BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

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Chapter one of Luke tells first the wonderful story of the announcement of the birth, not of Jesus, but of John the Baptist. Zechariah, an old priest, “getting up in years” as Luke delicately phrases it, is married to Elizabeth, who is barren. An angel appears to old Zechariah as he comes to burn incense in the temple, and announces that Zechariah’s prayers have been heard, and that Elizabeth will bear a son who will prepare the way of the Lord.

Zechariah is not only scared, but he also voices grave doubts about the possibility of this really happening. Gabriel does not take this kindly, and strikes Zechariah mute until “the day this happens, because you did not believe my words.” Imagine, a priest, a preacher, without words! And why?

One commentator (obviously with feminist leanings!) on this story pointed out that in the gospels, the first man who presumes to speak about a woman’s pregnancy is silenced (struck dumb!) by God.

There might be a lesson in there for us…. Blessings, sk

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As most of you probably know, I’ve been suffering from a really bad case of the flu since Friday night…fever, chills, terrible cough, and my body feels as if I’ve been beaten with a rubber hose! Yesterday I went to the doc for the diagnosis I already knew, and came home with about $200 worth of medicine the doc says will knock this out and have me in decent shape to perform and sing at Kelly Shaver’s wedding on Saturday. Pray that this will be so!

While nursing my aches and pains, I’ve been writing my Christmas cards to the church family. For those of you who are reading this, I hope to put an end to a Christmas practice which has always disappointed me: the sending of a card with just a signature. I do appreciate the thought behind any card I receive, but it seems to me that just once a year we should write our own words of love and appreciation rather than letting Hallmark do it for us.

This Christmas season, instead of just signing your name to your cards, why not take an extra minute or two and write something personal….doesn’t have to be an epistle, just a line or two about what makes each person special in your life. I guarantee you that your extra minute will make someone’s day.

It takes me a little longer to write personal notes in each card, but I promise you’ll never get just a signature from me. You are much more important than that. Blessings… sk

PS…Judy and I have been married 26 years today! She continues to be the best thing that ever happened to me, and I appreciate her and all she does more than ever!

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OK…you’ve been warned, so proceed at your own risk. T.R. Reid begins his new book, The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care, with these words:
If we want to fix American health care, we first have to answer a basic question: Should we guarantee medical treatment to everyone who needs it?

That is, indeed, the first question which must be answered, although today’s debate seems to focus solely on the economics of the question. Is health care a basic human right, like the right to think and pray freely, get an education, or vote? Or is it just another commodity, something to be bought and sold, like a computer or an i-Phone?

Reid contends that thus far, we have treated healthcare as a commodity…one which we don’t want to be forced to buy for those who can’t afford it, anymore than we’d buy them a refrigerator or a big screen tv. But, he says, if we believed that adequate health care is a basic human right without regard to ability to pay, then we could construct a system to provide it without lowering quality and raising costs. He is sure about this for one reason: every other wealthy democracy is the world has already done it. “Countries that are just as comitted as we are to equal opportunity, individual liberty, and the free market have concluded that everybody has a right to health care, and they provide it.”

President Obama made a statement with which I disagree when he spoke to Congress on the subject. He said that our “American character” should move us to make health care available to all (large-heartedness, concern and regard for the plight of others, our ability to stand in other people’s shoes). I disagree, because in view of our claim to be a “Christian” nation, our motivation should be our determination to follow Jesus and his dictum to “be compassionate, as God is compassionate,” rather than our Americanism.

It’s disturbing to me that the most vocal forms of Christianity among us seem to be the least in favor of health care for everyone. Anyone else see that as a contradiction?

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In the latest issue of Sojourner’s magazine, Pastor Joel Hunter succinctly describes a dilemma I struggle with nearly every day of my life, and certainly in every sermon! He begins by recounting a session he had just had with his Board of Elders in which they were discussing people who had left their church because of their perceptions of the pastor’s “political activities.” After talking about what the Bible has to say about creation care, peacemaking, poverty, etc., he said that “this is not about politics. This is about expressing the Christian witness in the public square as a part of what it means to be a mature Christian.” The Board agreed, but warned the pastor that he had to bend over backwards in order not to make these issues political.

Pastor Hunter concluded that if pastors want to be involved in addressing the social issues of the day in a prophetic and compassionate way, we must make three decisions:
1. We must decide to have courage, while realizing that such courage may cost some their jobs. But, he said, if “our fear diminishes the fullness of the gospel’s love and concern, if others go on suffering so that we can be more secure, what kind of ministry do we have?”
2. We must decide that we will make our voice on social issues one that directly links the Bible and the life of Christ to the issue. No problem there, of course, since simply reading the text will make that clear.
3. We must not be distracted by personal attacks, personal links, or the temptation to defend ourselves. If the cross teaches anything, it teaches us sacrifice. “We have only one Person we need to consider: One from whom we long to hear, ‘Well done.’”

Thanks, Joel Hunter…you’ve made me feel much less alone, and consequently, a little braver. sk

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A powerful reminder of how skewed our thinking can become:

Letter from Jesus about Christmas –

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are
taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily
understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your
own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My
birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in
which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get
rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene
on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any
need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of
them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday
tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can
remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish:
I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in
relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten
that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my
wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is
being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from
home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they
tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them
personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the
cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that
you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It
will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and
they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the stories of My birth,
and what I taught. Hold them in your arms and
remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own
life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you
don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile;
it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the
holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm
smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry
Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop
shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that
day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their
families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary–
especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never
heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your
town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they
have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some
food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other
charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and
loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret
that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that
you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do
what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the
list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is
now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those
whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

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More from Mary Sellon:

No pastor, no program, no resouce can make renewal happen. On the other hand, any of those can help renewal unfold when the people of a congreagation deeply desire a new and better life, and are willing to do what it takes to get there. The hard part can be developing that desire. As long as life together is satisfactory, there is little impetus for change.

I think it has taken us a while to become dissatisfied with the status quo, but now that we are, change is a’coming. And the form of that change is reconnecting with our basic mission, being a place that offers life…helping people experience God and connect with the Gospel’s message of life and hope.

Congregational renewal happens through “people renewal,” as we understand our relationship with God, our community, and a sense of what we are to be about.

These last several months have gotten us off to a good start. I need your help for it to continue!

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A good many of you have asked me why I am not posting more entries on the blog site. Here’s the thing: the idea of a blog is for it to be a conversation, a dialogue, not a one-man-show. I would like nothing better than to write a daily entry, but unless you respond with your comments, short or long, there is little to encourage me to continue. But…I’m willing to try it again for a few days to see if you’re up for it and willing to do your part. If participation is good, look for it to continue. If it is not, there are better ways for me to use my time. Here goes:

Mary K. Sellon, with the Alban Institute, shared the following recently:
Here’s the hard truth. If you’re a layperson in a congregation that’s experiencing decline, whether or not the congregation thrives is ultimately up to you and the other members. Your pastor can teach, guide, lead, support, inspire, and even cajole. But in the end, congregational health is a function of how people in the congregation relate to each other, to God, and to their community…. A congregation that is truly being church brings people into a loving, life-giving relationship with God and others that is transformational…. Although a pastor can teach and preach this message, the message has power only to the extent that the people in the congregation live it and practice it with one another. Practicing loving, life-giving relationships transforms congregation members. Witnessing such benefits draws others who want something similar for themselves and their families.

I would no longer describe us a a congregation in decline, because we are seeing excitement and new growth, but what Mary says is the gospel truth. I can get new people here…it’s up to you to keep them by drawing them into your small groups…SS, UMM, UMC, Chicks, choir…all those groups that change lives by being in fellowship and mission together. “Think on these things.”

An excerpt from an email I got today shows me we’re on the right track:

We love how welcoming the church is and we
found out last week that another church in the area was discussing how
anyone is welcome at UGUMC. It was a baptist church in the area and in Sunday School they were talking about what they would do if an interracial couple came to their church (Go figure….should
that not be a given? Why does that even need to be an issue to discuss?). Anyway, they talked about what they would do and apparently some people had a problem with being inviting and then my
grandmother talked about how inviting we are. At my dad’s church, here in Union Grove, the same topic came up and he began “boiling” on the inside. Apparently there were statements made that cut pretty deeply and he stood up and said I have grand children that are bi- racial and I am concerned about their soul, not their skin color and he walked out. He did go back, but he had to leave for a bit.

Being inviting should not be something special about UGUMC. That should be the norm for all churches, but since it is not, I am grateful to have found a church that welcomes diversity.

Amen!

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Unless you keep up with religious news, you probably haven’t heard what I’m about to share with you. You may have heard that the Anglican (Episcopal in the U.S) Church is deeply divided over issues concerning homosexuality…like same-sex marriage, female clergy, and the ordination of gay priests. In a gesture that has raised a lot of eyebrows in this country, the Vatican has announced plans to open the doors of the RCC to those Anglicans who are in disagreement with their church’s policy and growing acceptance of homosexuality and women clergy. Pope Benedict XVI is eager, it seems, to restore “full and visible unity” between the two churches, even if it is a unity based on ignorance and prejudice, those inseparable twins who have dogged the church for almost two thousand years.

Don’t get me wrong…I’m all for unity in the church, but not at the expense of truth. It makes me mad…and sad.

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