Here it is well into June with July soon to come and time has gotten away from me.
Which seems, perhaps, a bit ironic since my schedule is no where near as hectic now as it was
before COVID19.
Somehow, I guess we just settle into a new routine.
We've been live streaming our simple worship on Facebook and are looking to reopen in person
worship on July 5th. We will social distance, strongly encourage masks, no singing, and we have
sealed communion wafer and juice cups. It will be different and I wonder how many will actually
come. We are holding off on Sat. evening worship, since we projecting the bulletin and responses, hymns, etc. on the screen. It's not fair to ask that person to be there every Sat & Sun.
I'm putting together Staycation VBS with PC(USA) material I found and low cost. Will stuff them with some small take-aways as I customize for each family.
Still have July newsletter article to write, although I selected the hymns for July! Yay! Done!
The worst has been that I caught my right fingertip in the sliding door of my van.. It just kinda
rolled closed, not a hard slam, but enough to hurt like...uhm...I'm not gonna say it! I shook it off,
went to the office typed on it, etc. for the next few days. Then I noticed a growing hematoma, on
my fingertip a bit under the nail. Oh, good Lord, how my finger would hurt, as it came in waves of intense pain. It didn't help that sometimes I bumped it while doing dishes, or against a counter, or
whatever. It hurt worse and worse sometimes it was all I could do not to pull my hair out. After 2 weeks, I went to the Doc. - antibiotics, e-ray; revealing I broke a chip of my finger tip bone.
Another visit to Doc, who used local by shot 3 times into my hurting finger and grubbed around, but
little puss. MRI and more antibiotics. Got referred to hand Dr. who didn't think I had a bone infection, just nerve damage along with the chipped bone. Pain meds that work pretty well for the most part and finger therapy exercises and vaseline on the damaged/healing tissue. It is getting better, although still so painful. Some of the calloused skin peeled off revealing new - like baby skin and it is soooo tender.
This has hindered my typing, weeding, and doing all sorts of things so I don't bump my finger.
I do do dishes wearing a cleaning glove. It is now heading into week 7. Cripe! Who knew it
would take so long, although I am mostly thankful that there wasn't a bone infection as my Doc thought from the MRI. What a major relief!
Things will pick up a bit in July - reopening worship a wedding and a baptism. Confirmation will be in August with 4 youth. Kinda glad it's so late as we had to wait on backordered crosses and the
other place only sent 3 of the 4 we ordered. We will recognize SS teachers in August as I get their
thank-you bags together.
I'm so ready for a vacation! But very limited in where we can go, so to WI, the land of cheese and brats we go and visit with my sister and BIL. Just a few days to get away and have a change in
scenery. I want to do nothing but read and soak up a little sun and see the ever-changing Lake Michigan which is so high they have lost beach access - if there was a beach anymore. Still,
cedar trees and the lake are soothing.
Time goes by whether we stay at home more or are running at a hectic pace. May God bless
our time and may we not waste too much of it.
Monday, June 22, 2020
Monday, May 04, 2020
SABBATICAL
So, I've always envied (I confess and have asked for forgiveness) those clergy who have been given and granted sabbaticals. In my nearly 37 years in ministry, I've never had a formal sabbatical.
I was out of any positions for a year and mostly spent my time pursuing a position, cleaning house and cooking, praying for a position and lamenting that I didn't have any place to serve. Not the most
productive of times nor use of an unintentional sabbatical. (Yes, I did do some reading and was in a Spiritual Direction Program - where I had directees and papers to write, and supervision meetings. It was a 3 year program so I was in a way, working, just not drawing any kind of salary.)
So here we are in this stay-at-home and work remotely time. When I can't make visits in the afternoons, when I have less to prepare for concerning worship on Sat. evenings and Sunday
mornings, no confirmation classes or Tues evening Bible Study classes, no making visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the other church. You can only call so many people only so often or write and send out those cards.
One would think this is a bit of sabbatical time. One. would. think. Sigh. There are books I'm still reading and haven't finished. There are projects left undone. I haven't cleaned my windows yet. The books piled haphazardly on the den floor that slip down, hasn't been gone through, and books put in the basement. I haven't had any brilliant flashes of great insight. I spend way too much time yelling NO at the dumb greyhound we have that doesn't ever learn and for whom NO means nothing. I have been cooking more and there's always dishes afterwards - wooden salad bowls, wooden handled steak knives, serving bowls that take up too much room in the dishwasher, pots, pans and coffee pot.
So, in a way, I could see this time as a sabbatical in way. I have loved the slower pace, not having my week go by in a blur, having time to breathe, to take a nap if I need to, to weed, to stand on the porch and watch for what is coming up in the flower bed: flower or weed, to not feel so stressed.
However, my scholarly work has come up short. Sometimes, I start reading on the couch and
after awhile the eyelids droop and I'm out for an hour! I haven't worked on my writing either or been
very creative. (I did make LH and I, no sew masks out of T shirts.)
I guess I need to be more intentional about this time, for it will not come again. And perhaps,
to appreciate this slower pace of life, which the Europeans have long practiced although not so drastically as with this pandemic. Maybe, not every moment of the day has to be filled in order to be considered productive, nor everything accomplished, not that it ever is in ministry. Perhaps, just being with God and resting in God's presence and love, of appreciating the gift of each day is
simply enough. Maybe, I'm just looking forward to retirement in 5 years, good Lord willing.
But this has been a blessing in a way. I think had I been younger and more in the midst of my
\ministry, more substantial work would have been accomplished in a sabbatical.
But I will take this one, unintentional and unconventional as it may be. And I will start back in the one challenging book I started.
I was out of any positions for a year and mostly spent my time pursuing a position, cleaning house and cooking, praying for a position and lamenting that I didn't have any place to serve. Not the most
productive of times nor use of an unintentional sabbatical. (Yes, I did do some reading and was in a Spiritual Direction Program - where I had directees and papers to write, and supervision meetings. It was a 3 year program so I was in a way, working, just not drawing any kind of salary.)
So here we are in this stay-at-home and work remotely time. When I can't make visits in the afternoons, when I have less to prepare for concerning worship on Sat. evenings and Sunday
mornings, no confirmation classes or Tues evening Bible Study classes, no making visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the other church. You can only call so many people only so often or write and send out those cards.
One would think this is a bit of sabbatical time. One. would. think. Sigh. There are books I'm still reading and haven't finished. There are projects left undone. I haven't cleaned my windows yet. The books piled haphazardly on the den floor that slip down, hasn't been gone through, and books put in the basement. I haven't had any brilliant flashes of great insight. I spend way too much time yelling NO at the dumb greyhound we have that doesn't ever learn and for whom NO means nothing. I have been cooking more and there's always dishes afterwards - wooden salad bowls, wooden handled steak knives, serving bowls that take up too much room in the dishwasher, pots, pans and coffee pot.
So, in a way, I could see this time as a sabbatical in way. I have loved the slower pace, not having my week go by in a blur, having time to breathe, to take a nap if I need to, to weed, to stand on the porch and watch for what is coming up in the flower bed: flower or weed, to not feel so stressed.
However, my scholarly work has come up short. Sometimes, I start reading on the couch and
after awhile the eyelids droop and I'm out for an hour! I haven't worked on my writing either or been
very creative. (I did make LH and I, no sew masks out of T shirts.)
I guess I need to be more intentional about this time, for it will not come again. And perhaps,
to appreciate this slower pace of life, which the Europeans have long practiced although not so drastically as with this pandemic. Maybe, not every moment of the day has to be filled in order to be considered productive, nor everything accomplished, not that it ever is in ministry. Perhaps, just being with God and resting in God's presence and love, of appreciating the gift of each day is
simply enough. Maybe, I'm just looking forward to retirement in 5 years, good Lord willing.
But this has been a blessing in a way. I think had I been younger and more in the midst of my
\ministry, more substantial work would have been accomplished in a sabbatical.
But I will take this one, unintentional and unconventional as it may be. And I will start back in the one challenging book I started.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
EXILE
It certainly feels like exile. I miss the people I have been called to shepherd, love, care for and lead. I miss seeing their faces in familiar places in the pews. I miss seeing them on Sunday mornings in worship, singing together, communing together as the body of Christ, sharing coffee hour and confirmation classes with the kids. I miss making visits to our care facility people and homebound.
I miss it all. Well, most of it. Mostly, I miss seeing people and being with them.
It's one thing to record a simple worship on Sunday mornings with no one present, except for the one taping me, and a whole other thing to worship with everyone physically present.
And it seems like this will continue for quite some time to come. The one blessing of serving a smaller congregation is that we may be able to worship together sooner than the larger congregations where gatherings are limited to a certain number.
I am mulling over how to do Confirmation in June. I have 4 youngsters getting confirmed and I am thinking that each will come forward one at a time (physical distancing) and when they say what they believe - the Apostles' Creed - they can be 6 ft apart spread across the front of the sanctuary. One by one, they will come to the center chancel steps, and I will hover my hand over their head (as the Spirit hovered over the waters at creation) and pray for that one. They will go back to their place, and the next one will come up. Until all have been prayed over and for. They need to be confirmed and to celebrate this milestone in their faith journey. It's been 2 years of instruction and classes.
I haven't come up with much else, and am thinking this is way to do it this year.
Usually we have a cake and coffee afterwards. I don't know about that yet, but our social hall is huge and immediate family can sit together (afterall they have been staying at home together all this time) and we can really spread out. I will not be able to sit at tables with them, or anyone else. So we're together, but still apart. Sigh.
Will just have to wait and see how we ease back into gathering again.
I so want to recognize our Sunday School teachers as well.
Still mulling over communion as well, since L church observes communion every week. We have order the sealed communion cup/wafer combo. I can place those sealed cups on the communion rail and people can walk up (6 ft. apart) in a single file and take their cup back to their pew. just giving things some thought.
Any bright ideas out there anyone?
In the meanwhile, I miss seeing my folks. Yes, they can be tiresome, petty, selfish, and quiet, but, oh, I still miss them and their faces!
And I pray that God holds them in God's gracious and loving care, that they will stay healthy and well, that they will grow spiritually from all this, that they may grow in caring for one another and in
seeing how we need one another to be the body of Christ both scattered and gathered. I pry for wisdom, imagination, patience and openness to the new normal we will need to plan for and experience. And I pray for a hurting, anguished world that cries out for mercy to the Lord. May God hear our prayers and be gracious to us all, and every single one I miss seeing and being with.
I miss it all. Well, most of it. Mostly, I miss seeing people and being with them.
It's one thing to record a simple worship on Sunday mornings with no one present, except for the one taping me, and a whole other thing to worship with everyone physically present.
And it seems like this will continue for quite some time to come. The one blessing of serving a smaller congregation is that we may be able to worship together sooner than the larger congregations where gatherings are limited to a certain number.
I am mulling over how to do Confirmation in June. I have 4 youngsters getting confirmed and I am thinking that each will come forward one at a time (physical distancing) and when they say what they believe - the Apostles' Creed - they can be 6 ft apart spread across the front of the sanctuary. One by one, they will come to the center chancel steps, and I will hover my hand over their head (as the Spirit hovered over the waters at creation) and pray for that one. They will go back to their place, and the next one will come up. Until all have been prayed over and for. They need to be confirmed and to celebrate this milestone in their faith journey. It's been 2 years of instruction and classes.
I haven't come up with much else, and am thinking this is way to do it this year.
Usually we have a cake and coffee afterwards. I don't know about that yet, but our social hall is huge and immediate family can sit together (afterall they have been staying at home together all this time) and we can really spread out. I will not be able to sit at tables with them, or anyone else. So we're together, but still apart. Sigh.
Will just have to wait and see how we ease back into gathering again.
I so want to recognize our Sunday School teachers as well.
Still mulling over communion as well, since L church observes communion every week. We have order the sealed communion cup/wafer combo. I can place those sealed cups on the communion rail and people can walk up (6 ft. apart) in a single file and take their cup back to their pew. just giving things some thought.
Any bright ideas out there anyone?
In the meanwhile, I miss seeing my folks. Yes, they can be tiresome, petty, selfish, and quiet, but, oh, I still miss them and their faces!
And I pray that God holds them in God's gracious and loving care, that they will stay healthy and well, that they will grow spiritually from all this, that they may grow in caring for one another and in
seeing how we need one another to be the body of Christ both scattered and gathered. I pry for wisdom, imagination, patience and openness to the new normal we will need to plan for and experience. And I pray for a hurting, anguished world that cries out for mercy to the Lord. May God hear our prayers and be gracious to us all, and every single one I miss seeing and being with.
Friday, April 03, 2020
SPRING 2020
Ahh, spring your beauty of grass as green as green can be, purple crocuses with bright orange centers that have bloomed, periwinkle anemones with their white star center, cheery yellow daffodils, bright yellow forsythia, tulips with buds still wrapped in green sleeves, trees with buds just waiting to burst in flowers, sun that shines warm and days that grow longer, all belie the terror of the unseen enemy and bringer of death. How you are so different from all other springs I have known in my life.
Full of rebirth, renewal and yet...not among us. You try to fill us with hope, but with each morning we wonder, are we next, is this my last day to enjoy, to savor, to give thanks for?
Each night we give God thanks for another day of life, to see the beauty of creation around us, to be
together.
It should start feeling like Easter, but it feels like Good Friday or Holy Saturday that goes on far longer than it did for our Lord and Savior. Oh, how we long for Easter. Oh, how we long to survive this modern day plague of coronavirus. Oh, how we long to celebrate Easter with our parishioners. There will be no Easter Egg Hunt for the youngsters. No Easter breakfast. No majestic organ sounding out, "Jesus Christ is Risen Today." And yet, He is risen. And yet Easter comes. Our celebration will be more subdued. But may we shout out in the face of death around us, Christ is Risen! Alleluia! May hope come and nestle within us. May we know that resurrection life is ours as well. No matter what happens, Christ has won for us eternal life, new life, life everlasting forever with God whom we so love and who loves us so deeply. There will be those who survive. But I cannot say for sure that I will be among them. I pray that I am but so are all the rest.
Trust. Hope. Believe. Have faith. Stand firm with God. And love, each day and every day, every breath, every beauty, every meal shared together with spouse and family, every phone call and conversation with family, friends whom we cannot see or be with at this time.
Spring such a beautiful time, help us, O God, to savor each day, each budding and blooming. Tot trust the promise of Easter fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. To still shout out, "Alleluia! Christ is risen", for such a time as this, for us, for all of creation.
Full of rebirth, renewal and yet...not among us. You try to fill us with hope, but with each morning we wonder, are we next, is this my last day to enjoy, to savor, to give thanks for?
Each night we give God thanks for another day of life, to see the beauty of creation around us, to be
together.
It should start feeling like Easter, but it feels like Good Friday or Holy Saturday that goes on far longer than it did for our Lord and Savior. Oh, how we long for Easter. Oh, how we long to survive this modern day plague of coronavirus. Oh, how we long to celebrate Easter with our parishioners. There will be no Easter Egg Hunt for the youngsters. No Easter breakfast. No majestic organ sounding out, "Jesus Christ is Risen Today." And yet, He is risen. And yet Easter comes. Our celebration will be more subdued. But may we shout out in the face of death around us, Christ is Risen! Alleluia! May hope come and nestle within us. May we know that resurrection life is ours as well. No matter what happens, Christ has won for us eternal life, new life, life everlasting forever with God whom we so love and who loves us so deeply. There will be those who survive. But I cannot say for sure that I will be among them. I pray that I am but so are all the rest.
Trust. Hope. Believe. Have faith. Stand firm with God. And love, each day and every day, every breath, every beauty, every meal shared together with spouse and family, every phone call and conversation with family, friends whom we cannot see or be with at this time.
Spring such a beautiful time, help us, O God, to savor each day, each budding and blooming. Tot trust the promise of Easter fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. To still shout out, "Alleluia! Christ is risen", for such a time as this, for us, for all of creation.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
LAST DAY TOGETHER
in the M church I serve was sad. Although we are meeting remotely every Tuesday morning, it is hard not to be together in person.
The Thursday before our last in person meeting, I had visited 3 parishioners in a care facility where I had my temperature taken and before it was closed down to all visitors. I am so thankful to have seen them both the husband & wife, and another woman and was able to bring them communion.
When I arrived home, I emptied my communion kit and cleaned out the plastic bottle that held grape juice. That act of emptying the communion kit and eventually putting the top back on the plastic bottle really hit home to me that I wouldn't be able to serve parishioners the grace of the Lord
that we all so desperately need. Especially as we head towards Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday celebration.
It seemed like such a final act. There would be no communion for quite some time, whether at L church or M church. We wouldn't be joined to Christ in the same way. Yes, by our faith, by our love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ we are joined together. But in this act of Christ Jesus giving himself to us in love is what I will miss.. That tangible act of tender love and giving of himself that I can share with the ones I serve is just so profound.. It makes God's love for us in Christ Jesus
so real - a way to smell, touch, see, taste and feel.
I wept in my heart and felt the lump in my throat as the reality of our present situation and the threat of COVID19 become so very real.
I pray for the day when the threat is over, people have recovered and we can once again rejoice
in being joined together in Holy Communion and taste again the utter grace of the love of Christ.
After this unintentional fast from Holy Communion, may it taste ever more satisfying than ever before, more filling, more loving and dripping grace and joy. May it so fill us with the goodness of Jesus' love that we could burst for sheer joy, so filled with love for one another and for all the world that our hearts can scarcely contain it.
But until then, we fast and long.
The Thursday before our last in person meeting, I had visited 3 parishioners in a care facility where I had my temperature taken and before it was closed down to all visitors. I am so thankful to have seen them both the husband & wife, and another woman and was able to bring them communion.
When I arrived home, I emptied my communion kit and cleaned out the plastic bottle that held grape juice. That act of emptying the communion kit and eventually putting the top back on the plastic bottle really hit home to me that I wouldn't be able to serve parishioners the grace of the Lord
that we all so desperately need. Especially as we head towards Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday celebration.
It seemed like such a final act. There would be no communion for quite some time, whether at L church or M church. We wouldn't be joined to Christ in the same way. Yes, by our faith, by our love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ we are joined together. But in this act of Christ Jesus giving himself to us in love is what I will miss.. That tangible act of tender love and giving of himself that I can share with the ones I serve is just so profound.. It makes God's love for us in Christ Jesus
so real - a way to smell, touch, see, taste and feel.
I wept in my heart and felt the lump in my throat as the reality of our present situation and the threat of COVID19 become so very real.
I pray for the day when the threat is over, people have recovered and we can once again rejoice
in being joined together in Holy Communion and taste again the utter grace of the love of Christ.
After this unintentional fast from Holy Communion, may it taste ever more satisfying than ever before, more filling, more loving and dripping grace and joy. May it so fill us with the goodness of Jesus' love that we could burst for sheer joy, so filled with love for one another and for all the world that our hearts can scarcely contain it.
But until then, we fast and long.
Monday, March 23, 2020
EVEN MORE QUIET
today than over the weekend. There are no school buses running to pick up kids noisily gathered on corners to go to school. The kids are all home as we are. Moms and Dads aren't shuttling their kids to school buildings, they are home. For some there is no commute to work, they are home. For others, there is no work, period.
And as we stay at home, it feels so oddly strange. As if we are waiting for the angel of death to pass and to pass over us. Every evening breathing a sigh of relief that we made it another day and stayed healthy. Every morning our first thought and prayer is for health. "Lord, may I not have the virus and may I have not spread it to anyone."
Is this how the Israelites felt that night in Egypt when the angel of death passed over their homes and yet was all around them. This will be a long night for us. Every day watching for symptoms, taking our temperatures, hoping and praying, I am not one. Anguishing with those who are and with all the doctors and nurses who are overwhelmed already and don't have adequate supplies. Praying
every time we go out to the grocery store that we won't get ill. Hoping our supplies last long enough.
It's the uncertainty of it all.
We are gripped in this pandemic and it feels like passover. Even our faith does not make us immune to falling ill or even dying.
May I give thanks to God for each day. I give thanks to God for the love I've known and known in Christ my Lord. I gave thanks that up til this present moment, I can still work, still serve. I confess my sins, my failings, my falling short, when I doubt or don't trust enough. That I wasn't a good enough pastor or wife or friend. Wasn't giving enough, loving enough, forgiving enough.
Ahh, but there is resurrection. In the midst of this Lenten darkness, we make our way to the tomb and discover, RESURRECTION. New life, eternal life. I pray for that day. Easter will come, not
just the date on the calendar. But EASTER, itself. I pray that I will be here to celebrate it, to revel in the joy of it, to breathe again and anew. But if I cannot, I will be still be celebrating the resurrection life with my Lord. For Jesus is the resurrection and the life. I will be more than merely a statistic, I will be home with my Lord forever. And I will be waiting for the rest of you to join in the feast of the banquet of life already happening and taking place where all God's faithful are gathered.
In the meanwhile, we live this passover each day, with the Lord by our side, ever with us, ever
loving us, grieving with us. Prayers are with you all and for all the world.
And as we stay at home, it feels so oddly strange. As if we are waiting for the angel of death to pass and to pass over us. Every evening breathing a sigh of relief that we made it another day and stayed healthy. Every morning our first thought and prayer is for health. "Lord, may I not have the virus and may I have not spread it to anyone."
Is this how the Israelites felt that night in Egypt when the angel of death passed over their homes and yet was all around them. This will be a long night for us. Every day watching for symptoms, taking our temperatures, hoping and praying, I am not one. Anguishing with those who are and with all the doctors and nurses who are overwhelmed already and don't have adequate supplies. Praying
every time we go out to the grocery store that we won't get ill. Hoping our supplies last long enough.
It's the uncertainty of it all.
We are gripped in this pandemic and it feels like passover. Even our faith does not make us immune to falling ill or even dying.
May I give thanks to God for each day. I give thanks to God for the love I've known and known in Christ my Lord. I gave thanks that up til this present moment, I can still work, still serve. I confess my sins, my failings, my falling short, when I doubt or don't trust enough. That I wasn't a good enough pastor or wife or friend. Wasn't giving enough, loving enough, forgiving enough.
Ahh, but there is resurrection. In the midst of this Lenten darkness, we make our way to the tomb and discover, RESURRECTION. New life, eternal life. I pray for that day. Easter will come, not
just the date on the calendar. But EASTER, itself. I pray that I will be here to celebrate it, to revel in the joy of it, to breathe again and anew. But if I cannot, I will be still be celebrating the resurrection life with my Lord. For Jesus is the resurrection and the life. I will be more than merely a statistic, I will be home with my Lord forever. And I will be waiting for the rest of you to join in the feast of the banquet of life already happening and taking place where all God's faithful are gathered.
In the meanwhile, we live this passover each day, with the Lord by our side, ever with us, ever
loving us, grieving with us. Prayers are with you all and for all the world.
Monday, March 16, 2020
TODAY
the 2 mile drive to church was eerily quiet. Traffic was so light, not many cars for a Monday morning when the school buses should have been making their rounds and moms and dads driving their kids to school. Sunday morning traffic was near non-existent.
Yes, we had worship Sunday morning with 21 folks and made changes - no passing of the peace, no passing of the offering plates, communion was forward with little cups, not tables, and there was no handshaking following worship. We forget to tell the the couple who did coffee hour not to do so. So there was coffee and snacks. Several stayed even a physician and her husband who were visiting from the next town over where their Lutheran church was closed.
I find that I am having to navigate differently in this strange landscape of isolation and separation. We are in exile, the diaspora of the faithful in the 21st century. I will be working with the church office administrator to try posting a facebook video and putting out website and facebook devotional minutes and thoughts, trying interactive where folks can post photos or comments on where they see grace in their day or week, things they are doing while social distancing, etc.
I have some learning to do!
I pray for our churches and faith communities as we find ways to stay connected and remember one another. To deliberately isolate and distance ourselves from one another is unnatural and moreso in our congregations when so much of who we are is about community. We have to redefine community or at least how to be community in this strange and threatening time. I pray God's Spirit be at work within us and all around us.
Funny, our Tues. night Bible Study just finished Presbyterian Women's Horizon study on God's Promise: I Am with You. It was such a rich, full, satisfying, encouraging study and generated good discussion reminding us of God's promise to be with us from the Old Testament through the New Testament. I can't think there would have been a better study to prepare us for this trying, challenging time than to hold fast to God's promise of being with us when we feel powerless or discouraged. I pray that those who attended are holding this study close to them.
I pray for all who are suffering, feeling isolated, lonely, grieving the loss of a loved one in our world. I pray for us all as we navigate providing spiritual care during this pandemic which for most of us is a new thing.
I see the crocuses blooming - a sign of hope. I know that Easter services may not happen this year, but Easter still happens. The miracle of new life and life after death is the crux of our faith. It's what
gives us hope to face today, to face this pandemic, to face tomorrow and we do so knowing that God is with us, ever, always.
Perhaps, when we survive this pandemic and see our way through, we, too, will breathe new life,
see life differently, feel the glory of freedom, relish again a hug, a handshake and coming together and being together may mean so much more. May we live for this day. May we look forward to this day and the Easter it will be.
Yes, we had worship Sunday morning with 21 folks and made changes - no passing of the peace, no passing of the offering plates, communion was forward with little cups, not tables, and there was no handshaking following worship. We forget to tell the the couple who did coffee hour not to do so. So there was coffee and snacks. Several stayed even a physician and her husband who were visiting from the next town over where their Lutheran church was closed.
I find that I am having to navigate differently in this strange landscape of isolation and separation. We are in exile, the diaspora of the faithful in the 21st century. I will be working with the church office administrator to try posting a facebook video and putting out website and facebook devotional minutes and thoughts, trying interactive where folks can post photos or comments on where they see grace in their day or week, things they are doing while social distancing, etc.
I have some learning to do!
I pray for our churches and faith communities as we find ways to stay connected and remember one another. To deliberately isolate and distance ourselves from one another is unnatural and moreso in our congregations when so much of who we are is about community. We have to redefine community or at least how to be community in this strange and threatening time. I pray God's Spirit be at work within us and all around us.
Funny, our Tues. night Bible Study just finished Presbyterian Women's Horizon study on God's Promise: I Am with You. It was such a rich, full, satisfying, encouraging study and generated good discussion reminding us of God's promise to be with us from the Old Testament through the New Testament. I can't think there would have been a better study to prepare us for this trying, challenging time than to hold fast to God's promise of being with us when we feel powerless or discouraged. I pray that those who attended are holding this study close to them.
I pray for all who are suffering, feeling isolated, lonely, grieving the loss of a loved one in our world. I pray for us all as we navigate providing spiritual care during this pandemic which for most of us is a new thing.
I see the crocuses blooming - a sign of hope. I know that Easter services may not happen this year, but Easter still happens. The miracle of new life and life after death is the crux of our faith. It's what
gives us hope to face today, to face this pandemic, to face tomorrow and we do so knowing that God is with us, ever, always.
Perhaps, when we survive this pandemic and see our way through, we, too, will breathe new life,
see life differently, feel the glory of freedom, relish again a hug, a handshake and coming together and being together may mean so much more. May we live for this day. May we look forward to this day and the Easter it will be.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST
our hope for days (years) to come.
I was simply astounded at the grocery store and W-Mart to see such empty shelves of paper products, pain relief, frozen veges, canned veges, peanut butter, etc. I usually do my shopping on Friday mornings and the grocery store had more people than usual on any given Fri. morning and there were check-out lines.
I can understand being prepared but this panic is unhealthy. How much can people hoard especially items that will eventually expire?
The man with 17, 700 hand sanitizers seeking to profit from this panic now has no where to sell them at inflated prices, taking advantage of a situation and vulnerable people. Donate the stuff back to the community and take a loss. It is people like you who prevent regular folks from being able to buy 2 bottles of hand sanitizers.
We are still having church services at L church since we don't make the 100 people limit. We are offering Sat. communion with individual cups instead of intinction. We are suspending passing the
peace. But we are still worshipping in hope in the midst of this pandemic.
We trust God who never fails us and who promises to be with us in all and any circumstances. May we be brave and courageous and still think of our neighbors. May we pray for the world and all who are ill, may we pray for families who will have their children home for the next 3 weeks, may we pray for doctors and nurses who are treating the ill, may we pray for microbiologist who are working hard to isolate this virus and find a way to curtail its spread. May we not panic or become too anxious, as we trust in the Lord our God. May the Holy Spirit lead us in creative ways to share hope and peace with the world. May families come back together to eat dinner around the table together,
have a night of board games and interact with one another. May they discover there are more important things than sports and all the other activities that so fill their lives. May they be lead to have good conversations and some quality time that bonds relationships forever.
There will be graces even in the midst of this far-reaching, life altering (at least temporarily) pandemic. May we look for and see the presence of God and those graces even in this. May we
spend time in God's Word, in prayer, in reconnecting with God and with our families. May this slow down of our lives bring us in touch with what is most important, most dear to us.
May stay healthy and well.
I was simply astounded at the grocery store and W-Mart to see such empty shelves of paper products, pain relief, frozen veges, canned veges, peanut butter, etc. I usually do my shopping on Friday mornings and the grocery store had more people than usual on any given Fri. morning and there were check-out lines.
I can understand being prepared but this panic is unhealthy. How much can people hoard especially items that will eventually expire?
The man with 17, 700 hand sanitizers seeking to profit from this panic now has no where to sell them at inflated prices, taking advantage of a situation and vulnerable people. Donate the stuff back to the community and take a loss. It is people like you who prevent regular folks from being able to buy 2 bottles of hand sanitizers.
We are still having church services at L church since we don't make the 100 people limit. We are offering Sat. communion with individual cups instead of intinction. We are suspending passing the
peace. But we are still worshipping in hope in the midst of this pandemic.
We trust God who never fails us and who promises to be with us in all and any circumstances. May we be brave and courageous and still think of our neighbors. May we pray for the world and all who are ill, may we pray for families who will have their children home for the next 3 weeks, may we pray for doctors and nurses who are treating the ill, may we pray for microbiologist who are working hard to isolate this virus and find a way to curtail its spread. May we not panic or become too anxious, as we trust in the Lord our God. May the Holy Spirit lead us in creative ways to share hope and peace with the world. May families come back together to eat dinner around the table together,
have a night of board games and interact with one another. May they discover there are more important things than sports and all the other activities that so fill their lives. May they be lead to have good conversations and some quality time that bonds relationships forever.
There will be graces even in the midst of this far-reaching, life altering (at least temporarily) pandemic. May we look for and see the presence of God and those graces even in this. May we
spend time in God's Word, in prayer, in reconnecting with God and with our families. May this slow down of our lives bring us in touch with what is most important, most dear to us.
May stay healthy and well.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
LENT
In the middle of Lent and still working on Good Friday service, haven't started Maundy Thursday service, let alone Easter and Joy Sunday.
I did get an idea for May First Friday, so that is good.
I could just use a day this week to work. But serving 2 churches part-time with one church nearly 3/4 time doesn't leave me much extra time in a week. Still have to prepare Confirmation Classes,
and Tues. evening Bible Studies.
This coming Monday doesn't leave much time either. Work on sermon, council report, snack @ noon, leave for committal at national cemetery, back to church for brief remarks, prayer, & scripture, lunch, go home. Come back for evening council meeting with church redevelopment/mission statement discussion and then the meeting. Get home, do dishes, make salad for lunch next day, catch 11 pm news and crawl into bed.
Sigh.
That's kinda how my life is. I miss being able to reflect more deeply and fully. To allow the Spirit to work within me. Everything is hurry and go, go, go. I'm more of a plodder, ambler, stroller than a runner, sprinter, fast walker. I want time to reflect, to notice, to see. It's no wonder, I get so tired.
But we have bills to pay; mortgage, insurance - especially medical insurance which is nearly a third of our income! How insanely crazy is that?
Just feeling old and tired, used up and worn out.
Lord, help me to do all that needs to be done, to tend to the things and people who need tending. Grant me energy, enthusiasm and endurance for this Lent and Holy Week. Be with me. Amen.
I did get an idea for May First Friday, so that is good.
I could just use a day this week to work. But serving 2 churches part-time with one church nearly 3/4 time doesn't leave me much extra time in a week. Still have to prepare Confirmation Classes,
and Tues. evening Bible Studies.
This coming Monday doesn't leave much time either. Work on sermon, council report, snack @ noon, leave for committal at national cemetery, back to church for brief remarks, prayer, & scripture, lunch, go home. Come back for evening council meeting with church redevelopment/mission statement discussion and then the meeting. Get home, do dishes, make salad for lunch next day, catch 11 pm news and crawl into bed.
Sigh.
That's kinda how my life is. I miss being able to reflect more deeply and fully. To allow the Spirit to work within me. Everything is hurry and go, go, go. I'm more of a plodder, ambler, stroller than a runner, sprinter, fast walker. I want time to reflect, to notice, to see. It's no wonder, I get so tired.
But we have bills to pay; mortgage, insurance - especially medical insurance which is nearly a third of our income! How insanely crazy is that?
Just feeling old and tired, used up and worn out.
Lord, help me to do all that needs to be done, to tend to the things and people who need tending. Grant me energy, enthusiasm and endurance for this Lent and Holy Week. Be with me. Amen.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
DON'T KNOW WHY
I am feeling so uninspired lately. It was as if after all the Advent/Christmas planning and activity just sucked all the creativity out of me, and here I am staring at Lent, Holy Week and Easter wondering
just what I am going to do. This after a week of annual report, church newsletter writing, and an on-again, off-again funeral/committal with the widow in the hospital.
I have been praying to God that by God's Holy Spirit to bring me inspiration, but I am still waiting.
I have VBS on the back burner and how I will make the bible stories interactive. We have community First Fridays coming up with May being Chocolate and Art. Last year, I bought a bunch of brightly colored fabric and a parishioner who quilts, cut the fabric into small rectangles (5" x 8") and sewed an open hem on one side so that string could be threaded through. With markers and flags we invited whoever stopped during First Friday to make a prayer flag - draw or write something positive to send out into the community. We hung them outside the front of the church for a couple of months. Everyone seemed to enjoy that activity.
That is a hard one to top! So what do I do this year? I some thought of somehow weaving strips of ribbon together or perhaps something with yarn. I'm looking for ideas, if you have any?
Maybe, the creativity isn't flowing because I don't have enough time even to think and by evening I am too tired. I could've slept longer and later this morning, and no, I am not sick.
I desperately want to do something small, simple and creative for Holy Week, Easter, Joy Sunday and for the May First Friday. I also know that I can't force it either. I don't have time to be patient!!!!!!!!!!!(Funny, huh?!) The weeks are going by and here it is just a week away from the
end of January.
Oh, that something feasible would begin to flow and birth into being!
Come, Holy Spirit, Come! Inspire me, energize me, lift me up from the lifeless dullness and tiredness - perhaps, acedia. Come, Holy Spirit Come!
just what I am going to do. This after a week of annual report, church newsletter writing, and an on-again, off-again funeral/committal with the widow in the hospital.
I have been praying to God that by God's Holy Spirit to bring me inspiration, but I am still waiting.
I have VBS on the back burner and how I will make the bible stories interactive. We have community First Fridays coming up with May being Chocolate and Art. Last year, I bought a bunch of brightly colored fabric and a parishioner who quilts, cut the fabric into small rectangles (5" x 8") and sewed an open hem on one side so that string could be threaded through. With markers and flags we invited whoever stopped during First Friday to make a prayer flag - draw or write something positive to send out into the community. We hung them outside the front of the church for a couple of months. Everyone seemed to enjoy that activity.
That is a hard one to top! So what do I do this year? I some thought of somehow weaving strips of ribbon together or perhaps something with yarn. I'm looking for ideas, if you have any?
Maybe, the creativity isn't flowing because I don't have enough time even to think and by evening I am too tired. I could've slept longer and later this morning, and no, I am not sick.
I desperately want to do something small, simple and creative for Holy Week, Easter, Joy Sunday and for the May First Friday. I also know that I can't force it either. I don't have time to be patient!!!!!!!!!!!(Funny, huh?!) The weeks are going by and here it is just a week away from the
end of January.
Oh, that something feasible would begin to flow and birth into being!
Come, Holy Spirit, Come! Inspire me, energize me, lift me up from the lifeless dullness and tiredness - perhaps, acedia. Come, Holy Spirit Come!
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
A NEW YEAR
Thankfully, I survived December and actually, 2 packages of gifts arrived in time for Christmas and one was deliberately mailed to arrive after Christmas when my sister and BIL returned home from Colorado. Christmas cards got out in time as well. I don't know how I did it.
But I was exhausted on Christmas Day!
Our Christmas Eve services went well. Would've been nice to see a few more people and nice to see some of these folks in church during the year!
The new greyhound is learning what it means to live in a house and not a kennel. He has put his feet on the kitchen counter, he swiped a bag of hamburger buns that LH had just bought for dinner and ate all 8 buns in about 2 minutes at most. I step out of the kitchen for a minute or two and they were gone! Every. last. one. of. them!
I can remember saying NO, so much in my life as in this past month!! He is getting better. I don't have to say NO as much, but more than I would like. Remy is a loveable fellow. He likes to be rubbed, petted, hugged and kissed. He just get the zoomies first thing in the morning when I let him out of his crate and there isn't much room to zoom. So far no injuries. He's destroyed nearly every toy and I spent a month picking up white snow(stuffing) practically every day. Many of the toys are flat
and torn.
LH has been good throughout December. But last Sunday morning at 3 am I had to take him to the ER for fast heart beat. Picked him back up after worship and confirmation class, just about lunch time. I told him, he didn't need to that on an early Sunday morning again! I know he can't help it, but...it was Sunday!
Now it's planning for Lent and trying to get inspiration and imagination and creativity back. Feel a bit lackluster. Praying it will come back and quickly.
Yesterday was the lunch bunch at the Methodist church, where the staff cooks potluck style and invites folks - often single to come and eat. We feed the pre-school teachers too. It was Luau and I made Island Sweet & Sour Meatballs (with pineapple, whole cranberry sauce and barbeque sauce).
I put the crockpot in a milk crate in the back of my minivan. Well, when I cleaned up and left the church, I went to put the crockpot back in the milk crated which I moved closer to me and saw
a tiny dead mouse behind the crate! Oh my goodness! I don't know how long that mouse, dead
mouse had been in the van. It wasn't a skeleton yet, but it wasn't fluffy, furry either. And it was
small. I very rarely use the back of the van. Ugghhhh...had to take a paper towel when I got home and
get rid of it. It never really smelled that bad in the van. But what a yucky, unexpected surprise.
I could use another day in the week. But, I believe God in great mercy, made it just 7 days long, for our sakes.
In the meanwhile, it's near 50 degrees today in NE Ohio which is unusual for January and the sun is shining, also unusual. God's reminder to delight in the now and tomorrow will work itself out.
Hope the New Year has begun well for you and will unfold beautifully before you with richness,
beauty, grace and awesome adventures!
But I was exhausted on Christmas Day!
Our Christmas Eve services went well. Would've been nice to see a few more people and nice to see some of these folks in church during the year!
The new greyhound is learning what it means to live in a house and not a kennel. He has put his feet on the kitchen counter, he swiped a bag of hamburger buns that LH had just bought for dinner and ate all 8 buns in about 2 minutes at most. I step out of the kitchen for a minute or two and they were gone! Every. last. one. of. them!
I can remember saying NO, so much in my life as in this past month!! He is getting better. I don't have to say NO as much, but more than I would like. Remy is a loveable fellow. He likes to be rubbed, petted, hugged and kissed. He just get the zoomies first thing in the morning when I let him out of his crate and there isn't much room to zoom. So far no injuries. He's destroyed nearly every toy and I spent a month picking up white snow(stuffing) practically every day. Many of the toys are flat
and torn.
LH has been good throughout December. But last Sunday morning at 3 am I had to take him to the ER for fast heart beat. Picked him back up after worship and confirmation class, just about lunch time. I told him, he didn't need to that on an early Sunday morning again! I know he can't help it, but...it was Sunday!
Now it's planning for Lent and trying to get inspiration and imagination and creativity back. Feel a bit lackluster. Praying it will come back and quickly.
Yesterday was the lunch bunch at the Methodist church, where the staff cooks potluck style and invites folks - often single to come and eat. We feed the pre-school teachers too. It was Luau and I made Island Sweet & Sour Meatballs (with pineapple, whole cranberry sauce and barbeque sauce).
I put the crockpot in a milk crate in the back of my minivan. Well, when I cleaned up and left the church, I went to put the crockpot back in the milk crated which I moved closer to me and saw
a tiny dead mouse behind the crate! Oh my goodness! I don't know how long that mouse, dead
mouse had been in the van. It wasn't a skeleton yet, but it wasn't fluffy, furry either. And it was
small. I very rarely use the back of the van. Ugghhhh...had to take a paper towel when I got home and
get rid of it. It never really smelled that bad in the van. But what a yucky, unexpected surprise.
I could use another day in the week. But, I believe God in great mercy, made it just 7 days long, for our sakes.
In the meanwhile, it's near 50 degrees today in NE Ohio which is unusual for January and the sun is shining, also unusual. God's reminder to delight in the now and tomorrow will work itself out.
Hope the New Year has begun well for you and will unfold beautifully before you with richness,
beauty, grace and awesome adventures!
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
A LITTLE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM
I have been enjoying a bit of quiet before the storm today. The grey squirrel perched on the window sill of my office comes by most days when I am here. Today, it came and rested. Perhaps soaking up some warmth from the bricks. It appeared to be grooming time as well. It stayed for quite some time, and I enjoyed watching this squirrel breathe, rest and groom.
Maybe God sent this little creature today to offer some quiet before the storm of Thanksgiving into Advent into Christmas into New Year. I have been stressing about how I will ever manage to get everything done.
LH & I will be heading to WI for Thanksgiving and a gathering of my family - 8 adults, 2 kids, 2 babies, plus 3 dogs.We haven't all been together since my niece's wedding 3 1/2 years ago. I feel
awful to think that my great-nephew is 2 years old and we haven't ever met him. So this will be very special for us. However - I will have to make the pumpkin mousse dessert, and cheese ball, wrap small gifties for the kids, and bring along 2 bottles of wine and table favors, plus pack warm clothing.
We return on Saturday, have Sunday off after the long drive home. Which is good, because I will have to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies (actually using red & green m&m's instead of chips)
to put in church freezer on Mon. for use on the first Friday of Dec. which is our community's Candlelight Walk.
On Dec. 3rd, I have to buy 3-4 loaves of bread for the M Church's one Wed. Advent Service with soup supper. Wear an ugly Christmas Sweater (which I had to order, since I don't do ugly well) for the staff Christmas picture. It is Bible Study night for me.
On Dec. 4th, I will be making Spinach Bites to take to M Church for the UMW Christmas Lunch.
On Dec. 5th, I will attend said lunch and read some poems by Ann Weems. This is also LH & mine
32nd anniversary.
On Dec. 6th, LH & I are making a road trip south about 3 hours to hopefully meet our new greyhound and the very last greyhound to be adopted out by the greyhound adoption group we've
worked with for 30 years.
On Dec. 13th is the M Church staff Christmas party. Will need to make a dish to share, and wrap an ornament for the ornament exchange.
Dec. 14th is the community theatre children's Christmas play at L church, an hour after worship
service.
Dec. 15th is the Community Christmas Cantata hosted by L church doing Bach's
Magnificat with lots of musicians and singers.
Dec. 24th is Christmas Eve with 2 evening worship services.
Dec. 28/29 worship services
Jan. 3rd - our belated Thanksgiving dinner(complete Turkey dinner)/Christmas get-together with
my sisters-in-law!
In between, I have a Christmas Eve sermon to write, the Christmas cards & annual letters must get out, especially to Europe. I have three boxes of Christmas gifts to wrap and get sent before Dec. 18th.
I will need to prepare Star Words for Jan. 5th.
This is why we don't put up a Christmas tree anymore!!! One less extremely time-consuming thing to do.
My hope for Christmas is to survive into the new year!!!!
Watching that grey squirrel gave me some peace, because Lord knows, I'm gonna need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe God sent this little creature today to offer some quiet before the storm of Thanksgiving into Advent into Christmas into New Year. I have been stressing about how I will ever manage to get everything done.
LH & I will be heading to WI for Thanksgiving and a gathering of my family - 8 adults, 2 kids, 2 babies, plus 3 dogs.We haven't all been together since my niece's wedding 3 1/2 years ago. I feel
awful to think that my great-nephew is 2 years old and we haven't ever met him. So this will be very special for us. However - I will have to make the pumpkin mousse dessert, and cheese ball, wrap small gifties for the kids, and bring along 2 bottles of wine and table favors, plus pack warm clothing.
We return on Saturday, have Sunday off after the long drive home. Which is good, because I will have to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies (actually using red & green m&m's instead of chips)
to put in church freezer on Mon. for use on the first Friday of Dec. which is our community's Candlelight Walk.
On Dec. 3rd, I have to buy 3-4 loaves of bread for the M Church's one Wed. Advent Service with soup supper. Wear an ugly Christmas Sweater (which I had to order, since I don't do ugly well) for the staff Christmas picture. It is Bible Study night for me.
On Dec. 4th, I will be making Spinach Bites to take to M Church for the UMW Christmas Lunch.
On Dec. 5th, I will attend said lunch and read some poems by Ann Weems. This is also LH & mine
32nd anniversary.
On Dec. 6th, LH & I are making a road trip south about 3 hours to hopefully meet our new greyhound and the very last greyhound to be adopted out by the greyhound adoption group we've
worked with for 30 years.
On Dec. 13th is the M Church staff Christmas party. Will need to make a dish to share, and wrap an ornament for the ornament exchange.
Dec. 14th is the community theatre children's Christmas play at L church, an hour after worship
service.
Dec. 15th is the Community Christmas Cantata hosted by L church doing Bach's
Magnificat with lots of musicians and singers.
Dec. 24th is Christmas Eve with 2 evening worship services.
Dec. 28/29 worship services
Jan. 3rd - our belated Thanksgiving dinner(complete Turkey dinner)/Christmas get-together with
my sisters-in-law!
In between, I have a Christmas Eve sermon to write, the Christmas cards & annual letters must get out, especially to Europe. I have three boxes of Christmas gifts to wrap and get sent before Dec. 18th.
I will need to prepare Star Words for Jan. 5th.
This is why we don't put up a Christmas tree anymore!!! One less extremely time-consuming thing to do.
My hope for Christmas is to survive into the new year!!!!
Watching that grey squirrel gave me some peace, because Lord knows, I'm gonna need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, October 31, 2019
RAINBOW BRIDGE
We've had to walk another beloved dog across Rainbow Bridge. Renoir our grey had renal failure and a growth on his hind leg that kept getting bigger. The vet said in another 1-2 weeks that could've begun to split. He only ate barely one can of prescription only kidney disease dog food. Even with the appetite stimulant, which I was reluctant to give him. He had lost much weight and was down to 56 pounds. He was not real happy.
And, oh, how the house is quiet. No click, click on the tile floor, no barking when the garage door goes up, no cold wet nose nudging me for a tidbit or attention. No warm breath on me. No one following me into the bathroom. No more rump rubs, or huggies and rubbies. The dog bed is empty where once Renoir was velcroed to it - his favorite spot in the world. It was his safe space, comfort space and mostly that is where you found him. No more 10 pm where's my late treat. No saying goodnight or good morning. No more prepping meals for him or slipping in some table scraps. It's not much coming home without an inquisitive nose waiting for you.
And, oh, how my heart aches.
I haven't been dogless in 31 years or without a greyhound in 30 years.
Renoir was just shy of 13 years old -pretty good for grey. He chose his own name, and lived on his terms, quiet and retiring. But a good grey, polite most of the time and very quiet.
For now, I grieve, wrapped in sadness and loneliness. LH has been quiet too. At least he was with me when we took him to the vet.
LH asked me a week ago what I want for Christmas. I told him last night - a new greyhound. and a chance to give another retired racer a forever home. I could be given no greater gift.
RIP Renoir. I love you. I miss you. You are forever in my heart.
And, oh, how the house is quiet. No click, click on the tile floor, no barking when the garage door goes up, no cold wet nose nudging me for a tidbit or attention. No warm breath on me. No one following me into the bathroom. No more rump rubs, or huggies and rubbies. The dog bed is empty where once Renoir was velcroed to it - his favorite spot in the world. It was his safe space, comfort space and mostly that is where you found him. No more 10 pm where's my late treat. No saying goodnight or good morning. No more prepping meals for him or slipping in some table scraps. It's not much coming home without an inquisitive nose waiting for you.
And, oh, how my heart aches.
I haven't been dogless in 31 years or without a greyhound in 30 years.
Renoir was just shy of 13 years old -pretty good for grey. He chose his own name, and lived on his terms, quiet and retiring. But a good grey, polite most of the time and very quiet.
For now, I grieve, wrapped in sadness and loneliness. LH has been quiet too. At least he was with me when we took him to the vet.
LH asked me a week ago what I want for Christmas. I told him last night - a new greyhound. and a chance to give another retired racer a forever home. I could be given no greater gift.
RIP Renoir. I love you. I miss you. You are forever in my heart.
Saturday, October 05, 2019
THE LESSON OF GARLIC
There are months when I struggle with the newsletter article for the church. Sometimes they just come together easily and others, well, it's like wringing a nearly dry towel to get a few drips.
Thinking about stewardship and not having been able to put my garden to rest since we had such a warm September reminded me of the Lesson of Garlic.
In my herb garden, I plant garlic. This is done in the fall when I clean up the garden and put down a layer of Sweet Peat. Then it's time to give back and plant my cloves of garlic. (Be sure to use native garlic that is for your hardiness zone).
The first year of my garlic harvest, I had a couple of big knobs of garlic and smaller ones. I was thrilled and when it was fall, I took a couple of the smaller knobs and planted the cloves. We used the big ones to cook with and enjoy.
When summer harvest came, I only had a big knob of garlic and lots of small ones. What a disappointment! I learned that I had to plant the biggest and best knobs of garlic to get a good harvest.
Reluctantly, selfishly, and resentfully, I gave back and planted that one big knob of garlic for the next year. The little ones proved to be enough for us all winter long to cook with and enjoy.
That next summer, I had many large knobs of garlic and they were wonderful. It had returned to me tenfold!
I learned that in order to enjoy a good garlic harvest, I had to give back the biggest and best garlic knobs. I had to give the first and best fruits back to God and to the earth.
What would that mean for us to give right off the top from all the blessings of time, talent, money we have been given or earned back to God? How often do we give merely what is left-over from all
our financial and time obligations? A kind of, "Here you go, God, here's a little something for
use in your kingdom." It is often an afterthought. Clearly, not our first and best. And certainly, not the first 3 or 5 percent, let alone 10 percent!
After the initial struggle of selfishness, reluctance and resentment, of offering back my best and biggest knobs of garlic, I found that I was blessed with so much goodness. Now, it is easy to
offer back, to give the first and best and to be rewarded with a bountiful and beautiful harvest of garlic.
God will use any means to reach us and teach us! Even humble garlic!
It was a lesson I needed to learn and it has never disappointed me. Giving to God from the first, and offering back to God my best, has blessed me greatly to overflowing. I am grateful, joyful and filled with all goodness. May you be as well, when you offer back to God first, and the best of which you have earned, and been blessed with. You will not be disappointed and it will return to you tenfold and more!
"You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses." (Ex. 22:29)
Thinking about stewardship and not having been able to put my garden to rest since we had such a warm September reminded me of the Lesson of Garlic.
In my herb garden, I plant garlic. This is done in the fall when I clean up the garden and put down a layer of Sweet Peat. Then it's time to give back and plant my cloves of garlic. (Be sure to use native garlic that is for your hardiness zone).
The first year of my garlic harvest, I had a couple of big knobs of garlic and smaller ones. I was thrilled and when it was fall, I took a couple of the smaller knobs and planted the cloves. We used the big ones to cook with and enjoy.
When summer harvest came, I only had a big knob of garlic and lots of small ones. What a disappointment! I learned that I had to plant the biggest and best knobs of garlic to get a good harvest.
Reluctantly, selfishly, and resentfully, I gave back and planted that one big knob of garlic for the next year. The little ones proved to be enough for us all winter long to cook with and enjoy.
That next summer, I had many large knobs of garlic and they were wonderful. It had returned to me tenfold!
I learned that in order to enjoy a good garlic harvest, I had to give back the biggest and best garlic knobs. I had to give the first and best fruits back to God and to the earth.
What would that mean for us to give right off the top from all the blessings of time, talent, money we have been given or earned back to God? How often do we give merely what is left-over from all
our financial and time obligations? A kind of, "Here you go, God, here's a little something for
use in your kingdom." It is often an afterthought. Clearly, not our first and best. And certainly, not the first 3 or 5 percent, let alone 10 percent!
After the initial struggle of selfishness, reluctance and resentment, of offering back my best and biggest knobs of garlic, I found that I was blessed with so much goodness. Now, it is easy to
offer back, to give the first and best and to be rewarded with a bountiful and beautiful harvest of garlic.
God will use any means to reach us and teach us! Even humble garlic!
It was a lesson I needed to learn and it has never disappointed me. Giving to God from the first, and offering back to God my best, has blessed me greatly to overflowing. I am grateful, joyful and filled with all goodness. May you be as well, when you offer back to God first, and the best of which you have earned, and been blessed with. You will not be disappointed and it will return to you tenfold and more!
"You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses." (Ex. 22:29)
Thursday, August 29, 2019
I JUST DON'T GET IT
why young professional women wear black bras under cream or white blouses that can be even a bit sheer.
The young M pastor wore exactly that at Staff meeting on Tuesday. She is professional and a joy, but honestly, not only did seeing her dark bra not look nice, it distracted or even made obvious what
most of us clergywoman try to make less obvious, so the focus is on what we bring to the table and not necessarily our sexuality.
Perhaps, I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but as a professional, I seek to turn attention to other things, and look polished. That includes wearing black bras under black clergy shirts and dark colored clothing, and nude, beige bras under light colored clothing so it doesn't stick out or detract from what I am doing and am about. I simply don't believe that I am the only one out there that believes and practices this.
It looks a little slutty, in my book. As a professional, you want less attention there and more on what your are sharing and contributing.
I am also taken aback at some what some news anchors, weather gals, and reporters wear. Some of the dresses are fine for cocktails after work, but not for broadcasting the news. Keyhole openings on women's bodices, or that strip of cloth around the neck and than open over the chest - really? How slutty is that?
Wear that on your own time and look polished and professional.
Sometimes I think the news women need to have a clothing coach. Not that they should dress frumpy or only dark colors, but you can cover up, make sure the dress is just above the knee and not halfway up your thigh, or look like a dominmatrix with cut outs all over your bodice! Honestly.
So, I hope we clergy women can set an example of professional in our dress. And ladies, please,
no dark bras under light blouses or shirts that can be noticed by all the world. We all know that we are women, strong, knowledgeable, professional, we don't have to display or draw unnecessary attention to what we are physically, hook that attention on what you bring and offer to the table.
The young M pastor wore exactly that at Staff meeting on Tuesday. She is professional and a joy, but honestly, not only did seeing her dark bra not look nice, it distracted or even made obvious what
most of us clergywoman try to make less obvious, so the focus is on what we bring to the table and not necessarily our sexuality.
Perhaps, I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but as a professional, I seek to turn attention to other things, and look polished. That includes wearing black bras under black clergy shirts and dark colored clothing, and nude, beige bras under light colored clothing so it doesn't stick out or detract from what I am doing and am about. I simply don't believe that I am the only one out there that believes and practices this.
It looks a little slutty, in my book. As a professional, you want less attention there and more on what your are sharing and contributing.
I am also taken aback at some what some news anchors, weather gals, and reporters wear. Some of the dresses are fine for cocktails after work, but not for broadcasting the news. Keyhole openings on women's bodices, or that strip of cloth around the neck and than open over the chest - really? How slutty is that?
Wear that on your own time and look polished and professional.
Sometimes I think the news women need to have a clothing coach. Not that they should dress frumpy or only dark colors, but you can cover up, make sure the dress is just above the knee and not halfway up your thigh, or look like a dominmatrix with cut outs all over your bodice! Honestly.
So, I hope we clergy women can set an example of professional in our dress. And ladies, please,
no dark bras under light blouses or shirts that can be noticed by all the world. We all know that we are women, strong, knowledgeable, professional, we don't have to display or draw unnecessary attention to what we are physically, hook that attention on what you bring and offer to the table.
Friday, August 23, 2019
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW...
who you'll run into on your day off!
So, I got up this morning to a beautiful sunny day with temps about 67 degrees. It's up to about 73 now. I put on my flamingo really deep pink crop pants from Talbots outlet store that fit like a dream with side elastic insets, and a tri pink, orange chevron print crinkle cotton shirt and my Skechers stretchy bands with hot pink, lime green, blue, black and yellow space dyed sandals. Cool enough today to wear the crop pants.
Then I headed out to run my errands - bank, Dollar Store and W-Mart. It goes without saying that I was one of the best dressed people in W-Mart!
If there was one thing I learned by watching What Not to Wear, it was not to go out wearing your sweatsuit! Many things I already knew, but often on my day off, I would venture out a bit more in leisurely wear. I still dress casual - jeans and a shirt, etc. But, ditched the fleece or knit pants ages ago.
Since serving the church here in the town where I live, it's even more important to dress nice casual because you never know who you'll run into at a store. This morning, I ran into a parishioner and flest good about being color coordinated (which I am anyway) and nicely dressed. I've run into parishioners before, sometimes over the lunch hour or right after work when dressed for work. But when it's your day off and you just want to be comfortable, it pays to dress nicely anyway.
I save my favorite Duluth stretch grey crops for being around the house and working in the garden. I wear my stretchy pants and sloppy shirts at home in the evenings when I just relax and lounge around, or quick run to the recycling bins where I'm not apt to meet anyone.
I also brought my own bags into W-Mart which hopefully folks notice and remind them to use reusable bags instead of the plastic single-use bags.
No, I'm not tooting my own horn, but just observing that one can be an example to others and still be professional in a casual way, without wearing flannel or stretchy skin-tight leggings to the store
and embarrass our profession as clergy women. Maybe, black leggings if you are skinny enough!
So, I felt good today wearing a favorite outfit and knowing that being seen by others would
not be an embarrassment! Because you just never know who you'll run into.
So, I got up this morning to a beautiful sunny day with temps about 67 degrees. It's up to about 73 now. I put on my flamingo really deep pink crop pants from Talbots outlet store that fit like a dream with side elastic insets, and a tri pink, orange chevron print crinkle cotton shirt and my Skechers stretchy bands with hot pink, lime green, blue, black and yellow space dyed sandals. Cool enough today to wear the crop pants.
Then I headed out to run my errands - bank, Dollar Store and W-Mart. It goes without saying that I was one of the best dressed people in W-Mart!
If there was one thing I learned by watching What Not to Wear, it was not to go out wearing your sweatsuit! Many things I already knew, but often on my day off, I would venture out a bit more in leisurely wear. I still dress casual - jeans and a shirt, etc. But, ditched the fleece or knit pants ages ago.
Since serving the church here in the town where I live, it's even more important to dress nice casual because you never know who you'll run into at a store. This morning, I ran into a parishioner and flest good about being color coordinated (which I am anyway) and nicely dressed. I've run into parishioners before, sometimes over the lunch hour or right after work when dressed for work. But when it's your day off and you just want to be comfortable, it pays to dress nicely anyway.
I save my favorite Duluth stretch grey crops for being around the house and working in the garden. I wear my stretchy pants and sloppy shirts at home in the evenings when I just relax and lounge around, or quick run to the recycling bins where I'm not apt to meet anyone.
I also brought my own bags into W-Mart which hopefully folks notice and remind them to use reusable bags instead of the plastic single-use bags.
No, I'm not tooting my own horn, but just observing that one can be an example to others and still be professional in a casual way, without wearing flannel or stretchy skin-tight leggings to the store
and embarrass our profession as clergy women. Maybe, black leggings if you are skinny enough!
So, I felt good today wearing a favorite outfit and knowing that being seen by others would
not be an embarrassment! Because you just never know who you'll run into.
Monday, August 19, 2019
BUSY SERVING...I GUESS
I look over the REVGALS blogging community and see so many inactive blogs. I guess we are so busy serving, raising families, etc. it is hard to find the time to really write. I also fall into that.
LH has been in the ER twice now with Afib. We are working with the cardiologist and praying his heart will stay in rhythm. Lost a whole night's sleep over a weekend, not fun to be dragging and having both Sat. evening worship and Sun. morning worship. He can't help it really. It just happens out of the blue for no real reason. It comes and goes. The docs have changed medicines.
The L church is looking to celebrate their 100th anniversary of the church building this Sept. Still thinking about a sermon and newsletter article. I don't want them to be the same!
The M church has their new pastor. She is young, a mom with two young children and dealing with
discerning where that church is and wants to go and whether they should leave the UMC or not over the UMC decision not to allow LGTB clergy or same sex marriages, etc. It is not for the faint of heart to be a UMC clergy at the moment. The progressives are contemplating leaving the denomination while the conservatives will stay put.
In the other denominations, it was the other way around. The progressives stayed and the conservatives left.
It's messy any way. I pray for the day we can learn to live together and honor one another no matter which way we are bent. That it can be a both/and and not merely an either/or.
Life is too short and time too precious to waste energy, time and money on fighting one another. Let's just get on with our call from Christ - to love and serve one another.
Must stop now. Call received from cardiologist and LH admitted to CCU once again. Prayers are welcome and appreciated.
LH has been in the ER twice now with Afib. We are working with the cardiologist and praying his heart will stay in rhythm. Lost a whole night's sleep over a weekend, not fun to be dragging and having both Sat. evening worship and Sun. morning worship. He can't help it really. It just happens out of the blue for no real reason. It comes and goes. The docs have changed medicines.
The L church is looking to celebrate their 100th anniversary of the church building this Sept. Still thinking about a sermon and newsletter article. I don't want them to be the same!
The M church has their new pastor. She is young, a mom with two young children and dealing with
discerning where that church is and wants to go and whether they should leave the UMC or not over the UMC decision not to allow LGTB clergy or same sex marriages, etc. It is not for the faint of heart to be a UMC clergy at the moment. The progressives are contemplating leaving the denomination while the conservatives will stay put.
In the other denominations, it was the other way around. The progressives stayed and the conservatives left.
It's messy any way. I pray for the day we can learn to live together and honor one another no matter which way we are bent. That it can be a both/and and not merely an either/or.
Life is too short and time too precious to waste energy, time and money on fighting one another. Let's just get on with our call from Christ - to love and serve one another.
Must stop now. Call received from cardiologist and LH admitted to CCU once again. Prayers are welcome and appreciated.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
VBS WEEK
YAY! It's VBS week and at L church we are running about 24 kids. M church has 117 kids and I help prepare snacks for them all, run the dishwasher to clean the cups. So I am doubly blessed with VBS this week. Two mornings a week and 5 evenings. I was going to take an evening off (i'm part-time you know - 2 days a week and Sat/Sun worship services, Ha!) However, since L church has one shepherd out tonight and probably one out Thurs. evening, I will step in and shepherd the two different groups. I've taken photos, floated around, put fresh bandages on a girl who really skinned her knees raw earlier at that day at home, I've supplied extra juice, items for snacks and need to pick up Gold Fish crackers today for a sugar sensitive child. Plus Taco Bell gift cards for the youth who
are helping - one a friend of a parishioner who has been very patient with restless child.
I'm also needing to put the bags of take home goodies together for Friday evening as well as teacher/helper thank you's. (Don't know if my on-line order will get here in time!Crap!)
This year at L church, we decorated better, for the In The Wild theme. We also added an offering to purchase a flock of chicks through Heifer International. I figured Heifer was non-denominational whereas ELCA Good Gifts is Lutheran. We would get a bigger bang for our buck through ELCA than with Heifer. I had someone make a big egg out of poster board, I cut in a crack and photocopied a
chick image on yellow paper and fastened a brass brad on the bottom. As we collect our offering each evening in our little chicken feed pail, the egg cracks open more and more, revealing the chick.
Well surprise! Surprise! We hit our goal of $20.00 last night (day 2!). I will just say we're making
it to our goal, and crack the egg some more - hard to break the tension after just 2 days! Perhaps,
we'll buy a flock and a half or it would be simply amazing if we bought 2 flocks!
I spent all of Monday morning helping the Bible Lesson Teacher with prek, 1 & 2 lessons, by finding a children's story Bible to use, then making the story interactive - 1) Searching for Jesus
(Jesus in temple as boy and lost to parents)
2) Jesus baptism (blue tablecloth - river, 2 kids lift up
and one crosses underneath, with another kid holding a dove on a stick over their head, that tells
them they are beloved of God - each kid gets turn)
3) Jesus calms the storm - blue tarp- kids at
either end lift up & down for stormy sea, 2-3 kids sit on tarp - disciples on boat, pillow for Jesus
to sit on, and aluminum foil pie tins and plastic spoons for kids to make storm noise
4) Jesus raises Lazarus - toilet paper & kid volunteer, other kids wrap volunteer in TP mummy
style. I think the teacher will do this with all age groups - 'cause it's fun!
5) Jesus on the Emmaus Road - we made over the nose/eye masks (the Incredibles kind) with
straws to hold them up over one's face - how do we recognize Jesus, how do we recognize
the presence of Christ in each other, the masks are plain and they can decorate their own at home
I am grateful for the Spirit that lead me and rolled with me through each story, coming up with
something interactive to do. I was so energized and full of joy afterwards. Sometimes, I just
don't have enough time to be creative, but somehow Monday morning it all happened in one full swoop! It would have been nice to have had more time, but maybe the Spirit just flowed with
the time constraint!
I heard that at least 1 or 2 children went through this curriculum before but hopefully, with the
interactive part, plus I know our crafts were different, they will enjoy it. They certainly haven't
seemed to be bored with it so that's good.
As long as they have a safe, fun, loving, caring space and time to learn of God's love for them and learn how to live that love - that's all I pray for and ask.
I am glad for a few new volunteers this year and for the family that helps every year - kitchen and snacks and crafts!
Thank you, Lord! Day 3 and counting and praying all will be well!
are helping - one a friend of a parishioner who has been very patient with restless child.
I'm also needing to put the bags of take home goodies together for Friday evening as well as teacher/helper thank you's. (Don't know if my on-line order will get here in time!Crap!)
This year at L church, we decorated better, for the In The Wild theme. We also added an offering to purchase a flock of chicks through Heifer International. I figured Heifer was non-denominational whereas ELCA Good Gifts is Lutheran. We would get a bigger bang for our buck through ELCA than with Heifer. I had someone make a big egg out of poster board, I cut in a crack and photocopied a
chick image on yellow paper and fastened a brass brad on the bottom. As we collect our offering each evening in our little chicken feed pail, the egg cracks open more and more, revealing the chick.
Well surprise! Surprise! We hit our goal of $20.00 last night (day 2!). I will just say we're making
it to our goal, and crack the egg some more - hard to break the tension after just 2 days! Perhaps,
we'll buy a flock and a half or it would be simply amazing if we bought 2 flocks!
I spent all of Monday morning helping the Bible Lesson Teacher with prek, 1 & 2 lessons, by finding a children's story Bible to use, then making the story interactive - 1) Searching for Jesus
(Jesus in temple as boy and lost to parents)
2) Jesus baptism (blue tablecloth - river, 2 kids lift up
and one crosses underneath, with another kid holding a dove on a stick over their head, that tells
them they are beloved of God - each kid gets turn)
3) Jesus calms the storm - blue tarp- kids at
either end lift up & down for stormy sea, 2-3 kids sit on tarp - disciples on boat, pillow for Jesus
to sit on, and aluminum foil pie tins and plastic spoons for kids to make storm noise
4) Jesus raises Lazarus - toilet paper & kid volunteer, other kids wrap volunteer in TP mummy
style. I think the teacher will do this with all age groups - 'cause it's fun!
5) Jesus on the Emmaus Road - we made over the nose/eye masks (the Incredibles kind) with
straws to hold them up over one's face - how do we recognize Jesus, how do we recognize
the presence of Christ in each other, the masks are plain and they can decorate their own at home
I am grateful for the Spirit that lead me and rolled with me through each story, coming up with
something interactive to do. I was so energized and full of joy afterwards. Sometimes, I just
don't have enough time to be creative, but somehow Monday morning it all happened in one full swoop! It would have been nice to have had more time, but maybe the Spirit just flowed with
the time constraint!
I heard that at least 1 or 2 children went through this curriculum before but hopefully, with the
interactive part, plus I know our crafts were different, they will enjoy it. They certainly haven't
seemed to be bored with it so that's good.
As long as they have a safe, fun, loving, caring space and time to learn of God's love for them and learn how to live that love - that's all I pray for and ask.
I am glad for a few new volunteers this year and for the family that helps every year - kitchen and snacks and crafts!
Thank you, Lord! Day 3 and counting and praying all will be well!
Thursday, June 27, 2019
EVEN NOW
Even now it seems we women clergy still hit the brick wall of churches and church members who aren't open to women pastors. I ran into this during my many years of interim ministry. I know that I have broken the way for some churches to call a female pastor - some probably more ready than others. I had hoped that we would've moved beyond this in this 21st century and with women being pastors for 60 years in the PC(USA), a few years less in the ELCA, and I'm not sure how long in the Methodist Church.
I only bring this up since at the M church I serve as visitation pastor, has had their pastor reassigned as Methodists are wont to do and he has left. He was my age and will likely be serving his last pastorate. As always, whenever there is a pastoral transition, some will leave the church and new folks or those who weren't happy with the present pastor will come back with a new pastor. I've experienced that many times as an interim.
The new pastor coming in is fairly young, in her 30's, with 2 young children. She was most recently at a larger church as assistant pastor, after apparently serving a couple smaller, rural congregations.
The District Bishop must be grooming her for larger and multi-staff positions and so she will serve as Head of Staff here. All of which means, there will be a learning curve for her.
As with any pastoral transition, there is always some amount of anxiety amongst staff and members as to how things will work, function and be with this new pastor.
Since this M church is in an affluent suburb with working professional families, a highly regarded
school system and fairly progressive in theology - they are a reconciling congregation (LGBTQ welcoming church), there has been some rumbling about a female minister. Which I have found
surprising! Granted I'm not here on Sundays, since I am serving as an interim at L church, so I'm not always in the loop as perhaps I could be.
At the farewell picnic for the last pastor this past Sunday, I connected with some folks and made rounds at a few tables. There is one older couple in their early 80's, very active, he helped repair bikes for the bike ministry here, she attended the women's circle and UMW, etc. Now, they had attended a Baptist Church for quite awhile, I believe she was Methodist growing up and early adulthood. They have a granddaughter who serves as a missionary on a Native American Reservation out west, or somewhere in the world. (there is another person's granddaughter who has done missionary work o a reservation out west as well - hoping I'm not mixing them up). So, she came up to me a little teary-eyed and saying they are going back to the Baptist church, because she so loves the Word, meaning Scripture, and studying the word, and bringing her Bible to church where no one here seems to.
I said I was so sorry to see them leave, and that I know what God's Word means to her. She said she heard some folks weren't too keen on a woman pastor, and I replied, that I find it hard to judge someone I haven't meet yet and perhaps folks should give her chance because "she might blow them out of the water!" The whole thing, excuse for leaving M church seemed a bit odd, as they truly enjoyed the fellowship here.
Today, from the office administrators, I heard that they know this couple is leaving and that they have a problem with women clergy. I'm like, OK, I've been at the Circle meetings and their Bible study, sometimes leading them when the Ed Director is gone, and I helped at one World Communion Service presiding at communion. Her granddaughter is a missionary for heaven's sakes and obviously has a call to share the Word of God and probably lead worship services or at the very least, help with them.
All of which, strikes me as inconsistent. If she so loves the Word of God and studies it, what does she make of Priscilla and Aquila, Lydia, the women followers of Jesus (oh, it's ok to follow, but never to lead) Phoebe, etc. The women at the tomb who were the first evangelists telling of the good news of Christ's resurrection! What of Paul's words: "There is neither Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free, for all are one in Christ."? Maybe she needs to study some more!
It still frosts me and blows me away that some folks are still this way.
So I pray, for the new pastor coming on aboard here at M church. Even I don't know how we will get along. But I trust in the work of God and because I keep a low profile and don't meddle or get in the way, I hope that is helpful for her. I pray God will give her wisdom and guidance in her ministry here and as she ministers in such a liminal time for the M church and their discernment whether to stay with the UMC or to break off with the other progressive UMC churches to form a new denomination. And what all that will mean for me as I serve here.
Blessed be her time here with a fresh voice and new perspective and I pray that folks here, who have experienced many different pastors, be open, get to know her, and come to love her.
I guess we, women clergy, will still come up against this for some time to come yet. More's the pity. I had thought we had moved beyond this by now. God help us all.
I only bring this up since at the M church I serve as visitation pastor, has had their pastor reassigned as Methodists are wont to do and he has left. He was my age and will likely be serving his last pastorate. As always, whenever there is a pastoral transition, some will leave the church and new folks or those who weren't happy with the present pastor will come back with a new pastor. I've experienced that many times as an interim.
The new pastor coming in is fairly young, in her 30's, with 2 young children. She was most recently at a larger church as assistant pastor, after apparently serving a couple smaller, rural congregations.
The District Bishop must be grooming her for larger and multi-staff positions and so she will serve as Head of Staff here. All of which means, there will be a learning curve for her.
As with any pastoral transition, there is always some amount of anxiety amongst staff and members as to how things will work, function and be with this new pastor.
Since this M church is in an affluent suburb with working professional families, a highly regarded
school system and fairly progressive in theology - they are a reconciling congregation (LGBTQ welcoming church), there has been some rumbling about a female minister. Which I have found
surprising! Granted I'm not here on Sundays, since I am serving as an interim at L church, so I'm not always in the loop as perhaps I could be.
At the farewell picnic for the last pastor this past Sunday, I connected with some folks and made rounds at a few tables. There is one older couple in their early 80's, very active, he helped repair bikes for the bike ministry here, she attended the women's circle and UMW, etc. Now, they had attended a Baptist Church for quite awhile, I believe she was Methodist growing up and early adulthood. They have a granddaughter who serves as a missionary on a Native American Reservation out west, or somewhere in the world. (there is another person's granddaughter who has done missionary work o a reservation out west as well - hoping I'm not mixing them up). So, she came up to me a little teary-eyed and saying they are going back to the Baptist church, because she so loves the Word, meaning Scripture, and studying the word, and bringing her Bible to church where no one here seems to.
I said I was so sorry to see them leave, and that I know what God's Word means to her. She said she heard some folks weren't too keen on a woman pastor, and I replied, that I find it hard to judge someone I haven't meet yet and perhaps folks should give her chance because "she might blow them out of the water!" The whole thing, excuse for leaving M church seemed a bit odd, as they truly enjoyed the fellowship here.
Today, from the office administrators, I heard that they know this couple is leaving and that they have a problem with women clergy. I'm like, OK, I've been at the Circle meetings and their Bible study, sometimes leading them when the Ed Director is gone, and I helped at one World Communion Service presiding at communion. Her granddaughter is a missionary for heaven's sakes and obviously has a call to share the Word of God and probably lead worship services or at the very least, help with them.
All of which, strikes me as inconsistent. If she so loves the Word of God and studies it, what does she make of Priscilla and Aquila, Lydia, the women followers of Jesus (oh, it's ok to follow, but never to lead) Phoebe, etc. The women at the tomb who were the first evangelists telling of the good news of Christ's resurrection! What of Paul's words: "There is neither Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free, for all are one in Christ."? Maybe she needs to study some more!
It still frosts me and blows me away that some folks are still this way.
So I pray, for the new pastor coming on aboard here at M church. Even I don't know how we will get along. But I trust in the work of God and because I keep a low profile and don't meddle or get in the way, I hope that is helpful for her. I pray God will give her wisdom and guidance in her ministry here and as she ministers in such a liminal time for the M church and their discernment whether to stay with the UMC or to break off with the other progressive UMC churches to form a new denomination. And what all that will mean for me as I serve here.
Blessed be her time here with a fresh voice and new perspective and I pray that folks here, who have experienced many different pastors, be open, get to know her, and come to love her.
I guess we, women clergy, will still come up against this for some time to come yet. More's the pity. I had thought we had moved beyond this by now. God help us all.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
ANNUAL MARATHON WEEKEND
As I stare down at my upcoming marathon weekend, I am now a great-aunt again to two beautiful twin girls - Simone and Maya. Hoping to get to see the this summer and for sure in November over Thanksgiving.
This weekend I will do my annual marathon - no, I am not running! And certainly not with my foot that is still healing!
The marathon is the L Synod Assembly. I will be getting up at 6:15 am Fri/Sat.. Then LH & I will drive (20-30 mins) to nearest bigger city to the convention hall. There will be worship and meeting until noon when I will go back to the parking garage, drive home (have to use a different way since the usual on -ramp to the Interstate is under construction. Most of the main roads and Interstates in this city are under construction and have been for 2 two years already. But this year, they closed down the ramp)
feed the dog and let him out, wolf down my box lunch which I pick up before I leave the convention center, lock things back up and drive as fast as I get away with back to the convention center, park the car in the garage and make my way into the center for more meeting, workshop, voting and closing worship. Then drive home, pick up something not so healthy on our way home, feed the dog, let him out, eat dinner, and I know I will be icing my foot! Then early to bed. Up early Sat. morning, drive into city, worship, meeting, workshop, meeting and worship. They go til 1:30 pm with no lunch. Everyone is dying for lunch by noon and yet the schedule goes on. Then the drive home, a throw together lunch of whatever is in the fridge, write new words of invitation for Sat. worship communion, go over my sermon, fill in people's names for prayers, and remember that the silver Hershey kisses and a container come with for Father's Day give-away. Hope to sneak in a quick nap and then leave around 4 pm for church, set up communion, turn on lights, unlock doors, worship at 5 pm, clean up communion, turn off lights, lock all doors, return home. Go over to next-door neighbor who's daughter graduated HS and attend the party. Hope there's still food left at that point to for my dinner. Come back home and ice my foot. Up early Sunday morning for worship - the usual prep for worship, worship, and then turning off lights and locking the doors. I'll be ready for a major snooze when I get home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since serving L churches as an interim - I've been doing this for 8 years now!!! I think the older I get the more tiring it is! And I don't move as fast with my foot.
I pray God's strength to endure this annual marathon and rest for my weary body and soul!
This weekend I will do my annual marathon - no, I am not running! And certainly not with my foot that is still healing!
The marathon is the L Synod Assembly. I will be getting up at 6:15 am Fri/Sat.. Then LH & I will drive (20-30 mins) to nearest bigger city to the convention hall. There will be worship and meeting until noon when I will go back to the parking garage, drive home (have to use a different way since the usual on -ramp to the Interstate is under construction. Most of the main roads and Interstates in this city are under construction and have been for 2 two years already. But this year, they closed down the ramp)
feed the dog and let him out, wolf down my box lunch which I pick up before I leave the convention center, lock things back up and drive as fast as I get away with back to the convention center, park the car in the garage and make my way into the center for more meeting, workshop, voting and closing worship. Then drive home, pick up something not so healthy on our way home, feed the dog, let him out, eat dinner, and I know I will be icing my foot! Then early to bed. Up early Sat. morning, drive into city, worship, meeting, workshop, meeting and worship. They go til 1:30 pm with no lunch. Everyone is dying for lunch by noon and yet the schedule goes on. Then the drive home, a throw together lunch of whatever is in the fridge, write new words of invitation for Sat. worship communion, go over my sermon, fill in people's names for prayers, and remember that the silver Hershey kisses and a container come with for Father's Day give-away. Hope to sneak in a quick nap and then leave around 4 pm for church, set up communion, turn on lights, unlock doors, worship at 5 pm, clean up communion, turn off lights, lock all doors, return home. Go over to next-door neighbor who's daughter graduated HS and attend the party. Hope there's still food left at that point to for my dinner. Come back home and ice my foot. Up early Sunday morning for worship - the usual prep for worship, worship, and then turning off lights and locking the doors. I'll be ready for a major snooze when I get home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since serving L churches as an interim - I've been doing this for 8 years now!!! I think the older I get the more tiring it is! And I don't move as fast with my foot.
I pray God's strength to endure this annual marathon and rest for my weary body and soul!
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