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It is absolutely ridiculous what is going on in today’s world.  I have never seen more hatred towards one another than I have in the last year, and the worst part is people claim to hate in the name of Jesus Christ.  How is this even acceptable?

I have been very, very lucky throughout my life and was raised in a family that was generally very accepting as far as I could tell.  I went to great schools where there was little bullying.  I attended a liberal arts college that was diverse enough to get me out of my protected shell, but still very accepting as far as I could tell.  I think the first time I ever encountered this hatred, prejudice, and nonacceptance was when I first started dating a black guy (but even that was very, very, very minor and played a very minor role in the relationship if any).  So, needless to say, seeing and hearing all of this hatred towards people that are different from us or put us out of our comfort zone has not just surprised me, but hurt me as I basically had my rose colored glasses on (and a lot of times by choice).

In July 2011, PC(USA) passed amendment 10-A which changed ordination standards in a way that removes an obstacle for homosexuals to be ordained.  Following this, many churches decided to leave the denomination and there are still quite a few that are in talks of doing this.  The denomination made headlines and attracted attention from everyone, much of which was not great.  I will never forget introducing myself to someone at a church of a different denomination last year and when they found out I am Presbyterian, asked me if I supported 10-A.  I gave them a very vague answer because I didn’t want to get into it then and got a very dirty look and heard the word “unchristian” whispered under her breath.

At the most recent General Assembly for PC(USA), one of the things on the agenda was discussing a change in language in regards to marriage (looking to allow for marriage of homosexuals in the denomination).  My facebook and twitter accounts blew up with people complaining about this and listing the thousands of reasons it was “unchristian”.

Now, we are all bombarded with this news surrounding Chik-Fil-A and their support of anti-gay organizations.  We can’t get away from this as it is on every search engine, news station, facebook news feed, twitter feed, and in thousands of conversations.  We know everyone’s stance on the issue and whether or not they are eating at the restaurant.

So here is my question to everyone, regardless of where you stand on the issue of discrimination, prejudice, hatred, excommunication, diversity, discomfort, and any other word that fits- As you sit there and tell the other side that they are “unchristian”, “heathens”, “lost”, “confused” and “wrong” have you looked at yourself and your own personal actions?

Throughout the Bible (which many people are thumping to support their case), we are told of God’s love for all of God’s children.  Jesus Christ shows love for “the least of these” as he eats with sinners and tax collectors, those that the rest of the community wanted nothing to do with.  We are told to not just love our neighbors, but also to love our enemies.  Paul writes letters to multiple congregations to talk about coming together as one single body in Christ.  And yes, the places that people turn to in order to back up their viewpoints are there, but I wonder if these people have taken the time to think about the situations in which these parts of text were written?  I am not going to sit here and try to break down every passage, but I just think that is a good question for everyone to ask themselves.

So this is what it all boils down to for me-

WE (a very worldwide, inter-denominational, inclusive and collective WE) are in no place to make judgments on one another.  Rather, WE are called to act as one single body, never neglecting or casting out another part because if we do the body does not function properly.  EVERY single person has their own faults, and rather than pointing fingers at everyone else should take a look at themselves.  Sin is sin is sin in my book.  As WE judge each other for committing sins, WE are committing our own sins.  And who will be the one to make the final decision about how we lived our life? I promise you it isn’t anyone here today.  I don’t care what your religion is- Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or even Atheist- even if you aren’t turning to a Bible or Qur'an, morals are morals.  In my mind, having good morals includes not making judgments of one another.

God has taken a huge weight off of our shoulders by giving us the freedom to NOT have to judge, and taking that job for God’s self.  I promise our thoughts on the matter won’t effect that decision either.  There is only one single person that knows what is truly right, and that person isn’t anyone here.  So let’s drop all of this insanity and come together as a single body of different races, ethnicity, sexuality, and religions.  We are all different for a reason, and when we require that everyone be like ourselves that reason is ignored and the incredible diversity that makes up this world is erased.  We travel to experience other cultures- but if we are all the same there are no different cultures.

And really- think about who else is effected before you cast these judgments.  When that one single person is excluded for whatever reason, their family and friends are affected as well even if they are not part of the supposed “problem”.  

Just a thought…

"God Willing"

The following is the manuscript for my sermon at Starmount Presbyterian Church (Greensboro, NC), using 2 Kings 4: 42-44 and John 6: 1-14.

⁴² A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

⁴³ “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over. ’” ⁴⁴ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

2 Kings 4: 42-44

1"Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.  

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. ⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages^[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 

John 6: 1-14 

            As many of you know, this past January I traveled to Ghana as part of one of Union’s travel seminars.  I could go on for hours about all that I saw and learned while I was there, but John and Kathryn would probably never ask me to preach again.  One major thing that I did witness though was how freely everyone that we met gave- not just of food and shelter, but of themselves.  During our travel around southern Ghana for those two weeks, we were provided with so much more than food, a bed, and the occasional welcome or parting gift.  We were welcomed and hosted by the most wonderful people I have ever met.  Today I might be able to tell you where every picture was taken if I thought really hard about it, but it takes no effort to remember the time spent with Rev. Kissi as he taught us Ghanaian songs while we were on the bus; or Mama Lucy and Daniel who were both overly excited to show us the town of Kumasi and share their knowledge of this cultural capital; or Victor, Jean Paul, and Rev. Agiti who were gracious enough to spend a week showing us mission sites of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church throughout Ho.  These people changed my life and the lives of the others in our group by merely opening their lives to God and allowing God to use them to feed and nurture us not just physically, but spiritually.

            Sammy, our bus driver, is probably the most memorable person we met while in Ghana.  Sammy had an infectious smile and laugh, loved to pick up some of our sayings as he tried to fit in with the crazy Americans who had high pitched voices, and always loved to tell us about the food we were eating, telling us “Eat it! It’s for you!”  Sammy always knew exactly which turn to take as he drove us all over southern Ghana, never using a GPS, and taught us that the best way to get somewhere is to make sure you stop and ask for directions if you think you might be lost- but always stop at least two times to make sure that people agree, and if they don’t, stop again.  Sammy was such a gracious and amazing person, leaving behind his wife and two very young children to spend two weeks with us.  Over the two weeks we learned all about Ghana through Sammy’s eyes, and all about Sammy- the young man who was saving up money to build a house for his family on the land he already bought, the man who bought a bus as a means to an end.  Most importantly, Sammy was our best friend and brother, the young man who completely handed over the reigns to God as he agreed to drive a group of ten crazy Americans around for two weeks- a job that is probably a whole lot harder than we could ever imagine.

            In today’s scripture readings, we find two very interesting events taking place.  First, we heard of Elisha feeding one hundred people with only twenty loaves of barley and grain.  Then we heard of Jesus and his disciples being presented with the issue of feeding not just a large crowd, but a crowd of five thousand people.  Both events seem next to impossible, yet in both cases they were successful to the point of left overs, very much like our experience in Ghana.

Now, let’s take a minute to figure out what that would entail for us here at Starmount- if we were to take on the 5,000 that Jesus and his disciples fed, first this upcoming renovation would have to be large enough that the fellowship hall could hold that many people.  My guess is that it holds about one hundred people right now, so it would have to be fifty times larger and with a much larger kitchen where every one of us would have to be working, along with a few others. Even at $1.00 per person for food costs, the total cost after everything else is added in, would blow the fellowship budget.  In short, this would not be an easy task and I doubt that the session would be ready to approve it.  So when Jesus asks Phillip where the food to feed this crowd is going to come from, I am sure Phillip looks at him like he is insane, even after he has seen Jesus perform many miracles already.  Phillip is quick to point out just how ridiculous the idea is- even six months wages would barely cover the cost.  Not to mention, my guess is that very few people even have that kind of money available after paying taxes and other monthly bills.  So here we are with Jesus testing Phillip, and Phillip looking at the facts but still failing.  Even in the reading from Second Kings, we find a servant questioning Elisha as to how he will use such a small amount of food to feed such a large crowd.

           

Finally, Andrew Simon chimes in and points out that a young boy nearby has food- maybe Andrew Simon is going to pass the test!  But alas, he too questions Jesus as to what good this small quantity of food will do.  I can only imagine the disappointment and annoyance that Jesus is feeling at this point.  It is probably similar to that of the teacher who has showed the student, told the student, and even spelled it out that 2+2=4, yet when asked, the student either doesn’t know or says the answer is five.  I am sure Rev. Kissi felt this way as he did his best to teach us correct pronunciations in the Twi language, and we failed miserably.

           

Jesus takes a deep breath and instructs the disciples to have everyone take a seat.  He then takes the loaves from the boy, gives thanks, and distributes them and does the same with the fish.  Being someone who loves math, I would like to point out that this means 1,000 servings came from each loaf and 2,500 from each fish.  What’s more is that there were left overs!

           

These aren’t just two coincidentally similar Bible stories that tell of some miraculous events- there is a point to be gleaned here.  God can do a whole lot with only a little.  Just like my hosts in Ghana who simply gave us their time and made that trip an experience that I will never forget, and one that has forever influenced my ministry- we need only provide the little we have for something incredible to happen.  I am sure that before we arrived, and even while we were there, they doubted that they had enough of anything for us- food, water, housing, knowledge to answer our many questions- however because they handed the situation over to God, everything fell into place.  There is an attitude of this in everything they do- always committing everything into the hands of God.  At first I was caught off guard when all plans were “God willing”, since I am used to hearing that more when someone is frustrated and giving up.  However there was such joy when Rev. Kissi would tell us the plans for the next day, “God willing”.  Of all things that I hold close from those two weeks, this attitude is one that has a special place in my life.  The attitude of “God willing” is one that fully recognizes God’s actions in one’s life.  It doesn’t matter if you make sure that you have everything you need so that it can be perfect on your end- if we do the best we can with what we have and recognize God’s action in our life and hand control over to God, God will take care of the rest. 

           

In today’s scripture readings, neither the servant nor the young boy had a clue what could be done with the small amount of food that he they had with them, yet they listened and gave the food anyway.  This wasn’t just any old food either- my guess is that the young boy was on his way home to take the food for his family to eat for dinner, making it a big deal that he gave it away under such vague circumstances.  However by giving away this small amount of food thousands were fed and my guess is he was probably even allowed to take home at least some of the leftovers.  Both the servant and the boy had a “God willing” attitude.

As I think about this “God willing” attitude, I think of the many ministries that we visited while visiting with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ho.  One ministry that our seminar group decided to raise money for upon our return was the Dzemi Health Clinic.  This is a clinic run by one woman, Rosa, and her two assistants.  They have very little space- a building the size of the narthex just outside of this sanctuary, and very little medicine.  The roof leaked every time it rained and you could see the water stains all over the walls.  If I remember correctly, there were only three beds for the incredibly sick patients that came by, in addition to the two birthing beds.  When we visited, the front waiting hall was packed as people stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting for any assistance they could get.  Some would receive that assistance at the clinic, others would be sent to the hospital.  Some of them would add to the almost 500 babies that were delivered last year alone.  The Dzemi clinic is another representation of God taking something so incredibly small and seemingly insignificant, and reaching thousands of people.  As we stood there and talked to Rosa, she recognized this incredible gift from God, continually expressing that everything they had and needed was purely “God willing”.  I could not help but cry tears of joy when we returned to Richmond and after sharing the story of this incredible place with students, faculty, and friends of Union, raised the $1500 needed to fix the roof.  We have sent the check and now, Rosa will have a much safer place to help every person that walks through her doors.  While we were there, we asked Rosa how she stayed open and she told as that it was a blessing from God.  Yes, everything about Rosa and the Dzemi clinic truly reflects God’s blessing as Rosa, just like the young boy and the servant in today’s scriptures, gave the little bit that she had- herself- and let God do what was needed.

           

We can’t forget those disciples from our New Testament reading though.  When I was learning how to exegete scripture in my New Testament class last year, one of the questions we were told to ask was, “Who do you relate to in the text?” As much as I hate to admit it, when I asked that question as I studied these two texts, my answer was a mix of both the servant and the disciples.  As much as I try to keep that “God willing” attitude, I doubt and question God more than I like.   I doubted before seminary started, and still do on occasion, that I could even do this ministry thing- especially the preaching part.  I doubted that I would actually be able to go to Ghana and I continually wonder how God can use me to make a difference- just as the disciples wondered how such a small amount of food could make a difference.  The number of times I have asked God “are you sure about this?” is probably equal to the number of people that were fed that day on the hill.

           

Starmount is a church that I continually look towards for examples of this “God willing” attitude.  There are so many ministries going on here, making an incredible use of all that the church has- ranging from the prayer shawl ministry to sending members and friends of the congregation all over the world to serve God in a multitude of ways and working with refugee resettlement here in Greensboro.  Starmount has even opened its doors to young seminarians to come learn from John and Kathryn as interns just as Noe did, supporting them throughout the time at school, and inviting them to guest preach even if they have never taken a single preaching class in their seminary career.  This church has truly given everything over to God so that God might use it in the way that is best.  We must not forget this attitude when we go into our own personal lives, though.  What do you have to offer to God? For some of us, maybe we can offer supplies, money, or facilities while others of us may have nothing more than ourselves.  The only thing that we need to remember is that we only need to recognize God’s hand in our life and commit all that we have to God for God’s use and God will make sure that things are done the way they should be.

Through all of this, we must understand that while we try to achieve this “God willing” attitude every day, God understands when we doubt.  Jesus never scolded or left the disciples behind when they doubted- he probably simply chuckled to himself and once again, showed them yet another way that God worked through him.  Yes, he became quite annoyed at times, just as any teacher would when they feel as if they have done everything they can and the student still doesn’t get it.  However, his love and leadership never failed and the disciples always caught a glimpse of understanding, if only for a second.

In one of the lectionary readings for today which was not officially included in today’s service, Paul writes a prayer for the Ephesians and closes this prayer by recognizing God “who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine (Eph. 3: 20)”.  I can not think of a better recognition of God than this, especially when thinking of all that God does in fact do that is so far beyond our imagination, just like in today’s readings.

By drawing on the will and actions of God, we are able to reach out to God’s people in a whole different way- a way in which God’s people have acted since the times of Elisha and was widely recognized by Paul.  When we let go and let God use us for God’s work, our lives are enriched in unexpected ways as well as those who we are helping.

Today, I thank God for all that has been accomplished in Ghana using people like Rev. Kissi, Sammy, and Rosa.  I thank God for what has been accomplished through the Starmount family.  I thank God for what has been accomplished using me- someone who could only give herself and questioned everything along the way.  If God can feed five thousand people using only five loaves of bread and two fish, God can certainly use any and all of us.  All we must do is say “I’m here God- use me” and then hold on, because anyone who gives control to God is in for a wild ride.

So, later on today when you hear that knocking on the back of your mind, open up and wait to see what God needs to tell you.  Don’t be upset if there is doubt, and don’t shut God out.  Take on a “God willing” attitude just as the young boy did when he gave Jesus his food, and just as Starmount continues to do.  Don’t back away thinking that what you have isn’t enough, because as long as you have yourself, you have all that God needs to do wondrous things. 

All thanks be to God, who truly does work within each and every one of us to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine. Amen.

Strength in Numbers

The following is my sermon from June 10, 2012 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC.  This was my first ever sermon! Can't wait to actually learn what I am doing...

^"20and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” ²²And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” ²³And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. ²⁷But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
²⁸“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
³¹Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. ³²A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” ³³And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 
 Mark 3: 20-35, NRSV

Growing up in the Buck household was always interesting.  Anyone who has ever met my family probably understands where I am going with this.  Even if we set my over the top father to the side, as well as my very calm and understanding mother, we are left with three very opinionated girls who are always right- even when we are wrong.  Looking back on the twelve years when all three of us lived at home together, it is a wonder that my parents stuck around rather than hooking up the camper in the middle of the night and running away from our chaos.  The Buck girls form an interesting trio- when we agree on something, nothing can stop us. 

Our favorite thing to team up on? Sending our parents over the edge.  To this day, if the three of us are sitting around the table, it doesn’t matter who else is there- we WILL make sure that both Mom and Dad reach the point that they can’t stop laughing or have to leave the room because they can’t stand it anymore (this is also the point when Dad turns bright red- almost purple- and can’t breathe anymore).  When Felicity got married, her poor husband tried to reign us in one afternoon and quickly learned it wasn’t worth the effort (this warning now goes out to any guy that Noel or I bring home- just let us have our fun because it is much safer that way than to fight it).  The best part? We added Eric to our numbers and “the edge” is reached much quicker with him on our side.

But let me tell you- it is all too easy for three girls who are always right to disagree.  When we didn’t agree on something there were and sometimes still are tears, yelling, and slamming doors- once or twice we would even hear pictures fall off of the walls as a result of the tornado that just went through the house.  Even today, before we are left alone at Felicity’s house, Eric will give us a little lecture about behaving and not pushing things too far.  I don’t know he if realizes it, but he is now the equivalent to the tenured professor and will have to explain the inner workings of the Buck girls to the poor guys that end up with Noel and myself.

Looking back on our times together, I can’t help but understand what Jesus meant when he responded to the Scribes, using the picture of the divided home and kingdom.  At this point, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and has been casting out just a few demons along the way (something that is believed to only be possible if done by a magician).  The scribes of Jerusalem are not at all amused by this practice and have accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, the chief demon and the only one could give the power to cast out demons.  This charge is not one to be taken lightly, as anyone accused and found guilty of possession can be banished from the town.  I’m sure it doesn’t help Jesus out as his family is waiting outside to forcefully collect him, thinking he has lost his mind (I can only imagine how many times our parents wanted to have someone “forcefully collect” one or all of us girls because we had lost our mind…).  Between the continued events of Jesus casting out demons and the worries of his family, the Scribes think they have it made and they will be able to take care of the situation quickly and get home for dinner on time.  Little do they know what Jesus has up his sleeve…

Jesus responds to the scribes with a parable, an action on his part that I have come to call “Parabolyzing”, a combination of the greek word for parable, Parabole, and paralyze, since the audience always seems to freeze as soon as it happens.  In this instance, the parable is an extended proverb which turns the table on the scribes and shows them just how absurd their view is (if I have learned anything in seminary, it is that Jesus does have an art for making his opponents look like complete idiots by the time he is done- an art that my sisters and I always strive for and only sometimes succeeded at).  In this instance, Jesus uses the image of a divided house and kingdom.  “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Just to go ahead and wipe out some of the mystery that he is known for, Jesus continues to explain that if Satan opposes himself as the scribes are suggesting is the case, there is no way that he could stand and thus it would be his end. 

I can’t help but think that there is a hidden meaning here however, beyond the immediate discussion at hand because Jesus loved to throw in a double meaning in his parables.  As he looks out at the crowd gathered in and around the outside of the house, it is almost impossible not to see that there is a great division- those who think Jesus has lost his ever-lovin mind and those who believe his words and actions whole-heartedly.  This division has caused a huge uproar and the figurative house is already crumbling in rage and argument over the case at hand.  However, staying true to form, Jesus does not stop here.

“No one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.”  Jesus is basically saying, “Come on guys- I couldn’t cast out these demons if there wasn’t something more to me than there is to Satan.  I am only human, but God is acting through me, thus the success in casting them out!”  It is important to remember here that the only “people” who recognize who Jesus really is at this point are the demons whom he is casting out- and Jesus is doing his best to keep it that way!  Hence, the parabolyzing that is going on- Jesus doesn’t want to give it all away at once, but he does want to make them think about what they are actually saying and doing.

Can you imagine the look on the scribes face at this point? I see them as bewildered, flustered, scared- even shrinking in stature just a bit as they realize that they have nothing to come back with to support their charge that they originally brought against Jesus.  The room is probably silent, yet there are multitudes of people standing around- inside and out.

Taking advantage of the moment of silence, Jesus throws one last comment out- the sprinkles on top of the icing that he already put on the cake (this is the point when my Dad would have yelled at us girls for pushing a point too far and sent us to our room until further notice).  Jesus explains that anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, and further, they are guilty of eternal sin.  This comment takes this charge of the Scribes past a charge on Jesus Christ, but further, a charge against the Holy Spirit.  If they had only accused Jesus, then it would be as if accusing any other person and being wrong- they would go home that night and have dinner, go to bed, and wake up and go to work the next morning as if nothing happened.  However, since this charge went beyond the actions of Jesus Christ and went against the actions of the Holy Spirit who was acting through Jesus Christ, the Scribes and all those who accused Jesus are therefore guilty of eternal sin.  Now, instead of going home as if nothing happened that day, the Scribes will go home with their tails between their legs.

With the parabolyzing over, the crowd begins to stir again as Jesus’ family who came to collect him are finally recognized.  Jesus takes this chance to drive the divided kingdom image home one last time as he explains that they are not in fact his family, but rather his family are those who do God’s will.  The disbelief and inaccurate assumptions that Jesus had lost his mind acted to drive Jesus’ biological family away- the house was divided and it crumbled.  I can’t count the number of times that my sisters and I would and still yell out “You are not my sister anymore!” or “I’m never talking to you again!” when we had a fall out, so I can kinda see where Jesus is coming from here.  However, those who stood by Jesus’ side and continued to believe and do God’s will, even though they still had no idea who Jesus really was, are recognized as his family.  The house stood together and therefore survived the storm. 

Throughout all of our arguments over who ate the last of Dad’s cookies, who was going to clean the kitchen, who would go vacuum the basement, and all the way to more recent arguments that had a lot more punch to them now that we are much older and “experienced”- the three Buck girls stand strong.  There is something more there that these arguments can not overpower- love.  Just as Jesus was able to cast out demons because of God’s actions through him (and I can’t help but think a huge part of that was God’s love), these arguments that happened on a daily basis were overpowered by sisterly love.  We still talk to each other, and we are still very much sisters.

When we look at the world today, there is a lot that we divide over- the more miniscule things such as fashion and what makes a good movie, all the way to Religion and Politics.  There are more dividing lines throughout each personal life than any person can begin to count.  Even in places that should be united, like the Church, are divided over both small and large issues.  I am more aware of this than ever as I talk to my colleagues at seminary about the happenings in the different Presbyteries during the last year and even as I interviewed a variety of adults, about their relationship with the church for a paper that I had to write for one of my classes this Spring.  We continue to focus on the divisions rather than focusing on the unity.  This unity can be found in the fact that we are all children of God and following God’s call for each of us.  What we forget is that God’s call looks different for every person and has no limits.  Only when we begin to recognize the unity throughout our differences, can we become like the one who enters the strong mans house to rob him of his possessions that Jesus spoke of when addressing the Scribes.  Only then can we overcome any differences that make each person unique and come together as the children of God, a kingdom that cannot be divided, even by the strongest of differences.

So what? We are all different but are still brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is no new news for us.  But now all of us need to take it a step further in our daily lives- we need to live out unity in difference rather than just talk about it the way good Presbyterians do.  We may not always be right, but as long as we are standing together as the body of Christ we will always have God on our side and we will always be stronger than anyone who comes in our way, just as Jesus was stronger and able to cast out demons.  The number of times that the three of us girls have teamed up on something and actually lost is a lot smaller than when we were divided- and if I am honest for a second, the times we teamed up, the chances of us actually being right weren’t necessarily high.  However we had a common goal and the passion that was behind that was one that tore down all boundaries. 

We can’t achieve this unity just by saying “we are one body”- there are steps to it.  First, find the uniqueness in yourself, and embrace that.  Listen to God, and find out what he is calling you to do both long and short term.  Find the uniqueness in your neighbors and recognize that even though it is different, it comes from the same creator and they too are called for a variety of things.  Embrace these differences and calls and use them to come together and stand against all the trouble that comes your way.   When the church stands together, it thrives.  However, when it doesn’t embrace the differences among each individual and the love and grace of God, the Church will collapse. 

Maybe your neighbor makes less money than you- does that mean that they can’t spend an afternoon out in the yard with you?   

Maybe your neighbor is a different race- does that mean that the stories they could share over dinner are less important?

Maybe your neighbor is a different denomination, or even a different- would they not enjoy a fellowship dinner at a Presbyterian church? 

Every person has their place in the body, we just need to open our eyes and hearts to see that.

Growing up, one of our favorite games to play at camp was “Red Rover”.  The camp would divide into two teams and form a wall with their bodies and interlocking arms.  The teams would alternate yelling “Red rover, red rover, send Sally right over!” after which Sally would run as fast as she could and try to break through the wall of bodies.  If she didn’t succeed, she added to the wall and if she did break through, she would take someone from the wall back to her side.  We quickly learned that in order to stay strong the wall had to give with the pressure of the body coming at us, and arms had to be linked a certain way.  I don’t know how many times I saw the big kids run at the little ones thinking they could break through, and failed.  Why did they fail? Because each team embraced each person’s differences and used them to their advantage.  Short kids were next to tall kids, larger kids were next to smaller kids.  A strong wall never had two kids who were alike next to each other.

What would the Church as a whole look like if we all teamed up and used each person’s uniqueness and difference to our advantage? What if we stood together even when we might be a bit unsure, and put our faith that God is using each one of us in God’s own way rather than complaining because someone is different from us?  What if the demons mentioned throughout the Gospel of Mark formed their own line in a game of Red Rover, and when they ran at us they couldn’t break through and instead had to join us. 

Well, our parents learned that there is no hope for their sanity when we have a family meal and seem to just let us have our fun (and now that I say that, I am sure it will be much harder for us to win next time- but we still will).  Maybe those demons will learn the same thing, yet there will be many more than three girls teaming up against them- it will be the whole Church, the body and true family of Christ, the one who has been working against them for over two-thousand years.

Is it Church or middle school??

Recently in class, we were asked three big questions- What do you want to change about yourself, what do you want to change about the church and what do you want to change about the world? Hopefully I will grab a few minutes to address all of these, because they are things I have been thinking about a lot lately anyway. We will see. First, I want to address the church though…

On scholarship applications, I always talk about the way in which we recruit people and how we need to start with focusing on who we have for a while so that we have a strong foundation for newcomers to latch onto. Lately, I have been reflecting on what I have seen growing up in the church that might affect the lack of new people, or even the loss of people. I think about what my friends have told me about why they don’t go to church and the things that kept me from jumping in right away after we left our church when I was younger. Churches are middle school with God thrown in the middle.

I can’t help but think about how my life was in middle school, and what I saw when I taught in middle school. Every day I was trying to please certain people, trying to get into their group and be just like them. The number of cliques was unreal, and the church is the same way. I have been a member of three different churches and visited many, many others and the cliques are something I have found in all but one (where maybe I just want them to be the perfect church so I ignore it). These cliques do provide us with a close group to latch onto, but do we think about how they effect those not in them??

In talking to people about their relationship with the church, I always hear one of two things- either they are fully engrossed in a strong group which represents multiple committees or they are not involved at all (generally because they do not feel close to anyone). Thinking about my own involvement, I tend to shy away from joining anything until I feel comfortable with the people. That was even the case when I started at UPSem and it came time to join committees- which one did I join? The one chaired by the guy I met during the summer and had become friends with, not the ones chaired by people I had yet to meet. This all leads us to one key idea about the church: we go where we are comfortable.

 Now, think back to when you were in 9th grade and starting at your new high school (or college, or your new job…). Do you remember the feeling of looking around and seeing that everyone knew somebody- except for you? You had no idea where to go and were probably worried that you might not even be welcomed where you finally decided to go. Now, think about the way your church looks to a newcomer. Is it clear to them that there is somewhere just for them? Is there a group that they can connect to easily? Or think about that young adult that has been moving further and further back in the sanctuary and coming less and less. There is a big possibility that they really aren’t busy like you think, but rather that they feel un-welcomed because they don’t fit in with the cliques that have been formed.

I was talking to my friend about his involvement in church a while back, and found out that his biggest problem is the country club feel in the church and that is why he doesn’t go. “That is exactly why I didn’t buy one of those combo TV/VCRs in the 90s- some things are meant to be separate. What happens if one breaks? It becomes completely useless.” That has stuck with me every time I think about what needs to be changed first in the church. Yes, I think it is very important to bring the focus inward and help the congregation strengthen before putting on a big show for visitors, but I think the biggest part of that strengthening is to mix it up and break down these cliques that make church feel like a country club.  Think about it- if we keep the cliques going and drama starts in one of them (which will ALWAYS happen), what will happen to the church? It will become useless and broken, as any body is only as strong as it's weakest part.

In a Christian Education proposal that I wrote for a class last semester, I made a point to provide places for people to be with others that are like them so that they have a comfort zone. However, I made a bigger point to provide opportunities for the church to switch groups around a bit and even come together as a whole. How can we grow in faith if we never go outside of our comfort zone? Let me tell you- if I stayed in my comfort zone, I would be planning a middle school band concert right now and have a lot less excitement in my life. I would have never come to seminary, and I probably would have thought that an occasional “Bible” study (minus the Bible) was enough to get me through the week. However, I am asking the hard questions every day and fighting people who tell me that women shouldn’t be in ministry or that I am not cut out for it because I am terrified of preaching. No one here is like me- we all have very different backgrounds and do very different things in our down time. And I am all the better for it.

So, instead of thinking that people are too busy or didn’t like the sermon and that is why they aren’t coming back, let’s take a look at ourselves. Are we welcoming when we get past the meaningless and thoughtless words of welcome we use every Sunday? When people come in our doors, do they see closed off groups or open arms?

I have a friend who has no desire to go back to the church she grew up at because when she returned, there was no place for her among all of the cliques that had formed. Fifteen years of history in a church, more memories there than most people that sat in the Sanctuary had combined. She walked out after a painful service during which no one genuinely talked to her, and doesn’t plan to return. She still has family there. She still visits one or two of the members. However, the cliques that formed to keep “a certain kind of person” kept her out- and who knows how many other people.

 In God’s eyes, we are all his children. We all have special gifts that we bring to the table and we are all important. Just because a person doesn’t live in the same neighborhood or wear the same clothes, or even have the same interests, doesn’t mean that they should ever be shut out. It is time that we stop blaming others for our failings, and look at ourselves- are we even giving others a chance to succeed?

Let’s go to Church on Sunday- not back to middle school.

The empty cross

This time of year always gets me thinking, unfortunately it is happening later than normal due to my busy schedule and lack of desire to dig in too deep (one of the struggles when I am already doing crazy amounts of digging, I don’t want to/ forget to do it for myself in addition to the professors). One particular thought that always comes up is that of the cross- kinda predictable since we just celebrated Easter. Now, before I go any further, I will probably offend some people with these thoughts. I apologize for that and hope that you will keep reading and not count me out. I respect that everyone has their own view, and even if I don’t agree with it, I do appreciate yours. That being said, here goes.

I have always had the belief that the cross should always be your focal point in all you do. However, I have also always had a slight issue with these crosses that have Jesus hanging on them. When I was younger, it just creeped me out. In the last few years, I started thinking about it more and realized there was a lot more to it than being creeped out by a dead guy hanging around my neck. I really just can’t stand keeping Jesus on the cross.

First, the cross was not something created just for Jesus. Criminals were hung on crosses to die long before Jesus, and long after. This was a form of punishment that many, many people suffered. The streets leading to Rome were lined with crosses. There is nothing unique about it and the fact that Jesus was hung on and died on the cross does nothing but put him in the same category as these riminals. (Breathe… don’t freak out yet…)

The thing that makes the event of Jesus dying on the cross so remarkable is what happened AFTER he died. Was Jesus just buried and forgotten? Far from it! Jesus was placed in a tomb (already a big difference, but not one to get too terribly excited about yet) and remained there for three days. The remarkable thing about the whole event is what happened on that third day when the women went to anoint his body with oils. Was he still laying there dead when they got there??? I think everyone knows this part of the story and can confidently say “NO!” The women were greeted by a man in white/ angel (depends on which account you read) who told them that Jesus was no longer there! Um… what???? Yea… that’s right! Jesus was gone. He got up and left. Can a dead man do that? Today’s media will try to tell you otherwise (can you imagine what they would do with this? “And coming this Easter to a theater near you- “Zombie Jesus!”), but the answer is absolutely not. Jesus rose from the dead! There is no question that this is a divine act and one to get excited about. This is what we celebrate on Easter morning! This is why we pull out all the stops and have incredible music, fill the sanctuary with flowers, buy beautiful dresses, etc. We want to celebrate!

So, bringing the cross back in. All of these crosses that have Jesus still there, suffering, are a reminder of how he died. Sure, he did so semi-willingly (we can’t forget that he did in fact have a bit of hesitation that shows in his prayer in the garden before he was arrested) but I don’t see that as a reason to keep him there. When we keep Jesus on the cross, we prolong the suffering. We prolong the crucifixion. While this death was part of God’s plan when he sent Jesus, I do not think it was meant to be dragged out the way some people do. Why would anyone want to prolong such a horrendous action on our Lord? HOWEVER, when we take Christ off of the cross the suffering ends. When the cross is empty, we are reminded of the events that followed. That Christ did not remain dead, but rather rose from the dead and then ascended into heave. Up until this point, he had been “just another human being” (not at all, but yes). Christ rising from the dead and ascending into heaven is when people truly saw the divinity in him. This is what sets his crucifixion apart from all others.

If I had my way, we wouldn’t even wear the cross. We would wear the empty tomb, but I guess that isn’t as delicate and pretty. Or in some way depict Christ’s ascension. However, since we do use the cross as our reminder, let’s keep it empty! Let’s celebrate these events that followed his common death- celebrate the completely uncommon events, those that set him apart and make him divine. Because this past Sunday we didn’t sing the Hallelujah chorus because Christ died…

Keep your focus on the cross… and make sure it is empty!

Young Adults in the church...

I am 23 years old. I am student. I may or may not be single. I am a free youth director/ youth Sunday school teacher (see previous identities that make it clear that I would be perfect for the job).

That is what churches see when I walk through the door every Sunday. The only questionable part for the church is my relationship status, when changes in their eyes dependent on if I am with only one guy (who I am obviously in a relationship with and planning a wedding because it is only the two of us at church together… right), or if I am with two guys (obviously we are only friends) or alone (that poor girl…).

What don’t they see??

I am looking for a home away from home. I desperately want to find a group of young adults, similar to me, to hang out with away from my friends at school. I would love to stick around longer than one or two weeks and maybe even get involved in a Sunday School class (PLEASE not youth.. just because I am young doesn’t mean I want to work with youth. Been there, done that… I want adult time now), and if you are lucky/ unlucky (depending on how you think I sound) I might join the choir. I would love to come to a dinner WITH some food to offer rather than just coming empty handed. I want to be part of a bible study that doesn’t exegete every little thing they read. If you ask, I will even be liturgist every now and then. And oh yea… I am serious about this church thing, to the point that I am in seminary.

I have to admit- I was spoiled rotten when I was in college. I was part of an incredible campus ministry and that led me to an incredible church. Granted, I only went so that I could hear my campus minister preach one Sunday but they quickly found a place for me- The next week, I was down in the high school room teaching Sunday school (which I loved at the time because I had only been doing youth work for a year or two). Even though I came to worship alone most of the time, the members of the congregation were eager to talk to me and learn more about me. As the young adult group began to grow, I got sucked in and loved every second of it. That is how I met some of my favorite people and the guy that really helped me through some hard times and decisions about seminary. So, after that experience that gave me a home away from home, I have been brainwashed and think that I can find that here in Richmond.

Don’t get me wrong- I know there has to be a church like that somewhere up here, but I haven’t found it yet. What have I found?

Churches with websites that are hard to navigate or not up-to-date. These websites also include info about every age group EXCEPT young adults. (For a good example of a site that includes young adults, check these out- http://starmountpres.org/young-adult/ and http://www.stpauls.net/?page_id=61 ). Simple, but easy to find and it shows that if you go, there might be someone that you can relate to that isn’t celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

My relationship status really does matter to them. I wasn’t terribly shocked in Ghana when one of the first questions they asked was “are you married?” because quite frankly, as a single girl who doesn’t mind going to church alone, I encounter that every Sunday. Churches want young people who are attached. Why? Because it is free labor. That is something I will battle in ministry as well as long as I am not married. I don’t know how many times this has been proven true- I go to church alone and get ignored (unless the minister says, in the pulpit, “Please make sure to welcome our guests”). In fact, just a few weeks ago I visited a church alone and because there was no one else sitting there yet, a lady behind me threw her coat on my pew. 10 minutes before the service started. What if I had friends coming?? Now, if I go to church with a group or two guys they talk to us, but aren’t nearly as excited as when I go with just one guy. We can sit a mile apart, use our own hymnals, and not even talk a whole lot (to the outside world this means we aren’t together) but the church members are like vultures because obviously here is a young couple that they can get to do all sorts of stuff so the church members don’t have to.

Everyone seems to think that I am just dying to work with their wonderful kids. Now, I am sure they are wonderful because everyone’s kids are perfect angels… especially at church (do you sense the sarcasm there???). However, I have done my time for now. I am not saying that I won’t work with kids again because I know I will and I look forward to it, however I have counseled camps, directed camps, and taught Sunday school since I was in high school. I have only been “retired” for a year… I still need time to recover! I would love to help on occasion, but let me first decide if I want to stick around and then ONLY ON OCCASION.

The fact that I am in seminary draws a crowd. I am so tired of hearing “Oh, Johnny! You have to meet Jordan- she is in seminary!” Whoopdeedoo! Yes. I am in seminary. However, this doesn’t make me any different from any other visitor. It is not an honor that I picked your church today (which I have heard). Please do not call all of your friends over to oo and ah over me. I would rather be ignored if you are going to take it this far. And yes, I have recently stopped mentioning it at all when they ask what I do. I am simply in grad school.

Finding a good church is hard. Like I said, I got very lucky when I was in college. However I think I would rather go out and try to find a great guy at a bar (which if you know me, you know that I am opposed to this) than deal with some of the stuff I have seen in the last 8 months. I still go to church every Sunday and thoroughly enjoy the services for the most part. However, just like when you are dating, the relationship goes beyond dinner and a movie. What happens between? If you don’t talk, or if you feel like you are being stalked you don’t want to stick around- get to know me but please take a hint if I don’t come back or don’t ask questions about you.

Yes, it has been frustrating trying to find a church here. However, I have learned a whole lot. My own experience combined with those of my friends and others that I have talked to have definitely given me some insight to what I would like to make sure happens when I get to a church:

An up-to-date website that welcomes people of all ages.
Welcoming to everyone (visitors should be welcomed like members… don’t draw attention to them but don’t ignore them).
Don’t assume that people are perfect for a job just because of their age.
Make opportunities available for everyone (this doesn’t mean church wide studies or dinners- have a few specific things available for the different groups! We have classes for older generations, men, women, children… include college, young adult, young families…).
Be excited for the visitors and be interested, but don’t elevate any one over the other.

I could keep going, but I need to start working on papers.

This isn’t a post that says “I hate church” because obviously that isn’t how I feel. However, it is frustrating when churches say they welcome all but don’t. I know that it can be hard, especially when people don’t stick around. But maybe they don’t stick around because they don’t feel welcome! Start small- go to lunch after church or host a cook-out. Make it clear who you are reaching out to. Find out what they want from the church and what they want to do for the church. Studies show that those of us in grad school or working will add something else to the schedule if it appeals.

Just something to think about… because even if you aren’t standing in the pulpit on Sunday, you are still a minister and make a huge impression on visitors. Make it a good one so that “maybe I’ll see you next week” as they rush out the door becomes an “absolutely… I can’t wait!” as they stand around and keep talking.

"Dear God, Thankyou."

“Thank you” and “I love you”

All through high school my band director drilled those two phrases into our heads, telling us they are the two and three most important words in the English language. Every day we were reminded to thank our parents and tell them we love them, thank our fruit customers, thank our teachers, etc. And as much as I really wanted argue with him (he was one of those teachers you loved and hated all at once), I knew this was one point where he was 100% correct (I would realize that about everything else he said once I started teaching).

I’ve been thinking about this point a lot lately. Trying to figure out why I insist on telling my friends I love them (this really gets to the boys who refuse to show emotion lol), making sure I have sent out any thank you notes that need to be done… What can I say? That old man got to me and between he and my parents there was no hope :).

Last night before I went to sleep, I started to pray like I always do. However I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what to say. The last week has completely overwhelmed me in good and some bad ways, but when it all boils down to it everything in my life is finally going right all at once. So my prayer went like this- “Dear God, Thank you. I love you.” Nothing elaborate. Some people might even say it is a cop out. However, I think it got the point across.

Like JR says, these are the two and three most important words in the English language. For that reason, I think it is fitting that they be used when you don’t know what else to say. Prayer doesn’t have to be elaborate. God knows what is on your heart. Prayer just has to be there and be honest. And hey, something this short leaves plenty of time to just sit and listen :).