Hope's Pastor

THE CAUSEWAY

2011-07-06T18:25:00.000-04:00

One of the truly peculiar features of the place called “Holy Island” is the means by which visitors gain access to the island. Unlike most islands I have ever known, where people “connect” with the island from the mainland by means of a bridge, tunnel, or ferry, the way to get to Holy Island is by driving across a causeway that is open to traffic for only six or seven hours at a time.

The disruption is caused by the fact that the ebbing and the flowing of the tides which literally come across the causeway make it completely impassible. Every day people enter the island only during those periods when the tide is out. The rest of the time the island is cut off completely.

Day after day this phenomenon is repeated as the tides ebb and flow. Those who do not heed the tidal schedule, do so at their peril.

I can’t help but see this as a sort of parable that describes what faith is like for people who are followers of Jesus Christ. Faith, like the tides, ebbs and flows. Sometimes we feel strongly connected to God, unshakeable, and fully connected to the power of God. At other times, however, that connection seems to disappear completely, and it happens when we are not expecting it to happen.When our faith “ebbs,” we feel like we’ve become completely cut off from God and we wonder what has gone wrong.

How important it is for us to find out the tidal “schedule” that affects our lives of faith so we do not all of a sudden find ourselves cut off from the One who once seemed so close.

The tides of faith ebb and flow. It’s essential for us to know that. But it’s even more important that we know that, regardless of whether the tide is “in” or “out,” the causeway still remains in tact, keeping us connected with the One who loves us more than life itself. If we can remember that, then we will be able to live all day, every day, on the Holy Island where God has placed us, and that will always make the difference.

GRAVEYARDS OR GARDENS?

2011-07-06T17:53:00.000-04:00

A common sight when visiting churches in the UK is the presence of graveyards that surround the parish churches. There’s nothing really strange or unusual about this. Churches are places where people have gathered together as communities of believers throughout their lives, and in many cases they include generations of believers who have lived in the parish for centuries.

It’s no wonder, then, that people might find their final repose in the same places.
It gives new meaning to the scripture in Hebrews that begins, “since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses . . .” It is a testimony to the fact that in death, as in life, we are all bound together with one another.

Visiting such places like the Church of St. Mary’s on Holy Island (Lindisfarne), teaches us a lot about the nature of being a Christian. Each grave has a story, a story much longer than a single gravestone could express. But the mere fact that they are actually there, surrounding the parish church which was the center of their lives while they were living, tells us how powerful a force the gospel can be in a believer’s life. As Paul writes in Romans, “None of us lives to himself, and none of dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”

At home in Selden, our church, like most other Lutheran churches, is not surrounded by the graves of saints. Rather, it is surrounded by an equally powerful symbol that conveys a valuable lesson about who we are as a company of believers.

Hope is surrounded by gardens. There are beautiful flowers planted by “anonymous saints” who care about the message we have to proclaim to our members and the larger community. They want people to experience some of the beauty of God in the place where the saints gather together.

It’s true, of course, that there are seasons when the flowers are gone and the beauty seems to disappear completely. Even the waterfall and the pond we have sometimes freeze up when the winter temperatures are too cold.

But then again, the ice doesn’t last forever. When spring arrives, the trees revive and the flowers return, often more robustly than the year before. That too is a sign from God, like the graves in the graveyards, and it tells us that death does not and will not prevail over us. From beginning to end our lives are in God’s hands.

Graveyards and gardens, both tell a story, especially when they surround the places where God’s people gather. We should not take either of them for granted.

To be honest, however, I must admit that I like gardens better.

Whitby Abbey Medieval Ruins

2011-07-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

HAIRCUTS AND HARD FACTS

It feels strange to be away from our homeland on the 4^th of July. But here we are, heading down to Whitby Abbey, the place where a major event took place that changed the course of the development of the life of the Christian movement in England.

The event is called the “Synod of Whitby,” a conference of clergy gathered by the King of Northumbria who wanted to settle issues that caused conflict among Christians in his kingdom.

The issues they debated had to do with two subjects we would never spend a moment thinking about: how to determine the correct date for observing Easter and what form of tonsure (haircutting) should be required for those who lived in monasteries.

Underneath those issues was a much larger concern. Prior to the Synod, there was a collision between the missionaries sent to England by the Church of Rome from southern England and the Celtic missionaries who were moving into England from the north. Both missionary efforts were meeting with some success, but their approaches to “missionizing” the people of England were diametrically opposed to one another.

Rome wanted to be in control of what was going on, and Rome wanted everyone to give obedience to the Pope. The Celts, on the other hand, did not see the need to be under papal authority, and they were successful in converting pagans to Christianity because they were able to adapt their methods to the conditions they met along the way.

The issues that caused conflict in that day are not much different from the issues that we need to deal with as Christians today if we are going to have any impact on the non-Christian environment in which we live and serve. Do we need to be under the control of those who would require conformity and obedience to their norms and values? Or would we be more effective in carrying out God’s mission if we were willing to focus on the mission itself without having to be constantly looking back to patterns and practices that are no longer effective in reaching people who are apart from the church?

The Celtic form of evangelism was effective because what mattered most to them was getting God’s mission accomplished. In a time when the Church in the Western Hemisphere is in such serious decline, we could see a different future if we were willing to learn from those who went before us.

Views of Bamburgh Castle and North Sea

2011-07-05T15:26:00.000-04:00

Today we visited a castle that was once a Castle for kings of Northumbria, the northern kingdom of England bordering Scotland. The castle goes back to Norman times, but a lot of reconstruction has taken place, especially during the Victorian era as seen in the photos.

The final photo is a sculpture of the priests who carried the body of Saint Cuthbert around Northern England prior to coming to its final resting place in Durham.

HAIRCUTS AND HARD FACTS

2011-07-05T01:30:00.001-04:00

The event is called the "Synod of Whitby," a conference of clergy gathered by the King of Northumbria who wanted to settle issues that caused conflict among Christians in his kingdom.

Underneath those issues was a much larger concern. Prior to the Synod, there was a collision between the missionaries sent to England by the Church of Rome from southern England and the Celtic missionaries who were moving into England from the north. Both missionary efforts were meeting with some success, but their approaches to "missionizing" the people of England were diametrically opposed to one another.

The issues that caused conflict in that day are not much different from the issues that we need to deal with as Christians today if we are going to have any impact on the non-Christian environment in which we live and serve. Do we need to be under the control of those who would require conformity and obedience to their norms and values? Or would we be more effective in carrying out God's mission if we were willing to focus on the mission itself without having to be constantly looking back to patterns and practices that are no longer effective in reaching people who are apart from the church?

The Celtic form of evangelism was effective because what mattered most to them was getting God's mission accomplished. In a time when the Church in the Western Hemisphere is in such serious decline, we could see a different future if we were willing to learn from those who went before us.

STRATEGY FOR MISSION

2011-06-30T13:11:00.001-04:00

The Island of Iona is a small, quiet, and very beautiful place. It is reached from the Scottish mainland by taking an hour-long ferry ride to the Island of Mull, then followed by another hour of driving to the far end of the Isle of Mull on a one-lane two-way road to a place called Fionnphort to another ten-minute "Shelter Island"-type ferry to Iona. A brief walk from the ferry slip and you are at the Abbey (just beyond the St. Columba hotel where we are lodging).

Back in the 6^th century an Irish Monk got into a dispute over a manuscript that eventually led to a bloody conflict between Christians. To make amends for the loss of life, he offered to go to Scotland to convert the pagan people there to Christianity. He had founded monasteries earlier, so he used that method as a strategy for carrying out his mission in the new land he was sent to.

On Iona he started a monastery where copying manuscripts became a major enterprise for the monks who came to live there. At the same time he taught the monks so they could become evangelists for the gospel, turning the monastery into a center for Christian learning and preparation for missionary work. Many people became Christians as a result of his work.

I have often commented on how important it is for pastors to be trained for the work of evangelization. On my "business card" I have the title "Pastor/Mission Developer" to describe how I see my job. I would love to see our synod take seriously the need to re-train our clergy so we can provide the leadership so desperately needed for the work of the gospel in the largely pagan mission field of Metropolitan New York. Saint Columba could be a source of inspiration for such a strategy for mission if we could find the courage to follow his example for ministry.

CROSSING OVER

2011-06-30T02:06:00.001-04:00

Having missed a day because of an internet problem in Glasgow, I am getting ready for the journey to Iona.

It's a "journey" because getting to Iona is more of a challenge than going to other places. First, a cab. Then a ferry to Mull Island where we take a cab across the island (50 minutes) to another ferry that brings us to the island where we will be met by people who will assist us in getting our gear over to St. Columba's hotel.

But it's also a journey because of the spiritual character of the visit to this island which has been a Christian holy place since the 563 A.D. when St. Columba came from Ireland to establish a monastery there. It became a center for learning and a place where some highly important documents were produced including, possibly, the illuminated manuscript collection of the four gospels called the Book of Kells was started around 800 A.D.

I have been told that the journey is even more significant than its historic roots imply because it is also a place where the prayers of Christians have been lifted up continually for centuries, embracing and enfolding many who have come to spend time as part of the ecumenical community that lives there.

I am learning about Celtic Christianity, a way of living in communion with God and God's creation that joins them together rather than separating them as many Christians do.

Our visit to Glasgow included a visit to Glasgow Cathedral, a beautiful ancient building which was built based on the story of Saint Mungo. It survived the iconoclastic efforts of Scottish reformers of the 16^th century, and it includes features that characterize cathedrals of the early Middle Ages. It is no longer technically a "cathedral" because it is a Presbyterian Church, and Presbyterians do not have bishops.

SAINT ANDREW, I PRESUME

2011-06-27T15:53:00.001-04:00

Today's journey brought us two hours away from Edinburgh to a beautiful coastal town called "Saint Andrews." To some of us the place is important because of the influence it had on Christian history in Scotland. To others it is best known as the "Home of Golf," where the sport took root and from which most of the rules of the sport are generated, and to still others it is known best as the place where Prince William and Princess Kate met.

A highlight of the visit is the ruins of the cathedral that was begun in 1160 and finally consecrated in 1318. It was the largest cathedral built in Scotland, located near an older church built by Saint Rule who brought what were believed to be the remains of Saint Andrew the Apostle to the town. We climbed the tower that still remains that was in the center of St. Rule's church building, a climb of at least 150 steps.

After visiting the Castle of St. Andrews, a place that played a role in the Scottish Reformation, we walked over to the St. Andrews Golf Course where we had High Tea together to celebrate the birthday of Pastor Kathleen Koran, an Assistant to our bishop.

As I think about the places we visited today, I can't help but see the contrast between the values that were once so important to people and the values people have today. Saint Andrew was never in Scotland, of course, but his remains were—a reminder to the Scottish people of the brother of Saint Peter. He played an essential role in the gospels by pointing his brother to Jesus. He was also included among the closest followers of Jesus. Ultimately, according to tradition, he was executed by crucifixion on an "X-shaped" cross, giving rise to the symbol which is on the Scottish flag.

By contrast we have the home of golf, a sport which is popular among many, even on Sunday mornings. It is a time-consuming sport, and it is not inexpensive. It takes real commitment to be a dedicated golfer.

I wonder what the church would be like if followers of Jesus showed the same level of commitment to Christ that golfers show to their sport. Would it make a difference in the way the church impacts society?

A visit to Saint Andrews raises some interesting thoughts for me.

BILINGUALISM

2011-06-26T17:04:00.001-04:00

One of the key features of traveling to the UK is the "advantage" we have because we speak the same language as the people we are visiting. Of course, that is only a relative statement because, as anyone has discovered when visiting here, we are at times "two nations divided by a single language," as one street merchant once informed us.

A common language made worship at St. Mary's this morning much easier. St. Mary's is the "Mother Church" of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and while their worship bulleting was a bit challenging for me, it helped to be able to understand the liturgy.

After worship we visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, the yacht used by the Royal Family for traveling around the globe to places once ruled over by the British Empire and for four royal honeymooons. The audio narrator was helpful and somewhat easily understood also.

After lunch at the Elephant House, the "birthplace" of Harry Potter, we walked uphill to Edinburgh Castle led by a lovely guide named Patricia. We learned more about Scottish history and visited the Prisoner of War facilities used over the centuries for all sorts of prisoners including John Paul Jones who spent some time there during the American Revolution.

But the value of bilingualism came out most powerfully when we went to have some ale and wine at Deacon Brodies' Tavern. As we sat there enjoying some beverages someone commented that it was too bad we had nothing to munch on. "They don't serve food here," someone said, "we asked."

I asked, "What did you ask for?" "Chips," was the answer. "Ask them if they have any 'crisps,'" I suggested. Within two minutes we had five bags of what we call potato chips and a few bags of peanuts thrown in for good measure.

My fellow pilgrims thanked me profusely. "It pays to be bilingual," I replied.

ARE WE THERE YET?

2011-06-25T14:08:00.003-04:00

On Friday Robin and Claire took me on a journey by car to a small coastal town for lunch. The restaurant was small, but we had reservations. I had "Smugglers Casserole" for lunch. Afterwards we visited a small village along the way back, and I took a few pictures.

The evening turned out to be the highlight of the day for me as Robin brought me to St. Mary's for a special evening program designed as one of the fundraising events for their church renovation program.

Following a format familiar to the people, they had a "program" called "Deserted Island Discs," broadcast on BBC for decades. The program featured the bishop of Newcastle, Bishop Martin, who was interviewed by one of the people from St. Mary's in the presence of an audience of about 80 people. As the interview progressed, the bishop would respond to questions, and then a song or a piece of music (from the discs) that he selected would be played for everyone to hear, and he would explain why he chose each selection.

Hearing him tell his personal story in this unique format turned out to be very inspiring for me. In all 12 musical selections were played in the 90 minute program which had a 20 minute intermission for having a glass of wine and some "nibbles." There was also a drawing which I was asked to take part in. I also had the privilege of sitting next to the bishop's wife during the program.

Early on Saturday morning we went over to the Metro station where we took the train to Central Station in Newcastle. While sitting there we watched a freight train pull through the station,but we didn't know whether it was coming in or leaving the area. Each of the cars was plainly marked, however, with the word "COAL." Who would have thunk it?

Arriving at the hotel, we learned where to go to take part in a "Vaults" tour. Unfortunately we were delayed by a military parade along the way. But we made it on time and toured the underground areas that were created by a bridge built across a valley. The history of the "vaults" was very enlightening, but the vaults themselves were filled with darkness.

This evening the group finally assembled for the first time as a whole group, and we had dinner together. We're expecting to have Compline soon, and then the others will be glad to get some sleep.

We're here now, finally, and the "pilgrimage" has begun.

TOUCHDOWN!

2011-06-24T04:56:00.001-04:00

At home that title word means something quite different, just as the word "football" does. But I am glad that I've finally "touched down" here in England.

After starting out from home around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, we got to JFK in record time, and then boarded my flight on schedule around 5:40 p.m. Although weather delayed our departure about two hours, we made up time and arrived here only an hour late.

I had a connecting flight to Newcastle International which left late, but again, arrived almost on time. There I was met by Robin Greenwood who brought me to his home, by way of Durham where he picked up some items he needed after becoming a "fellow" at St. John's College in Durham. We lunched at the Cathedral restaurant and visited the gift shop where I picked up a small communion set we can use for our Tuesday evening summer services.

By the time we arrived at St. Mary's Vicarage it was around 5 p.m. My inner clock read that it was "32 hours" since I had slept normally.

From there, after a shower and a brief nap, we walked over to St. Edward's Church (R.C.) for a meeting of "Churches Together," a group of churches in the Whitley Bay-Monkseaton area. Robin chairs the group. About 20 leaders from a dozen or so churches were present for the Annual General Meeting.

They discussed a full agenda including some joint projects, special services, and invitations to individual events the churches were planning. For example, they are launching a "Street Pastors" ministry geared at sending trained people to minister to people who never go to churches. They are also starting to plan a "More than Gold" emphasis aimed at reaching people with the gospel while the 2012 Olympics is underway next July (yes, it is being held here in London).

Eventually, after we walked back to St. Mary's Vicarage, I got to bed around 11 p.m. here. (It had just become dark outside around 10 p.m.) Inner clock read: "38 hours."

It's cool here—today's high will be a breezy, seaside 59 degrees F, but now that we've had breakfast, I'm raring to go.

Celtic Pilgrimage

2011-06-19T16:09:00.001-04:00

Getting Ready for the Celtic Pilgrimage

In just a few days I will be heading out on the beginning of a trip to the UK. I'm starting out by visiting Robin Greenwood in Monkseaton in the Diocese of Newcastle, but eventually we will head together to Edinburgh where we will meet up with nine Metro New York Synod pilgrims who are heading directly to Edinburgh on Friday night.

The trip is called a "Celtic Pilgrimage," and it will include visits to places in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oban, and the Isle of Iona in Scotland. In England we will be centered in the old city of Durham and will visit areas in Northern England including Holy Island, where we will visit with Robin Greenwood's wife, Clare, for the day.

The goal of the trip is to experience some of the spirituality of the Celtic tradition and to visit places where people have sought a richer connection with God. As the journey continues, I hope I will be able to more fully explain what that all means, of course, but from a personal standpoint, I am hoping to grow spiritually during this two week trip.

My chief regret, however, is that I am leaving at a time when my family is going through a challenging time. My mother-in-law needs to move from her home where she has lived for 50 years into the Atria in South Setauket, an Assisted Living facility, and the weight of that transition falls on my wife Linda. Please keep her in your prayers.

I will be posting items on this blog in days ahead. I'm not sure how often or how long they postings will be, and I hope to include some photos, if possible. Feel free to follow along at www.hopespastor.blogspot.com.

DARKNESS AT NOON Good Friday 2010

2010-04-19T09:31:00.002-04:00

When darkness falls, the day is over. It's as simple as that.
But on THIS day, darkness came not at sundown but at noon—high noon—the hour when the sun had reached its greatest height, the very peak of the day.
It didn't make any sense to those who gloated at the foot of the cross. At the very moment when they sensed their utter and complete victory, suddenly, inexplicably, the sun's light disappeared and darkness covered the land.
In John's account of the crucifixion of our Lord this wonder if never mentioned. Perhaps for John the whole day was filled with darkness. Or perhaps his vision was affected by the One who claimed to be the light of the world, the Light which John himself testified about—the true light that enlightens every man-- the light that the darkness of this horrible day could not extinguish.
But Matthew, Mark, and Luke saw the darkness. It had been there all along, but now it was visible to everyone standing there that day.
The darkness muffled the gloaters. First darkness—reminiscent of the darkness that covered the land of Egypt many Passovers ago—but then, after the darkness, what would be next?
If it was a victory for them, it was short-lived at best. But for the first time these people who dwelt in the land of deep darkness found themselves afraid of the dark. They had to sense that God was up to something there. After all, it's never dark at noon.
"Maybe we should postpone the party," someone might have said. Indeed! Who can party when God is up to something great, unpredictable and mysterious?
They should have sensed it earlier. They COULD have sensed it earlier. One would expect that the pain from the nails would have been enough to bring a man to total rage at his enemies, but not at THIS cross. What did he say? Did I get that right? "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing."
How incredible! How absurd! How could he say that? Certainly they knew WHAT they were doing—they knew exactly what they were doing—their hopes and their plans were coming to fruition. Success at last. No more Galilean nonsense to put up with. These educated, sophisticated, and wealthy people had thought it all through, and once they discovered Judas, the trap was set, the end they longed for finally came into view.
They knew exactly what they were doing. Didn't they? How could he make such an outrageous statement?
But what did he mean by praying, "Father forgive them?" Talk about outrageous! Who did he think he was, anyway, asking God to forgive his enemies, the very ones who had purchased the nails and set the plot in motion? This was a clue to a mystery far beyond their pay grade.
Then they heard another clue. The thief dying beside him certainly deserved his fate—just as much as the man in the middle. It's hard to imagine that he would have the nerve to ask for a future with him. It was only a matter of hours until both of them would be dead, and it wouldn't be much longer until they would be buried, out of sight, out of mind, forgotten, good riddance!
Talk about absurd? Why ask a dying man for a future? But then again, what did he have to lose?
Or was it that this thief was able to see what the educated, sophisticated religious leaders were unable to see? Blinded by their overblown estimation of their own egos?
"Today, you will be with me in Paradise," the man in the middle said. Oh really? A thief in Paradise? Rewards for the reckless and irresponsible? How could he make him such an offer? Who DID he think he was, anyway?
But then again, they might have seen the clue that stared them right in the face. The promise was given not by the other thief. It came from the "man in the middle." Do you suppose that being in the middle was more than just a coincidence? Maybe it was another clue God was using to disclose to those who could see in the dark that this man saw a future that others could not even conceive of.
The moment they waited for finally DID arrive. The sand in that fragile hourglass eventually ran out, thank God. Those three hours of darkness must have felt like an eternity. Was it ONLY three hours? Or, WAS it Eternity condensed into just three hours?
His voice was much louder than anyone might have expected. It was so loud that they could feel it deep inside their souls. Who could imagine that he would be able to summon up such strength at his moment of greatest weakness and desolation? "Father," he said. How could he even call God "Father" at a moment like this? Weak, wounded, abandoned—What kind of "Father" could he be, anyway?
"Into your hands I commit my spirit," he said. He had reached his final destination, after all. He returned to the One from whom he came. Gone. Soon to be forgotten. Not soon enough for some, but at least it was FINALLY over. The darkness would lift. The New Day would dawn. The agitator would soon be forgotten, and life would return to normal again. Leave his body on the cross. Let the vultures come and have their feast. And those who made it happen could also have theirs.
What are they doing? Taking his body down? Cleaning it? Wrapping it with cloth filled with spices? No reason to do that! But let it be—at least now the darkness could end and life could return once more to what it had been before he came. Yes, the victory was theirs. Final Victory! Or so THEY thought.

SUPPER AT SUNDOWN

2010-04-07T10:11:00.001-04:00

(This is the first of three sermons preached at Hope during the Triduum—Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. I actually did not preach THIS sermon. I should have. But since so few people were there to hear what I did preach, I think it is best that I offer this one instead. It's a better sermon than the one I preached.)

In recent years on Maundy Thursday we have focused much attention on the event which is at the heart of the gospel lesson appointed for the day in the Gospel of John, chapter 13. That story is John's equivalent story to the accounts in the other three gospels where Jesus institutes the sacrament of Holy Communion.

In John's Gospel, instead of hearing the Words of Institution which we use in every eucharistic service as the bread and wine are consecrated, we hear Jesus giving the "New Commandment" gave to his disciples and we see Jesus humbling himself to wash the feet of his disciples. Curiously, John makes no mention of the elements of the meal itself, the institution of the sacrament, or the promise of the forgiveness of sins—all of which have been the central elements of Christian worship for twenty centuries.

I'm not sure what the motivation is behind placing the focus on the act of feet washing, and I wonder whether worshipers understand it any better understanding than I do. One thing, however, has become perfectly clear to me over the past 27 years at Hope after having offered the invitation to people to come forward so I can wash their feet. That is that people much prefer coming forward to receive the body and blood of Christ and clearly do not have any interest in having their feet washed.

Their reluctance to coming forward is no mystery to me. In fact, I wonder why those who do come for the feet washing do so. Is it just out of compassion for me as the pastor, to avoid embarrassment?

In fact, I wonder about the ceremony itself. It is obviously a "symbolic" ceremony, but when we do it the symbolic values of it seems to go unheeded. The ceremony could quite easily be carried out totally apart from a worship service, and certainly apart from the context of the Lord's Supper or even Maundy Thursday altogether. After all, John himself didn't see any need to mention the nature of the meal they were celebrating that night at sundown. In John's gospel the event is actually a "pre-Passover" meal he says they shared "before the festival of the Passover" (John 13:1). From his perspective it was not a Passover meal, as all three synoptic stories all seem to presuppose.

Don't misinterpret what I am saying,. I'm not against washing people's feet (at least not as much as nearly EVERYONE ELSE who came to worship on Maundy Thursday seem to be.) I just wonder whether continuing to offer people a chance to take part in a ceremony that they don't take part in is a good way to conduct a public worship service.

To state it differently, what would it be like if, when the time came for people to come forward to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, everyone decided to stay put instead of coming forward? How would we make sense out of continuing to celebrate Holy Communion? Would we keep offering it?

There are two sad implications coming out of our current practice of offering to wash people's feet. First, the lack of participation negates the very message Jesus was trying to get across in the original context. If no one is willing to even allow their pastor to wash their feet, a rather passive, non-labor intensive action, then how can we believe that they are more willing to do the harder part of what Jesus was demonstrating by this action, i.e., to keep the "New Commandment" he gave? Actually can we even call the "New Commandment" a "commandment" if no one actually obeys it? Like the old question "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make any sound?"

The other sad implication of continuing to offer unwelcome invitations for feet washing is that it diverts attention away from the one part of the Maundy Thursday story that we actually DO take seriously, the Lord's Supper. That part of the Event of Maundy Thursday gets more-or-less relegated to the "Let's get this long service over" portion to the evening instead of serving as the climax of that sacred hour.

How different we might feel like at our Maundy Thursday celebrations if, instead of doing something no one wants to do, we offered people a whole, real meal with real food, and then brought it to the high point of "re-membering" the new covenant by sharing significant pieces of bread and real cups of wine and giving people enough time to eat, drink, and then reflect on the meaning of THAT, as I am sure those bewildered disciples must have done. I wonder whether the "sleepiness" of the disciples might have been caused by what they had just experienced, and not just by the busy-ness of the day.

Something important happened that night at sundown. Yes, Jesus gave a new commandment to his followers, and we would do well to focus long and hard on how good a job we do on keeping that, although I wonder whether the best time to talk about that is when the vast majority of the congregation isn't even present. But the other thing that happened is that these disciples who gathered there that night left that upper room much different from the way they began the evening. By eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ at that supper at sundown they were transformed into the very Body of Christ themselves for the sake of the world. They became what they ate (and drank) and the world has never been the same since.

METEOR SHOWER

2009-12-16T14:58:00.002-05:00

Around three o’clock on Monday morning, I couldn’t wait any longer. When I went to bed the night before it was raining furiously, but the weather forecast said that by 3 a.m. the sky would be clear.
So I got up and went over to the window facing east to see if the stars were out. The weatherman was right. The skies were clear, and the stars sparkled brilliantly.
I knelt on the love seat so I could stare out the window, but after a few minutes of watching for a shooting star, my neck started to hurt, and I had to decide whether to get serious or get back into bed.
Just as I was about to give up my heavenly quest, I saw one. It was a thin but long downward streak in the eastern sky. Unlike other times when I had sat under summer skies watching, this one was clearly a shooting star. No doubt about it.
So, instead of getting back into my snug bed, I found my bathrobe and headed down to the kitchen to pursue more miraculous visions.
The sliding glass doors were clean and clear, and they faced eastward, but the Christmas lights from the front of the house reflected clearly against the window, forcing me to take a daring step. I turned around a kitchen chair and opened the door. I knew that it was below freezing outdoors, but now I could gaze directly into the clear evening sky.
In the silence I waited, slowly turning my head from side to side just in case a meteorite strayed from its appointed location. I wondered to myself about how wonderful it was to be able to see these marvelous streaks of light coming predictably on the same day each year. Suddenly there was another. This one was a thick and short streak, like an accent mark or apostrophe angling down from right to left, like a teacher’s check mark on a test, but without the bottom part.
I wondered some more. These shooting stars were like “mini-miracles” coming into view, but only visible to those who had the patience and warm clothing to witness their brief visit to our world.
In the distance I heard a sound. The oil burner was going on. Of course, after all the glass doors were letting cold air in. Another streak, another “miracle” I thought. Then I hear the refrigerator go on. I suppose that happens often, but most of the time nobody notices. Then another streak, and then another. What a miraculous night this was turning out to be!
I saw the lights of a plane in the distance. People were going from somewhere to somewhere else, each with his or her own itinerary, traveling perhaps thousands of miles in a matter of just a few hours.
As I began to feel the chilling sir, all of a sudden I had a remarkable insight. Here I was, shivering on a December’s night to watch streaks of light in the sky as though they were some sort of miracle, but all around me were these things that were incredibly made, even by human hands, which no one pays too much attention to. Meteorites exist only for the second it takes for them to flare through the sky. Then they are no more. My refrigerator has been faithfully serving our family for twenty years, and that oil burner warms our whole house, I never gave them a second thought. And that jet in sky? I marvel that birds can fly, much less people. Aren’t these also true wonders which God mysteriously provides for us?
I’m glad I saw some shooting stars that night. It was probably my best shower-watching night ever. But what I discovered in the simple sounds and the sights of the night was much greater. be able to see these marvellous just in case a meteorite strayed from its appointed location.

2009-08-17T17:25:00.001-04:00

GETTING STARTED AT THE CWA

Today the bi-ennial churchwide assembly of the ELCA gets underway in Minneapolis. Over 1,000 "voting members" will spend a week deliberating over some important but non-controversial issues like helping relieve Malaria and HIV/AIDS by spending increasingly rare dollars for things governments ought to take responsibility for.

The really "prickly" issue relates to a Study on Human Sexuality that the ELCA has been working on since 1994.

Departing from classical Lutheran ethical categories such as Law and Gospel and the Orders of Creation, the statement focuses on sociological concepts such as "trust" as the guiding image.

This approach reveals the clear bias of the Church toward justifying the full acceptance of gays and lesbians in their roles as clergy.

Strong resistance to this statement has emerged, not only within the ELCA but also in sister churches belonging to the Lutheran World Federation, some of which are considering approaching the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to contemplate forming an international body willing to support the traditional teachings held by Lutherans for centuries.

What that means for the ELCA's future causes many of us traditional Lutheran pastors the jitters. We'll be watching the CWA carefully to see what future is in store for us all.

MEGAN'S MESSAGE

2009-07-28T07:46:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed the ride home with Luke and Megan Sweeney. Although I've known them for several years, I don't think I've ever had that much time to talk with them and listen to them. That's one of the sad things about being a pastor in a relatively large church-- we spend time with people, but often don't get much of a chance to spend "quality time."

One of the things I enjoyed most about the ride was hearing from Megan what she got out of the event we were part of. Simply put, I learned that she really enjoyed hearing the stories that the speakers told each night.

It occurred to me later that she was picking up on one of the key elements of the four-night event. Every person has a story, and when they get a chance to tell their stories, you get a chance to share in their lives, and your life becomes fuller and richer as a result.

When preachers talk about "post-modernism," we are usually speaking negatively. One of the frustrating aspects of the way our contemporary world has become is that there is so little that really ties everything together. What we usually have is just "fragments," little pieces of life that may or may not be connected in any cohesive fashion. In fact, many times they actually contradict each other, making life even more confusing to us.

What Megan shared was important to me because it made me aware of the fact that there is a way of making some sense out of the disconnectedness of life we experience constantly. She listened to what people actually said, and she didn't feel compelled to tie everything together.

Maybe that is a good strategy for finding meaning in a world of randomness. Listen to what people are actually saying, and don't try to force everything into a meaningful whole. Of course that won't produce a comprehensive, cohesive "meta-story" that makes sense out of everything in creation, but that may be o.k. After all, every story is ultimately just a snippet of the larger story that we think of as God's Story.

So I will try to learn from Megan. I will try to learn how to listen better and to value the stories I hear for the sake of those who tell them. Later on some theme may emerge that ties things together, or maybe not. But the very act of telling one's story and hearing the stories others tell may be enough to make the "present moments" of our lives worthwhile.

THE FINAL 24

2009-07-27T19:28:00.003-04:00

Literally speaking, it doesn't quite make 24 hours, but the title sounds good. The Gathering is now over, and I think we all agreed that the last 24 hours were the best part.

The Final Mass Gathering gave us a chance to be on the floor level, a goal every teen at the gathering seems to have. The music was familiar and when the program started, we had a visit from the Mayor of New Orleans who enthusiastically thanked us for lifting the spirit of his city. That brief speech was followed by Bishop Hanson's reading of a letter to the Gathering from President Barack Obama.

The evening program included several other speakers, one of whom was the author I read a year ago. He had a Christian message and told us that there is the "Evil One" who is at work in God's world trying to spoil what God created good. Others spoke, including a woman who told us she was told to speak about environmental issues but chose instead to focus on God our Creator. She believes that caring for the environment is ultimately a theological issue, not a political one.

Others spoke and their concerns were important, but one shared he regret that she grew up without any faith at all and wished she had what she saw present in the teens here.

There was a final singing group, the Katinas, who come from American Samoa. Their faith was clearly articulated in their songs.

In the morning we headed out to the Dome for the closing service. Again the music was familiar and clear. The Procession included many teens carrying the supplies and the equipment they used on servant days. The sermon was pretty good until the bishop started listing what he saw as "evils" in our world including racism which he said was caused by white power and privilege and religious extremism and fanaticism which he didn't further define.

Following the service we headed out to the French Quarter. Along the way we stopped at the boarded up entrance to the former Comfort Inn where I served as Hotel Life Pastor in 1997. Later we ran into Pastor Kathleen Koran who now serves as an Assistant to Bishop Rimbo. She was with the teens from her former church in Brewster.

The French Quarter was not very impressive to me. Much of it seemed so seedy that I felt embarrassed being there with the teens. Fortunately a brief shower came up and diverted our attention as we headed out toward Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant. After a waiting period we went into a room where a group from Massachusetts was having lunch before hitting the road for their 24 hour journey home.

Looking over the last 24 hours the theme seems to have been clear: "We can change the world—there is power in One." I wonder whether that is the point the teens got from the event. Changing the world CAN be good, but looking at the way change is coming about in our country these days, it's obvious that change isn't automatically good. Perhaps the better way to state the theme would be: "God is at work changing our world, and if we are willing, he will even change the world through us." Now that's the kind of change I can believe in.

Photo Album from Youth Gathering

2009-07-27T15:43:00.003-04:00

I've published a photo album from the Youth Gathering on my Facebook Home Page. Check it out.

2009-07-25T19:17:00.001-04:00

FINAL NIGHT

We left for the Dome at 4:15 so we could get a chance at floor seats. The crowd was large already and we waited about an hour before the doors opened. The boys came up with the idea of being an advance party like the Navy Seals, slipping into the Dome without having bags to check and groups to keep together.
They got through the crowd as we hoped, and found a row of seats right near the center of the floor, blocked on one side by the Production Booth.
So we were now "Conga-line accessible," a major triumph.
It doesn't get much better than this!

JUSTICE LESSON #1

2009-07-25T14:39:00.002-04:00

Someone made an innocent mistake. She didn't realize that the wristbands were color-coded, or she simply forgot to ask, "Which team are you on?" It doesn't matter.

Her mistake went unnoticed for three days, but on the next to the last day of the Gathering, when the boys went to the "Early Restricted Session" at the Interaction Center, they learned a lesson about justice.

"You can't enter," the security guards said. "You have purple wrist bands, and today is the day for the Green Team's Early Restricted Session. Only green wrist bands can go in at 11 a.m."

The idea of giving each of the three colors their own three hour restricted session in the busy Interaction Center was a good one. For three hours our kids (and 12,000 of their closest team members) would have the full run of the place. The other 24,000 would have to wait till 2 p.m. to get in.

"But we are on the green team," James said. "No, you aren't because your wrist band is purple.," was the reply.

I was already about a half mile down the hall, just about to enter into a self-directed learning center when I got Laura's call asking me to intervene. She was waiting back at the Food Center with the girls until Megan got back from changing her shorts.

So off I went to see what could be done. Five minutes later I was there, pointing out to the Security People that obviously someone had made a mistake when handing out wristbands, and we didn't even realize there was a color code. Imagine being prevented from having what you had a right to have simply because of the color of your wrist!

We could have accepted their response and walked away. That would be a peaceful approach to the problem. But they realized that this was a matter of justice, and they waited for someone with a red shirt named Jermaine to come to hear them plead their case.

I must admit I was rather angry. This was not the first injustice we had encountered this week. On the first morning I went into the T-shirt distribution room with the two "Large" shirts we were given arbitrarily. Donna had realized we needed two "Extra Large" shirts and had tried to get an exchange only to be sent out to "negotiate" with people to trade them out. I took the shirts back to the same lady and told her what we needed, and when she told me to try what Donna had already tried, I told her I would simply stand there until I got the shirts I needed. We got the shirts exchanged.

This time I was there for the boys (and ultimately for the others as well). We told Jermaine that we had done our community service and the learning centers already and wanted to get in for the restricted session. I even offered to show her video on my camera from Thursday's outing. "I believe you," she said, and they let us in. Obviously someone had made a mistake and no one realized it until it mattered.

So what did we learn about justice? 1. Sometimes injustices occur because people make innocent mistakes. 2. Sometimes injustices are perpetuated by people who are simply trying to "do the right thing." 3. Sometimes force or the threat of force can intimidate people who are victims of injustice and deny them what they are due. 4. 5. Sometimes, if you know you are in the right, in order to rectify injustices you have to be willing to stand your ground. Sometimes injustices can be overcome without shedding blood.

No one planned such a lesson for us for today, but we did learn something from the experience.

2009-07-25T10:49:00.001-04:00

BREAKFAST AT MOTHER'S
After the Agape-led rap worship service, we walked over from the Sheraton to Mother's Restaurant where they have the world's best ham. I had the Breakfast Special with ham, grits, biscuits, and scrambled eggs. They are a model of efficiency in serving tons of people. We're full and happy.

INTERVIEW

2009-07-24T18:03:00.005-04:00

Click on the heading: "Interview" above, and then click on the lowest link on the left side from the "Lutheran Convention" for a clip featuring AJ from our group.

THE MAIN THING

2009-07-24T17:29:00.001-04:00

To be honest, I must admit that the mass gatherings so far are a bit confusing to me. The music is loud, upbeat, and on-the-feet style music. The fireworks were exciting too.

The words of the songs were singing were on the screens all around us, and usually they were the same as what the leaders were singing, but the words of the special music was usually indecipherable, and the echoes complicated things a lot.

I realize that these comments make me sound like an old man, but this is my seventh youth gathering, so I do have some frame of reference for these comments.

In any case, what concerns me the most about these gatherings is the fact that I am still not so clear about what the "main thing" is so far. The speakers haven't said much that is really memorable, and each one seems to offer their own list of "to dos" that come rolling out one after another. Last night a woman dressed in beautiful African clothing told us that we should learn to dance, get married, have children, and teach them to dance. Nothing's wrong with that, but is that all one of CNN's Hero of the Year can offer 37,000 of us?

So I'm taking the advice she offered earlier in her address. I'm not going to "judge" others. But I will really keep listening, and hoping that eventually I'll figure out what the "Main Thing" is.

USE YOUR GIFT

2009-07-24T17:27:00.001-04:00

Yesterday's work project was something of a learning experience for me.

We left the hotel for our trek to the Superdome, just a mile away, to meet up with the buses to take us out of the area to our outdoor activity. The City Park is one of the largest parks in the U.S. The football stadium a few hundreds of yards from where we got out was under water as high as the goal posts.

The area where food supplies are brought in has a new wood fence around it, Our assignment was to spend five hours priming the fence so it could be painted by others today.

We had about 20 people in that assignment area, so we took paint brushes and paint pints and were pointed toward the fence. As expected, each person just started painting.

I looked at the area where I was working and realizes that I didn't want to sit on the ground to paint the bottom part of the fence where I was. But Erica was already doing that, so I suggested that we team up. I would do the "up" part, and she would do the rest.

After making some adjustments so I wouldn't be adding white splotches to her golden hair, we moved along well. "You are short. You probably think at time that your height is a problem, but here it is a real gift," I said. "Use your gift."

About two hours later on, when we finished our six hour work project, the site manager asked us if we liked pulling weeds. I sat and watched as others leaned over to pull weeds out of the ground. I hydrated and observed how people would take handfuls of weeds about 100 feet to dump them in a dumpster.

I saw some large plastic pails with handles, and it occurred to me that they could be useful. I gave one to a weed puller who was able to fill it in about 2 minutes. Then I brought over another empty pail and called an available teen to tote the full one away and dump it.

The idea caught on, and in a few minutes we were filling the dumpster so much that I asked a really tall teen from Wisconsin to use his height to reach into the dumpster to make room for more weeds. "You're tall. Use your gift," I said, and he smiled and said, "Good idea."

I must admit that as the crew moved ahead I started feeling guilty about being in a "supervisory" role until I heard my own words echoing in my mind, "Use your gift." One of my gifts is organizing available resources to get things done. I feel better now, much better.

The New Orleans Subway

2009-07-24T16:10:00.002-04:00

The other day, after returning from an exploratory journey, Laura reported to me that there was a subway here in NO. I got excited becuase the thought of having to walk 2 to 4 miles a day in really hot weather was somewhat discouraging.
She went on, "the kids will really love it, because they can get lunch for about $5 there." Oops-- you can take the New Yorker out of New York, but you can't take the New York out of the New York.

2009-07-24T08:51:00.001-04:00

FrIday morning
I'm at a teen worship service sitting in the back row like a typical teenager at worship back home-- texting!
Everyone else is sleeping in this morning, a well-deserved rest.
We go to learning center today. It opens later 7:30 a.m. here is 8:30 at home. V

2009-07-23T20:46:00.001-04:00

Live streaming on Internet at www.ELCA.org/gathering!

2009-07-23T19:53:00.001-04:00

We're at the Thursday night mass gathering, somewhat tired after leaving the hotel at 5:45 a.m. to walk a mile to the buses. After a short delay we headed over to the NO city park. Our bus pInter a fence with primer quicker than expected. Then we cleared weeds and dead bushes from the maintenance area, again, quicker than anticipated. So we wound up with some free time and were guests in the amusement park at the city park. Back at hotel at 2 p.m. sharp. Used the pool, had dinner in the Riverwalk Food Court. Now we're warming up for tonight's festivities. Some random thoughts later.
SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
4. You find yourself drinking from the paint cup you're using-- for the third time.

2009-07-23T08:43:00.001-04:00

SIGNS
2. You hit Send before you finish texting.
3. You begin seeing alligators in the lake and they see you. Scratch that, they're chasing us . . . .

2009-07-23T08:39:00.001-04:00

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
1. You stop sweating.

2009-07-23T07:31:00.001-04:00

Rise and Shine
We're at bus 41 by the Superdome. After a mile walk we arrived at 6:10. Laura and Donna picked up a half gallon of milk for just $4.50 at a local store for our pre-packaged cereal for our health & wellness project. It's hot but when the sun rises .... We don't know yet where we're headed or what we'll be doing but we're on bus 41 and we're ready. Impressions About last night later on . . .

2009-07-22T18:05:00.001-04:00

TAILGATE PARTY
We walked more than a mile to the Superdome, expecting to get dinner from vendors as a "tailgate party."
We found instead thousands of people, and ice cream dots truck, a German popcorn stand, a Dominos pizza stand with a huge line, and some tables selling bottles of a water.
So now we are sitting (a different type of tail party) while kids serenade us with cool songs and joyful spirit. Just another half hour before the doors open for the mass gathering.

Is anyone reading these? Send me a note at hopelutheran@msn.com if you are.

2009-07-22T15:11:00.001-04:00

Sports Fanatics
I never realized how athletic our kids are until watching three soccer games and a volley ball game. Several of them play soccer at home, but until now they never played it together. Film at 11 . . .

HERE WE ARE

2009-07-22T13:31:00.001-04:00

After a nice dinner at the Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill, we split our group into two groups of explorers. One group headed out in search of canned soda (hotel machines charge $3per can) while the other group checked out the two swimming pools at the Hilton.

The pools were found—one closed, but the other still open. So we went to our rooms and "suited up" to go swimming. It was fun, but a bit chilly.

Later we met for a brief "getting organized" meeting, distributed cans of soda, and then retired for the night around midnight Eastern time.

There are already a lot of people here for the gathering. Along the streets there are banners hanging from the light posts on the main streets, and large groups of colored-Tshirt-clad teens are roaming around the streets.

AJ was interviewed by Foxnews and will be on between 5-6 and 9-10 tonight.

The Interaction Center opened at noon. Evening food vendors will open at the Superdome at 4 and the doors of the Superdome open at 5. After the gathering's first "Mass Gathering" we come back to the hotel where there will be special events for the teens.

Then, tomorrow morning, we're up at five a.m. and headed out for a few hours of community service in an outdoor setting somewhere around the city. More to come later . . .

2009-07-22T11:59:00.001-04:00

AJ will be interviewed on Fox news (locall) showing 5-6, 9-10 tonight. All sorts of media are around. Largest group to come to NO since Katrina.

2009-07-22T10:39:00.003-04:00

New Orleans Culture Tips:
1a. When eating beignets covered with confectionary sugar, don't exhale.1b. Don't inhale either.
2. When eating beignets for breakfast, don't wear dark colored clothing. More to come.

2009-07-21T20:36:00.001-04:00

We're at a beautiful hotel along the Mighty Mississippi, and we're ordering dinner at the Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill. It's Perry's 18th birthday and we're eating outdoors.

2009-07-21T13:14:00.001-04:00

We made it to JFK by 11:30, with Leslie's car stuck on the Belt Parkway with everyone else while the Highway Department scooped up a dead racoon from the highway. That's life in the big city for you.
Many others going to NO were here as well. We also ran into Don and Karen Cullen inside the terminal. We'll be ready when the plane is!

2009-07-20T09:19:00.001-04:00

I can use my Iphone to do mobile blogging. Please excuse any typing errors. My fingers are a lot bigger than the Iphone's keys.

2009-07-20T09:08:00.001-04:00

Greetings to all!

On to NOLA!

2009-07-20T08:56:00.001-04:00

As I thought about leaving for the Youth Gathering tomorrow, I decided that I would do my best to keep a running commentary on the event for any folks who want to know what I think about what's going on. I'm looking forward to having a good time with our teens and their chaperones (who have done such a great job of getting the group together and ready for the event), and I'm coming along to be their pastor and to learn more about an important part of the life of the church—our teen culture.

Some may not know this, but this is the seventh youth gathering I've attended since coming to Hope. I've been to San Antonio, Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans (Hotel Life Team), St. Louis (Hotel Life Team), and San Antonio again. Now I return to New Orleans, but for our chaperones it will be their first time.

I expect HOT weather, thunderstorms, and more HOT weather. I understand why people like Tabasco sauce so much down there—it's the only thing that's hotter than the weather. By the way, did I mention that I'm expecting it to be HOT in New Orleans? And Humid?

But it should be fun. I will bring my video camera as well as my digital one. If I can, I will post some photos. I'm hoping that there will be some streaming video from the event, but I couldn't find any evidence of a link on the website at www.elca.org.

In any case, I'm sending this note out to you now because I'm not sure I will get to send out advance notices of blogging updates each day. So, if you're interested, just go on the internet to this site: www.hopespastor.blogspot.com. If I can meet my goal of daily updates, I think you'll be glad to read them. Take care.

By the way, for those who haven't figured it out yet: "NOLA" is "New Orleans Louisiana."

THE 9:03 Sermon

2009-07-19T19:32:00.002-04:00

I really liked the sermon I preached this weekend. In it I focused on how God is at work reconciling the whole world to himself through Christ. I get very excited about this theme, but my "Finnish Charisma" often doesn't show how excited I feel.

After the service was over, as I greeted people coming out of church, one of our most respected members spoke to me briefly about the sermon. He told me that what I said was very discouraging and that it would have the effect of making people not want to come to church any more. He asked me, "Why do you keep talking about that stuff?"

Why did he say that? Because in my 8 a.m. sermon I referred to a rather startling presentation and report I received this week at the meeting of our synod's Conference of Deans. I guess it was so much in my mind that when I got to a certain point in the sermon, I just started sharing what I learned this week, right in the midst of what was otherwise a good sermon.

He was right in his criticism of my sermon. My anxiety about the grave situation our Metro New York Synod is facing right now should not be shared right in the middle of a sermon on hope. It isn't fair to the hearers for me to just unload my sadness on them in such a fashion. They may need to know the content of what I was saying, but there are better ways to communicate that. In effect I clobbered them with information they could not readily assimilate or act on.

As a result of what his "9:03 Sermon," I simply left out the mention of our synod's grave situation and kept the sermon focused on the good news we have in Christ. I think I did the right thing.

But it's a strange dilemma I'm dealing with. For about eight years I have been one of only a few voices in our synod urging our synod to take seriously the rapid state of decline that many churches are experiencing. Having learned how Christians in other parts of the globe have dealt positively and creatively with similar problems, I have spoken again and again about what we could accomplish if we simply began thinking about how we might do our ministry differently.

But it's not easy to change any system, and the system we are living with in the larger church context (our synod and our denomination) has been working for a long time. But add to that the fact that there are a lot of people who are simply in denial of what is happening to their church and the churches all around us, and we have a real problem.

Simply put, the presentation asserted that within the next five years as many as 2/3 of the churches in our synod will be in a situation where they will probably no longer be able to sustain a traditional full-time Lutheran ministry as we have know it for decades. The implications of such a thought are overwhelming, and the "solution side" of the presentation did not hold out much hope.

As someone said to me after the 8 a.m. service, "I wonder how it must feel for people who have been members of the same congregation for decades to have to think about it all coming to an end, especially so soon." I know that the members of St. Mark's still feel the pain of the closing of their church.

I don't know what to say. For all these years I have been advocating certain actions that might offer a new way of "being church," but it's hard for people to understand such ideas, much less take them seriously. Yet I still think there is an alternative to "triage" as a strategy for "mission renewal" in our synod. Please pray for our bishop, his staff, and for the Commission for Evangelical Outreach that I still chair. We may be in serious trouble as a synod, but Christ is still Lord over all.

WHO’S TELLING THE TRUTH?

2009-07-06T10:58:00.001-04:00

On Sunday I spoke about a problem I see more and more in our day when we take part in public discourse. Intelligent discussions about religious content or political issues or social realities are becoming more and more restricted because of changes taking place in each of these areas of our "common life."

There was a time when we believed that there was such a thing as "truth." I suppose we refer to that as the "Modern Era," a period of social and cultural history that still lingers in our DNA although the 'Enlightened Ones' of our day consider it to be outmoded. In the Modern Era people liked to think that "things normally work as they are supposed to." When something stopped working, we would take out the instruction manual and look for a "fix." And often we succeeded.

These days, however, we have stopped trying to fix things. In fact, many folks are not so sure that things were even designed to work, especially in the areas of religion, politics, and culture. As a result, they scoff at those who espouse "traditional" values based on Modern Era assumptions, and they are fascinated instead by ideas that go completely against logic and common sense, just because they are "different.

Suppose, for example, that I was managing my home and discovered that my bills were getting too high or that my income was decreasing significantly. What would I do? Perhaps I would review my expenditures, look for ways to reduce spending or save money, and see if there was some way I could also increase my income. If necessary, I might even risk taking out a small loan to fund some measures that would produce a net improvement in the near future.

I would probably not go out to borrow a huge sum of money, increase my spending using all my credit cards including my unused Discover card, and then hope for my problems to go away.

But in our day there are some folks who suggest that this is the smartest way to go, even if it seems totally absurd to me.

But here's my problem. Perhaps my strategy and approach are wrong and going on a wild spending spree is really the best way to solve my financial problems. The problem arises when I suggest that I'm right and they are wrong. They cannot produce any logical arguments that disprove my idea. They oppose me simply because I had the nerve to suggest that common sense is a better guide for moving ahead and I challenged others who know better than I do about what will work best for me.

In effect, they've shifted the focus "What is the truth?" or "Who's telling to truth?" to "Where do you get the nerve to suggest that common sense is better than 'New Think'?" and "Who do you think you are, anyway, to challenge what we all know to be true?"

I know that I'm not the only one with this problem. Ironically, I think the majority of Americans or Christians or others who share common ground with me are treated the same way. Whether something is actually true is considered of lesser value than whether one's thoughts conform to the 'New Think' principles promoted by the more 'Enlightened Ones' who are filled with hope and want to change the world.

If you don't agree with them, your ideas are not simply wrong. You yourself are to be considered as permanently disabled, and your ideas should be pushed aside as irrelevant.

At great risk, therefore, I will still suggest that there is indeed something we can point to that is true. Actually, it's not some "thing," but some "One." Jesus Christ said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." I have found in my personal experience and in the reports I have heard from others that this good news still "works," even when there are powerful and persuasive forces at work to overthrow it or obscure it. I am glad that for 2,000 years there has already been a Messiah at work in our world. One Messiah is enough for me.

2009-06-30T11:28:00.001-04:00

mjtjmtaa

BREAKING THE RULE

2009-06-29T19:25:00.001-04:00

On Sunday I told the congregation about the rule about preaching that I learned growing up. I didn't learn it in seminary. I learned it at the dinner table on Sunday when we sat down to enjoy this week's roast beef and talk about church that day. Sooner or later my dad would start talking about the pastor's sermon and he'd add, "The pastor was talking about money again today."

I would sit there wondering how a sermon based on the healing of the blind man or the parable of the sower had anything to do with money. I never figured it out, but I did learn a rule that has served me well for 36 years as a preacher: "Never preach about money."

Since I was preaching on the lesson from II Corinthians 8,however, I decided that the time had come to break that rule. I preached about money.

In that lesson the Apostle Paul was writing to the Christian community in Corinth to ask them to complete the collection they had started taking up some time earlier. The money was not for Paul. It was a collection for the Jewish Christian community in Jerusalem, a persecuted and poor group of believers who needed the help that the wealthy Gentiles could give. Paul had promised James, John, and Peter that he would take up such an offering, and he wanted the Corinthians to do their very best as a show of solidarity with the Jewish Christian community back home.

In this passage he spells out four basic principles to guide them in their giving, and I want to summarize them briefly here for our benefit as 21^st Century givers.

First, when we give, we give REGULARLY. That principle actually comes from the end of I Corinthians, but it is basic to his understanding. He instructed them to set aside money "on the first day of the week" for this offering. Doing this on the first day of the week accomplished two important goals. First, it linked the act of giving with the worship of God's people. Giving money is an important response we can give to the Word and the Sacrament we share each week. We should never have a worship service without providing people the opportunity to give an offering. Second, it reminded them of the resurrection of our Lord, which took place on the first day of the week. What Jesus did for us by dying and rising from the dead is the ultimate motivation for all giving.

Second, we give PROPORTIONATELY. That means we give from what we actually have, a real percentage of what we have available to give, and we choose what that percentage should be. The Old Testament "tithe" is not a New Testament principle for giving. Some of us may never be able to give 10% of what we have, while others can afford to give a much higher percentage of what we have. There is "fairness" in giving when all givers agree to give this way. Figure out what percentage of your income your customary offering actually is, and then set your "growth giving goals" based on that starting point.

Third, we give WILLINGLY. We do not give just to pay bills, and we certainly should not give because we feel guilty or afraid of some unspecified consequences. We give willingly in that we give out of our faith, hope, and love, not out of coercion. And when we begin to forget why we are giving, the decision to give becomes an act of the will and keeps us doing the right thing because we have chosen to do so willingly.

Finally, we give CHEERFULLY. The verse "Go loves a cheerful giver" comes from this same letter. We should feel good about giving to advance God's mission in the world. Our giving helps change people's lives and strengthens people's faith. Sometimes it feeds the hungry and provides shelter for the homeless. When we give our gives cheerfully, it affects others around us and encourages them to give generously as well. Cheerful giving is a product of a grace-filled heart.

In addition to spelling out these principles, I made some important comments about the funds we will be receiving soon from the sale of the property of St. Mark's Church in Ridge. I expressed two cautions. First, we must not use these funds to carry out projects we would normally take full responsibility for ourselves. Doing that would be, in effect, taking that money and giving it to ourselves. My second caution is to remember where the money actually comes from. It is not like winning the New York State lottery. It is a gift from the people of St. Mark's who gave up their life as a congregation after fifty years of worship, witness, and service in Ridge. They paid off their mortgage, and we are recipients of the legacy of their sacrificial giving over five decades. We should not say, "Now I can cut my pledge because the church has a new source of money," like some Christians do. On the contrary, we should honor their sacrifice by INCREASING our own personal giving in a spirit of matching sacrifice. By doing that the legacy will grow, and many more will share in the blessing.

So there it is. I broke the rule. But it never was a good rule, was it?

OUR “FATHER-MOTHER” IN HEAVEN?

2009-03-02T15:41:00.001-05:00

Last Week we started using the new 40 Day Lenten Journey devotional books as part of our congregation's Lenten discipline. I really like this resource, and I'm excited about being able to work through it during the season of Lent this year.

Having said that, however, I must admit that I was a bit dismayed when I got to the reflection for Day 3 where the author asks the question: "Can we call God 'Mother?'"

What bothered me was not the question he asked, but the tired old argument that he gives for making God neuter. It never made sense before, and it surely makes sense now, especially in our contemporary egalitarian American society.

I'm not simply an old-fashioned male chauvinist, and the issue here is much more than just semantics. I raise an issue with the author simply because the words "Father" and "Mother" mean different things, and they cannot be used interchangeably. Fathers have a certain role in human families, and mothers have a different role. Even the process of conceiving a child bears witness to this fact.

I realize that there are many wounded souls who suffer continually from having had abusive or absent fathers. There are both males and females who have this past. But it is also true that there are many others who have suffered abuse from overbearing or neglectful mothers as well.

In either case, the negative examples should never make the positive use of the word inappropriate. On the contrary, one might argue that when we pray "Our Father . . ." we are addressing the very One who is the True and Loving Source and Sustainer of all human beings, the incomparable Father who should be the model for all human fathers everywhere.

To suggest that we re-write the Lord's Prayer to make it more politically correct for contemporary Christians is outright silly. Where does the revising of the "Lord's" Prayer stop? Should we change the word "heaven" into something else? How about the word "kingdom?" That's a rather male-oriented term also, isn't it? And do we really want "God's" will to be done? Shouldn't we also have a say in what God's goals might be?

I've been on a diet for almost a month now, and I have excluded bread from the menu. I suppose I could leave out that part of the prayer or perhaps I should substitute "low carbs" when I say the prayer each day. And, while I'm at it, I think the forgive part could be whited out, without comment.

And I while know that temptations are not a good thing and should be avoided, my sinful self wonders what I might be missing out on.

I understand the concern the author raises. I wish that he could also understand mine.

A LETTER TO MY SON – IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION “WAS JESUS A SOCIALIST?”

2008-11-10T12:45:00.002-05:00

[Tim sent me an article entitled "Biblical Basis for Liberal Politics" by David Chandler (Originally published in the Tule River Times "Left in America" column.)]

Greetings Tim,

I really appreciate having the opportunity to dialogue about this.

In the article you sent me, there is a lot that is right. It would be especially right if it were written as a sermon for a Christian congregation who confesses their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord over heaven and earth. Christians (along with the Jewish people) have always been sensitive to the needs of the poor, the oppressed, the hungry and victims of any social injustice. There is a lot more that could be said about these things from the Bible, and I am sure the author is choosing just a few things to keep the essay short and readable.

Where we have a struggle as Americans is that we have from the very beginning of our nation simply assumed that the principles of capitalism that evolved long after the time of Jesus. Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher of the 18^th century, developed theories about how to create wealth. He was a Deist, not really a Christian, and his views were based on the rational arguments of philosopher David Hume. They looked at the world as having been designed to function in a certain way, with wealthy people (who already existed) using their wealth in business (investing) rather than simply keeping it for themselves. Their assumption was that such investments would have beneficial effects that would help everyone in the community by making industry possible and rewarding people who worked hard (the Protestant Ethic promoted by Reformer Jean Calvin and practiced by our founding fathers, the puritans in New England) thereby increasing productivity in a mercantile-based economy and making goods available to a greater number of people at lower costs. (Not exactly a trickledown theory, but . . .)

In Jesus' day this type of economic system simply didn't exist. Much of the economy was based on a system of bartering agricultural produce, trading animals for crops, etc. Since God was the Producer and Provider of all these things, it was taught in the Old Testament and understood among the Jewish community, that such things should be shared with others, especially the less fortunate, widows, orphans, sojourners, who did not have the means for providing such things for themselves. "We take care of our own people," might be a way to describe the ethical system they followed.

Now when Jesus came along, he preached the coming of the reign of God over all the earth. In a world where everyone believes that God is a King who freely provides for all his subjects, it is imperative that all of God's subjects freely share their possessions with others who needed them. This communal-ism was practiced by Christians in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 2, where people sold everything they had and distributed the produce to everyone according to their needs. Incidentally, this is one of the biblical foundations for the writings of that son of a Lutheran pastor in Germany named Karl Marx.

Greed is considered one of the seven deadly sins in the Church. Requiring people to pay interest on money Christians lent to each other was strictly forbidden during the Middle Ages by the Church. That, in fact, is one of the reasons Jewish families became wealthy bankers during that period of history. Borrowing from Jews and paying interest to them was NOT included in the Church's prohibitions, so people who had excess cash would invest it with Jewish bankers who would in turn lend the money out to Christians in exchange for interest, which they would subsequently pay to the original investors minus a reasonable fee for their services. The Jewish people were a sort of "middle" class in that system initially.

In fact, it was because the Pope had required certain archbishops to contribute money for the building of St. Peter's in Rome during the 16^th century (which they borrowed from Jewish bankers at a price) that the Pope decided to authorize the Archbishops to sell indulgences to Christians so they could repay their loans with interest (while making a fair profit at the same time themselves from such sales). That is what led to the 95 Theses and the Lutheran Reformation.

Simply put, the Church corrupted the teachings of Jesus, and capitalism replaced communal-ism (if it ever really existed in feudal society) but at the same time provided the financial resources that subsequently led to the Industrial Revolution etc.

Socialism, as Jesus taught it, was a normative practice for people who understood that they were living under God's Sovereign Rule. In God's Kingdom, that's the way we are to do things: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Having said that, however, there is an enormous difference between what that means and the idea of encouraging a government consisting of fallible and sinful human beings, to force people using the threat of imprisonment and violence, to give up possessions they themselves worked for and then taking those possession (minus a small "administrative overhead fee" of 20-50% to pay for all the tax collectors, the police, the courts, the government, the jails, etc required to collect and re-distribute that money and to administer and manage systems such as health care programs and other forms of social welfare assistance). Christians should be in favor of
creating a social system built on the love of God and neighbor in which I work hard so I can freely and generously provide for the needs of my "brothers and sisters," as well as strangers. In fact, in some small, "symbolic" ways this is what we do at Hope with our food pantry, adopt-a-family programs, blood drives, etc. We could do a lot more, but certainly not less.

In one sense, in such a world, there would not be any "middle class" at all. In fact, there would be only one class, and all would share equally in it and wealth would continue to increase and produce a higher standard of living for all.

As Christians, however, we do confess our belief in original sin: that by nature all of us turn inward on ourselves and away from God and neighbor, grasping and keeping everything we can hang onto. It was Cain (who killed his brother Abel in Genesis) who asked: "Am I my brother's keeper?" His assumption was "no," but God's intention was clearly "Yes."

We live out our lives in what Luther called "two kingdoms." The "Kingdom on the Right" is that of Jesus as described above. The "Kingdom on the Left" is the one that God created to establish just laws and governmental systems to manage and constrain the behavior of sinful human beings, enforce God's Laws, and maintain order. Both Kingdoms exist side-by-side, and we believe as Christians that we live in both. But when society naively overlooks or denies the reality of Original Sin or the necessity of living by faith as followers of Jesus Christ in a society based on love of God and neighbor, or when we live in a society where the Christian understanding of God's reign is not universally accepted, it may not be possible to enforce the voluntary ethic of love for neighbor.

So, to complete my thought, Jesus DID proclaim a kingdom where social justice, harmony, peace, love, and mutual sacrifice and submission are coming into existence. That kingdom will come, just as we pray for it every day in the Lord's Prayer. Government should create just laws and provide for the needs of those who are marginalized or victimized by greedy members of society and foster a culture of love and sharing wherever it is possible. In my opinion, however, it is just too unreasonable for us to believe that by allowing government to rely on the threat of force and the use of violence, that such a government run by human beings will be able to transform the stubborn hearts of sinners. The most we can hope for is that Christians will have the courage to prophetically proclaim to society that those who are most needy must be cared for and protected (which the Church has actually been doing now for some 2,000 years) and will denounce the unbridled greed that exploits weak and poor people and destroys their dignity and independence. (see below for some quotes).

Pray for President Obama.

Love, Dad

DISCOVERING OUR FUTURE AS A MISSIONAL CHURCH

2008-07-18T07:54:00.001-04:00

As I think about my future as a pastor, my thoughts are always around the subject, "What does God intend to do through our church here in Selden, Long Island?"

I ask the question in that form because I hope to be able to spend several more years serving as the pastor of Hope and because I want those years to be as productive and powerful as possible for the Kingdom of God.

I suppose I could settle back and say to myself, "Hey, Rich, you've got only five or six years until retirement (or less, if I wanted to retire early), so take it easy and enjoy the fruit of your 25 years of service at Hope."

But the problem I have is that I am more excited right now about what God is doing and intends to do among us than at any other time in my ministry. For me it's almost as if all the years up till now were meant as a time of preparation rather than a time to prepare sail off into the sunset.

I recently attended the Allelon Summer Institute in Hamilton, Ontario because I saw a chance to start learning some new things about ministry. The overall subject was called the "Missional Church," a term that is being used more and more by people who are on the leading edge of how the Church engages our culture and community with the good news of God's kingdom.

A "Missional Church" is one that asks itself two basic questions: "What is God's mission in our world?" and "What does God intend to do through us, in our time and in our community, as His people?" Speaking of the church in this way is to suggest that it is time that we begin looking at what we do and ask ourselves, "How can we as God's people get beyond being simply a 'provider of religious goods and services' and begin to mobilize our resources to actively bring the gospel out to others who dwell beyond the walls of our 'sanctuary'?"

Too often we have acted like we are the ones who should determine and define the mission we carry out. We often think that the community needs to come to us if we are going to serve them in God's name. But the truth is, as my friend Robin Greenwood always reminds me, it is not the church of God that has a mission but the God of mission who has a church.

If that is true, then there's a big difference in the way we see ourselves and the mission we are engaged in. If we focus primarily on caring for ourselves and waiting for outsiders to come to us to receive the resources they need from us, we are missing the mission completely.

Early in his ministry in Galilee, our Lord Jesus sent out 70 followers into the villages where he intended to go. They had a single task, to proclaim to all that the "kingdom of God has come near." Jesus had no building to invite people to, and there were no "programs" for them to offer people. Their job was simply to "heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,drive out demons." Jesus told them that it would be dangerous work, and they would not be welcomed by everyone, but those who did welcome them would indeed receive a blessing. They were to go as strangers into new places, ready to speak and do the work of God's kingdom, bringing his Shalom to everyone who would receive it. But if you look at what we do and how we connect (or not) with our community, that usually isn't the case, is it?

We are all members of the Body of Christ, gifted by God's Holy Spirit for the work of ministry, and we spend the largest part of our daily lives living in the midst of a culture that is usually not very "God-friendly." But the truth is that even we, when it comes right down to it, do not often think too much about what God might be able to do through us for the sake of His kingdom. And even when we do come together as a body, very often it is for our own sake rather than for the sake of God's mission.

I invite you to think, pray, and interact with me about this important question: "What might we do differently as God's people, both individually and corporately, if carrying out God's mission were our primary agenda as the church?"

In coming days I will share some of my thoughts on this question. Please join me by sharing yours.

ON TO ONTARIO

2008-07-02T16:11:00.001-04:00

In just a few days I will leave for a week in Hamilton, Ontario to attend a week-long Summer Institute offered by the Allelon Movement. I have signed up for two courses: "Mission-Shaped Groups - Structures for Missional Formation" and "Missional Church - Its Nature and Purpose." I will fly out toward Toronto, Canada on Sunday after worship so I can get to Hamilton, Ontario in time for Monday morning's first session at 8 a.m. .

It may sound rather odd for me to say that I am "going back to school" for a week, but it is something I have been thinking about for some time.

The classes will meet Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and they are being held at "The Freeway," a church that is part of the "emerging church" movement that operates its own café that serves the public from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Look it up on the web at http://www.frwy.ca/

My reason for going to this Summer Institute is so I can become part of a "Learning Community" of church leaders from Canada and the United States, leaders who are actively involved in working with churches on the local level. The point of the Institute is to provide us with an opportunity to gather together with people who are "on the same wavelength" when it comes to working for the transformation of the church in North America.

There's a certain irony to this whole experience. As a pastor in the Metro New York Synod, I am already involved in a "movement" in the church that encourages us to "travel together" in the ministry of the gospel. That's actually what the word "Synod" means. It means, loosely translated, that we are traveling the "same way together" (Greek: "sun" = "same" and "odos" (pronounced "ho dos" = "way"). My experience for the past 20 years (at least ) since the formation of the ELCA Metro NY Synod, however, has not actualized this potential. We simply have not yet found a way as ELCA Lutherans to really walk the "same way."

It's really no wonder to me that we are witnessing the rapid decline of many churches in Metro New York. God intended that we should be in this work together, yet in truth we are not. We (pastors and churches) still work largely in isolation from one another, even though there is clearly more strength in numbers.

I believe that it doesn't have to be that way forever. That's why I'm making this journey and spending a lot of money. It won't be a vacation. In fact, if all goes well, it will probably require even more work from me (and you) as we begin looking for new ways to embrace the mission God is already carrying out among us. For some of us it will mean taking more time to study and pray together. For others it will lead into new areas of active ministry with people from outside our congregation. For all of us it will be necessary for us to grow spiritually.

So here is my "fair warning." Please keep me in your prayers and pray for our future together. I am excited about what God has done among us in the past, and I am eagerly looking forward to what God is going to do among us in the months and years ahead. There is so much God wants to do with us, and if we are open to the leading of God's Holy Spirit, we will see many new things emerge from within us.

THE FUTURE OF THE METRO NEW YORK SYNOD-A “TALE OF TWO SYNODS”

2008-06-18T11:15:00.001-04:00

BISHOP OLSON'S WEEKLY WORD (from the June 17 MNYS E-Letter):

MNYS in the Future—Bishop Olson's Weekly Word

What will the MNYS look like in the future?

If the present trend continues, in 10 years we may have as few as 175 congregations and a membership below 70,000 baptized. We will be sustained by closings and investments but not by stewardship if the next generation is not taught as we were.

We will have reinvested to renew many transition congregations and thus look more like the New York population, but older. The future of suburban congregations started in the 50's and 60's is uncertain: will they be the transition congregations of the 2020's or welcome the next generation to their pews and councils?

The economic trends seem likely to make suburban MNYS more distant from the boroughs and the steady flow of immigrants. The synod is 2/3 dependent on grants and endowments now. How long can we depend on the sales of our grandparents' houses of worship to sustain synod ministry?

These assessments are rather grim. Is this what God has in store for us? How can we envision or begin to predict our future apart from our past and present? Here are some clues that give me hope.

After years of focus on public issues (read 9-11, urban transitions, same-sex acceptance, etc.), the synod could re-focus on the ministry and mission of our congregations. Target the next generation and families wherever they live. Create a synod youth ministry with staff. Recapture the interest of early retirees for mission. Innovate in welcoming post-modern, post-Christian "seekers." Revitalize worship, preaching and education—especially Bible study. Make a difference in enough New York neighborhoods to attract attention.

We have come through a long period of turning outward from our Lutheran quietism to be a more public church. Now it is time to re-focus on our constituents and the 200+ "local Lutheran mission centers," our congregations.

We can't do everything. We had better do what we have done well. Will the church arise in this age as the old social Gospel hymn predicts so confidently? I believe we will. J

"The church of Christ, in every age beset by change, but Spirit led,
Must claim and test its heritage and keep on rising from the dead."

My Response on the MNYS.org Forum

As you know, I have spent a great deal of time thinking and working on the future of the MNYS. What you say is probably the likely scenario, but I have a different view about what we could do, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I would love to see the Commission for Evangelical Outreach and the new Bishop and staff take very seriously the future of the congregations of our synod and use the next year or so to start a thorough assessment of and conversation with the leaders of our local congregations in groups based on local realities (proximity, size, historical relationships, pastoral ability and insightfulness, etc.) to see how the churches could be intentionally and missionally linked with each other.

In such conversations there would have to be a hopeful attitude rather than the "grim reaper" approach that was articulated at the Synod Assembly last month.

In other words, rather than saying "When the music stops, one of you will be eliminated," why couldn't we begin instead with the attitude: "God has given us a tremendous host of resources for God's mission, and we are all in this together, so let's prayerfully work together to find a way to use these resources in new ways to expand rather than contract the work of God in this local area"?

Specifically this might mean that the bishop might ask five congregations located in adjacent conferences but very near one another to work with him to form a serious coalition for mission that would bring together the ordained and other rostered leaders as well as gifted key lay leaders to create a single ministry leadership team that would work with the existing churches to creatively collaborate to develop new outposts for mission-- something they could not and would not even have even thought of doing without the bishop's strong insistent leadership. Now they would do many more things because they would now have a "critical mass" of leaders, people, and money that would free them up to work together.

After working, praying, and worshiping together, they might decide to adjust the worship times in the participating churches so staff members could be available in different locations on the same day (perhaps even more than one per location), and they might offer educational offerings in selected locations so people could come together in large enough numbers to make a positive environment for spiritual growth possible.

Activities that they do separately now could be combined or worked out together (a common newsletter, a common bulletin or bulletins, shared secretarial staff, and eventually even a common Council).

The key would be to have shared ministry rather than perpetuating isolated survivalist ministries.

We would have to retrain our clergy and our key leaders and make a commitment to plan mission and ministry together. We might even decide that our corporate efforts could be more effective if one or more facilities were converted to other uses or even sold with the income being designated for local mission.

I realize that as Lutherans we probably don't have the faith and the courage we would need to make this sort of realignment a reality, but in other countries and other faith traditions this is what has been going on for a decade or more. As Lutherans we think we know better than others, and we want to keep clergy employed and laity from getting too powerful, but if we could humble ourselves and listen to the Spirit, we could get back to doing God's mission work and stop retreating from the tremendous mission opportunity God is handing us.

Indeed, as Jesus said in last Sunday's Gospel, "the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few . . ." Some Christians hear those words as a challenge from our Lord, but sadly, many of us Lutherans hear those words and respond "You're right, Jesus, that's a real shame, isn't it?"

We can do better than that. God certainly wants us to.

THE SPEECH I NEVER GOT TO GIVE

2008-05-22T19:00:00.001-04:00

My 5 Minute Speech
Hi, I’m Pastor Richard Hill, and I come from a church named Hope.
That fact is very significant for me because I believe that is the most important gift God has given me as I think about serving as bishop of the MNYS. When people have asked me “Why would you want to be bishop of Metro New York?” the best answer I can come up with is because I have hope for the future of our synod.
To me, it’s not a matter of “wanting” the job of bishop. Instead I ask “What would I have to give to this synod if I were bishop here?”
First, let me tell you who I am, and then I’d like to share with you what I think I would have to offer if I were bishop of this great synod.
I am a native Long Islander, born and raised in Nassau County, educated on Staten Island and Manhattan before going to seminary in Minnesota, and I’ve serve the last 25 years in Suffolk County.
In my 35 years as a pastor I’ve served only two churches, both of them named “Hope,” one a mission church in Massachusetts and the other in Selden, 60 miles east of the city.
While serving here in Long Island, I’ve seen God grow our church from about 300 members to slightly more than 1,600. We’ve been through 8 or 9 building projects and 4 major funds drives, and I’ve learned a lot about how to lead a church.
But more importantly, I’ve been privileged to welcome literally thousands of people into God’s church, but I’m still amazed at everything God has done and is doing among His people.
I care about our synod, and I’ve been actively involved in serving the synod for many years, both before and after the formation of the ELCA. I’ve served on the Synod Council and the Region 7 Coordinating Committee. I’m serving my fourth term as Dean of the Peconic Conference (a total of 10 years so far) and I am the chairperson of the Synod’s Mission Planning Team. I helped create our Synod’s Commission for Evangelical Outreach, and I serve as the chair of the CEO and as one of three coordinators.
My Doctor of Ministry degree at Andover Newton focused on leadership in the church. Over the years I’ve taken many Continuing Ed courses and I’ve read extensively about leadership.

What kind of leader am I?
1. I believe that a bishop must be first and foremost a “servant” of the people of God. I realize that the office of bishop is respected and honored by many, especially in the church, but the real power a bishop has is the power to serve God’s people. That’s how Jesus understood leadership. You recall that Jesus said: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant,” and then went on to say, “the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2. I believe that a bishop must be a “Team-player,” one who coaches others, but also shares in the work of ministry as well. The bishop stands alongside the synod staff, pastors, leaders, and all the baptized members of the synod and leads the church by using his gifts to equip, encourage and support God’s people in being the church. As bishop, I would continue to offer the kind of leadership that builds up the church and empowers God’s people.

3. I believe that the qualities and characteristics of a bishop that we identified during our synod audit process go far beyond what any single individual could provide. What we really need is a bishop who is able to bring together a diverse and talented team of people who share a common love for Jesus Christ and a common commitment to fulfilling God’s mission in the world. They need not agree on everything. What matters most is that they are willing serve God faithfully together.

4. And there are at least five things a bishop must be willing to do:

· First, a bishop must take time to really LISTEN to the insights, the feelings, the anxieties, and the hopes of others. The people of Metro New York are our greatest asset, God’s Spirit will work through them if we are willing to pay attention to what they have to say.

· Second, a bishop must spend time OBSERVING firsthand the needs and opportunities for ministry that really exist among God’s people. We all can learn from each other, and we can all become servants of one another. The bishop is the one who creates the opportunity for us to work collaboratively.

· Third, a bishop must SPEAK the truth of God (both Law and Gospel). The bishop must challenge destructive false beliefs and attitudes among God’s people but also encourage them to move beyond their comfort zones by taking risks and by making bold efforts on behalf of the gospel.

· Fourth, a bishop must also PRAY both in public services and in private settings for the diverse ministries God gives to us. God’s Spirit uses such actions to build up the church so that God’s Kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven.

· But most importantly, a bishop must always bring HOPE to God’s people, as Peter wrote: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for by his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” A bishop gives living hope to all who believe.

· The next bishop to serve this synod will have to be a navigator, someone who can steer a course through some very perilous and challenging waters. Our synod faces a serious crisis right now, and in the years ahead we will need to draw together all of the tremendous resources God has placed at our disposal.

· This is not a time for Christian to be pitted against Christian because of differences dividing us.

· This is not a time to adopt a “survival of the fittest,” mentality that sacrifices weaker congregations for the sake of stronger ones.

· This is not a time to retreat from the challenges of living in a growing multi-ethnic, multi-national, multi-cultural society. Rather, we must embrace them.

· This is not a time to focus resources on urban communities at the expense of rural ones.

· This is not a time to water down the message of God’s New Creation breaking in upon us so we can accommodate the fashions of politically correct elitists.

· This is the time for all of God’s people to come together around a single mission—to disciple all nations, by baptizing, teaching, and welcoming them into the kingdom of God.

· And this is the time to challenge every member of God’s Lutheran community to take up Christ’s cross and put ourselves on the line because we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord over all.

· It‘s an awesome task, but it’s also an exciting moment for us. No bishop can do it alone. That’s why God gave us each other--rich and poor; black, white, Asian, Latino; urban, rural, and suburban; straight and gay; Met fans and Yankees fans. We’re all in this together!

A Post-Modern Dilemma

2008-04-28T18:55:00.001-04:00

For Lutherans, especially in the Metro New York area, the gradual demise of Christendom has had a seriously debilitating effect on churches. Lutherans once numbered some 10% of the population in this area, but now the numbers have diminished greatly, resulting in many churches being closed and great anxiety among clergy and parishioners who are stuck in old patterns they once relied upon quite heavily.

I just got home from a Ministerium gathering at a beautiful ELCA church located in Times Square. Over 120 clergy of our synod gathered to talk about the impending election of a new bishop to follow one who served eleven years before moving up to our church headquarters in Chicago where he now serves as Director of the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit, a unit that controls 30% of the budget of the ELCA.

At the meeting, pastors were lamenting the fact that so many churches are in peril of closing, (roughly 35% of the 210 churches in Metro New York Synod.) Some churches are staying alive with attendance of 4-10 on any given Sunday, supported by endowment funds provided by previous generations. The anxiety level is high, and yet there is great resistance to doing things like evangelism or disciple-making because "Lutherans don't do that sort of thing." Many clergy would prefer to simply continue doing the Lutheran liturgy, "preaching Law and Gospel," being "faithful to the Lutheran Confessions," and "speaking out for social justice." There is very little creative thinking about how churches could do anything to deal with their situations differently, and even less openness to experimenting with new forms and approaches to developing collaborative relationships between nearby churches.

At the same time, many lack any understanding about how to even speak to a post-modern society (if there were anyone out there willing to come into the churches to listen to them.) Reaching out intentionally to unchurched people or to a younger-than-70-year-old generation, is something we were not trained for, and something which many show little inclination for.

Reading this, I realize how pessimistic this sounds. Perhaps I am just venting a bit from the session we had. But it is not helpful to talk about what kind of bishop we need unless we can talk about what sort of new leadership system we would need in order to begin converting the thinking of clergy and empowering the gifts of laity. Such reluctance seems to me to be simply sticking our heads in the sand.

How the changes in society cause by the demise of Christendom and the advent of post-modernism influence the way I do ministry is that I have learned that a different kind of pastoral leadership is needed in the congregation I have served for 25 years. For the past few years, especially since the attack of 9/11, I have been focusing on developing empowering leadership, identifying and using the spiritual gifts of the baptized community, and encouraging the free exchange of ideas and creative new approaches to ministering to the congregation and the community. At Hope we developed what we call "Total Life Caring Ministry," a new way of being church. As a result of this approach to ministry, I have seen many people taking greater responsibility for their ministries in the congregation, and there is a growing sense of empowerment among people in their daily lives, at work, at school, and in their families.

On a week-by-week basis, I am seeing more people actually bringing people with them to worship and to other activities of the congregation. They have a greater awareness of and appreciation for the gift they have received in the gospel, and they are growing out of their reluctance to take the risk of inviting others to share in their "experience of church."

They sense the impact of the changes taking place in society and they look to their church to help them keep a clear vision of a better world and to enable them to help make that vision happen in whatever way they can.

This is not easy. Leaders still need to grow into their roles as leaders, and newcomers need nurturing and support from others in order to find a home in the Christian community. As the only ordained pastor for some 1,600+ people, I find this rather daunting. I rely heavily on the support of gifted lay members and part-time staff members to keep the church growing spiritually and in numbers.

The Elephant

2008-02-18T12:56:00.001-05:00

Last week when I gave my February Pastor's Report to the Congregation Council, I ended the list of items with the words "The Elephant."

I'm not sure anyone really noticed the item until I reached it as I went down the list. No one asked me what it meant, and no one knew what it meant either.

What I was referring to was the informal discussion that has been going on between members of the Council and even among staff members about my future as pastor of Hope. What caused the discussion to arise is the fact that this spring, at our Metro NY Synod Assembly, we will elect a new bishop for our synod after having Steve Bouman serve in that office for nearly twelve years, the longest term of any bishop of our synod since the 1988 merger that formed the ELCA.

Why were church members talking about me? Those who know me best know that I have been very active in leadership roles over the 25 years I've served as pastor at Hope. I was Conference President for the Long Island Conference of the Eastern District of the ALC prior to the merger. I was also active in the work of the Lutherans Cooperating in Metro New York Evangelism Committee for several years, in which role I organized several large scale evangelism events for the churches of Long Island and offered evangelism workshops as well.

Then as the ELCA was being formed, I was drawn into the work of the "Transition Team" that formed the Metro New York Synod. I was eventually chosen to serve on the Synod Council for several years, and that was followed by an appointment to serve as the Metro NY Synod representative to the Region 7 Coordinating Council for a four-year term that lasted five years.

Along the way I also served for two 2-year terms as Dean of the Peconic Conference after which I was selected to serve for two years as chair of the Synod Re-organization Task Force. Now I am serving the second half of my second 4-year term as Dean of the conference (a total so far of ten years as Dean), and I am a Coordinator for and chair of the Commission for Evangelical Outreach and chair of the synod's Mission Planning Team.

All these things have been uncompensated volunteer responsibilities (except for a small stipend I receive as one of the three coordinators for the Commission for Evangelical Outreach.)

So again, why are members talking about me? I think it's because when they look at this synod resume, they think my name will be on the list of potential candidates for the office of bishop.

It's flattering to be thought so highly of by members of our congregation and staff. I am honored just by the thought that I could serve in such an important role in the church. But I think that with respect to our synod, I have probably reached my "peak" of responsibility. We have a very liberal synod, even for the ELCA, and from the very beginning our synod's bias has been clearly focused on the urban character of this great Metropolis in which we live. I am a native Long Islander who is still impressed by the huge buildings in Manhattan and goes into the city mainly for meetings. I am used to spending hours on the LIE and the LIRR just to get places, and I still think of everything beyond the bridges as "upstate."

The reason I put this item on the list for the Pastor's Report is that the discussion that was going on made me realize that as a congregation we all need to be thinking about what the future holds for us. Now that I am getting to the age when people start asking, "Are you thinking about retirement?" I realize that I need to be thinking about what our future as a church should be.

What does our future have in store for us at Hope? What should we be striving towards during the next six or seven years before I reach the traditional "retirement age?" How am I going to continue to provide helpful and useful leadership for Hope during the remaining years God gives me to serve here?

As important as these questions are to me personally, I know that I cannot answer them on my own. We need to be asking these questions together and working to develop a strategic plan for the foreseeable future. That's why I proposed to the Council that this spring we should select people who have the gifts we need to provide leadership in planning our church's future. Who should be on this team? I think that 4 or 5 really gifted people are enough to get the ball rolling if we empower them to do so. If we organize our efforts carefully, a small group can stimulate a response from many of our members. That way the end product will be the result of a large-scale collaborative effort rather than just a collection of the exotic ideas of a select few.

In my mind THAT'S the elephant we need to talk about. Let's pray and think together about how God can carry out His mission here through us in the years we still have together. I am confident that if we get started on that now, the future will be full of exciting outcomes and miraculous results.

GREETINGS METRO NY SYNOD “CYBER-FRIENDS”

2007-12-18T19:10:00.001-05:00

Today, when I went to the church , I discovered that the shipment of the Christmas Lutheran New Yorker had arrived. I was eager to see it because I was interviewed a few weeks ago by Wendy Healy, and she told me that the article would come out in this issue.

Right in the middle of the issue is the article she wrote. Three pastors are highlighted—Pastor Many Derr from St. Peter's in Manhattan (Citicorp), Paul Milholland from St. John's Lindenhurst, and me.

The article was written to encourage pastors and congregations to make a serious effort to use the internet as a means for contacting the "outside world," as well as keeping in touch with church members and supporters. Perhaps you are one of those who read the article and are reading this as a way of figuring out what is possible for you to accomplish.

I give credit to Pastor Derr for the idea of publishing the ANCHOR NOTES weekly (more-or-less) electronic newsletter. Pastor Derr shared with the internship cluster (pastors and seminary interns) last spring about what he was doing. I looked at Microsoft Publisher and found templates for publishing e-mail newsletters and used the mailing list I had accumulated in my Microsoft Outlook program as a starting point. ANCHOR NOTES goes out to those who request it, as a form of e-mail, but it can be viewed by interested people on our church's website (www.hopeluth.com) where it is displayed as a pdf file each week. Its name is derived from the monthly newsletter we publish at Hope, the "ANCHOR" and from the weekly 4-page newsletter we hand out on weekends called "ANCHOR LINES." All of these have the goal of keeping people connected (anchored) to their church.

The blog came about as a result of signing up on blogspot.com. They provide the basic elements of putting a Blog together. I recently added a new one for our Peconic Conference called "Peconic Postings," (www.peconic.blogspot.com). Our goal is to open up a channel for pastors and laity to share information about their churches and the activities and programs that may be of interest to others. Now since our conference is very large, it is not likely that there will be many who will travel to another parish for a local event, but the principle is sound. Conferences that are more geographically compact should discuss how they could use this means of communication to advance their mission.

As for websites, there are many ways to get started. Often an Internet Service Provider will offer free website space and provide templates to get going with. Verizon does that and others do too. I use Go-Daddy because they are a bit outlandish in their approach to the internet. And they're cheap. They also provide templates for a small fee. The Total ministry concept is at the heart of the site: www.totalministry.net. On that site I am able to add photos and papers I've written as well as resources from others. Another site I am working on is for the Commission for Evangelical Outreach, www.mnysceo.net .

Anyway, I don't spend a lot of time of this work, but I've been very encouraged when people visit our church and tell me that they checked out our church website before coming. Thanks to Art Stahl, who is a retired Math teacher, we have been able to keep the site up to date and make improvements to the site as we learn more and more about what we can do online. Nearly every new family that has come to Hope in the past couple of years checked us out on the internet first.

If you have any comments, you can add them on this blog site or you can mail them directly to me at rohill@optonline.net. If you have questions, I'd be happy to answer them or point you in the right direction. Happy surfing.

BISHOP BOUMAN ACCEPTS NEW CALL

2007-11-14T13:32:00.000-05:00

BISHOP BOUMAN TO LEAD ELCA EVANGELICAL OUTREACH AND CONGREGATIONAL MISSION

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was elected Nov. 11 by the ELCA Church Council to a four-year appointment as executive director of ELCA Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission (EOCM) beginning Jan. 1, 2008. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here Nov. 9-11. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 17-23, 2009, in Minneapolis.

"Saying good-bye is so incredibly difficult. I have shared so much of my life with the wonderful lives of the people of this synod and this metropolis. We went through Ground Zero together. We buried our dead and re-imagined the church in the wake of that tragedy," Bouman said. "We have planted so many new ministries among people who are 'the road not taken' by traditional Lutheranism."

"In some ways mission and ministry in the Metropolitan New York Synod has been 'going to school' on what mission and ministry are going to be like all across our country in the coming decades," Bouman said. "I've learned some things, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with the wider church," he said. "We have a lot to learn from each other, and it will be my joy to advocate and agitate for the missional heart of this church as the director of EOCM. I look forward to getting on the road with my many new colleagues who will share with me the ministries to which God has called them," Bouman said.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, announced the council's unanimous election of Bouman here Nov. 13. "Bishop Bouman has exemplified in his parish and synodical ministries leadership that is Christ centered, Spirit gifted, biblically engaged, theologically formed and contextually shaped," Hanson said in a prepared statement. "He has a passion to proclaim Christ, make disciples and build up the church for the sake of the world." "Bishop Bouman developed a Diakonia program with over 800 graduates, some of whom are serving as pastors," Hanson said.

"Under his leadership over 35 new ministries have been initiated. Worship occurs in over 25 languages in the synod," he said. Hanson recalled that Bouman saw the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod through the challenges of dealing with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

He listed other "hallmarks" of Bouman's leadership as bishop: "accompanying those who live in poverty, working together for a more just society, extending hospitality to the immigrant, striving to become a multicultural, diverse church while building upon our strong global and ecumenical partnerships."

Bouman will succeed the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, who will retire Dec. 31. EOCM is a program unit of the ELCA. Its 149-member staff facilitates "the efforts of congregations, synods, and related institutions and agencies in reaching out in witness to the gospel to people in all contexts and cultures" across the United States and Caribbean. It works to develop new congregations and ministries, and to renew and equip existing ELCA ministries in evangelical outreach.

Born April 14, 1947, in Melrose Park, Ill., Bouman is a graduate of Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He earned a master of sacred theology degree and a doctorate in ministry from New York Theological Seminary, New York. General Theological Seminary, New York, awarded him an honorary doctor of divinity degree in 2001.

Ordained in 1973 by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Bouman served as pastor of Christ and St. Jacobus Lutheran Church, Woodside, Queens, N.Y., and Atonement Lutheran Church, Jackson Heights, Queens, N.Y. His pastoral call was transferred to the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) in 1977, and he served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Bogota, N.J., from 1982 to 1992. The AELC, American Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church in America formed the ELCA in 1988. In 1992 Bouman became an assistant to the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Metropolitan New York Synod and in 1996 was elected to succeed the Rev. James E. Sudbrock as bishop. The synod elected Bouman to a second six-year term as bishop in 2002.

Bouman is author of several articles, curricula, devotionals and books, including "From the Parish for the Life of the World," published in 2000 by Augsburg Fortress, and "Grace All Around Us," published in 2007 by Augsburg Books. Augsburg Fortress is the publishing ministry of the ELCA. Bouman and his wife Janet are the parents of three adult children.

VISION OF HOPE
“Preparing for a new bishop”

On Monday, November 11, I received the announcement from Synod headquarters that our bishop, Stephen Bouman, accepted the call to serve as executive director of ELCA Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission Unit in Chicago beginning January 1, 2008.

I was not “shocked” by the news, but it has had an effect on my thinking ever since, especially as I reflect on my role in providing leadership for our synod’s Commission for Evangelical Outreach. Over the past five years I have been actively engaged in the task of helping our bishop to make the Metropolitan New York Synod a “Great Commission Synod,” and I have been encouraged by the support given by our bishop to the ambitious agenda we were undertaking. We are seeking to bring about nothing less than a total transformation of our synod, the second oldest synod in what is now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

We’ve worked hard to change from a synod that has was declining in numbers and spirit into an innovative, forward-looking, missionally-oriented, ground-breaking leader in the overall ministry of the ELCA. Now we face an uncertain future once more.

For Lutherans in the United States, the office of bishop is not a very powerful one. One person recently opined that the main power that a bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has is to approve letters of call issued by congregations seeking a new pastor.

I don’t know if that is really true, but I do believe that a bishop has enormous power that can be exercised in a very significant way if the bishop has the courage to use it. That power is in the area of providing leadership in setting the course for a synod. The bishop can influence many by making a case for moving in a particular direction because there are many who seek that kind of leadership. James MacGregor Burns in his book called Leadership described that sort of power as “transformational power.” Translated into our setting, that kind of power is able to set the course for the entire synod and summon our greatest and most passionate efforts to see the vision become a reality.

While our bishop has been criticized by some for taking politically-charged stands on issues such as the ordination of gay clergy and immigration, I believe he has done a good job at supporting and encouraging all our clergy and laity to focus on the true center of the church’s mission in the world. He has lifted up the challenge to reclaim the Great Commission as the main agenda for our efforts as a synod, and many of us have stepped forward to meet it.

I hope and I pray that the new bishop we elect next February will be more than just a “maintenance bishop” elected to take over as Captain of the “M.N.Y.S. Titanic.” Our synod may at times have looked a lot like a sinking ship, but I believe that God still has plans for us in Metro New York. I am convinced that our efforts can make an enormous difference not just for the Lutheran churches in Metro New York but throughout the United States. Under Bishop Bouman’s leadership in his new post, we will have a strong ally in our work of making the Great Commission a reality. May God bless him and us through him.

With Love,
Pastor Hill

SHARING OUR GIFTS

2007-10-09T11:23:00.001-04:00

On Sunday I gave a brief presentation about a new emphasis we are launching at Hope called "Sharing Our Gifts." This came about as a result of discussion we had in our Natural Church Development Church Health Team in recent weeks.

Our Church Health Team set three goals for our efforts. We will encourage fellow members of Hope to grow in their ability to: (1) Share information; (2) Share ourselves; and (3) Share responsibility. Each of these goals on their own may not sound like much, but when taken together, we believe that they will result in a much richer spiritual life among our members at Hope.

Sharing information is important to the health of our congregation for many reasons. First, we are a large congregation (even though church attendance may appear low to many.) We have over 400 households enrolled as members of Hope, some much more active than others, but they are on the rolls because, as far as we can determine, almost all of them are still living in our community. We don't "write off" families from the church's rolls when they are still living nearby and are not attending another church. In fact, over the past 25 years, I have seen many people come and go and come back into the mainstream of our church's life. I wish they would ALL be active, but that's just not the way things are, so since they're still around, we try to keep some line of communication open to them—the monthly ANCHOR, special mailings, and, if possible, the ANCHOR NOTES e-mail newsletter.

Second, we have four services each weekend, and most people attend a particular service every time they worship. That means that they may not see other members they know for a long time and may be out of touch with them. Add to that the sporadic worship habits of some, and it could be months before members see certain others they are close to.

Third, there are many activities, groups, and programs around the church, and they are constantly coming up with new ideas. Only a few groups like our musical groups, the XYZ Fellowship and the Men's Breakfast have "routine schedules," and even they have special events and information to share from time to time. Keeping people informed can enable people to become more active around the church.

Sharing ourselves is a second goal we are pursuing. It isn't easy, of course, given the nature of our diverse congregational community, to create the opportunities for people to share themselves with each other. One current effort is the creation of some "No Experience Necessary" groups that we hope will get people together in more intimate settings so they can become more comfortable in sharing with each other. Other things we do like the Farewell Party of Josh, the Bowling League, and the Steak Barbeque provide opportunities for people to share themselves beyond the "Hi, how are you?" level. But we still have a long way to go.

The "Sharing Our Gifts" emphasis is related to this particular goal in that it encourages people to look at themselves as "servants of God" with gifts God provides for the work of mission. Through the intimate setting of a personal or small group "interview," people have a chance to share their ideas and insights and fill out a survey of their own gifts that we can draw upon as opportunities arise. In the past, with our "Acquire the Fire" surveys, we collected a lot of detailed and useful information about people. Now, with many newer members and with the inevitable evolution of the Total Life Caring Ministry vision, the Health Team wants to make the interview process a regular part of the way we assimilate new members into our church.

Ultimately, of course, as people become better informed and develop more meaningful relationships with one another, they will be more inclined to share responsibility for the mission God has given us at Hope. Unlike churches in previous generations, Hope's "Lutheran identity" is not linked to any ethnic heritage or immigrant story. Most of our members are "first generation" members of Hope, and many are even first generation Lutherans as well.

When it comes to taking responsibility for ministry, therefore, there is no "Loyalty Button" we can push to get an automatic response to needs or crises that arise from time to time. Our members always respond well to special needs, but that says more about the kind of people that they are than anything else. We are hoping that as members form deeper roots in our congregation and community, they will feel more comfortable about taking responsibility for providing leadership and resources to advance our shared mission.

"Sharing Our Gifts" is being launched now so we can start the process of bringing more people on board for mission and ministry at Hope. As interviews are held and ideas are shared, we will see new things springing up that we can't even imagine right now. That's the way God's Spirit works in our life together.

A recent ELCA advertising emphasis uses a catchy slogan that I like: "God's Mission—Our Hands." I am convinced that "Sharing Our Gifts" is a vehicle that God will bless if we are willing to lend our hands to the effort.

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

2007-09-04T10:14:00.001-04:00

In just a few days we will open the doors of our church to welcome children who are coming to Sunday School. This event is something of an annual ritual. We cannot take it for granted that they will be there again, however. In recent years the numbers of children have decreased rather than increased, in spite of the fact that our membership continues to grow, and we are not really sure why that is so.

I am sure that if we tried, we could identify a host of "causes" for this phenomenon, but I have a hunch that in most cases there is little or nothing we could do about them. For example, when soccer leagues schedule their games on Sunday mornings, parents often choose soccer over Sunday School. And, in some families where parents are divorced, Sunday is "Daddy's Day," and Daddy is often not a churchgoer. And, of course there is always the fact that many parents are working very hard all week and Sunday morning may be the only day in the week when parents can sleep in or get chores done.

What we are witnessing is a serious challenge to "church as usual," and it seems that we can no longer count on Sunday School as a source of growth in the church. The oft-quoted statement, "A little child shall lead them" used to be true, but times have changed, and we must also, if we want to see the church continue, much less grow

What can we do to bring about a better outcome? Perhaps we need to begin by asking, "What is Sunday School for, anyway?"

According to the website from McGill University in Canada, Robert Raikes and Thomas Stock first established a Sunday school for the poor and orphaned in Gloucester in 1780. Although there were earlier Sunday schools, Raikes and Stock have become the recognized originators. Their efforts led clergy and laypeople to establish similar schools throughout England, thus setting in motion the Sunday School Movement. By 1800, 200 000 children were enrolled in English Sunday schools, and by 1850, this number had risen to 2 million.

The Sunday schools were organized by middle-class people who found that working-class children required some form of discipline. Sunday and evening schools were established to teach reading, writing, arithmetic and catechism to the 'deserving' poor: enrollment was decided upon by visits with parents, nominations from subscribers, and individual student applications. Students were expected to attend school four to five hours per week, and this was the only schooling that most working class children ever received. The teachers (men and women) were paid, and classes were often held in a person's home, or in rented rooms.

"The Sunday schools caught on quickly and were effective because they were simple, became a diversion for the children, and a means for parents to socially elevate the family as a whole. They were often also a means of education for adults, who occasionally attended the schools; children were actively encouraged to take lessons and books home to share with their parents.

"The Sunday school also became an important hub of social interaction for a class of children and parents who were rapidly moving away from small, close-knit, rural communities to large, over-populated, urban centers. Lastly, the schools taught catechism to a population that, until that time, only learned it via a rote memorization system with the priest reciting the Lord's Prayer one line at a time, once a week, during the service."

Compare the history of Sunday Schools with what we offer children today, and with the type of children whom we reach out to. The differences are obvious. For us, Sunday School is a brief opportunity for volunteer teachers to teach children of church members the Word of God using a variety of teaching resources. The aim of the program is not to provide a sense of community among the children of the members, much less among those who are unchurched. Parents are encouraged to bring their children regularly, but many don't. Also, we do not seek "sponsors" to provide funds to enable the program to operate.

All this is not to suggest that Sunday Schools should be abolished, but as a system of making disciples, it deserves much more attention than we are giving to it. Thanks to the public school systems we have, there is no longer a need for teaching the "3 R's." But there still is a need for children to learn values, beliefs, and what it means to follow Jesus Christ in our world today.

Unfortunately, because we are reluctant to give more than one hour a week (at most) to serving God, many teachers never come to worship services. Also, those who do worship often do not want to make the added sacrifice required to disciple the youngest of God's children. As a church. we need to decide not only how to disciple children, but whether we really want to disciple them. Only then will we be willing to start looking for new approaches to carrying out the main task of the church.

The irony of our current situation is that in our congregation, I believe that the largest occupational group we have is that of "professional teachers." We have many members actively working as teachers, and there are many retired educators as well. They are not only highly trained as educators, but also highly experienced in the actual work of teaching, and their gifts and experience are enormous. Yet I cannot understand why, as gifted as we are, we cannot develop a solid educational program and often have to press untrained, non-professional members into serving as teachers. It's not good enough, as far as I'm concerned, for members to use "I teach children all week long" as an excuse for ignoring their need for spiritual development in the community of faith.

At the risk of offending some of the best members we have in the church, I need to say that I think it's time for those who have these gifts and this experience, to step up and offer it to their Lord.

What to do about Sunday School is a challenge for all of us to think about, but the greater challenge we must face is the challenge of discipling children and their parents so they can become faithful followers of Christ and productive workers in His vineyard. If we will let the needs of God's children motivate us to take a new look at what we do to disciple them, then the statement, "A little child shall lead them, will prove to be true once again. May that day come soon.

MONEY MATTERS . . . IT REALLY DOES

2007-08-28T13:16:00.000-04:00

With permission I am posting a slightly edited version of e-mail correspondence that went back and forth today between the Finance Chair and myself.

----- Original Message -----
From: finance chair
To: Pastor Hill ; Treasurer
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 11:05 AM
Subject: Our First Finance Committee Meeting

Hi Pastor Hill,

Hope you are doing well.
I had to run out Sunday so I didn't have a chance to chat with you but wanted to connect before the finance meeting. The team and I will chat before the meeting, but I wanted to hear any feedback you can share or advice on structuring the meeting.

I thought maybe kick off with a prayer, introduce the team to everyone (if anyone shows up) and discuss what is going well and what isn't. Also, with the current financial situation does it make sense to address the congregation and let them know the situation we are in and see if they can help out. And, is it appropriate to do some fundraising efforts....even just short term to help things along. Should I work with outeach and other council groups to help make that happen?

As always, thanks for all your help!!
All the best,
Teresa

Reply:

Hi Teresa,

Your agenda sounds good to me. I think that the enormous list of unpaid bills we have right now will dominate the discussion, so we need to talk about that. In the past we have had such lists, but this one seems rather large.

Providing information to members during worship services helps with a short term situation, but usually when the amount we need is so large, we need a stronger approach to addressing such matters with more specific information. Soon we will be sending out a financial update on giving from members. Usually I send out a letter with that report and let people know in general how things are going.

Technically, we are not supposed to use a specifically addressed report as a means for making a specific appeal for funds. Usually specifically addressed letters (or reports) are sent by 1st class mail. In those cases the USPS doesn't care what is sent. They allow specifically addressed financial reports to be sent out bulk mail at a lower cost to us, but in such cases, because the reports are addressed to specific individual givers, they say that we should not use bulk mailed financial statements as a means for soliciting donations.

A long time ago our congregation adopted a strict policy against what is referred to as "fund-raising." This was part of the overall emphasis in the Church that Christians should give to support the mission of the church and not rely upon fund-raising activities to come up with funds for ongoing budgeted expenses we are obligated to pay.

In reality, most of these activities require a lot of work and bring in very little actual money. They also tend to create a negative climate around the churches because people begin to believe they cannot "afford" to fund their own mission.

Also, they allow leaders to gracefully avoid taking responsibility for actually talking to members and ASKING people to make some sacrifices. It also eliminates the pressure on leaders to examine their own personal giving level on a weekly basis? (How much do we as the church's leaders actually contribute each week/month?).

In 1964, when our church began, the average weekly donation was $5 per family. Several gave more than that, but that was the average per family. FORTY YEARS LATER, in spite of inflation on the income side of family finances and increased incomes, the cash average per family is still about $5.

In 1964, $5 would buy about 20 loaves of bread or two tanks of gas. How far could someone drive today on $5 worth of gas? How much does it cost for a beer or a single hot dog at Yankee Stadium these days, anyway? Can you still get into a Mets game for $5? How many Big Macs can you buy with $5?

A Finance Committee might also want to take a serious look at giving patterns over the past few years and also a specific look at our members' giving patterns during the current year.

Have there been any changes?
Has giving decreased?
Are some members giving less than they used to?
Have larger giving members moved and caused a drop in income?
How much are the actual givers actually giving? (For example, if there are 60 families that give regularly, what is the average donation per family, and what is the median donation?)

Also it might be interesting to ask how the giving of newer members compares with the giving of long-time members. I think we would be somewhat surprised by the result of such a comparison.

Additional questions can be asked about the spending side of the situation:

Are we spending more?
Are we spending money for things we don't need or that could be funded by other means such as the Memorial Fund?
Are the members of Hope really aware of what it costs to run a church like ours?

Another simple fact is that at Hope we have not worked on a financial stewardship education program or stewardship giving appeal since 2003. In the years that I have served at Hope we have had FOUR intensive programs for capital giving, each of them led by highly paid consultants who flew in from other parts of the country. They helped us back then to build our sanctuary and to build the parking lot, and the consultants were somewhat successful in helping us to increase our regular giving as well.

We need to work on an approach to our ongoing problem with finances. We certainly are not any different from any other Lutheran church in the Northeastern U.S., and we are actually doing much better at Hope than in many other ELCA churches in this part of the country. Even our synod itself is in a very difficult financial situation.

We have a tremendous church with many wonderful, deeply committed people at Hope. I WOULD NOT ASK TO SERVE ANY OTHER CONGREGATION AS PASTOR. Yet we have fear and anxiety about asking people to examine how much and why they give, and we have not yet raised up enough of a vision of what it means to be a truly giving church.

Earlier this spring one church in the Bronx received an award at our Synod Assembly from the ELCA Churchwide office because of their giving. In spite of the fact that nearly evey member of that church earns minimum wage or welfare, the number of people who give at least 10% of their income to support the Lord's work there is very large. I hope that someday we might be able to say something like that about our church as well.

Some folks say, "The Lord will provide." The truth is that the Lord already has provided for us, The issue, I believe, is how we are personally willing to use what God has provided us with. None of us can fund our church's budget by ourselves. But what could 400 or 300 or 200 or even 100 families accomplish if we tried?

With love,
Pastor Hill

How does the Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy appear when looked at from a Systems Perspective?

2007-08-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

Pastor Andy Arnold sent me a question about what I wrote about Fundamentalism. "How does the Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy appear when looked at from a Systems Perspective?"

First, for those unfamiliar with the term "Systems Perspective," let me describe briefly what this refers to.

A "Systems Perspective" is a way of thinking about something, e.g. a family, an institution, even a single human body, as a whole consisting of many interrelated and interconnected components or "systems," rather than as just an assortment of processes that co-exist within a single entity. For example, a human being is more than just flesh, bones, blood, organs, etc. as you would see laid out before you on a medical examiner's autopsy table. In order for a body to function most effectively the various "systems" (digestive, respiratory, nervous, auditory, optic, circulatory, excretory, etc.) not only co-exist but collaborate with each other. As the apostle Paul said, "the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you . . .'" (I Cor. 12: 21a).

To view something from a systems perspective requires both some distance and much knowledge.

In a sense, Pastor Andy's question would be an excellent PhD dissertation topic.

But simply put, a few things can be said right here. The Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy was the result of the intergenerational transmission of anxiety and a crisis in leadership among the Christian community. After the development of "Higher Criticism" as a way of interpreting the scriptures, the exaltation of the doctrine of Evolution promulgated by Charles Darwin, the industrialization of Western society, the growing movement toward the Nation-State throughout Europe, the American Civil War and the struggle for Reconstruction in the U.S., the rise of Marxist thinking and Freudian psychology etc., the Protestant Christian community in the U.S. and the U.K., reached an impasse in its theological discussions.

Some anxious Christians wanted to resolve their anxiety by forcing the Church to adapt its approach to doctrine to the changes occurring all around it (Modernism). Other anxious Christians, whose constituency included many who were very conservative believed that the best way to resolve the crisis was to simply "hang onto" the "faith once delivered to all the saints." To them, "progress" meant re-investing their energy in re-discovering their spiritual and theological roots so they could effectively apply the wisdom of the scriptures to the changing world (Fundamentalism).

In the Roman Catholic tradition, this struggle was resolved by the First Vatican Council where the doctrine of Papal Infallibility was affirmed officially.

Post-Enlightenment Protestants had only the Bible as a source for faith and life, so as new techniques for interpreting the scriptures came into use, the future became uncertain and conflict erupted between biblical scholars of both parties. The extremely diverse and highly fragmented Protestant community lacked the leadership that could bring about a resolution, so the two styles of interpretation gradually became institutionalized and began to operate quite independently from each other. In denominations where battles were fought over these issues, the result was greater fragmentation and the hardening of positions. However, at the same time in the U.S., in other traditions such as the Lutheran tradition, a different "genetic history," certain liturgical traditions, and a historic reliance on the authority of the Lutheran confessions was at work, bringing immigrant denominations closer to each other and forming new bodies not by separation, but by merger.

Ironically, it is the history of this 19th and 20th century Protestant controversy and the coincidental failure of leadership in mainline church bodies such as the ELCA that makes current social crisis over the acceptance of homosexual persons as clergy arise with no clear solution in sight.

By "failure of leadership," I am not referring simply to current leadership at various levels in the ELCA. It actually goes much further back into each of the Lutheran family histories that contribute to the current crisis in North American Lutheranism. Again, at the risk of oversimplification, it seems to me that too much attention was given to the politicization of the "New Lutheran Church" (e.g. forcing membership quotas in forming the Committee for a New Lutheran Church etc.) at the expense of the "familiarization" of the merging families.

Isn't that what often happens with young engaged couples who spend so much energy on making arrangements for the perfect wedding celebration that they have none left for building a healthy and resilient family system for future generations?

I might sum up by quoting a portion of the epilogue from Rabbi Ed Friedman's recently revised posthumous work, A Failure of Nerve. In addressing leaders he encourages leaders to spend time analyzing the "presence of the past" in order to find a way to provide leadership for the future. He says that there are at least four benefits to this analysis: "First, it puts leaders in touch with the nature and the power of emotional process. Second, it delineates both difficulties and capacities, offering a way of understanding how their own past supports the power of presence (differentitaion). Third, it enables them to understand why relationships and institutions do not change. Finally, and most important, it gives them an angle of entry into their own past, their differentiation, and their presence as leaders."

Listen to the Stars

2007-08-08T17:25:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday's issue of USA WEEKEND had a cover article called "Watch the Night Sky," which focused on the meteor shower expected to occur this Sunday and Monday during the darkest hours of the evening. I plan to spend some time out there in my backyard those nights, enjoying the show, if there is one.

As a boy I always had a fascination with astronomy, studying the various constellations,gazing at planets, viewing eclipses, and, most of all, the great meteor showers that come from time to time throughout the year.

This meteor shower will be viewed in the northeastern sky. Little fragments of a comet that fell apart long ago will enter into our atmosphere at speeds like 37 miles per second. Way down here on earth we'll see those streaking stars, and they will teach us a lesson if we are willing to listen to it.

Listen to the stars? Well, yes. It's an exciting coincidence that this Sunday's first lesson from Genesis 15 is the famous story of how Abraham saw the stars and learned about the vastness of God's love and faithfulness. He saw the very same stars that we also can see any night when we look upwards towards the heavens. Imagine that! The stars we see are the very same stars Abraham saw some 4,000 years ago!

But the meteorites that will shower our sky this weekend are quite different from the stars we hear about in the lesson from Genesis. They, too, have been around since the creation of the universe, but they only appear for a moment, and then they vanish forever. Think about that. Unlike the stars which stay in the corses, the meteorites come into our world only for a moment and then disappear forever.

Can you see the difference between the stars and the meteor showers? The showers may be exciting, even magnificent, but they are the end of something that was and never will be again. The stars, however, remind me that God's promises are forever. We can cling to those and we can find hope in them if we will resist the tempatatiom tp focus on the ephemeral. Yet even the stars will not last forever. Only God who created them all endures. Listen to the stars/ Then give thanks to God!

The Five Fundamentals of the Faith

2007-08-05T17:48:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, July 29th, I mentioned in my sermon the expression, "the five fundamentals" of the Christian faith, and I asked how many people could name them.

I wasn't surprised when no one volunteered the answer, but I was surprised that no one even seemed to know what I was talking about.

Back in one of my history courses (I was a History major in college)I became very interested in a controversy that split the Christian community right around the beginning of the 20th century. It was called the "Modernist-Fundamentalist Controvery."

Most people would have a sense of what I'm referring to if they saw the movie, "Inherit the Wind," the story of the Scopes trial that put the Darwinian doctrine of evolution on trial. It was a battle between two legendary figures, attorney Clarence Darrow for the defense, and three-time Democratic presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution.

The argument was about evolution, but at the center of the storm was the larger issue of whether the Bible was a reliable source for Christian teaching and practice. Bryan, a Presbyterian, was also a fundamentalist, and during the trial he was called as a witness for the defense. Ultimately all testimony for the defense was thrown out by the judge and Scopes was convicted.

Fundamentalists insist that it is wrong to "tamper with God's word," so they focus on five doctrines that they see as fundamental to the Christian faith:

(1)The literal inerrancy of the autographs (the originals of each scriptural book); (2) the virgin birth and deity of Christ; (3) the substitutionary view of the atonement; (4) the bodily resurrection of Christ; (5) The imminent return of Christ.

Great debates were held between fundamentalists and modernists during the early 20th century, but Lutherans were involved only peripherally. Why? Perhaps the fact that many Lutherans still did not speak English and retained their ethnic tradition. Also, Lutheran already had the Book of Concord which provided them with a solid theological basis for their faith-- the Formula of Concord, the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Small and Large Catechisms, and of course, the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian creeds.

Lutherans did not see themselves as belonging among the American Protestant tradition (and still do not), so although they may be sympathetic to the viewpoints and concerns of Fundamentalist Protestant Christians, they are not easily tempted to get engaged in this sort of debate.

Any more questions?

Questions . . .

2007-07-31T11:17:00.000-04:00

Most people don't think much about the importance of asking questions of their pastor. Sometimes I get e-mails from college students who have an assignment to complete, and I do my best to respond to their questions, often using the internet to access information from places they may not be familiar with.

Occasionally I'll get a question about something I said in a sermon. Those are always tricky because people often remember exactly what I said and I don't.

Some questions are about the Bible or theology, and once in a while someone poses an issue they are dealing with and want a confidential reply.

Being asked questions makes me feel important, especially if I can give decent answers. It's one way I can reach out to people who take their faith seriously.

A few years ago I met an Anglican priest whose church was featured in three one hour programs on BBC television. In one broadcast he mentioned quite innocently that he had a link on their church website for people to use in asking religious questions.

In the next few days e-mails came to him from all around the world, wherever people could view the BBC specials. At first he replied carefully to each one. Eventually he started to write out more "standard" responses that he could send back to FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Eventually he had to hire a retired priest on a part-time basis to keep up with the workload.

I recently heard that my priest friend has left the priesthood altogether.

When I issue the invitation to send in questions to me, I have his face in the back of my mind. Obviously, I won't have his problem, at least not until BBC comes over here to do some special broadcasts about Hope, but I am willing to invite you to ask questions whenever you have them, in writing through this blog or via e-mail. If they are private questions, please let me know.

So, here we go. You need to sign up to reply to this blog, but you can e-mail me at rohill@optonline.net and I will get it.

Any questions?

Summertime at Hope

2007-07-28T13:20:00.000-04:00

Summer is always a strange time for us at Hope. For many people it is "vacation time," and they spend a lot of time away, especially on the weekends.

Yet for others, it is "business as usual," a time when there may be an occasional part, reunion, or significant gathering, but for the most part it is a time when people keep doing what they've been doing, except perhaps coming to church.

Typically, most churches eliminate a service during the summer or, in a case like ours, change the entire Sunday mroning schedule to accomodate the "slower" worship attendance pattern. This is particularly helpful when the pastor is taking a full month's vacation and visiting preachers are needed to fill in on Sundays.

Here at Hope, however, summer is an active time. This summer we have three or four summer day camp programs being offered, and we also have our one-week, half-day Vacation Bible School run by a host of volunteers from the congregation and the community. In addition, we have a Tuesday night service led by the electric guitar of Carl Werkheiser who is accompanied by his wife Laura's singing and special instruments.

Sundays in the summer are important because we do tend to listen better, and often we will see visitors checking out the church prior to the arrival of fall. These are good days for informal fellowship and sharing, and occasionally people will hang out together after services rather than going home for their normal routines.

I have ejoyed this summer because I decided to experiment with my preaching by developing textual, Bible-based sermons that make use of the assigned lectionary texts. Since the second lessons during the summer are serial lessons, it gives me a chance to look at them and think through their subtleties in a continuous manner. As a matter of fact, I've spent a lot more time preparing for these messages than what I normally spend in preparing for other types of preaching.

In any event, this is a good time of the year. For those who take a vacation from church, I invite you to think again about that and use the opportunity summer affords to allow yourself to encounter God's presence in a new and refreshing way.

Greetings to All!

2007-05-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

This is a new way to communicate a variety of ideas, hopes, visions, and concerns to people who share in the vision of God's kingdom coming to fruition among us. Please feel free to respond to what you read by adding your comments and suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Pastor Rich Hill