuring with in the life of the baptized and the Body of Christ.
God pours in to our lives grace to both clease our life from the power of sin and equip us to live as the redeemed and blessed children of God. It is a time of blessing and a sign of fulfilled hope.
As the baptized, we seal our connection to each other with vows of mutual support and fellowship.
Tomorrow we are celebrating Baptism in worship. We are inviting those who have not been baptized to hear the call of Baptism and receive this free gift of God's amazing grace. For those who have already been baptized, we are inviting you to come forward to remember your baptism as you feel the water and give thanks for this priceless gift.
Prepare your self for worship tomorrow by thinking and remembering your baptism. Come and be part of the family of faith as the holy water is stirred and showers of joy pour upon us all.
Come to waters and let us give thanks to the Lord.
If you do not remember on your own, what do you know about it? What have you been told about it and who told you? If it is possible, call someone today who was there and find out what you can about the moment. I only found out last year the day I was Baptized. I enjoy knowing when my baptismal anniversary was so each year I have a day to remember it and give thanks.
To be counted as a baptized child of God means you are intitiated into a life of faith and as a part of the family of the church. This marking of baptismal water is an outward sign of a miracle occuring with in the life of the baptized and the Body of Christ.
God pours in to our lives grace to both clease our life from the power of sin and equip us to live as the redeemed and blessed children of God. It is a time of blessing and a sign of fulfilled hope.
As the baptized, we seal our connection to each other with vows of mutual support and fellowship.
Tomorrow we are celebrating Baptism in worship. We are inviting those who have not been baptized to hear the call of Baptism and receive this free gift of God's amazing grace. For those who have already been baptized, we are inviting you to come forward to remember your baptism as you feel the water and give thanks for this priceless gift.
Prepare your self for worship tomorrow by thinking and remembering your baptism. Come and be part of the family of faith as the holy water is stirred and showers of joy pour upon us all.
Come to waters and let us give thanks to the Lord.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Money Questions
Today, Pastor Amy and I had a conversational sermon on money. Or more to the point, it was on the worry, stress and power money has in our lives. It is so hard to have a genuine conversation about money. Many assume if clergy are talking about it they are just trying to get more more money for the church. This is understandable since part of our responsibility is to help make sure the ministry we share is adequately funded.
But there is a desperate need for a honest faith based conversation about money. So much of our life is impacted by the underlying assumptions we have about ourselves, our future, our security and our worries as they get lived out in our financial lives. The passage for today from Matthew 6: 24-34 that we read in church speaks of our inability to serve God and wealth. It called us to not live with worry. It also suggested God will provide for our needs. But I have worries in my life. I am not always at peace when I think about the financial picture of my life or the church I love. So how can I find the peace and joy of this passage of scripture and set my mind and soul at ease on every aspect of my life, including my finances?
This coming week, I hope we can have a conversation about faith and money.
I will share what we considered this morning. John Wesley suggested a template for Christians to follow for their financial lives. He said, "Earn all you can, Save all you can and Give all you can". If you want to read his sermon on money, you can find it here:
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/50/ (Be aware it is written in 18th century English)
The power in his message is the integrity of how our faith in Christ is demonstarted in both how we earn our money, how we save it and give it. Faithful discipleship can be reflected in how we earn our income. The telling question is does the way we earn our income bring us peace? Are we injuring our health, our spirit or our relationships with others? Does our work reflect the integrity of the faith we desire?
As we strive to save, are our purchases in balance not only with our income but also our life as stewards of God's intent for life? John Wesley challanges us to consider if what we buy reflects genuine Christian character. Are we honoring God with our purchases? Are we pleasing instead the desires of our eyes, stomach, whims? Are we trying to impress others or keep status instead of reflecting balance and holy perspective?
Giving is both the inevitable fruit of our faithful stewardship and the foundation. Wesley rightly assumed Christians would want to invest in the kingdom work of God. But even that is expected in balance to the rest of our lives and the immeasurable grace we receive from God.
Some have taken this threefold mantra of Earn all you can, Save all you can and Give all you can and put an equation to it. It is live on 80%, save 10% and give 10%. More on this tomorrow.
But there is a desperate need for a honest faith based conversation about money. So much of our life is impacted by the underlying assumptions we have about ourselves, our future, our security and our worries as they get lived out in our financial lives. The passage for today from Matthew 6: 24-34 that we read in church speaks of our inability to serve God and wealth. It called us to not live with worry. It also suggested God will provide for our needs. But I have worries in my life. I am not always at peace when I think about the financial picture of my life or the church I love. So how can I find the peace and joy of this passage of scripture and set my mind and soul at ease on every aspect of my life, including my finances?
This coming week, I hope we can have a conversation about faith and money.
I will share what we considered this morning. John Wesley suggested a template for Christians to follow for their financial lives. He said, "Earn all you can, Save all you can and Give all you can". If you want to read his sermon on money, you can find it here:
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/50/ (Be aware it is written in 18th century English)
The power in his message is the integrity of how our faith in Christ is demonstarted in both how we earn our money, how we save it and give it. Faithful discipleship can be reflected in how we earn our income. The telling question is does the way we earn our income bring us peace? Are we injuring our health, our spirit or our relationships with others? Does our work reflect the integrity of the faith we desire?
As we strive to save, are our purchases in balance not only with our income but also our life as stewards of God's intent for life? John Wesley challanges us to consider if what we buy reflects genuine Christian character. Are we honoring God with our purchases? Are we pleasing instead the desires of our eyes, stomach, whims? Are we trying to impress others or keep status instead of reflecting balance and holy perspective?
Giving is both the inevitable fruit of our faithful stewardship and the foundation. Wesley rightly assumed Christians would want to invest in the kingdom work of God. But even that is expected in balance to the rest of our lives and the immeasurable grace we receive from God.
Some have taken this threefold mantra of Earn all you can, Save all you can and Give all you can and put an equation to it. It is live on 80%, save 10% and give 10%. More on this tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)