Do Not Worry

I did a really fun thing tonight. Our Lenten study has been focused on God's calling us into mission. We spent a week talking about poverty and another focused on injustices in the world. Then this week I gave everyone (remember, this is a church of people mostly over the age of 65 and many over 75) a newspaper, scissors, and glue and asked them what kind of headline they would create if our church had unlimited resources -- money, time, and people -- to reach out into the community. The trick was that they could only fashion their headlines out of words they cut out from their newspapers (so they kinda reflected ransom notes). The headlines were priceless. We had everything from "We Never Close!" to ways to reach out to the homeless, to people caught in addictions, and to families; We had the church giving money to people, feeding people, etc. We even had affordable senior housing on the grounds! And of course we had a lot of laughs. Then I turned in the Gospel of Matthew to listen as Jesus teaches us not to worry about anything, for God will take care of our needs. I reminded people that they were able to envision the kingdom of God during our exercise because they stopped worrying that there would not be enough money or enough food or that they would not live very much longer. And I encouraged people to take these visions that seemed a bit over the top and begin to wonder what God is calling the church to be. And then I turned to Matthew 28 and together we heard the Great Commission. "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." And then we heard the best news ever: "Remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Next week we'll get specific about what God is calling us to do and to be. But this week, we recognized a vision.

Funeral Funnies

I've had a lot of funeral experience since moving to Florida. Always I am amazed by the beauty of death -- how people are able to know when it's time to breathe their last and how there is no anxiety but simply a willingness to let go and allow something larger than themselves to embrace them in a larger reality.

One man called me last Thursday to tell me he was ready to die. He had been talking with God quite a bit and felt, having lived a full life, that his weak body was finally ready to be finished. As openly as a couple of women sitting around chatting about tea, he told me that his body would be cremated -- knowing that it would happen most likely within a couple of weeks. He told me he was ready to see his Creator and that he was also ready for his wife to be able to live her life without worrying about him day in and day out. Then the three of us -- me, his wife, and him -- talked about his memorial service. I asked him what music he'd like and he responded with the popular funeral music of the day -- "amazing grace" and "in the garden." His wife tried to get him to have the "old rugged cross" but he specifically said "no." He didn't want that one. Then, from his dying body, he began to sing in a beautiful baritone, "On a hill far away, stood an old Chevrolet." Immediately I conjured up an image of a poor beat up Chevy, the emblem of suffering and shame.

The man passed away on Sunday, just as he had planned. And as I met with his son yesterday, I was able to make him smile through his tears, by singing his father's song. I'm sure he's got the angels giggling now.

Why Are Sundays So Hard?

I got up in plenty of time to finish putting together my sermon this morning. I woke up my daughters a good hour before we needed to leave for church. Mid-way through breakfast my oldest decided she wasn't feeling good. It's not uncommon for us to have differences of opinion on Sunday mornings. Frequently when my husband is here and not at school, he gets stuck with the last minute kid care for a child who, for one reason or another, woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Today was no different, except it was different because my husband wasn't here. With a half-hour before I have to head over to church I have to seek out a babysitter and my oldest insists that she does NOT want the normal sitter. So I rack my brain and call a church member who has helped out before. By the time I got to church, the service was set to begin within the half-hour -- a little too close for comfort for me.

But there are always things going on Sunday mornings. Some days we argue over what clothes to wear (or not to wear). Always we discuss why NOT to wait until the last 15 minutes to hop in the shower. Frequently we disagree over what I've served for breakfast. Why does it all come to a head on the day I have the least flexibility? '

Even with the added challenges, I sure do love my kids.

Just Wait Awhile and Things Will Change

Probably one of the best pieces of advice I've ever received is "just wait awhile and things will change." Yesterday I was laying low after a very busy weekend. My daughter was sick and so I rested while also taking time to be Mommy. Then, out of the blue, my resigned elder called me. I listened and I could tell she had come a long way since last week, really wanting to make the efforts needed to continue in leadership. And so I invited her back into active elder-ing and she accepted, asking me to make sure that those on her committee would still accept her leadership. At this time there is a unanimous desire for her to return to leadership so I am very thankful.

Her experience taught me a few things. First, I don't really know how to deal with people when they are angry with each other. When I called one of my mentors to discuss the situation, he told me to leave it alone. I guess what he was saying was, wait awhile and things will change. Second, I learned that leadership is frequently about feeling anger and injustice, yet looking deeper within ourselves and recognizing the need to forgive others and ourselves so we can continue the work we are called to do. When we (I) are (am) angry, a frequent response is just to bail. But the experience of the last couple of weeks told me that rather than bailing, sometimes we just need to give ourselves some space to wrestle with the whole picture. Silence is often more important than reactivity.

And so life here is back to "normal" whatever that means.

TOO FUNNY!!!

I found this on the Old Lutheran website (no, you didn't read that wrong . . .I AM a Presbyterian but I'm open to denominational differences!) and it MADE MY DAY and probably has the potential to solve many of the issues I have dealt with this week. It's the PASSING THE PEACE PROTECTION PACKET (also known as PPPP). The item description says, "Pass the Peace with confidence!. This 12 piece worship aid comes with a Peace Passing Protection Mask, a Hair Net, 1 Latex Protective Glove, 8 Peace Passing Cards and a Post Peace Passing Sanitizing towelette. Each PPPP comes with instructions for proper use and is shrunk wrapped for your added protection. " That's right, no longer would you need to feel any inhibitions toward your neighbor for you'll be safeguarded. Who needs faith when we've got sanitation towlettes! And the shrink-wrap definitely makes a difference . . . !!!!! LOOOOVE It!!!!

You can find more info on this "must have" item for every member of your congregation at http://www.oldlutheran.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=OL&Product_Code=1300&Category_Code=PPPP

Depletion

So I'm completely depleted of energy. I had an elder resign this week to my dismay and all because somebody doesn't like somebody else. I can deal with conflicts in the church when they are about worship or emotions tied to the church in general, but I don't do as well when one person just doesn't like another and makes rude comments, (on both sides in this case) about the other and then swears they can "be nice" to one another. I don't ask for niceness!!!!! Maybe I set the bar to high and ask for forgiveness so that we can offer each other God's peace without wishing God would withhold it from someone! What, in fact, does living in community mean????!!!! So I'm depleted because I've thought about this way too much this week and because it's the start of Lent and I've had a lot of services to prepare and consider. So today is my day of rest, for tomorrow I teach a presbytery workshop and Sunday I lead worship. May God honor my Sabbath.

Mood Change

So I started out today not in a really great mood because people continue to gripe about each other (can't we all just get along???!!!) and I'm tired of being included in someone's subconscious triangulation schemes. Not to mention as I'm preparing for worship I hear a guy in the choir-room announce -- "the offertory's before the choral anthem this week??? I don't like that!" (I'm so glad the PCUSA gives order of worship issues to the pastor) So by the time worship begins (5 minutes late, by the way, because our organist was taking his time) I'd about decided I'd had it with the family of God. But then I look in the front row and there is one of our new members pointing at someone to me. I look, and he's pointing at his son -- the one who had been in jail since before Christmas for breaking and entering. And his son grins up at me and I can't help but realize that God can use just about anything to call me into worship. You see, the church members' attitudes were telling me that they really were more concerned about themselves than with others who might worship with them. But the prisoner realized what a privilege it was to worship. In him I discovered community.