The Reverend Mother

"And Now for Something Completely Different"

2010-06-13T15:15:00.006-05:00

Yesterday on Facebook I solicited suggestions on where I might go to church today. The responses were great: everything from Russian and Greek Orthodox, to a Quaker Friends Meeting, Alfred Street Baptist and local Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches. However, my hope was to avoid anything too close to the Mainline and/or Liturgical expressions that I'm accustomed to in the Episcopal Church and also to go to a "big" or "growing" church, expecting to glean something from how they do church.

Once the votes were in, McLean Bible Church was the clear leader - interestingly, all the votes for that one were from female Episcopal clergy. Admitedly, I've wanted to visit there for quite a while. For one thing, the pastor has weekday spots on a local radio station ("Not a sermon, Just a thought") and early on Sunday mornings you can hear his sermon broadcast. It's a megachurch, so it would be easy to slip in and be anonymous for just one visit. And, the pastor and I live in the same neighborhood so that added to my level of interest. Good contender.

Keeping my options open, I had looked up various service times of a few places and it seemed that if I could head out around 9:30 or 9:45, I could be anywhere I chose to go on time. So, still undecided, I got up, dressed, ate breakfast and got in the car. I sat at the end of my driveway and had finally decided to head for McLean Bible Church. BUT, as I located their webpage on my iphone and searched for service times, everytime I clicked on the link for "services" I got bumped to a google map and never could find what time the services were. The home page said they were "open on Sundays 8am - 5pm" - or something like that, which was no help at all. So I gave up on going there.

As I sat there mulling it over I remembered another, possibly similar church: National Community Church (theaterchurch.com). This church advertises as "One Church. Multiple Locations." They meet in movie theaters around the area. I found their webpage, easily found their service times, and with a little time to spare, went to their Ballston Commons Mall service at 10:30 am. Here's a quick run-down of my experience:

Hey, this is smart...

Low Barrier for Visitors: We've all been in parking garages at malls with movie theaters. This is a no-brainer for a newcomer. You follow the mall signs to the theater, there's a lobby area with greeters handing out bulletins who point you in the right direction through the refreshment area, past the book table and table with leaflets about various ministries. You walk into the theater, noticing a Spanish language service in an adjacent theater, and a prayer space in another. You go find a seat anywhere you like. Done.

Tons of Young Adults: They have definitely figured out how to reach the 25-40 age group. While there were people of most ages - babies up to about 70, I'd guess the predominant demographic (85%) were capitol hill staffer types.

Casual Dress and Starbucks in hand: This is the weekend after all. No suits, no ties, no over-coiffed do's. Very leisure and casual - BYOS(tarbucks).

Excellent branding - professionally prepared handouts: Clearly, they take themselves, their identity, and their message seriously. No xeroxed copies using bad clip art here. An opener ad for locations and service times was run on the screen just prior to the start of the worship service. And - this is really clever and cool - the offering was taken up in...(wait for it)...popcorn tubs.

Decent live music, relatively easy to sing: The band was decent, not spectacular. The text of the songs (and one traditional hymn) were, of course, projected on the screen so it was easy to follow along. No notation, just lyrics. Repetition of the text so, after three times through, we got it.

Uh-huh. Just as I expected...

Fanny fatigue: We sat on our butts as spectators, not participants most of the time. There was a time at the beginning and at the end of the service where we were invited to stand: to sing and to say the Apostles (gasp) Creed. Otherwise, we sat...and sat...and sat....(yawn).

Hey preacher, it's past lunch time!! The sermon was mostly good but it was lllooonnngggg. His message was based on a snippet of a passage from 2 Corinthians 13 and he expounded on it well, offering great examples to connect the theology to practice in ways that we could relate it to everyday life. Really good stuff. But it probably could have been broken down into three sermons. Within the first couple of minutes he had me. After 15-20, I started looking at my watch. ("...I'm probably not going to make it back to drive the guys to their soccer tournament final game...") By the 45-minute mark, I was trying to figure out how to get the hell out of there and to send a text without offending my neighbors. ("...I have got to call and make sure Jesse's parents can take them!!!!")

Hey preacher, did you film that in front of a live audience? The sermon was a video presentation. The preacher of the day makes live appearances at a couple of their venues - Sat PM and Sun AM, and at the other locations the sermon is downloaded and projected on the screen while the service is led by a local 'campus pastor'. Today the preacher was the head pastor and they were in the midst of a sermon series called "Sabotage." Good theme, but only briefly alluded to. I kept thinking he was going to start boogeying down because of the way he looked when he shifted his weight; the boy could not stand still! I know movement is better than standing stock still but it was more than a little distracting. However, even though there was a sterility to it because it was videoed, he knew timing well enough to leave pauses for reactions, which were, frankly and sadlly, pretty sparse. Lost much of the interactive nature of live preaching.

Chicklets and Welches Grape Juice: As we entered the theater, we were each handed a little muslin ditty bag. I thought it was some kind of welcome gift or object lesson item tied to the sermon (a mini stick of dynamite?) Once I had a chance to settle in, I peeked. Hmm, some kind of little tin and vial with purple stuff in it. I figured they'd tell me what it was when I needed to know - and they did. This, it turns out, was our 'communion kit.' Huh??? What the what? Yeppers - a miniature film tin with the Body of Christ and vial of Jesus' blood - sort of. Remember, in the Evangelical tradition it is a memorial not a sacrifice - an individual tasting, not a communal meal. So..... after a brief struggle to open the tin, I had my chicklet-sized 'bread' and perfume sampler vial of 'wine' after the local campus pastor said the words of institution: "On the night before he died, Jesus took bread...OK, now y'all take your bread and eat it." (clink, clink, crunch, crunch) "After supper he took the cup of wine...OK, now you take the cup and drink" - Hey, wait a minute - this is not wine - and, what cup? OK folks, do you truly not see the disconnect in what you're saying and doing??

Unscripted prayer means only the pastor can pray out loud. No such thing as corporate (as in "The Body of Christ") prayer here. More spectators; fewer participants.

Whoa, I wasn't expecting that...

Only marginally friendly folks: maybe I looked like I knew what I was doing; maybe I looked too old to talk to (I'm 47), but aside from a smile from greeters as they were handing out bulletins and communion kits, not a single person said "boo" to me with the exception of the part of the service where we are to turn and greet people around us. And then, it was perfunctory. A few people seemed to recognize others, but there was this eerie feeling of lack of familiarity among the folks in attendance. For all I know, we could have all been first-timers there. Now, I do hear that they have a vibrant small group ministry, but there was no evidence of it by the way folks interacted.

A missionary partner from Ethiopia: They do seem to have it going on with world mission. I've seen some stuff on their web about it; heard about it personally from an aquaintance; and they certainly heralded the visit from this Ethiopian pastor and he gave a greeting from his church in Addis-Ababa to the congregation that indicated a standing relationship between his church and theirs. Cool. Very cool.

"Come thou fount of every blessing...": They sang a traditional hymn and it was a hit. (!) They got more vibrant participation on this one than on the previous two which were more contemporary language/music and highly repetitive. Thankfully, not really any "Jesus my boyfriend" music made manifest in the service.

Their view on Tradition: Notice that's with a capital "T." The campus pastor said that communion was a central piece of their weekly worship. Really? In an Evangelical low-church? ...well OK then. The practice of it was a little bit "iffy" for me but somehow, they say, it has become a central focus for them. On the other hand, the head pastor's preaching included a bit about the importance of Creeds but I think he was misguided in his understanding of them. He referred to the Nicene Creed and it's importance (check). He taught about the earliest Creed, "Jesus is Lord." (check) And then he told us we would be saying a short creed at the end of the service. It was the Apostles' Creed. Not surprising I guess - but it's an "I believe" individual commitment/baptismal creed. So he said that if we really believed it we could say it, but if not we should remain silent. Well, sure. BUT - why not use the Nicene Creed which is a communal creed. Everyone says it so that we can all be formed by it and believe into it. The Nicene is the church's creed so there was a prime opportunity for real teaching on community that was totally missed. So, here's the dilemma - if "communion" is so important then why is worship so individualized? And why did we say an individualized creed as a body of believers instead of the communal Traditional Nicene creed?

And what was that about the primacy of scripture? Even in his sermon, the pastor said that the best spiritual practice for self-examination (the overarching theme of the sermon - avoiding self-sabotage) was to read scripture daily. Agreed. Now, what I don't understand is why we didn't hear readings from...Scripture! We did have a brief blurb from Psalm 119 at the beginning of the service - a call to worship - but other than the preacher's reference to a scripture passage as the basis for his sermon...NO SCRIPTURE. I don't get it. I just don't get it.

What it all boils down to is this:

Lots of good take-away stuff to learn from and work on (low-barrier for newbies; professionally produced materials; well-branded from web to site; message that connects to real life; targeted demographic with broad-based appeal; etc.)

Some of what we think of as church 'stuff'' is just human nature: you gotta train people and remind them how to reach out to newcomers; you can't expect folks to love 45-minute long sermons; don't expect people to sit in the front rows until all the other seats are taken; not everyone likes to sing so lots of guys especially will stand there with their hands in their pockets and their mouths clamped shut whether it's an organ or a rock band playing tunes.

It's never a good idea to dis' other traditions or come across as judgmental in your worship...the preacher said he was once in a church where they said the creed on a weekly basis and he "knew" most of the people there didn't believe what they were saying. Poor form.

I was impressed on some levels but not as much or thoroughly as I had expected I would be. I probably wouldn't go back - not because of the location or music but because it felt like I was really there alone in a crowd of people - and that sermon length...oy! It felt more like a Bible study than a sermon - a darn good Bible study...

Above all, I plan to do something like this on a more regular basis - once a quarter or every six months, take a Sunday and go somewhere very different. I think it's a good practice for clergy especially to experience worship in another tradition and to reflect on the experience. The fact that NCC regularly share in the Lord's Supper and worked in the creed leads me to believe that their pastor has done this, too.

Better to have loved LOST than never to have had Lost at all.

2009-02-25T22:12:00.004-05:00

My kids and I started watching Lost on DVD this past summer, catching up from the very beginning and getting totally hooked on the series. There have been great moments of connection and discovery, like when one of my 8th graders realized that John Locke was the name of a real person (18th c. English Religous Philosopher) and my 4th grader recognized that Daniel Faraday was a nod to Michael Faraday, the scientist. Soon, we really started looking for the links and connections beyond the 'plain sense' of the storyline and noticed other interesting names, etc: Jack Shephard - the shepherd and physician who leads; Sawyer - wild like Tom Sawyer; Charlotte Staples Lewis - a nod to Clive Staples Lewis (C.S. Lewis).

It's a great show and has given us hours of imaginative conversations about faith, science, religious philosophy: Christian hope, Eden, Messiah/Sacrifice, Healing Power, The Communion of Saints (e.g. Time/Space Continuums), etc.

Last week's episode climax occurred in a church and Benjamin Linus tells Jack Shephard the story of Thomas the Apostle, whose painting is hanging in the sanctuary. Ben recounts how Thomas was the one who said to Jesus when he learned he was going to Jerusalem to die, "Let us go with him and die also." But that is not how he is remembered, Ben continues. Instead, Thomas is remembered for being the one who didn't want to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. He needed proof - had to see, wanted to touch the wounds for himself. At this point in the series, Locke is dead (we don't know exactly why or how) and Jack has a note from him, unread until a few scenes later, but which says simply, "Jack, I wish you had believed."

During tonight's episode I finally remembered to grab my copy of John Locke's "The Reasonableness of Christianity with a Discourse of Miracles" off my library shelf. Must admit, haven't looked at it since seminary days (thanks Dr. Edmondson!) but in turning a few pages quickly stumbled on these two points from Locke's main treatise:

"7. Adam being thus turned out of paradise, and all of his posterity born out of it, the consequence of it was, that all men should die, and remain under death for ever, and so be utterly lost."

"8. From this estate of death, Jesus Christ restores all mankind to life...whereby it appears, that the Life, which Jesus Christ restores to all men, is that life, which they receive again at the Resurrection. Then they recover from death, which otherwise all mankind should have continued under, lost forever..."

Now, I'm not confident that this is where the writers are going. According to the ABC Lost series website, (or was it another related website?) the writers did require the condition that the series have a supernatural underpinning to it, and clearly they have carefully chosen characters' names and made some strong allusions, if not outright references, to religion and science, miracles and the power of hope.

Regardless of exactly where this may be headed, it's more than just an occasional TV teaching moment - it's been season after season of great discussions, wondering, and just darned good writing, acting, and entertainment.

Edifice Complex

2009-02-17T22:46:00.003-05:00

At what point does real estate and a building become more of a hindrance than a help to the life of the church?

Our buildings and their architecture say much about who we are and what we value in our worship life - where the people sit, where the pulpit and altar are located and how big they are, stained glass windows or clear, etc.

So, when we realize that our identity is shifting in some way - the times and culture have changed and call for a new response or a new modality; the neighborhood has changed and we need to reach out to a new deomographic; the liturgy doesn't carry enough meaning anymore because it has become rote so we need to make a change of emphasis - one of the best ways to accomplish that shift is by shifting the cues in our environment. This can be very hard to do, though, when those cues are locked in to the architecture of the building.

There is an old adage in the church liturgy circles which says that when you are trying to design liturgy and look for new forms, new expressions of worship you usually end up fighting against the architecture which was designed to reinforce a previous theology. And so the saying goes, "the building always wins."

I just wonder, though, how the church would be different if we took a more mobile/adaptable view of our buildings and architecture - much like families do when they decide, "This house just isn't working for us anymore" and so they either remodel or sell and move. Some churches do remodel - but not without great pain and grief usually. Rarely do churches actually move.

If we were more adaptable with our architecture, would we also be more adaptable in general? Or would the church still be as slow to change and to respond to the shifts in culture and in the lives of people who mostly today find the church to be irrelevant to their lives?

What is God doing here?

2009-02-15T22:36:00.008-05:00

This morning I ventured out to visit a little church I'd never been to on a Sunday before - just to check it out. They are currently without a rector (head pastor) but have an interim who has been with them since late summer while they are in the search process.

A visit to a church like this and you can quickly grasp the concept of 'churches in decline.' For all intents and purposes the place is pretty tired looking and seemingly not on a good trajectory:

The building's interior looks like it is straight out of the 1950's - cinderblock walls, linoleum tile floors, and windows that are opaque, cracked, and definitely not energy efficient.

3 of us at the 8am service (why bother?) and about 26 at the 11am

Many of the folks are older and there are not many signs of children being present

There's a noticable lack of energy in the worship service, the liturgy was uneven and the sermon was a very 1970's psychobabble piece - ( don't think God was even mentioned)
.

Both services started late - as did the Bible study between service

But even with all the potential barriers and pitfalls this church had an amazing edge to it unlike any Episcopal church I've ever been in: It was diverse: Racially, educationally, economically, and age-wise. The later service reflected about 50% Anglo; 45% African American; and 5% Asian. Almost every age demographic was represented - minus teens and 20's. There were a couple of Harvard grads and a couple of folks who had barely finished high school.

And beyond that: The people were genuinely friendly, warm and welcoming but not pushy or needy. The music surprisingly in a place this size was very good - a wonderful young woman who played piano, organ and led the choir. And they are located in a prime area for growth: densely populated area of Northern Virginia in the DC suburbs.

This is the kind of place that can really capture my imagination and stir my soul in a way that few churches do. When that happens I am forced to ask not "What do they think they're doing?" but "Do they wonder and have they noticed what God is doing here?"

So When is the Church NOT SUPPOSED to be SAFE?

2009-02-14T05:37:00.004-05:00

Based on the posting below, one fb friend commented that the concept of the church being safe is a two-edged sword. Because when it is a truly safe place, you open the doors for every unhealthy, off-balance, manipulative, bully who couldn't find another place of acceptance in this world to walk in and be greeted warmly - at least at first.

This begs the question, "Is the church even always supposed to be 'safe' for clergy - or for anyone for that matter?

Well, let's follow a natural path of logic here: The church is the Body of Christ - the incarnation of Jesus in the world today. If that is so (and scripture and tradition say it is) then would Jesus always be a 'safe' person to approach and to spend time with?

Well, let's see....hmmmm...y-No.

Jesus did things like welcome tax collectors, prostitutes, and other notorious sinners to dine at the table with him. Not safe.

Jesus crossed over to the 'other side' and walked among the tombs and the swine, touched a mentruating woman and a dead body, breaking down all sorts walls and smashing purity codes. Not safe.

Jesus ended up literally crucified for taking the stances and making the proclamations he did - and guess what? So did some of his followers. Others died in jail, were fed to wild beasts, or mocked, scourged, executed, and/or tortured in some other fashion. Not safe.

Therefore, neither should the church always strive to be a 'safe' place.

Annie Dillard said it so well:

Why do people in church seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute? … Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us to where we can never return.”

—Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters (New York: Harper & Row, 1982), pp. 40-41.

So it seems to boil down to this: The church should be a safe place in terms of providing an environment that is free from abuse from the institution itself - whether to employees clerical or lay or to parishioners or to anyone - and should absolutely be about preventing and curtailing abuse wherever it is encountered. That has everything to do with God's mission in the world of being a force for life and love.

But, the church should not be a place that keeps us safe from facing the hard realities of our own shortcomings and need for transformation and ongoing conversion of life. Or, in the words of the General Confession, the church should actually help us to "acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed..." [Book of Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist I, pg. 331] so that we can let go of the past hurts and disappointments and begin to move forward with expectation and wonder and the new life that God is working in us through Jesus in his Body, the church.

Can I get an Amen?

Safe Church For Clergy

2009-02-12T21:59:00.005-05:00

So, I've been thinking...in my particular faith tradition we put a lot of effort a few years back into making the church a safe place for children - and adults - in terms of sexual abuse/misconduct prevention. So much effort that we have mandatory training, awareness, procedures and the like that are highly effective. Consciousness and levels of care have been raised to appropriate levels. I'm so very glad we've done that work. It has paid off.

So, here's my question: Could we do something similar for our clergy and lay employees? Could we make the church a safe place to work? Could we initiate standard accepted procedures and practices for hiring and firing, and outline processes for what to do when things don't seem to be working out? Could we mandate HR training?

It seems to me that this is one of the biggest ongoing problems for us. And the degree of power imbalance and lack of accountability and transparency that goes along with these situations sets us up for creating undue hurt, trauma, and long-term scarring of clergy's and layworkers' vocations (not to mention that of their families), as well as confusing parishioners and damaging their faith in the institutional church.

Anyone disagree?

The Great Physician

2009-02-09T15:53:00.004-05:00

Last week's Sunday Bible reading from Mark's Gospel (Mark 1:29-39) is a compelling take on the early stages of Jesus' ministry. He heals Simon's mother-in-law, and then 'they' bring to him all who were sick or possessed with demons - and Jesus heals the sick and casts out the demons and those who are touched by his healing are restored. To see this miraculous work, we are told, the whole city crowded around the door. Is it any wonder?

When was the last time you had to find a good doctor? Have you ever moved to a new town and had to go through the torment of trying to find a physician you can trust? Or maybe, you've received an unexpected diagnosis that has forced you to seek out a specialist - someone whom you knew was specially trained and practiced at delivering the kind of care you needed. You want to know what their credentials are and you want good referrals.

If this is a familiar situation for you, then you night be able to relate to the people in that city who crowded around the door - trying to see just how powerful Jesus' healing could be - just how trustworthy he was. Because, in fact, there is not a single one of us who is not in need of some kind of restoration. There is not one of us who is already perfectly whole, perfectly healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

"Everyone is searching for you," his companions say to Jesus. And where they find him - more specifically what they find him at - is the signal to us all of the power that Jesus can bring into our lives. "And while it was still dark, he went out to a deserted place to pray." Jesus' complete union with God, and his ongoing communion with the Father, is the sign to us of the power that Jesus offered the people gathered around that door, and those who were in the neighboring towns and villages.

And that communion with God is the path that Jesus offers all of us today who still are seeking for restoration and for wholeness.

Marketing God, Part Deux

2009-02-04T23:44:00.006-05:00

So in the previous post (below), I mentioned that at the BNI meeting I had to get up and participate twice. Actually, the second time, I didn't have to get up. Truth be told (remember my mantra), they were going to by-pass me in this round. But seeing as how it was a pass-the-basket activity, how could I as a preacher not participate and maintain any sense of integrity or image at all?

The deal was that they were passing this little basket around and as each person got it, they stood up and said what they were putting in it; either a referral slip for another member, or a thank you slip with resultant dollars earned for a referral they had received and followed up on. Sometimes, someone would reach in and take out the referral that was intended for them from someone else who had recently had their turn and put it in there.

I couldn't resist. I just couldn't.

As my table neighbor began to pass the basket around me to the next person I grabbed it and stood up.

"Your customs are strange," I said. "In my tradition, if we made everyone stand up and explain what they were putting in the basket, we'd clear out the church in a big hurry. On the other hand, maybe if we let people reach in and take what they needed as the basket came to them, the church might not be struggling with membership decline."

I got a lot of laughs. But, hey - I was being serious.

Business Networking: Smells like Evangelism??

2009-02-03T15:38:00.006-05:00

Early this morning I attended a business networking breakfast in McLean (BNI) at the invitation of my efficiency coach, Gerhard. This was the first time I had attended anything of this sort. He was making a presentation at the meeting about his service and I went to support and endorse his work.

I was caught a little off guard when at a couple of points in the meeting, each individual was expected to stand up and address the group. The first time members and then visitors in turn would give their 30-second "who I am/what I offer/the leads I need are ___" speech. For some reason I assumed that I would be exempt from this activity since, after all, I am not a business person but a priest...and one who is currently without a church. But nooooo......

The leader, looking around notices that everyone has had their turn - except moi. I look at him and with arm fully extended, eyes lasered in, he points directly at me like a birddog that has cornered a grounded pheasant. I stand up, mind racing. At that point the smile on my face is for cosmetic purposes only.

"Good morning. I'm Jennifer McKenzie and I'm an Episcopal priest. (pause) I market God."

I said more - I know I did. And it was true - I just don't necessarily remember it all. I know I said that I am particularly interested in helping people who feel disenfranchised from the church find community where they can connect to God - and I am. It's just that I wasn't quite prepared for that moment. Or, more accurately- I wasn't expecting that moment. In fact I was prepared, because as a priest who has served as an Associate for Evangelism, I have given this a lot of thought. I'm just not sure I had it down to 30 seconds. (Thanks for not dinging me at 'time's up'!)

Which is why I share this story with you. Sometimes - or maybe most of the time - it is in the most unlikely places that we are called upon to tell our story: who I am (Christian), what I offer (a life of radical hope and connection to God in community), and the leads I need are ___ (who do I think needs to hear my message?). We need to know our story, to be able to tell our story, and to tell it fast and to the point - but in a non-threatening way. I find that a little irreverent humor goes a long way in that department.

So, I'm Jennifer McKenzie. I'm an Episcopal priest. And I market God.

Smells like Evangelism to me.

Going Benedictine

2009-02-02T13:16:00.003-05:00

Several years ago I went away to attend a Benedictine Experience. It was a peace-filled week spent in community where we found a balance of time together and time alone; time for silence and time for conversation; time for prayer, for work, for study, and for rest.

While this retreat was literally a mountaintop experience, held at Kanuga in the Blue Ridge mountains of western NC, the Benedictine Life can be an every-day sort of thing. It is an alternative way of being in the world that seeks to embrace the rhythm of the day and the seasons that God has given us for our own restoration, health, and wholeness. Based on an ethos of balance, moderation, and reasonableness, it is in a word, 'Salvation.'

But Salvation must be chosen. Benedict's way of living does not come naturally to us who are socialized to be hurried, harried, achievement and reward driven consumers. We must be intentional about embracing and protecting that rhythm if we are to continue in the dance.

As I begin a new pattern of life, I have decided to intentionally recover those Benedictine practices that keep me grounded, whole, and sane. After first being introduced to St. Benedict's Rule, I learned that it was possible, even in the hectic metro DC area, to live the Benedictine life. But it is also easy to lose touch with our very lives as we seek to chase after future goals and ambitions that may or may not have anything at all to do with our life in Christ or with Salvation.

My mantra continues to be: Secrets are the seeds of dysfunction.

My prayer for today comes from St. Benedict's Prayer Book, Morning Offering for Monday, week one: "Father, we offer to you this day all our thoughts, words and actions, all our sufferings and disappointments, and all our joys. And we unite our lives with that of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen."

Time to Get Back to Blogging

2009-02-01T11:49:00.006-05:00

For every thing there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven. So says 'Kohelth', the writer of Ecclesiastes in Chapter 3, vs. 1. That pretty much describes where I am right now - reconciling myself to the fact that I am entering a time for a change of season. Maybe it is entirely appropriate that life events would shift in the way they have in the midst of winter. Sitting here in the darkest season of the year with a layer of ice-covered snow on the ground seems just about right. But what that means is that it is also a time for nesting with my family, for sitting and thinking, and for giving great thanks every time the sun comes out with strength and begins the process of melting the snow and ice - even if it leaves things a bit muddy in the meantime.

Spring will come. For now the seeds sit in the dark soil of the earth, waiting.

My new mantra: Secrets are the seeds of dysfunction.

My prayer: God I know that this matter is 'under Heaven' and that as your light shines brighter, your truth grows stronger. Be with me in the darkness and cold. Help me to remember and more deeply know the truth of your Gospel: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." Neither shall the darkness overcome your light now. Amen.

Kanuga helps me know what I think

2008-08-11T09:40:00.006-05:00

Baptism and Preaching at 5pm...Mission Committee meeting at 6pm...hitting the road to drive to NC at 7pm...a stop for Five Guys just before 10pm...and checking in at the Kanuga front desk at 3am....and yet -

Nothing beats the fresh mountain air and someone else having cooked a full-on breakfast, complete with the inimitable Kanuga toast at 8:45am!

A day of respite here is like a week of 'days off' at home. No one needs a darned thing from me and I can focus on a single endeavor and hopefully see it to completion.

My goal: To get a full draft done - maybe even edited - on a paper for continuing ed. But the paper is only the vehicle for exploring in depth something that we're about to launch at Christ Church.

The working title is "Soul Food" - for the paper and for the 'thing.' The idea is that on Wednesday nights at church we will have a community worship/meal to help launch us into our evening programs.

Granted, for many Wednesday night church is not a new concept. As a matter of fact, what we're hoping to accomplish is as old as THE church itself. Based on early house church models of a Eucharistic Agape meal, what we plan to do is to nourish folks, body and soul, around common tables in a communal fellowship. I'm seeking out lay preachers from within the parish and the clergy will be on rotation to preside at the Eucharist...I think. But that uncertainty is exactly why, my friends, I must get to the paper writing. As E. M. Forster wrote, "How do I know what I think until I see what I say?"

All's Well That Ends Amazingly!

2008-08-03T23:27:00.001-05:00

It's late and like the little rose in the photo at left, I really want to go to bed. However, I would be remiss if I didn't at least mention a couple of things about our last full team day here in Honduras.

First, we had a rare opportunity as a mission team when this morning some of our team members became Godparents for some of the OLR girls! It was a very moving service, so make sure you check out the 'Honduras II' photo album at left to get a sense of the spirit of joy and celebration that started off our Sunday. [Warning: Album photos have not been edited yet so there are some really poor quality shots floating around there.]

Second, we partied like it was 1999 tonight at the 'Disco des las Rosas' complete with loud dance tunes, a disco ball (spun ably by Tall-Man-Ted), and confetti eggs. What a great end to a wonderful trip. As we had our final team circle time tonight back at the hotel, the question shifted from "Where did you see a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven in the day?" to "Where did you sense God at work in YOU?" We have all had profound experiences of being part of something greater than ourselves, of reaching out with love we don't always realize we have in us, and of moving in new directions and being stretched in new ways.

This trip team has really been fantastic and we all gave prayerful thanks that God called us here together and bound us with one heart and mind to serve God, serve the people of Honduras, and serve each other. Thanks be to God!

Peace Out.

SABBATH

2008-08-02T22:43:00.000-05:00

Today was beach day. A bus load of girls from OLR and our two vans of team members headed out this morning for a lovely coastal resort where we played in the sand and surf, had a great lunch on the veranda, and then spent the afternoon at a water-park-like pool. Here are the pictures to prove it:

FIESTA!

2008-08-01T22:40:00.010-05:00

Today was another one of those long and yet wonderful days, where at the end of the day we're tired, and sweaty, but feel like the girls really had a great day...and so did we! They never cease to amuse us with their creativity, energy, and antics.

Part of our group did another round of pool ministry, while the rest of us treated the girls who didn't go to the pool to a "Spa Day." We did pedicures, manicures, hair-do's and makeup. Of course the girls wanted to get in on the action and try out their creative skills on us. For some reason, all the guys on the team opted for the pool ministry. Hmmm... Nevertheless, you can see by the pics that there was some real creativity involved in this activity!

Tonight we hosted a Fiesta for the group. Turns out that our highly informed guide and driver, Julio, is also an excellent chef. That was some of the best potato salad and pork chops I've ever had! Ron ran the grill while the girls ate healthy portions of everything topped off with their favorite - watermelon!

But before we got to that portion of the meal, we shared Eucharist in the pavilion around tables arranged in the shape of a cross. Several of the girls participated in leadership roles - their English skills are very impressive. One of them acted as my interpreter as I gave an introduction, instructions, and the homily. You can see in the picture how we morphed the holy table into the family table.

Tomorrow we head to the beach for a much needed Sabbath day with about 50 of the girls! Sabbath? Well.....it may not be the ideal, but it will be a joyful one.

Peace Out.

Dropping like flies

2008-07-31T23:04:00.010-05:00

Two down today - team members that is. According to our fearless leader, Ron, this is the point in the trip where people usually start to feel sick - partly from being tired and the stress of being with a group in another country and culture - and partly because immuno-defenses are down from being tired and stressed and so the microscopic critters have more power.

Why would we be stressed in a place like this, you might ask? Well, the drive back yesterday through land-slide damaged roads and crazy lane changes (are there lanes?) might have something to do with it!

On the bright side, Jay (a.k.a. "Jota") joined us today, arriving safely and encountering a wait at immigration very similar to ours (see first post from this trip). Also on the bright side, we finished painting the interior of the house and several of our group led the girls in singing, in making tie-dye t-shirts, and in dying their pinatas. The girls really got into these activities - and so did our team members.

Tomorrow is another round of pool ministry and a 'spa day' activity for the girls. There will also be a surf party in the afternoon with a Eucharist and dinner prepared by our team for the girls in the evening.

Pray for better health for Jared and Ann Ra. Pray for continued blessings and glimpses of the Kingdom of Heaven for our team. And give thanks for the dedication and beautiful spirits of those who have come here on behalf of Jesus and his church to love and serve the girls and staff at Our Little Roses.

Excursion Day

2008-07-30T22:01:00.008-05:00

Last night we bid farewell to Anne R. and Kris A. who both had to return to the States today. We had to say 'bye last night because while their flight wasn't leaving until noon, the rest of our team had to board the vans at 6:30 AM to head out for a trip to the Copan ruins and - for some of our group - an adventure on the zip lines.

The real adventure though, was the cultural encounters we had on the drive to Copan and back through the rural mountain areas. Here are some photo highlights:

And here are some from the Copan ruins:

My camera battery died on me tonight right in the middle of downloading pictures from my camera, so I'll post more tomorrow.

At any rate, we had a fantastic day and the road trip gave us a chance to process with each other some of what we've been seeing and hearing as we've spent time with the girls. We got to ask questions of our resident experts and come to some greater understanding of the culture and specific situations that they are in.

Tomorrow, team mate Jay H. will be joining the group for the remainder of our stay. Also tomorrow morning several of our group will be going over to the home for a meeting with the women in charge at OLR because this Sunday, some of our group members in response to God's call will become Godparents for some of the girls who will be baptized at the cathedral. What a unique opportunity to be a different kind of sponsor for these precious girls at OLR!

More on that as the week goes forward.

Peace Out.

Another Day, Another Limpira

2008-07-29T17:36:00.008-05:00

We've had another wonderful day with the girls - and it ain't over yet. This evening we take a group of them to see "Kung Fu Panda." We're taking bets on whether it's dubbed or subtitled.

This morning some of our group took the girls for an outing to a swimming pool, while others of us worked with some of the older girls on making individual bulletin boards, and others still did some painting in a new house that will be a transitional home for some of the older girls. The current transitional home just down the street from OLR is going to become an annex to the language school. The plan is for it to offer outreach to the community to teach English - which they can't do in the current school since it is within the confines of the OLR home where the girls live.

In the afternoon the little girls worked on pinatas while the older girls finished up their bulletin boards and some of us tried to finish up the painting.

It has been a full day. We've wielded hand saws, jig saws, paint brushes, rollers, and towels. We've donned swimsuits, sweaty t-shirts, and headbands. We're covered with sweat, paint, flour paste, and bugspray. But most of all we have experienced glimpses of the Kingdom of God over and over again. What a day!

Tomorrow is team day where we head out for a little team-building experience on ziplines and also get a history lesson at the Mayan ruins at Copan. Thursday we will be back at the home to finish up projects. I'll post more photos of the girls' bullletin boards and pinatas as well as of the new house then.

Peace Out

Monday in Honduras

2008-07-28T23:47:00.004-05:00

Today we started early. Out the door at 6:30 am to meet up with several of the girls for a hike up to the Coca Cola sign on the edge of the city. It was a pretty steep climb, but on a mostly paved private road.

At the bottom of the hill there is a gate with a guard.

Just across from the gate is a house under construction that is pretty typical of houses in this area. Many have turrets or gatehouses. All have bars and either electric fence wires or concertina wire on top of the walls. Julio, our guide and one of our drivers, explained that most of those homes were build in the 1970's...you figure it out!

The hike was a strenous 1 hour + climb to the top where we were rewarded with a fantastic view and happy girls climbing the trees and picking mangoes to toss down to their friends.

Later we went over to the home and were briefed by two of the women who help run the program there. We spent some more time with the girls and then we split up with some different tasks.

Ian and I were on the detail to go to the market with Anne to get the confetti eggs for the fiesta we're hosting for the girls later in the week.

While there, some of us nearly got locked into the marketplace as it was closing. The trouble with this picture is that you can't really tell who's in and who's out. I'll leave it up to you to guess whether it was them or me.

Tonight was a real treat as we had dinner at a chiariscuro (sp?) rooftop restaurant that not only had a fantastic view but also gave us a chance to spend time with some of the girls from OLR who are now grown and have families of their own. Dinner at this table felt much like what I imagine a meal at the Great Banqueting Table of Heaven must be like. And by the end of the day we were happily pooped!

Peace Out.

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like...

2008-07-28T00:06:00.003-05:00

Today at the Cathedral we heard this portion of the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-49a where Jesus talks about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Tonight, after spending the better part of the afternoon and evening with the girls, hosting an "Olympics" and having dinner with them, we can back to the hotel and had a team circle time. Jared, one of our clergy residents at Christ Church and a deacon. read this gospel of the day for us. I then asked the group how they would describe glimpses of the Kingdom of Heaven that they had seen today. Some of their answers were:

In the way the girls really sang out on all the hymns and how they knew them all by heart
Seeing the girls' faces as they waited in line for some tres leches cake
Watching how the older girls really looked after the younger girls
Seeing the exuberance of the girls as they played the "olympic" games

Do you detect a theme? Clearly one of the opportunities we have while we are here is to "tune our eyes" so that we can more readily recognize those moments when the Kingdom of Heaven breaks into the current reality of life. If we can take home with us eyes and ears and hearts that are more finely tuned to God's signs of the kingdom, then we truly will have received a gift more precious than any we might have brought along on the trip with us.

Peace Out

DOMINGO

2008-07-27T23:29:00.012-05:00

We began our day with Breakfast and then headed out to the Cathedral for a Celebracion de la Santa Eucaristia - and "Celebracion" is truly what it was. The music was vibrant, the people were joyous, and we left feeling truly fed.

Here's a brief taste of what the music before the service sounded like:

Later, after having lunch back at the hotel we went for a little tour of the outskirts of town and then on to the transitional house for the girls from Our Little Roses who are in college.

On the tour we learned about the Bordo area - which is the type of area where many of the girls have come from. On one side of the highway is the Universidad and a really nice looking gated community. On the other side of the highway, literally across the street - and the stream - is el bordo. Some pics:

I'll post about the transitional program and our reflections on the day separately.

Peace Out

RETURN TO BLOGOSPHERE - via HONDURAS

2008-07-26T22:00:00.000-05:00

Is that possible? Well, we won't get into time lapses or time travel or anything like that. But to answer the question: Yes, you can get to the blogosphere via Honduras - at least from the Gran Sula Hotel you can.

I left the US out of Reagan National Airport (DC) yesterday morning and after 6 hours of airtravel and 3 hours of standing in line for a 2 minute immigration check-in, we headed for our hotel in San Pedro Sula.

The "We" is a mission team from Christ Church. And where "We" are headed is to spend about 10 days here with the girls at the Our Little Roses home for girls (below) right here in San Pedro Sula.

I'm going to try to download and post some pics of my own. Check back with me when you can.

BTW: I just thought that this might be a good alternative story line to whatever news might be coming out of Lambeth...

Peace Out.

Whoa! Has it really almost been 6 months?

2007-12-10T08:28:00.001-05:00

OK - so to say that life got busy after June would be an understatement. In July I finished up my final residency for my doctor of ministry program - still have the actual project thesis work to do, but residential classwork is done. Then we went on vacation. And, July 31st I began my ministry at Christ Church. That's pretty much when life changed as I know it.

I went from a part-time ministry position as an assitant in a small parish (about 300 members), to a full-time position as Associate Rector for mission & outreach, adult faith formation, and evangelism in a huge parish (over 2000 members).

All I'm saying is that with over 40 ministries that I'm responsible for (and growing) and with the level of commitment required to begin ministry in a church that size in terms of getting to know the people, the place, the practices - it's been all consuming.

But now, it's Advent. Time to ratchet back a notch and start writing again. So, here goes...

Tag - I'm it! Eight Random Facts Meme

2007-06-23T20:46:00.000-05:00

I got tagged by Gallycat! How did that happen? I didn't even feel a ripple in the force! Well, here goes...

First, the rules. Then, the meme.

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3.At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I can write in cursive in mirror image. I learned how to do this when I learned that my 8th grade English teacher wrote her test keys that way so she could keep the answer key out and students couldn't read it!

2. I have major hitch-hiker's thumb on my right hand - so much so that I can bend it back to a 90-degree angle without using any help (like pressure from other fingers).

3. It wasn't until 6th grade that I met another kid with the name Jennifer - eventually the most popular girl's name in the country.

4. I don't drink coffee - at all - I think it smells bad, too. Yuck!

5. We picked out our daughter's name, Augusta (old family name that hadn't been used in four generations), before we got married in 1988. She was born in August eleven years later!

6. When I was in high school I was in the color guard - twirled flag and rifle. We were pretty bitchin' - won first place in the Marching Band Grand Nationals Competition (1981 Tate High School)

7. I used to sky dive when I was in college - was even the secretary of the sport parachute club.

8. I know how to tell a he-crab from a she-crab and also know how to make a crab relax so much it will curl in its little claws and go to sleep.

OK - your turn friends: Lia, Amy, Caroline, Brian...got to think of four more!

Sunday Morning Sports

2007-06-14T23:16:00.000-05:00

I've just finished and submitted an article to Episcopal Cafe on this subject and will put the link here once it's posted there.

But in the meantime...for any and all of you lurkers out there - I want your comments, please!

We just finally had to make the call that we knew was inevitable: we had to say no to a Sunday morning sports event. Now, keep in mind, this is for an all-star soccer team following a terrific regular season and play-off tournament.

I don't know about you but I'm just 'done' with the whole notion that kids' sports rule our lives to the extent that they supersede family dinner time, family down-time, and church.

I even thought about this from a multi-religious standpoint and wondered how then you deal with Saturday for Jews, etc. But I think - and someone please correct me if I'm wrong - that for Muslims, Friday is the big day, for Jews the Shabbat at home on Friday night is the main thing...but for Christians - Sunday morning is huge to our identity. We are the church, and Sunday morning is ours. So, I'm just tired of these sporting takeovers of Sunday mornings.

Of course that leaves the whole issue of sabbath time for any and all of us out of the discussion.

But, I hear that in Britain sports events happen through the schools in the afternoons- think Hogwarts quiddich matches - and are in rotation with study halls and tutorials such that when kids go home at the end of the day 'round supper time, they are 'done' with school for the day, homework and all - and their weekends are mostly free. This just seems so much more reasonable and balanced to me.

What is our problem? Why have we allowed our kids' sports and activities to dominate and even dictate our family discretionary time?

Church Marketing?

2007-06-05T08:53:00.001-05:00

Out there - or should I say 'in there' - in the world of the church, there is a tendency to think of marketing as...well...yucky. When you start to talk to church people about things like 'brand identity' or 'advertising' or 'managing perception', we tend to cock our heads a little, squint our eyes and wrinkle our noses. Why is that?

Maybe because we tend to equate 'marketing' with selling somebody something they don't really need - or giving someone the 'hard sell'.

It seems to me that what marketing is really about is effectively communicating, reaching out to let people know about something that they may or may not realize they need, and helping them to connect to it.

Like the Gospel, for instance. Doesn't everyone need and want a little Good News (which is the literal translation of 'gospel') ?

Where here's a little bit of good news about some reaching out that the Episcopal Church is doing:

Episcopal Cafe got recognition today by the Episcopal Life Online news service. Read their great article here.

Trinity Sunday and It Feels Like Church

2007-06-03T19:14:00.000-05:00

This morning I went back to visit with my new friends at The Falls Church Episcopal - a temporary community for me as I soujourn until my next ministry post begins. There were several visitors there today. Some were from local churches that had donated or loaned items for worship: a lectern, chalices, Bibles, Hymnals, Prayer Books, paschal candle, an Episcopal flag. Some were there because...well, just because they wanted to be supportive or see what was going on. Two guests were from as far away as Boston and Atlanta and one man, who is a member of a neighboring Episcopal church lived across the street!

Today was Trinity Sunday - a day that is always a challenge for preachers as we try to explain the unexplainable. The interim priest , Michael Pipkin, did a bang-up job though as he focused his sermon on how the Trinity is a way of understanding God - not intellectually, but experientially and relationally. I won't do it justice here so I won't try. Just suffice it to say that the sermon was apropo given the goings-on there today:

The donated and loaned items were blessed - prayed over by the congregation using words of thanks and gratitude. There continues to be a spirit of tremendous hospitality, warmth, and thanksgiving for this remnant church.

They had an indoor picnic (rained all day) after the service - yummy bar-b-que - which was shared with the visitors and members of the Falls Church Presbyterian, their hosts.

It's very Jesus-like, don't you think: where guest becomes host?

It feels to me like how church should feel.

My favorite moment: the man who stood up to read the first lesson (from Isaiah) was holding his bottle-toting toddler in his arms as he read the scripture.

My other favorite part: they aren't just keeping to themselves. They have reached out and established connections with so many other churches in the area and also had a table set up at their local Memorial Day Community celebration - with a picture in the local paper of elder-member Jesse Thackrey (scroll down the linked page to see the photo). BTW - Jesse has been a member of The Falls Church since 1941!

To read more about my sojourn with this group take a look at Episcopal Cafe - The Daily Episcopalian - where I tell about worshipping with them last Sunday on Pentecost.

Making the Most of the Time

2007-05-31T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today, I was playing "tourist in your hometown." That's a little game we folks who live here in the metro DC area like to play from time to time. We try to not take for granted the fact that we have a plethora of living stones, crafted into architecturally astounding buildings and monuments that house some of the most significant pieces of history anywhere, all within walking distance of one another.

I played this game today because I am hosting my best-friend's daughter for the week. I made an offer that I have gladly been taken up on: I told my friend that when each of her daughters turned 15, I would host them on their own private tour of DC. So...daughter #3 is here from Atlanta, and we are making the most of the time. At least, I thought we were doing a pretty good job of that until that thought was challenged.

We started off the day dropping my son at school at 7:30 am. We walked to the nearby National Cathedral where we were able to slip in for a mostly under-the-radar self-guided tour. As a priest in the diocese, its a place that I'm all too acquainted with so I felt equipped to lead this tour amidst the whir of the floor polishers and the hushed business of resetting chairs and mopping up some uninvited water. It was blessedly peaceful and a meaningful time.

We then hopped back in the car and headed for downtown. I had made arrangements with a pastor friend to park in her church's garage which is in close proximity to the day's destinations: The International Spy Museum and the National Archives. Both sites were great to see and we had fun.

But the particular thing that challenged my thought that I was "making the most of the time" occurred at the unlikely venue of the Hard Rock Cafe.

We were seated at the far end of the dining room opposite the bar. After a few minutes of browsing the menu we realized that 'something' was going on. There were excited noises from the crowd in the center of the restaurant so we looked. At the far end, on the elevated platform where the bar is was a man...dancing! He looked to be in his 50's. As soon as the ripple of noise moved through the room, I noticed one of the waiters coming out from around the corner near our booth. Smiling he said, "Ken must be here!"

When our waitress came to take our order I asked, "So, who is this dancing Ken guy?" She rolled her eyes a little and said, "Oh, Ken. He comes here every day."

"Every day?"

"Twice a day."

"Twice a day?"

Shaking her head she said, "He's here for lunch and then again after work. He just - dances. "

"So he works?" my young friend queried.

I said, "So he must work pretty close by..."

"Yep," she said, "F.B.I."

I nearly spewed the water I had just sipped.

Ken was not a great dancer. He only had about three moves. Once, about three songs into his little routine, he busted a new move and the crowd really took notice. He danced a little more, then sat down and ate his lunch nonchalantly.

Things I noticed:

1) He was having SOME FUN! And he seemed to really like the fact that everyone else was, too.

2) He smiled and faced the rest of the crowd the whole time he was doing this.

3) He didn't seem to care one bit about what anyone else was thinking. Clearly he liked the attention.

4) He was not a great dancer, but man! Ken could DANCE!

Things I wonder:

1) Since he worked in a mostly "classified" environment, did daily doses of public dancing serve to 'bare his soul' in some cathartic way?

2) Has anyone ever jumped up there and started dancing with him? If so, how much of the joint did he get jumping?

3) Could I ever make the most of the time in a safe, healthy, happy, inspiring, fun, foolish but not foolhardy way like Ken the dancing guy was doing?

Things I felt:

1) Happy - he brought a smile to our faces.

2) Lucky - what a great story to get to tell.

3) Sad - I love to dance, yet I doubt that I would ever have the gumption to do what he's doing.

Read Ephesians 5:10-16. You can find it here.

What could you do to Make the Most of the Time you have?

The Remnant

2007-05-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, Pentecost, I decided to worship with the faithful Episcopal remnant of The Falls Church, here in northern Virginia. An article about this visit is posted at Episcopal Cafe in the Daily Episcopalian section. Go take a look-see - it was a wonderful experience!

P.S. The artwork above is: Asian Remnant Oil on Canvas 30 x 30 in (75 x 75 cm) by Marie Sarni

"Welcome to the Party!"

2007-05-27T13:21:00.000-05:00

Ironically, (see post immediately below) those were the words that I was greeted with by the Rev. Michael Pipkin this morning at The Falls Church Episcopal worship service. His was not the only warm welcome that I received - even when I was 'outed' as a priest in cognito.

This morning, after sleeping on my decision on where to go to church today with this time off that I have, I easily made the choice of going to The Falls Church rather than the National Cathedral. I love the cathedral and have worshipped there on several occasions - including my ordination to the Diaconate (2004) and Charles Keyser's (my cousin) consecration as Bishop of the Armed Forces (1989) and many, many times in-between and since. However, there was just something about going to a small gathering of faithful but marginalized folks, meeting in an upper room on the Feast of Pentecost that won out over the impersonal pomp and regalia of the grand cathedral.

It was so great to be there. It just felt so right. I am really glad I went. I will go back. I will spend the month of June sojourning with this faithful band.

Waiting and Watching

2007-05-26T20:59:00.000-05:00

As tonight fades into tomorrow, the Christian world will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. This is one of the top high holy days of the Christian calendar - and a favorite of mine - that marks the time when, 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus (Easter), the disciples were doing what they were told. They were waiting, huddled together in that same upper room where they had shared the Passover Meal with Jesus almost 2 months earlier and where they had seen the risen Christ eat a piece of fish.

I'm sitting here tonight, temporarily churchless. Last Sunday marked my final day serving with the people of St. David's and my new post at Christ Church won't officially begin until the end of July. I've been trying to decide where to spend tomorrow....and I'm torn.

On the one hand, I'd really like to visit one of the remnant churches here in Virginia in a show of support - like the group from The Falls Church that is meeting at a nearby Presbyterian church. And I will visit them on some Sunday during this time apart that I have. But, tomorrow is such a big day...such a big party day...I'm kinda leaning towards going to the National Cathedral for a big hoopla of a Feast Day. I've decided to just rest with the decision tonight and see where I'm led in the morning. In the meantime though, all this thinking's got me thinking.

I can't imagine what that time of waiting must have been like for the disciples crowded in that upper room with close companions. Would there have been a party-like atmosphere as they eagerly anticipated Jesus' promise fulfilled - maybe like a surprise party as they waited for the guest of honor to show up? You know, lots of people trying to sit really still but they can't help making funny comments to try to get someone else to laugh out loud while the biggest worrier keeps making shushing noises...false alarms..."I hear him!"..."no, that was just the man downstairs coming back from his mother's house..."

Or, would they have all been sitting solemnly, afraid to look at each other too much out of reverent and holy fear? What did they think would happen? The last time that the "Holy Spirit came upon" someone, Mary got preggers...what did they think about this terminology? What did they think it woul mean for them?

Or were they just bored in that "arewethereyet? arewethereyet?" kind of way?

The one thing we are told in the opening chapter of the Book of Acts is that while they were waiting they devoted themselves to prayer - and that the disciples who were gathered were - get this - men and women...and - now get this - that they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit - all wearing flames on their heads, which, incidentally, is what a bishop's miter is symbolic of (click here to see a photo of one from an earlier post).

Some icons depicting the Pentecost Event have Mary front and center (like the one from Mexico in the sidebar above). However, strangely there are several - including the Orthodox version - that not only exclude the women from the depiction, but include Paul and Mark, neither of whom were there!

Now, icons are supposed to be metaphorical "windows" to God. They are heavily laden with symbols to express realities that can't be captured in a realism styled drawing.

But the fact that the women are excluded from these Orthodox icons has got me wondering yet again - and that wondering is part of the reason, I think, why I'm hesitating to go to The Falls Church remnant gathering tomorrow. If I go, I know I'll go in my civies, not my clerical collar, which on the one hand is perfectly fine - by design they're not exactly comfortable - I'm glad to have this break.

But what bothers me is what is not fine about the decision not to wear the collar: If I did show up there in clericals, I might be seen as a real interloper - someone who is being intentionally antagonistic, because even this remnant group are conservative enough that they rejected the offer by some local clergy women to come and serve them as priest when they were regrouping. And that just all seems very anti-Pentecost to me.

So...I just don't know. I'm going to have to sleep on it.

Yesterday's Blowout

2007-05-21T21:25:00.000-05:00

So there I was, cruising home on the Capital Beltway (outer loop in VA), on my way home after a very emotional day of farewells to the wonderful people at St. David's Church. You see, yesterday was my last day serving them as pastor and priest - so we had lots of good things to say to each other, lots of ways to celebrate, remember and cherish our time together - and we topped it all off with a huge delicious cake - actually two huge delicious cakes.

And then, on my way home with my mom and three kids in the car...there I was, cruising home on the beltway...and suddenly it sounded like a helicopter was hovering overhead. Except that I quickly realized that it was not a helicopter but a very loud noise that involved rumbling and shaking the right rear passenger quarter of my Honda Odyssey mini-van...then simultaneously my mother and I saw the smoke and my little girl began to cry saying, "Mommy, I'm really scared!"

I pulled over as quickly and safely as I could to discover that my right rear tire had blown out the sidewall - you can see the photo above - both on the right and left sides of the tire. After AAA told me that while they would make me a top priority because of our location, normally routine roadside assistance calls take about 1.5 hours to get to in this area. Thankfully, a Fairfax County K9 officer pulled over, blue lights on, and changed my tire for me. And, thankfully I was only two miles from my exit, with only about 7 miles total to get home.

Once home, I crashed. I felt about as deflated as that tire looked - just plum wrung out emotionally.

So today I went out early and got four new tires for the van (they were due for replacement anyway) and then I decided that I needed a new start to my time off - some new tread for me. So now I have new cycling shoes and shorts, new running pants, a new pedometer and a new weight-tracking bathroom scales. I'm geared up for reclaiming my physical health and putting new wheels on this tired, way-too-fat bod.

I'm hoping that having new stuff will get me past the initial excuses of "nothing to wear that's appropriate and/or comfortable" but now I need accountability. Anybody out there have any good suggestions for me????

32-year-old Elected Bishop

2007-05-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

I just received news that The Rev. Sean Rowe has been elected bishop in his home diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania. I was acquainted with Sean while he was a senior seminarian and I was a part-time student at the same seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary. His full acceptance as Bishop is pending approval by a majority of Dioceses according to Canon Law, but it is unlikely that any controversy will arise that would prevent the consents.

This is big news for our Episcopal church because for so long being elected Bishop has seemed more dependent on having leapt from one right church to the next - each successively larger and more impressive - than on being particularly gifted in apostolic and pastoral ministry. Read Sean's statement about his life of ministry and calling here.

This is also big news for our church because Sean's election marks a moment of the church putting its money where its mouth is in terms of honoring the gifts and voices of young adults in our church. Sean will be facing major challenges as he begins to lead a diocese that is in demographic and economic decline. May God's Peace be with you Sean as you seek to serve the least and the lost while living into God's clarion call to a Kingdom Life of service and witness.

hookers and Hooker

2007-05-18T22:35:00.000-05:00

According to Wayne Besen in his article below, even a red-light district hooker would blush if she heard about the high rate of premarital sex and STD's in Nigeria. Maybe so or maybe no, but I think he's really on the money in this analysis of Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola's deference to exercising ecclesial power in a distant land (USA) over serving the least and the lost in his homeland (Nigeria). Corruption and chaos rule there, and yet Akinola sees fit to fly the coop and fail his own people in favor of igniting more scandal and ruin in The Episcopal Church. If original Anglican Richard Hooker were alive, he would be red-faced for a whole different reason.

Anything But Straight: Nigeria’s Frequent Flyer
By Wayne Besen Thursday, 03 May 2007

"...While the political elites in Abuja will use guns to maintain dominion over voters, Akinola will be lording over a ceremony in Old Dominion to install church rector Martyn Minns as the bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, a subsidiary of the Nigerian church. Basically, conservatives who think the Episcopal Church is too liberal, are refusing to submit to its authority, and instead have opted to align themselves with Akinola.

What I find outlandish is that Akinola and his Anglican apostates get all bent out of shape about a gay bishop in sleepy New Hampshire, but fall asleep at the wheel over real problems faced by Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.

Is Robisnon's sexual orientation more important than the heartbreaking fact that two million Africans die from AIDS-related illnesses each year, according to Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission?

Does a New England homosexual take precedence over the nearly 3,000 African children who die each day from malaria? Is the gay issue a bigger moral concern than the 40 million African children who are not currently in school?

Or, what about the fact that Nigeria has profited to the lavish tune of a half trillion dollars from oil revenues in less than fifty years - and yet, seventy percent of Nigerians live in abject poverty with exiguous incomes of less than one dollar a day? (Presumably, these peasants are not the ones sitting in the pews of Akinola's lavish church).

Akinola would have you believe that he must come to America to save us from our decadence. Yet, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, Nigeria is awash in premarital sex and has STD rates that would make a red light district hooker blush..."

Read the whole article from the Falls Church News Press online here.

CREDO 120

2007-05-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a while - that's because recently (May 7-14) I went on a church sponsored conference/retreat for Episcopal Clergy called CREDO. The word credo comes from Latin and is closely related to the English word "creed." Generally people think it means, "I believe" and it does often get translated that way.

However, our understanding of the word "believe" has changed over the last few centuries - the original sense of the word really is more like "I give my heart to..." This understanding implies a path, a journey, a movement forward into something that is beyond ourselves right now.

The reason for the conference, sponsored by our church's pension fund, is to help clergy more fully give their hearts to God and to the people whom God has called them to serve. The practice of finding spacious blocks of time over the course of a week in order to reflect on components of a life of ministry - spiritual, vocational, health, and financial - is one that is all too often neglected by people in "helping professions."

This week was truly a gift to all of us on CREDO 120 held at the Duncan Gray Retreat Center near Canton, MS. Below are some photos, taken by Fr. Brian Winter of Arizona, from that week. Enjoy!

Brian Winters' Photos (see post above)

2007-05-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

Truth

2007-04-28T18:48:00.000-05:00

Truth is a theme that's been cropping up for me quite a bit lately.

I have a child at that developmental stage where the necessity of trying to sort out truth claims from convenient lies is an all too often occurence in our household.
I have another child who should be beyond that developmental stage and yet, when telling a lie is easier in the short run, the truth seems to lose out way too easily.
During Lent, one of the Biblical texts at the forefront of Holy Week relates the question that Pontius Pilate poses to Jesus as he is about to condemn him at the urgining of the gathered public is "What is truth?" (John 18:38)
My denomination - the Episcopal Church - has been wrestling with coming to an understanding of what truth is in regard to the Bible, our holy scriptures. (Read this article by a colleague regarding truth.)
Today I was listening to a story on the radio about the writ of habeas corpus and how that most basic component of democracy is being abused by our president and the truth of stories of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay is the victim.
The Dean of Admissions at MIT had to resign amidst the scandal that she had lied about her credentials over 25 years ago and "never had the courage" to correct that misleading information on her resume.
Earlier this week there was another story - that of football player/soldier Pat Tillman and soldier Jessica Lynch whose true war stories were intentionally changed into more palatable lies by Pentagon officials to distract from the Abut Ghraib prison scandal and to garner greater public support for the war.

Local Congressional Representative Tom Davis seemed to sum up the situation best with his rhetorical question to the congressional panel investigating these blatant incidents of twisting Truth when he asked, "If the first casualty of war is the truth, what happens when the wound is self-inflicted?"

Unfortunately, this is a wound that is self-inflicted more often than not. How many times do we lie about circumstances in order to make an easier path for ourselves and end up with a much worse scenario than if we had just confronted the more difficult truth?

It seems to me that lies serve to keep us stuck where we are when we should be moving forward. The truth that is deflected is usually the truth that we need to prod us into confronting something within ourselves that needs to be transformed, that needs to be changed. In fact, the Psalms tell us that when lies come from us then our throats are like an open grave. Lies can be deadly - for the spirit, for our reputation, for our relationships.

Jesus said "know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)
Lies bind us to the worst parts of ourselves and our stories while truth - even painful truth - sets us free to explore new territory - to grow and to become more of who God has created us to be.

So what is truth? Truth is the food that fuels new growth, that challenges our assumptions, that so often forces us to think outside the box. Truth is the tool that cuts the shackles and cuts us loose. Truth is the way to freedom and peace. Truth is God's way - often tough and demanding, but always ultimately the better path.

What do you say truth is? Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts...

That Was Then, This Is Now

2007-04-23T22:23:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday was a preacher's challenge: the Joy of Eastertide clashing with the killings at Virginia Tech. Here's my sermon attempt - I'd be interested in your thoughts...

April 22, 2007
Year C, 3rd Sunday in Easter:

Acts 9:1-19a, Revelation 5:6-14; John 21:1-14

“Open the Eyes of Our Faith”

A Sermon preached at St. David’s Church
In the City and Diocese of Washington, D.C.
By The Rev. Jennifer G. McKenzie

Gracious God, we pray that you will open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold Jesus in all his redeeming work. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer: Collect for 3 Easter)

All it takes is one haunting event – one occasion of deep grief – to change our lives forever. To change the way we understand our world. All is takes is one occasion of grief and confusion to create that line in our mind that divides between “that was then” and “this is now.” For many in our country – especially our young people, the horrific event of the massacre at Virginia Tech this past Monday will be that occasion of a great divide.

What event in your life marks that divide? Which times in your life fall into the “that was then” category? And which times in your life have become the “this is now” moments?

If we take some time to reflect on our lives and remember, and if we are honest with ourselves about these memories, we can probably point to several “dividing line” moments: some joyful but most grief-filled.

Some of these moments are deeply personal: The death of a spouse. The adoption or birth of a child. A commitment to “have and to hold from this day forward.” The divorce of parents. The start of a new job. A move to a new town. Buying our first house.

Some of these moments are engraved on the public consciousness: The assassinations of JFK and MLK. The bombing of Pearl Harbor. A declaration of War. The Riots in Los Angeles. Kent State. 9/11. Columbine. And now, the massacre at Viriginia Tech.

Certainly for St. Paul, still called Saul at that point in his life, being knocked off of his donkey onto his….derriere by a blinding light was one of those moments. And certainly three days later when the scales fell from his eyes of faith and he saw Jesus’ disciple Ananias standing before him praying for his sight to be restored must have been another one of those moments.

And for the disciples? Well, for the disciples of Jesus – there was a whole string of events in rapid fire succession: The triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Betrayal in the Garden, The Arrest and Scourging of Jesus, his Crucifixion, his Death and Burial, the disappearance of his body from the Tomb, the word of the angel and Mary that “He is Not Here – He is Risen!” and then finally Jesus’ appearance among them behind locked doors after his resurrection.

Is it any wonder that after all these things, Peter was at the point of saying to the gathered disciples, “You know what, y’all? I’m going fishing.” No surprise that their response was, “Hang on a minute – we’re coming too.”

To me, this scene is no surprise because in the midst of grief and confusion, our human instinct is to seek a return to the comfort of the familiar. How many times this past week have we heard the phrase, “return to normality?” To think this way is instinctive. Like the disciples, we can’t help ourselves in the face of grief. “You know what y’all? I’m going fishing.” Or, probably more prevalent in our culture is the bumper sticker sentiment, “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.”

But Jesus, hailed and Hosanna-ed, betrayed and beaten, Jesus crucified - murdered, buried and resurrected – this Jesus offers another way. Where we can’t help ourselves, Jesus steps into the fray and helps us. Jesus helps us to see anew with the eyes of our faith that in fact a line has irreversibly been crossed. Jesus signals that normal is normal no more.

So not normal is this fishing expedition that when Jesus appears on the beach, ready to host a Bar-B-Que, the disciples don’t even recognize their Lord. The same Lord with whom they had just spent three years traveling. The same Lord with whom they had intense conversations. The disciples simply don't recognize Jesus. Certainly in the midst of this time of confusion their minds traveled back across that great divide to the “that was then” time when they first encountered Jesus.

On that day three years earlier, standing by the shore, their Master's first words to them were, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

But that was then and this is now. Certainly on this day as Jesus again stood on the shore and called out to these fishermen they heard more in his poignant question than a simple conversation-starter from a stranger. “Children, have you any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

“Children, have you realized that you’ve crossed a line and your world will never be the same?” “No.”

“Children, have you become fully aware of the truth that is in you that has the capacity to set yourselves and the whole world free?” “No.”

“Children, have you remembered that I promised to pray for you and that God is keeping you in the world for a reason? “No.”

“Children, have you acknowledged God’s power working in you to do infinitely more than you can ask or imagine?” “No.”

“Children, have you taken your experiences of ministering with me and incorporated them into your lives in such a way that you now fish for men?” “No.”

He said to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

He did not say to them, “No more fishing for you.”
He did not say to them, “Ehhh...Just keep doing what you’re doing and eventually maybe your luck will change.”
He did not say to them, “What are you, a bunch of losers – or simply idiots?”
He did not say to them, “Get out of the boat and let me handle this.”

He said to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” Look guys, I know this is going to sound a little weird, but the fish are there. Trust me. Sometimes just a small change in orientation – just a shift in perspective – is all that is needed.
So, follow my instructions. Take up your net, turn around and face the other direction, and cast your net again.

And, with eyes wide open, they cast the net…and this time…this time they were not able to haul it in for the quantity of fish was so great: a hundred and fifty-three to be exact.

And although there were so many, the net was not torn.

We are disciples. We tend, in the midst of our grief and confusion to return to what is familiar. But Jesus calls us beyond the familiar – beyond grief and confusion – to resurrection life with him.

What is resurrection life?

· Resurrection life is a life where we take up our nets and become fishers of men – we tell the story of our faith to those who are outside the church and then we say to them, “Come and See.”
· Resurrection life is a life where we aren’t surprised when Jesus calls to us – we expect to hear the master’s voice speaking words of encouragement and instruction and challenging our perspectives and our comfort zones – and we are obedient to that voice.

· Resurrection life is a life where if at first we don’t succeed, we don’t just try, try again – but we try new things, we try to change our perspective and trust that God has something great in store for us.

· Resurrection life is a life where with the psalmist we rejoice, praise, and we aren’t afraid to sing a new song – to trust God and be bold in our worship.

· Resurrection life is where we recognize that Jesus has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God – and we do serve God when we serve God’s beloved saints from every tribe and language and people and nation – we reach out to those who are different from us.

· Resurrection life is the life lived as the church not simply in the church. We are bold to be who we are – people on a journey of transformed lives, living their lives for the world around them.

· Resurrection life is new life breathed into tired disciples – disciples that are willing to cast our nets in a new direction.

· Resurrection life is knowing that when we haul in a net that is full, that the net won’t break.

Resurrection life begins when we recognize who Jesus is and where Jesus stands.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the one who overcomes death with unexpected joy and hope. Jesus is the one who calls out to us to see things a little bit differently. Jesus is the one who calls us to action – to cast our nets wider and in a new direction.

Where does Jesus stand? Jesus stands with the poor. Jesus stands with the outcast. Jesus stands with the mentally ill, the homeless and the AIDS victim. Jesus stands on the corner with the prostitute and Jesus kneels in prayer with the parents of murdered children. Jesus even has the capacity to embrace the murderer. Jesus is the net that does not break. And Jesus calls us, his church to be that net in emulation of him.

Jesus gladly meets us wherever we are: in joy, in hope, in boldness, in meekness, in our obedience and in our sinfulness – in our moments of confusion and most especially in our moments of deepest grief. But Jesus doesn’t leave us where he finds us. Jesus calls out to us and invites us to change. And then, when finally perspectives are changed, and grief is overcome – when our net is full and yet not breaking - then we can exclaim with the beloved disciple, “It is the Lord!” Yes, Lord. Open the eyes of our faith that we may behold Jesus in all his redeeming work. And then, we pray, make us your instruments of peace and of the proclamation of your name and of Resurrection Life throughout the world.

Episcopal Cafe

2007-04-22T19:52:00.000-05:00

Dear Dears:

Just wanted to alert you to a fab new blog out there in the blogosphere. It's called Episcopal Cafe and is BRAND NEW and has an AMAZING list of CONTRIBUTORS which I am very, very happy to have been asked to join.

This site is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and here's what Jim Naughton, editor and creator of the site and communications officer of EDOW has to say about it:

"The Café is collaborative effort by more than two dozen writers and editors, and an ever-growing list of visual artists. Together, we aspire to create a visually appealing, intellectually stimulating, spiritually enriching and at least occasionally amusing site where Episcopalians and those interested in our church can read, watch, listen and reflect upon contemporary life in a context informed by faith and animated by the spirit of charity."

Go and take a peek by clicking on this link: Episcopal Cafe

Too see my first posting on the site go to the Speaking to Soul section...

A New Call

2007-04-22T15:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends:

Today the official announcement was made in my church, St. David's, that I've accepted a call to another church. Recently, a call was extended to me by the rector at Christ Episcopal Church in Alexandria (Old Town area) to be Associate Rector for Evangelism, Mission & Outreach, and Adult Faith Formation (Discipleship) - and I joyfully accepted the call.

I am looking forward tremendously to this new phase in my vocational life. Christ Church is quite a bit different from St. David's in terms of size and ministry scope, and so there will be some new waters for me to navigate. However, I grew up in and have pretty consistently chosen large churches to affiliate with, partly because they are 7-day-a-week churches and offer so many points of entry and connection for newcomers.

I also know that going from 3/4 time to full time ministry in a parish setting will be challenging in concert with the many people, groups, and ministries that I will need to get to know.

So, please pray for me. Please pray for my family - leaving St. David's is bittersweet for so many reasons, not the least of which is that it's the only church my daughter has known and the only one my sons really have "owned" as theirs.

I will be taking a rest over the summer as I conclude my formal ministry at St. David's on Sunday, May 20th and won't begin at Christ Church until August 5th. So, I give great thanks for a welcome rest that is coming my way.

In the meantime, I will continue blogging both here and at Episcopal Cafe - a new blog under the auspices of the Diocese of Washington where I will be a regular contributor. See the details in my recent post.

Peace,

Jennifer+

Whose Sin is it Anyway?

2007-04-18T16:40:00.000-05:00

There has already been much discussion on the Virginia Tech Shootings that happened this Monday. Along with so many others, I was shocked, disheartened, and very, very saddened at this news. My first thought at hearing the story on the radio was concern for my neighbor three doors down whose son is a student at Tech. My second thought was about my seminary classmate and prayer partner who is a pastor in the neighboring town of Christiansburg and whose congregants include Hokies. And then my mind went racing, trying to take the story in and sort it out.

You've probably already read and heard and seen more about this than you can possibly absorb - so please forgive me for jumping in the fray but I just can't help myself on this one. I have to get something off my chest on this topic:

So far I've repeatedly heard two perspectives on the "why did this happen?" question that have my blood boiling. The first is that this is a gun-control issue. The second is that this is an issue of the path of sin that the young man who did the shootings has chosen to walk down.

If you believe that either of these issues is at the heart of the matter, then you are in good company. Even my own bishop, whom I deeply respect and admire, has made the "gun control" case on the Newsweek "On Faith" Blog. Dear Bishop, I respectfully disagree.

And just next to his post is another viewpoint by a respected (I think, I don't know him) Christian leader, Rod Parsley. His take is that "What we saw Monday morning is nothing less and nothing other than the result of one young man’s sin." Again, I disagree.

My perspective? There is a much deeper issue here - actually two issues - than either gun control or the sin of one young man. Those two issues are:

1. The failure of the church in effectively sharing the Good News of Hope that Jesus offers; and,

2. The failure of the human society that stigmatizes the real problem of mental illness.

Let me start with #2. Here are the facts:

Mental illness is more prevalent than cancer and heart disease combined

Mental illness occurs on a spectrum of severity and persistence

A conservative estimate of the number of homeless people with mental illness is 70%

We balance our state budgets on the backs of those who are least able to advocate for themselves: those with mental illness - in other words we severely underfund their care

There are as many people on the waiting list for mental health services - sometimes twice as many - as there are people who are currently receiving services

People with severe and persistent mental illness are not usually able to recognize the fact that they are mentally ill

Cho Seung Hui had been referred for counseling by an astute professor. He did not seek out help. And yet, there are multiple reports from those who recognized that he was a disturbed young man. If he had been vomiting blood, don't you think someone would have taken him to the emergency room or at least called his parents? And yet, with all the signs of persistent mental illness there, no one was able to help him. Why? Because there are no procedures, no policies, no easily discernable safety nets in our society for those with mental illness.

This is not the sin of one young man who chose a path of disobedience to God.

This is OUR SIN.

And what of the church? Have we been the shining city on the hill offering with clarity and charity the Good News of Hope in Resurrection Life? Well....maybe...sometimes....sort of. Here's the deal: Jesus didn't maybe...sometimes...sort of set an example for us. God in Christ came to us to suffer with us, to walk alongside us, to offer healing - physical, spiritual and mental to those whom he encountered. Jesus clearly said that the man was born blind (John 9), not as a result of his parents' sin, but as a matter of the human condition of living in an imperfect world - and as a chance for God's mercy and glory to shine through him. And what Jesus did was to heal him.

The church is the mystical body of Christ empowered by God to offer healing and health to a world on edge. When are we going to step out of our sin and really BE THE CHURCH? Not maybe...sometimes...sort of - but really. When are we going to freely give of ourselves in such a way that the Good News is clear and comprehendable?

We certainly won't get there by fighting about sexuality, worship styles, or even gun control. We have to give freely of ourselves. We have to share the stories of faith. We have to love the least (Matthew 25:31-40) and stand against the powers of this world that would have us do otherwise.

Long Time Gone

2007-04-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends:

I have been away from my desk...er, blog....for far too long. Forgive me, please.

I have a plan to get back in the saddle, though. Today, I will post a new entry after the noon Eucharist and lunch. I have some thoughts I'd like to share about the Virginia Tech tragedy.

Possibly later today, or tomorrow I will do the first installment on my trip to the Gulf Coast. I had hoped I would have some internet access while down there - obviously, my expectations were out of line...duh.

Anyhoo - for now, at least, there is a plan to regroup and move forward. Much good news to share. Many blessings, many thoughts.

Peace,

Reverend Mother+

A Different Kind of "Homecoming"

2007-03-25T21:35:00.000-05:00

This week is going to be another full one for me. Not because of the appointments on my calendar, per se...although I do have a few - but they are all good. The reason that this week is going to be full is because it will be a week of preparation for Holy Week - which begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday. Normally, my Holy Week would be filled with liturgies and physical preparations for liturgies: The Passion Narrative on Palm Sunday; Tenebrae on Wednesday; Feast of Friends Agape Meal/Footwashing/Stripping of the Altar on Maundy Thursday; Hours of Services on Good Friday; Holy Saturday noonday prayer with those preparing the sanctuary for Easter; the Nightime Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday with Baptisms; and then the Festival Eucharists on Easter Sunday.

But this year will be different.

On Saturday, instead of polishing off a sermon or meditation, I'll be boarding an airplane with my three kids, three other adults, and about a dozen youth from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington (EDOW) to head for the Gulf Coast for a "Spring Break Work Trip." We'll fly to Gulfport, MS then drive on over to Mobile, AL where we'll be staying. Our work site will be in Bayou la Batre, AL, which is a little shrimping village made famous by the movie "Forest Gump." (Bayou la Batre is where his friend, Bubba was from and where he ran his "Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.") And of course, this area has been made infamous by Hurricane Katrina.

Bayou la Batre is also part of my childhood stomping grounds. For four generations - ending unfortunately with mine - my family had a fishing camp just one village over in Coden, AL. However, to get groceries, gas, go to the Post Office or get fresh bait, we had to go to Bayou la Batre. That part of the Gulf Coast was literally my "home away from home." It's where I learned to bait a hook, to rig the spreaders for a shrimp net on the back of a skiff, and to drive - an outboard, a car, and a sailboat. It's where I learned to back a trailer, tell a he-crab from a she-crab, and even how to put one of those critters to sleep. It's where I first heard live Gospel music floating through the pines from the nearby Pentecostal church, and where I would watch the lights on the shrimp boats dotting the horizon as they headed out into the Gulf waters late at night via the Mississippi Sound. It's where I learned to wash dishes by hand, cut the grass with a swing blade, and play checkers. It's where I learned to rest.

Needless to say, I jumped at the chance when invited to go along on this work trip as Chaplain.

It didn't hurt at all that my parents still live in Pensacola, FL - about 90 minutes East of Bayou la Batre, and that they will come and collect my brood of three and take them home with them.

So, I am excited about this trip "home" for so very many reasons.

Not the least of which is the fact that our context for our work is, in fact, Holy Week.

I am expecting great things to happen.

(ed. note - the photo above is from a brilliant photographer, Roman Alokhin - see his onine gallery here.)

Even When the Light Goes Out...

2007-03-20T08:22:00.000-05:00

...there is some remnant, some residue that is left behind. This morning as I entered the chapel to say Morning Prayer I noticed that everything was in place and ready to go. A dear parishioner was there ahead of me and made sure that the candles were lighted, noted that the sanctuary light was burning, and had her prayer book marked and ready to join in. We dutifully - and joyfully - said our prayers. As we ended the service I got up to extinguish the candles on the altar and noticed two things:
1) The Sanctuary Light (just like the one pictured right) had gone out
2) There was this bizarre residue - a sooty filament remainder of the original wick that stretched from the bottom center of the tall glass votive to rim-height, rigidly standing in place.

I looked at the parishioner and noted that the light had gone out and she confirmed that it had been still burning when we began prayers. Then I showed her the "residue" - and we both said, "how funny - how strange." Could this be a miracle? OK, no. But...

It set me to thinking and the passage from 1 Samuel, chapter 3 came to mind where Samuel was ministering to the Lord under the old priest Eli: "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision...Eli's eyesight had begun to grow dim...[but] the lamp of God had not yet gone out."

There have been many times when I've felt like this about the church: where it seems that we're not hearing from God (because our ears are stopped up with our fingers?) - where there's a real lack of vision (because we've turned our heads away from what's right in front of us?) - and as a result, our ability to see what is there begins to fade away. It worries me that we might comfort ourselves by saying things "well, yeah, but - the lamp hasn't entirely gone out." The problem with that attitude is that when the lamp has burned that low, we probably won't notice when it does go out. If there's a miracle here, it's the fact that even when the light does go out, that there is still some residue, some possibility of a remnant that is present and visible - if only just. And we are surprised by it.

No Complaints

2007-03-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Today in the church tradition is "refreshment Sunday." This is a day set aside during the season of Lent - typically a more penitential season - a day to say, "Ahhhhh...." My sermon today focused on this and how our lectionary readings carried the twin themes of "joy" and "giving thanks."

It's funny you know, but I think that in the church we are not so good at giving thanks. We're really good at complaining and criticizing, but not so good at being joyful and truly giving thanks. I've even noticed that in our "prayers of the people" when there is an invitation to give name to particular prayer concerns and blessings, that we readily pray for all the things that aren't going so well, but we can't seem to muster up any prayers for those things that are going well.

I learned from a friend just a couple of days ago that there is a church pastor who has decided to remedy this situation. He has created "complaint-free" wrist bands - you know like the "live strong bands." Basically the deal is that he's asking members of his congregation to try and go 21 days straight without "complaining, criticizing, gossiping, or using sarcasm." So you get this purple bracelet and try to be "complaint free." If you catch yourself complaining, criticizing, gossiping, or using sarcasm then you have to take the band off of your wrist, switch it to the other wrist and start counting the days from scratch. The pastor said it took him 3 1/2 months and that some in his congregation have taken 7 months to succeed at this trial. I wonder if I would ever make it... And I wonder what the church would be like if we stopped all that complaining, criticizing, gossiping, and using sarcasm? Maybe in St. Paul's words we could more truly be "Ambassadors for Christ."

If this is a challenge for you, then may I commend this prayer to you by the Anglican Devine, George Herbert?

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
Amen

Spiritual Suctitude

2007-03-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

OK - I did not make up this word...apparently a guy who calls himself "Real Live Preacher" did. If you have not ever visited his blog, I urge you to do so. Great stuff. Like this one he posted on some Christian Movies that are being produced and promoted by 21st Century Fox. I have been receiving these same packets in the mail along the way for the last year or so. I open them, get a few laughs, moan a little, roll my eyes, and then round file them. I cannot imagine inflicting this kind of Spiritual Suctitude Stuff on any of my friends or parishioners.

Go take a read -

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2007-03-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

Today our seminarian preached a wonderful sermon. Her theme was from the last line of Psalm 27: "wait patiently for the Lord."

I decided to pick up on her theme in leading our children's chapel and I was curious to hear what the kids might have to say about waiting. I expected that kids especially would not put a positive spin on waiting. That they would tell me that waiting was no fun - or boring. And that I would have to really cajole them to get them to think about waiting in a positive light. However, I also expected that they would make some really interesting connections to the theme. They did not disappoint me. Not only did they not disappoint me, but one young man truly and pleasantly surprised me.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: "Do you know someone or something that is especially good at waiting?"

(Three or four kids raise their hands vigorously)

BT: "Well, what do you mean by 'waiting' exactly?"

Me: "Good question - what do you all think I mean by waiting? Can you give me examples?"

HL: "Like when you're at the hospital and you're waiting to see the doctor."

CT: "Or you're in the grocery store with your cart and you're standing in line."

IM: "Or when you're in the car in really bad traffic and you have to wait then go, wait then go."

Me: "So, is waiting a good thing or a bad thing?"

BM: "It's both good and bad."

Me: "Really? That's interesting. How is waiting a bad thing?"

NB: "Like when you get really impatient."

BT: "Or you get all frustrated."

MG: "Or you wish you were doing something else."

Me: "So, how is waiting a good thing?"

And then, out of the mouths of babes came this wonderful reply:

BM: "Waiting is a good thing because you end up with time that you didn't think you were going to have. It's especially good if you get to spend it with one or two other people. Like, let's say you're all ready to cook dinner and then you realize that you don't have some things you need. So a couple of people go to the store to get what you need and then there you are...with this extra time with someone...and you just get to have this peaceful, quiet, relaxed time...waiting."

Me: "Wow...peaceful, relaxed time - unexpected time...with someone you didn't think you'd be able to spend that kind of time. I think that's what Lent is for. Who might you spend that kind of time with...waiting?"

BM: "God - I think that is what Lent is for. Time with God."

And I thought the kids wouldn't find anything good about waiting...

Disorderly Conduct

2007-03-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

There's an adage that goes something like this: If you want to know what's really important to you, if you want to see clearly what your real priorities are, then take a look inside your checkbook and your calendar. I think that's sage advice- how you spend your time and your money are good indicators of how you are living your life and what you give emphasis and attention to. However, in my case, that would not necessarily be a good indicator of my immediate situation. My husband and I are pretty clear and determined about where our money goes and we do a decent job of organizing our time, covering the bases. So, if you took a look at my checkbook or my calendar you might think that I've really got it going in a good direction. But you would be misled.

If you really want to get a good read on how well I'm managing my life, you'd get better accuracy by taking a look inside my car. That's the leading indicator of how disordered my life really is.

For example, yesterday in preparation for driving a group of kids on a field trip, I stood in the parking lot at my son's school with two plastic bags in my hands. I filled one of the bags with "stuff to keep that is in my minivan and shouldn't be" and the other bag I filled with...garbage. It was gross. Food wrappers, receipts, scratch paper, clumps of dog hair. Yukk! I mean, the inside of my van was so dirty that I was too embarrassed for a group of 6th grade boys to ride in it the way it was! Puh-lease!

It probably took about ten or fifteen minutes to do even just the quick version of the clean-up job, but it felt so much better to climb into the driver's seat once I had. I know that when my van gets to that point, that it's a clear indicator that I am running on overdrive - trying to do too much. When I don't have time to stop for just a couple of minutes to throw away the garbage, then I know that I'm headed in the wrong direction. When I'm paying attention to my life - how I organize and prioritize my resources- then I notice that I'm also taking the time to gather up the garbage at the end of the day's journey and toss it in the trash can. I even have a trash can set up between my driver's door and the door from the garage to the house just for that purpose. It's such an easy thing to do when it's done on a regular, daily basis. But when I just keep running and let the garbage pile up, then it takes a really concerted effort and I end up pretty grossed out by what I find lurking in the recesses and corners.

It's much the same with our souls. If we don't have a system set up to deal with the garbage we accummulate - if we aren't intentional about setting a reasonable pace for our lives so that we can take a little time each day to clear out the garbage, then we end up with a much bigger, grosser job on our hands later.

What's the leading indicator for disorderly conduct in your life? Do you have a system for dealing with the disorder?

There's another adage that applies here well - Confession is good for the soul. More on this tomorrow.

Got Change?

2007-02-28T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today I went on a field trip with my son's school. I eagerly chaperoned a group of 5th, 6th, and 7th graders at the Shakespear Theater for a performance of Richard III. What a treat! Never mind that Michael Kahn had directed this impressive production. He always has the most interesting way of treating the script - giving it thematic focus, encouraging creative character development and scene-setting. But, when the play began and the curtain went up, we were struck by the off-kilter nature of the set. All of the horizontal pieces - with the exception of the floor itself - were leaning at a severe angle. The in-your-face quality of the industrialized adaptation of medieval architecture was, well, in your face. You couldn't miss the connection or the connotation that this story was taking place in a world that was off balance. The set was also very dark to match the dark nature of the main character.

If you are unfamiliar with this particular Shakespearean interpretation of historical events, in a nutshell, this is a nutty family. (The movie still above is from an outstanding adaptation of this play set in 1930's fascist Europe - I highly recommend it.) Can you say dysfunctional? I knew that you could. Basically, Richard III is disformed and disfigured both physically and emotionally. Evil has come to dwell in his heart and he seems to have no capacity for compassion or mercy, only for conniving and manipulation. He kills off family members, including two young boys, one by one in order to gain accession to the throne. Try as they might to change his progress, to stop him from gaining another foothold, they each find themselves submitting to his flattery and false confidences.

However, just as he gains the throne, things begin to go awry as the young man Richmond flees and returns with a militia prepared to fight him and give him his due. In a stunning final couple of scenes, we watched the parallel scenes as two very different leaders prepared themselves and their men for a fight to the death. On the one hand was Richard who went to bed restless, a bowl of wine in hand. As he slumbered fitfully he was visited by all the dead he had slain and they each cursed him in turn. At the same time, Richmond prepared for a healthy night's sleep by dropping to his knees and submitting to God in prayer. Once asleep, peacefully, he also was visited by each of the departed souls. But they in turn offered him blessings and prayed to God for his victory. Guess who won the battle?

So God triumphs over evil and the glimmer of hope and change begin to emerge with the death of the evil Richard. It was a fantastic production.

And then to top it all off, cast members came back on stage after removing their costumes to answer questions and have a conversation with the students. The kids from the various schools in the audience asked some wonderful questions and provoked some great comments from the actors and production staff. But there was one question hanging in my mind that I didn't get to ask. I wondered how portraying a character in a play like this one - literally living into the story of such proportions - changes the actors personally. I mean, how can you NOT be changed by personifying such vivid characters and experiencing their humiliation, sorrow, hope and despair?

You see, the goodness of human nature was truly challenged in this play and it was only able to triumph in the character who removed himself from this tilted world and returned fortified by prayer and submission to God. Talk about metanoia...(see the post below). Certainly the play carries the message that we can't save ourselves. That our best efforts will not always match up squarely against the advances of evil and that the only way to overcome such dastardly and dire circumstances is to get out, away from the darkness, away from the precipitous nature of evil that can insidiously draw us in and then dash all hope. We must move to a new place in our lives to be free of the bondage of evil and ill intent and to be able to reconnect with God.

What is the evil or darkness that you confront in your own life? What is the means by which you are insidiously taken in? Flattery? Promises of reward? Promises of power? How can you find a place apart? Where can you go to put some space between you and the darker side of things? Are you able to sleep peacefully or are you cursed by fitful sleep and visited by memories of the wrongs you have done? What are the words of prayer that you would utter?

Sin - the Undead

2007-02-27T22:50:00.000-05:00

If you think talking about sin is difficult, try doing something about it.

I mean, the reality is, that we all have a pretty great capacity and ability for having "done things which we ought not to have done" and for having "left undone those things which we ought to have done." But most of my Christian friends would much rather not think about that capacity. They'd rather focus on the image of God that we've all been stamped with and be thankful for the good that is within us. And we do have that good within us.

The problem is, oddly enough, when we prefer to focus on the good, somehow the bad that inevitably creeps through makes us feel more ashamed than ever. We sin - we miss the mark - and then we think, "I can't believe I just did that! I'm not THAT kind of person. How embarrassing." And then, because of our disbelief and embarrassment, we tend to try to hide that part of ourselves and only show the pretty parts. When we do that, we might think that we're burying our sin. But there's a real problem with that approach.

It's like in those old scary movies - when you try to bury something that ain't really dead and gone yet, you're just begging for trouble. Because, just when you've had enough time to forget about that thing you've buried, it reaches up from it's untimely grave right through the soft ground and grabs you by the ankle, tripping you up big time. Sin - the undead.

Or, another way of thinking about sin that we try to bury in order to avoid it is to think of it like a seed that falls to the ground. Rather than dying a slow quiet death in the darkness of the dirt, it tends to first put down roots then it germinates and sprouts.

Or, The sin becomes like a weed, that through the cold of winter dies back - not fully but just enought to nestle into the protective layer of soil. While you think it's dying, it's actually storing up energy so that at the first indication of warmer days, the sprouts begin to appear. They are small and almost imperceptible at first, but before you know it, you've got a whole patch of what you thought you had buried. Once it begins to establish itself in this way, it can be very hard to get rid of. You'll get annoyed at its appearance later, but when you try yanking it out you'll discover that only the top, tender part comes out and the roots remain and only produce new growth.

On the other hand, though, I know that just focusing on the sin - wallowing in how we miss the mark again and again - is not the healthiest way to go through life either. When we do that we become so engrossed in the wrong that we do, that we can just barely see the possibility for the right anymore, if we can see it at all. Being myopic about our sin causes us to become short-sighted about everything. We begin to be so cautious with every step we take to the extent that we fear the future, rather than celebrate the possibilities that the future can bring.

So what are we to do? We can't ignore the sin, because it simply won't go away. But by the same token we need not focus on the sin. As with most things in life, there is a way to strike a balance here. It's called change. There's a word that gets used in the Bible, for change of this sort. That word is metanoia (met-ah-noy-ah). Metanoia means "turning." Not like standing in one spot and turning a circle over and over again. The word for that kind of turning is "dizzy." No, this kind of turning is like when you're walking along, heading out the front door, and down the sidewalk and suddenly you remember that you left the stove on. So you literally turn on your heels and begin walking back home again. Interestingly, the pace heading back in the direction of home is usually quickened a bit. There is an intentionality, an intensity that comes with that kind of turning, isn't there?

Just think on this: What is the thing done or left undone in your life right now that has the most capacity for harm? If you're having trouble thinking of something, then find a quiet place to sit and close your eyes, and ask God to open the eyes of your heart to whatever that may be. Listen. I bet you'll hear something, see something that needs to be set to rights. And when you do, an intensity and focus on getting change going will begin to emerge - enough so that you'll want to turn on your heels and start heading in a new direction.

Tomorrow: Got Change?

All Y'all

2007-02-26T21:43:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, one of our Bible group members, LM, sent me an email with this story:

"There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three they came across verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's the easy part -- when I see my image reflected in it."

I thought this was very cool, as I hold fast to a creation theology. In other words, the starting point for me in my understanding of God is to realize that God is the one who created us, male and female, in God's own image. And I believe that stamp of God that has been imprinted on each one of us is the maker's mark of generosity, love, and commitment. That said, I'm always skeptical about emailly stuff like this. So, I went websurfing to see if I could verify the process of silver purifying. Sure enough, I found a silversmith online who had obviously been asked this question before and confirmed the process.

Next step was to find the passage in my Bible to read it in context. Interestingly, I had circled it at some earlier point in time, probably in preparation for a paper I wrote a few years back in seminary. Next to the circle I had annotated the verses (Malachi 3:2b-4) with "judgment and accountability for priests." Yikes! Priests? I am one of them. Sure enough, there it was in the middle of this section, "he will purify the sons of Levi." The "sons of Levi" aka the "Levites" are the priestly clan of Israel. Clearly this is directed at priests. OK, and yes, certainly there is a particular responsibility that goes along with being a priest - a servant-leader in a religious community. But was this really aimed just at the priests? I was beginning to get a little paranoid. I mean, was LM trying to tell me something? I scanned her initial message in the email - no, didn't sound accusatory, she simply said said she thought I'd appreciate it. And I know that's all she meant - it's a great story after all, and she's a good friend. So what am I to make of this?

Clearly this is aimed at the priests. But... (as PeeWee Herman said, "everybody has a big but") ...there's one very important point to remember here, that I was overlooking in my initial surprise and haste: in the Christian understanding all the followers of Jesus, the Christ, are priests. "What?" you say. Yes, dearies, you see, we are all part of the "priesthood of all believers." (see 1 Peter, chapter 2). So, you are a priest, too.

Which means this parable is for you, too...or as we said in the deep south where I grew up, "It's for all y'all." And, that's really good news, don't you think? The implication of this story is that God judges us and holds us accountable out his love and commitment to us and to us becoming the best versions of ourselves that we can possibly be.

God sits patiently enduring the heat right along with each and every one of us, handling us carefully, always intently watching the progress of being refined, of getting closer and closer to the point where, eventually, in looking at us, God clearly sees the reflection of God's own image in us.

Invitation to Next Bible Group - Journey to Jerusalem

2007-02-25T21:54:00.000-05:00

We’ve completed the Bible 101 Group that we started back in January as a New Year’s Resolution. It was a great deal of fun for me and several of you attended (15!) or contacted me saying you really wanted to attend (another 12!). We learned a lot together and had some very provocative and spirited conversations. All of us agreed that spending this kind of time together with our neighbors and friends was refreshingly fun and meaningful. And, best of all, there are several who want to continue getting together.

That group has decided to forge ahead and do an exploration during this Christian series of Lent on the four Gospel narratives of the last week of Jesus’ life, known today as Holy Week. This is a great time to jump in for the next five weeks to do a concentrated study comprising the Jewish roots of Christianity as well as the story at the heart of the Christian faith.

Starting tomorrow the Monday group will begin that study from 12 noon until 1:30. We meet at my house and there is plenty of room around the table for more to join us. This is an open group and it’s not too late for you to get involved!! See above "Journey to Jerusalem" for weekly lesson plan. (You can also see the lesson plans for the Bible 101 group that we completed as well as a timeline for this new session.)

If the Monday time slot doesn’t work for you, please email me and let me know. Last time a couple of folks did that, and as a result we formed an additional Thursday evening group. That second time slot is up in the air, depending on who would like to attend and available times, so please email me ASAP if you would like to attend, but can’t come Mondays, and would like to work out an alternative day/time.

Also, if you’re still interested in Bible 101 as a primer before doing anything different, let me know that. I would be open to leading that again for a new group that would form.

I'm open to your ideas about what, if anything, you would be interested in exploring in the context of community. And, as always, feel free to bring a friend or pass this blog address along – I know I don’t have contact info for everyone I’d like to invite!

Peace and Blessings,
Jennifer

Things Done and Left Undone - Part II

2007-02-24T05:48:00.000-05:00

During this Season of Lent, the idea is to focus a bit on ourselves - not in isolation, though. We are to be thinking about ourselves in the context of our relationships, with others and with God. And, more important, we are not just to be thinking about those relationships, but coming to some ideas and conclusions and also putting into practice what we might do to right the wrongs.

In the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer, we have a prayer of confession - a general prayer that we pray together to remind us that we are all in this state, both as individuals and as the corporate body that we call the church. The prayer goes like this:

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Today, I want to take a moment to think aloud about the Things Left Undone part of this.

Sometimes, we leave things undone because we are purely avoiding doing what we just don't feel like doing. When that happens, we have a couple of choices, the way I see it. We can will our selves to do the left-undone thing, because we know it is the right thing to do. That's the just do it approach. Or we can make a further examination of ourselves, maybe with a listening ear of a friend or professional, to help us get at the root of why we don't want to do this thing.

Other times though, we move forward, attempting to do the Thing Left Undone. We take tiny steps to prepare, we prepare to prepare. Really, what we're doing is procrastinating - lying to ourselves about our real intentions and progress. For a very real and very funny take on this check out this video link. Don't delay - do this now!

Then take a moment to think on the Things Left Undone in your life. Pray about them. Ask what's behind the things getting left undone? Is it a matter of avoidance? Procrastination? Shame? Fear? Ask God to guide you in sorting out the priorities. Then, doggone it, take some action. The first step? I suggest some quiet time alone with the prayer above.

Things Done and Left Undone - Part I

2007-02-23T00:56:00.000-05:00

Two days ago, Ash Wednesday ushered in the Christian season of Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days (not including Sundays) when the church turns its focus inward just a bit. The point of turning inward is to be introspective. Not to navel gaze, marveling at how wonderful we are, but actually to do just the opposite. We are to spend time looking inward to "take stock." To notice that we're doing things we shouldn't be doing and that we're not doing the things we should be doing. In the lexicon of my tribe, that's called, "things done and left undone."

Basically, folks, what we're talking about here is good old fashioned SIN.

Let's face it - it's something we all do.

Maybe, though, you don't like the word sin. Maybe it conjurs up too many fire and brimstone sermons, too many televangelists with really bad hair, too many...I dunno, syllables when it's said with vim and vigor...you know, siiii-iiiiiyyyyy-uuuunnnnn-nnn!

If that's your problem then I have a helpful other way of understanding SIN:

In the Greek of the New Testament the word that gets translated in English as "sin" is hamartia (ha-mar-tee-ah). That Greek word comes from the sport of archery and it means "to miss the mark" or "to miss the target." In other words, we might be trying to succeed (after all, we're standing there with a bow and arrow in our hands, facing a target) but, our aim isn't true. And we have to face the fact that there is a danger in missing the mark. Arrows have sharp barbs at their end. They are intended to stick when they hit a target. So when we're off our mark, that sharp end can inflict damage when it lands where it shouldn't.

I'm reminded of the first poem that ever made me cry. It was in a Child's Garden of Verse (I think) or at least a Children's book of fables and poetry that I learned to read as a child. This is how the poem goes:

The Arrow And The Song
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

The funny thing is that when I remember that poem, I'm always confusing it a bit. I always forget the part about the song and I wrongly remember that the arrow landed "in the heart of a friend." The reason is because when I first cried over this poem as a very young child, I misunderstood it and thought that's what the poem was about - an arrow flying off willy nilly into the air and landing in his friend's heart. And so now that image is ingrained in my brain, and it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of this poem. I still get teary-eyed reading this little sappy poem! I hate that. But I think there's a lesson in there for me: Even though I had missed the mark on the poem, the lesson didn't miss making an impression on me. How awful that would be, to injure someone right in the heart! And yet, how often do I do that very thing?

So, you see, that's what sin is basically about. We set out, often to do the right thing, but our aim is off. Somehow we haven't quite got our sight lined up properly, or we wobble as we let the arrow fly, or we don't give it all we've got - and the result is that we "miss the mark." If we're lucky, it will just go flying off and land harmlessly in a tree trunk. But that's not always the case. There's almost always someone else standing very near that target who's likely to get at least nicked, if not hit directly. And then there's the collateral damage.

Think about it. Pray about it. I bet if you spend some time in quiet and ask God to reveal to you the "things done and left undone" by you, then you'll see just where your arrows have landed - no matter how swifly they seemed to have flown out of sight at the time. And then, when you go out to sort out those arrows that have missed the mark, ask for permission to remove them because the removal can sometimes hurt as much as the initial hit did. This necessary task must be handled gingerly. You should also offer to help with the binding up of the wound; but be prepared for the unintended target to say, "No thanks - you've done enough - I'll deal with this one myself."

And, if I may, I'd like to make one more suggestion: Either way, as you walk away after this ordeal, try softly breathing a song...

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 03

2007-02-22T08:18:00.001-05:00

Here's the video as promised. Pretty funny parody on what it "looks like" to be a Christian. This one pokes fun at the whole "Christian Music" thing. Enjoy!

Ash Wednesday - by TS Eliot

2007-02-21T00:42:00.000-05:00

Maybe you're going to church today - Ash Wednesday - to have ashes smeared on your forehead as a sign and reminder that "you are dust and to dust you shall return." Maybe you won't be going to church for that moment and that reminder. Either way, here are the closing lines from Eliot's poem "Ash Wednesday" so that you can take at least a moment and reflect quietly on your humanity.

Blessed sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,

Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood

Teach us to care and not to care

Teach us to sit still

Even among these rocks,

Our peace in His will

And even among these rocks

Sister, mother

And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,

Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee.

For the text of the entire poem, follow this link.

Mardi Gras

2007-02-20T00:59:00.000-05:00

Today is Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday - and a day of final feasting and celebration before the penitential season of Lent begins. Twelve years ago on this day my twin sons were born. The blessed event didn't fall on this exact date that year - back in 1995 it fell on February 28th. Nevertheless, we got a good chuckle out of the fact that this big mama was delivered of 12 pounds of baby on Fat Tuesday! Talk about giving something up for Lent...

Which brings me to that whole concept. Many of you folks have gotten the wrong-headed, but right-hearted notion when it comes to the tradition of giving something up for Lent. The "giving something up" deal is supposed to be about introspection and reflection. There is no other time like the season of Lent that offers you an opportunity to be truly intentional about navel gazing with a purpose. The purpose of giving something up is so that you can do a little bit of clearing the cobwebs to make room for something new. The something new should be a disicipline - something that will be instructive for you, that will help to shape and form you into being more of who God has created you to be. So, forget giving up chocolate or beer if the only reason is because you think you are supposed to deprive yourself of some pleasure during this 40-day (not counting Sundays) season of preparation for Easter. It's not about deprivation but about inclination. In other words, figure out what would be helpful to give up so you can make room for what you need to take on so that your heart, mind, body and soul will be more inclined toward God and hearing what God would have you know and do. Some folks at the Ship of Fools site offer some great daily ideas for how to try on some new good habits. Check it out here. You can try their idea of something different each day, or you can peruse their list and find one thing that suits you and stick with it for the season.

In the mean time....this might be a good time to really take on a spiritual practice for the season. Maybe praying regularly, or picking a passage of scripture to meditate on. Maybe finding a book about the Christian life to read. Or, here one to think about: Try going to church to mark each of the Holy Days of this ancient season...beginning with tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. This is the day that marks the beginning - maybe it could mark a new beginning for you. I'll keep you posted on the other days in addition to Sundays as they come along.

So how are you going to keep a "Holy Lent?" Add a comment and let me know - sometimes a little public accountability can make all the difference! After all, that's so much of what being the church is all about - recognizing that we're in this together.

It Ain't Over 'til It's Over

2007-02-17T07:18:00.000-05:00

Well,

Bible 101 went swimmingly - so swimmingly in fact that we're going to keep churning the waters. Now that we've got the basic crawl stroke down, we're going to dive into some slightly deeper waters with more focus in a more difficult heat. OK, enough of the swimming metaphor....

Several of the group members have decided to delve into the Holy Week and Easter stories in the four gospels. We'll read one per week and spend some time looking into them, doing a meditation on them, and pondering what they might have meant for Jesus and his followers, and what they might mean for us. I'll provide some background, including some helpful terminology, each week as preparatory reading. Bring your Bibles and we'll read, mark, learn and inwardly digest these narratives that are so central to the Christian faith. Oh, and don't forget to bring an open mind, an open heart, and your wonderful preponderance for great questions!!!

See the notice at the top of the blog for the breakdown on the schedule.

Forgiveness Part I: Not Ready to Make Nice?

2007-02-15T02:11:00.000-05:00

For the first time in years I watched the Grammy Awards. Although I hadn't planned to watch until my adolescent son asked me to join him in front of the TV, I found myself rooting for the Dixie Chicks over and over again, and being overjoyed for them each time they won another award - five in all. (I also found myself wondering "what the heck is that about?" when Gnarles Barkley performed in airline pilot get-ups...)

Anyhoo...What I realized along the way was that I was rooting not so much for the music per se as I was for the catharsis and steps toward healing that the music provided. I have the Chicks' CD, Taking the Long Way, that they were being lauded for and had been very moved by the song that won big for them: Not Ready to Make Nice. If you've missed the press on this one, basically the story is that while they were performing in London in 2003, lead singer, Natalie Maines told the audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas" (as is Maines). Shortly after that show they appeared in an interview by Diane Sawyer where Maines offered an olive branch saying that she felt bad that she had characterized her opposition to the war in a way that came across as disrespectful. Even still, as a result of Maines' earlier comments, the Chicks began to receive death threats and loads of hate mail. "Not Ready to Make Nice" was the response to those threats. It's about First Amendment Rights and about the disbelief that a comment made by someone searching for answers to what they considered an unjust war would engender such vitriolic response. The lyrics to this song, written with collaborator Dan Wilson follows:

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

************************
As I said, I think the lyrics are powerful. But the impassioned singing and the haunting guitar chords behind the lyrics are just as powerful and make this song the winner that it is. When put together, the total package is heartfelt, brave and bold... and raises major questions for me about how we handle forgiveness and by extension, reconciliation.

In my experience, its often not the initial "breach" that causes the biggest upset, but the way that breach is responded to. Maines made comments that arguably were offensive. However, when confronted with that information, she was penitent and said that she did, in fact, regret the offense that she had cause and apologized for being "disrespectful." She added, with a great deal of integrity though, the fact that she still had questions and didn't understand President Bush's decision to lead the US into war in Iraq. And yet, somehow for some folks that just wasn't enough. Why?

Did her apology fall on deaf ears? Were there people who were so angry that they never heard about the apology? Or were they simply folks who weren't going to let the issue drop out of self-righteous indignation? Somehow, somewhere along the way, some hearts were hardened. The result is that the threatening response to the original comments were a much greater breach of trust than the original comments ever were. The fact that the country music industry, according to an article in today's Washington Times, "still isn't ready to make nice" is indicative of the level of anger and arrogance that lies just under the surface of our culture. And it's indicative of how, when we aren't willing to offer forgiveness to a penitent, we can end up creating a worse situation for everyone. And that situation can become a script for our lives. What a shame. Thankfully, the Chicks found a creative, healthy, and cathartic way to deal with the new breach: a new song.

Forgiveness Part II: Ready to Back Down?

2007-02-14T22:54:00.001-05:00

Ironically, when the Chicks were about to perform "Not Ready to Make Nice" on the Grammy's, the scripted introduction made by Joan Baez went something like this: "They're still not ready to make nice, and they're not about to back down."

The problem with these scripts is that they can override reality and end up carrying the day. How many times have any of us begun to believe the story that is being told about us because we've heard it so many times? How many times have any of us begun to live into the story that has been scripted for us because we just don't have the energy to refute it? Or maybe we're getting a lot of mileage out of that script even though it's contrary to the reality of the current situation. Overcoming a script, especially one that we've initiated is a very difficult thing to do. But healing is possible. Overcoming the script requires a willingness on our part to go through the process of apologizing, dealing with our deeper feelings that lead to the incident, and dealing with the backlash we get from that initial breach. But that's just the first part. That's just the forgiveness part. The "making nice" part is a separate step. Reconciliation takes a response by the one we are apologizing to.

Thankfully, by the time the Dixie Chicks stood up to receive their third award of the evening, Maines said something to the effect of, "OK, OK, we're ready to make nice. We feel like we've been heard - folks understand where we were coming from and that we're talking about a basic right to speak out." To know that you've been heard - as indicated by a concession from the other side - allows for and, in fact enables "making nice and backing down."

As the season of Lent fast approaches thinking of ways to engage in healing past hurts and reconciling broken relationships is called for. That way, we can begin to overcome the misguided script and learn to sing a new song. The new song that Jesus penned was one of turning the other cheek - of offering correction not condemnation. Of offering mercy and love, not self-righteous anger. Of offering forgiveness not fury. What is it that you need to back down from? With whom in your life do you need to make nice? Have you conisdered asking for forgiveness? Better yet, have you considered confronting someone who has offended you with the possibility of reconciliation? They say time heals everything...but how you spend that time - penning a new song, writing a new script - will make all the difference. Are you still waiting? What for?

What to Do?

2007-02-08T09:29:00.000-05:00

As of tonight, we'll be 4/5 of the way through our inaugural Bible 101 group! I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this little endeavor: calling a group together, sharing in learning through teaching, lively discussions, gracious community. All that. And more. I've been privileged to have some wonderful follow-up discussions, heard and responded to prayer requests, and enjoyed expanded friendships. Thank you all for giving me those gifts.

Next week (Monday 2/12, Thursday 2/15) will be our final session. (sniff, sniff) But it doesn't have to be. Anyone else interested in keeping a good thing going? (Actually, I know there are 'cause some of you have already told me so!) The questions isn't "whether to do" but "what to do?" Since the Christian season of Lent is fast approaching, beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating with Holy Week and the beginning of the Easter Season some possible topics are:

Gospel Comparison on the Holy Week/Easter Stories (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

A focus on one Gospel (Mark?) during the Season

A book study on who Jesus is (Marcus Borg and NT Wright coming from slightly different perspectives wrote one together that we could try)

Your ideas????

Please log in a comment to let me know what you think!

Gathering Steam

2007-02-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

This morning I was up early to help get one kid off to school. He has a bit of a commute to get there and his dad was going to drive him, so they wanted to be out the door early with everything all packed and ready to go - so, I helped. Not so unusual. I had been up really way too late the night before. Again, not too unusual. The house was quiet; not even the dog was stirring. Pretty unusual. So I decided to take a nice hot bath with no one up to call out to me, badger, pester or otherwise harrass me. Extremely unusual. Ahhhhhhh....

Since it was so early, the sun hadn't quite fully come up yet, but there was enough light coming in that I could see what I needed to do without turning on a glaring bulb to help me out. Did I mention I am so totally NOT a morning person? Anyway, sinking into the hot, steamy tub of water I submerged as much of my body as possible up to the top of my shoulders. After a few minutes of total relaxation - in which I surprisingly did not fall back to sleep - I raised my hand up out of the water to reach for the soap. What I saw next was really cool. There was steam rising up off of my hand.

I sat there amused at first, thinking 'this is pretty cool.' And then I just kinda kept playing, seeing how long I could make steam. Not surprisingly, the longer I held my hand immersed in the hot water, the longer I could "make steam." Of course, I wasn't really making the steam. And even being able to see that steam rising as if it were really emitting from my pores had a lot to do with the way the light was coming in. Bet you know where I'm going with this...

..that was definitely one of those "understanding God better" moments. Observing the way the steam was working made me think about how God's Holy Spirit works similarly:

I wasn't creating the steam. The steam was there because of the hot water. This is like how the Holy Spirit doesn't come from me, but from the source who is the Ground of All Being. The Spirit in me is God's Spirit not mine.

The steam was doing my body good as my pores were soaking up the hot water and as I breathed it in and at the same time, the steam was being released from me. God's Spirit is simultaneously at work on me, in me, and through me. I can't "trap" God's Spirit, but I can soak that Spirit in and immediately that same Spirit will begin to emit.

The longer I submerged my hand in the hot water, the longer I could "give off" steam. The longer I immerse myself in God through prayer, worship, study, and meditation, the longer I can "give off" Godliness - and the longer it is before I "run out of steam."

The steam was visible because of the stillness of the moment and the light. It is when I slow down and take some time that I can really see God's Spirit at work. Slowing down and spending time in the light of Christ is what enables me to witness that Spirit in motion - at work on me and my environment.

I saw that my body had the capacity to do something that in my 40+ years I've never known before that it could do. I've known for years that I could make steam with my breath, but even so, I never imagined that I could make steam with my skin! God has created us to do things that are beyond what our past experience tells us we can. God has creaetd us with a capacity that goes beyond our imaginations. We are made in God's image and therefore, we have the ability to bear that creative, spirit-giving character of God.
I had to make a decision to set apart the time. I did it out of my need, but there was a surprise in store that I was not aiming for, wasn't expecting, didn't conjure up on my own. All the same, that hot water was right there in the plumbing lines and that empty tub was just waiting to be filled. All I had to do was make use of the resources that I had been given - flip the drain latch and turn on the faucet...and step in. Likewise - God is always there waiting to be tapped into, beckoning us to take the time. And God provides us with a multitude of resources: Christian communities (i.e., churches), the Bible, the sacraments (e.g., baptism and communion), devotional classics (by the likes of Thomas Merton, Evelyn Underhill, CS Lewis, Annie Dillard, and many others.) We just have to make the decision to enter in and make use of what's already there waiting for us.

What connections do you make with this story? Do tell...

The (Cabinet) Door to the Soul

2007-02-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

So, for many moons now, we've had this lllloooonnnngggg drawn out remodeling stuff happening in our house. We got mostly done with THE BIG PROJECT and now are going back and doing some little thingy things here and there to try to spruce up some of the areas that we can't quite afford to do the full monty on yet. Like the kitchen. We really wanted to take down a wall, move another wall, strip out the old cabinets, buy some new ones, get all new appliances, yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah. But for now, right now, all that ain't gonna happen. So we settled for installing some new lights, moving a switch, and having a carpenter build a base of open shelves along a new empty wall so that we could extend the counter top and have some space to work on. We started with the base/countertop thing, and decided to add one more spiffy task to the list. Since Mr. DJ was going to have to paint the new wood base anyway, we went ahead and got new knobs and hinges and bought some paint to repaint the existing wood cabinets. This was only going to take a couple of days to complete. Riiiight.

Well, the first phase of base and countertop were finished and so knobs and paint were bought. Mr. DJ came over to get started on the painting o' the cabinets and we decided that first he should move that switch - and as long as he was doing that, he might as well go on and put in all new outlets and switches in that bright white new looking color to replace the dull beige stuff - and by the way could he please install a new outlet upstairs in the new master bath while he was doing all that electrical stuff. Because, after all, once the outlet had been moved we'd need to patch and paint the wall, too, so might as well do all the painting at once keeping the sensory experience of "fresh paint" minimized to a couple of days. In anticipation of the painting - having just finished the initial electrical work - Mr. DJ decided to go ahead and take the doors off of the upper cabinets so when he came back the next day he could start right up on them. Then to finish out that first phase to prepare to paint he set about spackling the holes left from moving the one switch. The prioritizing of tasks seemed to make perfectly good sense at the time. Tomorrow, he'd paint the cabinet doors that he had disassembled. But, then Mr. DJ got sick. Chills, light-headed, nausea - the "I think I'd better go home right now" kind of sick. The "Hello Mrs. M - I'm still feeling pretty sick, so short of a miracle I don't think I'll be there tomorrow " phone call kind of sick.

I'm standing in my kitchen for the third day now with no upper doors and I've got folks coming over tomorrow night. I feel sick.

At first, it didn't bother me. I amused myself with cute antics of doing the silly thing where you forget that there are no doors and so you just kinda absentmindedly reach up to close the door that is no longer there. Awww, duhhh! (dope slap and laughter) Then, I noticed that I had begun to walk into the kitchen for no apparent reason except to just stand there contemplating the cabinets - admiring how much stuff I had managed to cram into these few cabinets and thinking how well I had managed to organize plates and glasses and spices, and tea accoutrements. But then the inevitable next phase came where when I looked at the cabinets, all I could see now was the messiness, the disorganization, the accumulation of unneeded stuff in those less-oft used cabinets - the ones where cabinet doors had been successfully hiding the junk for lo these many years.

Unexpectedly, I discovered that having the doors off of your kitchen cabinets for an extended period of time can become a major exercise in soul-searching. Noticing which areas are carefully ordered (the ones I use the most - plates, glasses, spices) and which areas show definite signs of neglect and disarray (the ones where the leftover storage containers, baking dishes/muffin tins, and kiddie cups and plates are stored). It prompted me to wonder what areas of my inner life, normally hidden and seldom dealt with, could use a little opening up and airing out - a little bit of contemplating. This is what confession is like. First you have to notice that something (usually concealed from public view) is out of order. This take time - it's a gradual awakening to a problem. There are steps for getting to the "I have a problem" place that have to come before we can begin to expose the mess, clean up the salvagable and dispose of the clutter. Getting to that place takes time. Time is a gift that we don't give ourselves often enough. Maybe once in a blue moon we'll stumble on such time, but better to make the effort every so often and just decide to set some time aside to deal with the dark side.

So what have I learned about the dark corners and clutter in my soul? Don't know. Haven't gotten that far yet. Just know that taking those cabinets doors off by the hinges has got me thinking about my soul. While I'm contemplating all that, I'm thinking that maybe the reverse contemplation procedure would work here, too. In very practical terms, those cabinets need help. Maybe I could practice on them before I set to work on the really important-but-harder stuff. I'm imagining a twelve-step program for cluttered cabinets:

We admitted we were powerless over clutter—that our cabinets had become unmanageable.

Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Made a decision to turn our clutter and our cabinets over to the care of God as we understood Her.

Made a searching and fearless clutter inventory of cabinets.

Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongheaded decisions about kitchen cabinet organization.

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of cabinet.
Humbly asked Her to remove our clutter.

I'm still waiting....and I've got six more steps to go! Come on God - hurry up before the doors go back up! What's that you say? I'll have to take some action myself? Oh.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen

Pursuit of Peace

2007-01-31T18:01:00.000-05:00

I went to visit my good friend and seminary classmate Will in the blogsphere today and found a remarkable and yet not-well-known speech by MLK. I had been thinking about some of the ways the twin themes of light/darkness have been coming up during our lectio divina in the Bible 101 group and how strong allusions to peace/war (particularly the current war in Iraq) were tied to those themes for several in the group. Well, if you want to take that thread and tie it onto something solid, try this speech on for size. (How's that for a mixed metaphor?) You can follow this link for the whole speech - an excerpt follows below.

Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence

By Rev. Martin Luther King
4 April 1967

Speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City

"...I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life's roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: "This is not just." It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of Latin America and say: "This is not just." The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just. A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: "This way of settling differences is not just." This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of people normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood."

It's Greek to Me

2007-01-28T23:55:00.000-05:00

So, today I was on the rota to lead children's chapel. This happens as the kids are dismissed from church - post-communion, pre-sermon - and before they go to Sunday School. Chapel is just for kids in grades 4-6 so it's a pretty fun group to talk to and wonder about things with. My task for today's chapel time was to engage them in a brief conversation about how worship is not a spectator sport, but something that requires participation by all of us. I decided to teach them the Greek word, leitourgia, from which our word liturgy is derived. It means "the work of the people" and I knew where I was headed with my "talk."

Well, I thought I knew where I was headed. As a potential illustration, I asked how many of them had seen the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Over half the kids raised their hands so I proceeded. I asked them what they remembered about the movie as far as the Greek language was concerned. One kid, named Nick, remembered how all of the men in the family were named Nick. Another kid remembered what I was hoping they would remember which is that Mr. Portokalis was utterly convinced that every English word was derived from Greek - and he routinely set out to prove it. I was thinking of the scene where a smug friend of his teenage daughter challenged him with the word "kimono." So I asked the kids if they remembered the "part in the movie where someone tried to trick him by giving him a word that would be hard to translate." One young lady in our group raised her hand and said, "Oh, yeah...that was the word that meant something like, "I have three tenticles!" [For those of you who haven't seen this delightful film, my young friend was remembering an entirely different part of the movie where a non-Greek fiance is tricked into saying in Greek "I have three testicles!" to the family crowd gathered for a big engagement party.] My two 6th grade sons and two of their friends heroically did all they could to contain themselves from dying of laughter and embarrassment simultaneously. One of the adults in the room nearly spewed his coffee through his nose. I made a quick recovery and moved on to make my point, thanking her for her involvement and trying not to laugh.

Gracious God, I thank you for the innocence and earnestness of that child, and for the humor and humility it called forth in all of us who were present.

God's Country Club

2007-01-24T23:41:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday after preaching at the 9:15 family service, my husband came up to me and with a smirk on his face said, "Well, somebody really woke up on the wrong side of the pulpit this morning!" I didn't think I had slammed the sermon that hard, but, well, let's say I was a bit passionate about the subject. I won't retell my sermon here (if you want to read it you can click here and do so). But, here's the gist of it: According to Pauls' letter to the Corinthians (12:12-31) being the church means recognizing that God gives people gifts, that God calls people together with their gifts and assembles them into being the church, and that when we are assembled together and are exercising/manifesting our gifts, then we become ONE body - and that body is the way that Christ is manifest in the world today.

OK - sounds simple and straightforward enough - so at what point did I go from preaching to meddling? Maybe it was the part where I said that being the church meant more than just showing up occasionally, more than just simply showing up at all. Maybe it was when I said that when people are absent we all lose out. Maybe it was the part where I said (taking off on Paul) that when we are really the church there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither child nor adult, neither black nor white, neither gay nor straight, neither republican nor democrat, neither "in the social register" or "not in the social register." Maybe it was when I said that if in fact we are the Body of Christ then we should be able to stand up as Jesus did and say "The Spirit of God is upon us because he has anointed us to preach good news to the poor." I said more than that, but the thing I was getting at that I didn't come right out and say is this: You can't preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free when you're trying to do that from within God's Country Club.

Now there are some preachers out there who favor a prosperity gospel- a get rich quick scheme version of Good News - "Just give us your money and you'll receive unexpected money. Just pray harder and give more and you'll get more." Personally, I think that's really bad theology and I'm not one of those preachers. Don't get me wrong - I don't have anything against good financial management. And I certainly don't have anything against giving money to the church or preachers asking folks to do so. It's just that I don't think that tithing makes God see you differently. I DO think that tithing - or giving proportionally - will make you see God differently. And that's more to the point here.

How we see God (as the giver of all good gifts), how we regard the gifts that God has given us (as puzzle pieces that are to be matched up with others to get the bigger picture), determines greatly our relationship both with the church and with the world. So that leaves me with one of my all time favorite quotes. William Temple, who was Archbishop of Canterbury back in the 40's during WWII, said this when talking about what it means to be the church: "The church is the only society that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members." 'nuf said.

Tom-Tom Theology

2007-01-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

This Christmas, my husband gave me one of those portable GPS devices for my car to aid me in navigating more efficiently around our metropolitan area. I really LOVE using it and am quickly becoming dependent on it. The kind he got me - a Tom Tom - has different voices and languages to select from - I chose Tim. I like Tim. Tim talks to me in a very suave British accent. Tim doesn't get impatient or yell at me. Tim gives clear progressive directions saying, "In 800 yards, turn left...Take the next left...Left turn here." And then, when I cruise right past the left turn I was supposed to make, Tim very calmly announces something like, "In 400 yards turn right and then take the next right." I could miss my left turns thirty times over and Tim would continue to speak to me in that calm, suave, clear voice. And what Tim doesn't do or say is most impressive. Tim doesn't snipe angrily at me. Tim doesn't yell, "WHAT ARE YOU? BLIND? I SAID TURN LEFT YOU PRAT!" But best of all: Calm, clear, suave Tim is at my beck and call. Did I mention that I really, really like Tim?

It truly is an amazing little piece of technology. If you're not familiar with these gizmos, basically the way they work is that a few satellites get a read on where you are. You tell the GPS, through touch screen menus, where you want to end up. It puts all the pieces of intelligent information together and tells you the best way to get where you want to go. First it shows you a "big picture" route map and then, once you start driving, it gives you turn by turn instructions to get there. Frankly, that's how I'd like God to work in my life. And, in reality, that's very much how God does work in our lives.

But lately life's been complicated. I've been feeling a little bit adrift, a little bit restless. I've been wondering how to make the best decisions about what ministry "opportunities" to take on, what new initiatives to support and follow, what current ministry engagements to let go of. Now, in my experience, when that restlessness begins to overtake the sense of settled inner peace, it's God's signal to start paying closer attention. It's like God is saying, "You-hoo, Reverend Mother, too much going on...you're getting too distracted with too many things...you're veering off course." So, I begin to look for signs that will point to a clear direction. In these times, I really become dependent on my spiritual GPS - the Holy Spirit. I pray more and I listen harder for the calm, clear voice that will spell it all out for me: "In exactly 17 days, leave this bit behind and then take the next right turn to follow that path." But there's one problem. Usually when I'm in this more-restlessness-than-peace place, the picture just isn't that clear.

The other day I was heading out and was a little bit under the gun timewise. So, naturally I wanted to know the route I should take to get me to my destination via the quickest route with the fewest problems. As I reached the top of my driveway, tapping in the destination on Tim's touch screen, I realized that the picture on the GPS wasn't so clear. It was darker than the normal bright colors and the picture was incomplete. I checked to make sure that I didn't have it set for "night colors." In checking I saw the little memo floating across the screen: "Please wait - searching for more satellites." I sat there paralyzed for a moment and then I realized that I had two viable choices: 1)I could continue to just sit there patiently and wait for the signal. That way I wouldn't risk losing precious time or have to turn around in case I set out in the wrong direction. 2) I could begin to guess which way to go, head out, and if wrong, turn around when the route was spelled out more clearly. I wasn't too worried - I knew it would just be a matter of time. And I knew that when the GPS picked up those missing satellite signals the way would become clear and I would have a dependable route to get me where I was heading.

That is the way the Holy Spirit seems to work. We might think that the Spirit is at our beck and call, but sometimes we're simply not in the right place to get all the signals, to have the right connection. But we always have options: We might decide to go ahead and set out, trusting that in moving we'll get closer to where we're supposed to be and then the signals will get stronger and we'll get those clear, calm turn-by-turn directions. At that point we might either discover that we're on the right path or be told "at the first opportunity, make a legal "U" turn." Conversely, we might decide to just sit and wait until the satellites reposition into a place where the connection can be made and then the path becomes clear before we set out. Either way, the point is that the satellites are there, they can eventually get a fix on us, and we will get the direction we need. All we have to do is make the decision to turn on the GPS: whether we wait or whether we set out knowing that we might have to change course is up to us.

This is also the way the Christian life works. There are an infinite number of routes we can take to get where we're headed. However, not all of those routes are good choices - some are long, some have roadblocks, some will take us through unsafe areas and, sometimes we might luck into a pretty good route. But early on, we can make a decision to engage that Spiritual GPS. Once we do there are still going to be choices for us to make, but they are clearer and shorter term with more reliable outcomes. They will also each have their own consequences so we have to decide which consequences we can live with (e.g. waiting longer or turning around?). Basically we must decide how we're going to position ourselves as we wait for that full connection with God. But, once the connection is established the way becomes clearer and clearer. And God is so gracious - God never snipes, or yells, or calls us names. But here's what's really cool: Always, even before we're connected, God is there patiently waiting for us to engage.

Triple Threat : Triple Promise

2007-01-08T23:17:00.000-05:00

Today was truly a wonderful day in so many ways...

My husband managed to get our firstborn out the door to his commuter school in DC without waking me once. I woke up and realized that I'd gotten a good hour and a half more sleep time than I'd expected to.

I managed to get the other two up and bathed and dressed and fed and to school on time without one bit of hassling from them.

I took the dog for a decent walk, albeit in the rain, but also in solitude and had time to clear my head and pray and think about the day ahead.

I made it to the grocery store to pick up some snacks and beverages and back home in time to get ready to greet my guests for the inaugural Bible 101 class.

And then....Triple Threat.

You know, I learned long ago in seminary, that when you're on the right path, doing the right thing, following what you're pretty sure you're called to do, and doing it in the light, that some kind of darkness will try to invade that space. Now, I didn't learn this in any class per se, but it was a common experience duly noted by seminarians. If you ever wanted anecdotal evidence for a spirtual force of darkness, just ask your local clergy if anything bad happened to them in seminary. So, I should have known, but I just wasn't expecting it.

In the hour leading right up to the Bible Group's start, I got three phone calls:

Phone Call #1: My eldest saying that he was in the school clinic and could I please come pick him up because he had a headache and stomache ache and just didn't feel well at all. (Now, keep in mind that it would take more than an hour to go pick him up, check him out, and drive him home.) "Honey, I can't. I've got about ten people showing up here for the very first Bible group in one hour. There's no way." The dark clouds begins to gather as I feel an assault on my parenting while explaining to the school nurse that I'm sure it's psychosomatic because he is not looking forward to dealing with a conflict situation with a sports instructor at the end of the school day....right???

Phone Call #2: My rector (the lead priest with whom I work) calls to tell me the very sad news that a much beloved parishioner has died. The same parishioner whom I was not able to go see the day before because of some family scheduling conflict. I'm sure I just heard the rumble of thunder up in that ever darkening sky as my priesthood and pastoral abilities are now at issue. And with folks arriving, I can't start crying now. I just can't.

Phone Call #3: The Honda dealership. "Yes, ma'am, our techs were able to take a look at your van and sure enough, your transmission is dead. We also noticed that you need two new rear tires, a new engine mount because yours is broken, a new battery and you're due for your 90,000 mile check up." Gulp. I distinctly heard the crack of lightning. How much gloomier can this day get? Now, I'm being hit in the wallet and in the realm of stewardship. This sucks.

But then, people begin to arrive. I didn't break down, I didn't once cuss or say something mean and nasty to those who brought bad news. Somehow, a sense of being cared for and being on the right track despite the triple threat prevailed and we were off to a cheerful and yet careful start with our group. The women gathered here were wonderful. Each and every one of them were engaged, open, and carefully listening to and honoring the others. The time went according to plan - nothing left out, nothing crammed in. Just right. And the end of it all spent in directed meditation of a passage from Isaiah 9:2-7 was fruitful. I'm thrilled.

But what of the Triple Threat? Well, there were some benedictions that came out of those moments, too. I think because of the Peace that pervaded the time with the group, I could see the Light emerging out of the darkness.

For instance, I called the school after everyone had left and the nurse assured me that I had made the right choice. "No symptoms - no fever, no vomiting - had manifested," she said and went on to tell me about the conversation she had with my "wonderful son" (her words) about how stress and worry can make you feel that way too. I knew by how she described her conversation with my kid that he had been ministered to by someone other than The Reverend Mother, Thanks be to God!

And I remembered from my earlier conversation with my rector, that he said that when he had visited our beloved parishioner the day before, this kind gentleman thought that I had been there one day prior. In actuality it had been a week since my last visit where I took communion to him, but somehow in his mind, he had my visit closer in space and time - and so my fears of not having been present enough were somehow unfounded.

And then, the delightful surprise came in a voice mail message that had come in during the Bible Group time. The Honda guy called to let me know that he had talked to his manager and the regional rep. and they had decided that since I'd had some recall work done on the transmission and since I'd had the regular warranty service work done, that they would replace the whole transmission for free and give me a discount on the other items as well. Man! You go Honda guy!! Woo Hoo!

So, yep there was a triple threat - which only convinced me more that I'm on the right track in offering a home-based community for spiritual growth and learning. But what was really cool was the Triple Promise - you know, the part where the light overcomes the darkness and the path gets illuminated? Did I mention that when we started the group that the weather had been cloudy and raining and when we finished the sun was out and shining, drying up the rain puddles? It's true. No really, it's true.

There's Something About that Name...

2007-01-01T23:13:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Today is the First Day of the New Year 2007. Hard to believe...whew! Another year gone by. But that is not all that today is. In the Christian Church calendar, today is a special day of Devotion, a Feast Day. And on this Feast day we celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus. This Feast Day occurs on the 8th day of Christmas. You see, eight days after the birth of Jesus, he had his bris. Like every devoted Jewish mother and father, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus on this day for circumcision and naming. (It was quite a celebration as a bris still is today.) And he was named Jesus as the angel Gabriel had instructed Mary nine months earlier (Luke 1:26-38,2:21) and had explained to Joseph that this child was the promised Messiah who would "save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

Have you ever wondered where the name Jesus comes from, or what it means? The name Jesus is from the same Hebrew root name as Joshua - pronounced like Yeshua - and it means "savior" or "deliverer." You might remember the Biblical story and children's song about Joshua who "fought the battle of Jericho...and the walls came tumblin' down..." One girl at a youth group meeting several years ago confessed that as a young child she thought the words to that little ditty were "Joshua bought a bottle of cherry coke." But I digress...

Anyway...Joshua delivered his people, the House of Joseph, and other tribes of the Israelites, from 40 years of wandering in the wilderness into the Promised Land. He finished the job of the Exodus that Moses had begun but was prevented by God from completing. Alas, the Promised Land was not to be a forever thing. Eventually the Israelites end up dividing their kingdom in two, getting into some battles with the Babylonians and Assyrians and having many of their people dispossesed of land and tribe as they were exiled by the Babylonians.

The Biblical book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies of hope and expectation for the lost, exiled and eventually repatriated Israelites. It is here in Isaiah that we hear of the Good News prophecy of the Savior: "For a son has been born for us, a son has been given to us, and dominion has been laid on his shoulders; and this is the name that he has been given, "Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace..." [New Jerusalem Bible translation]. Fitting, isn't it then, that the one who receives the Holy Name of Jesus (Yeshua) is in fact the Savior foretold in Isaiah and the one who finally and decisively fulfills the Promise of Release (exodus). "Then as now, people longed to be freed from evils: political, social, and spiritual. The name of Jesus calls to mind the true freedom which is ours through Jesus the Christ."*

Jesus, Mighty-God, lands us in that place of Promise and restarts that work that was begun in the beginning in creation. It is through the Name of Jesus that we can be released from oppression in our own lives. It is through the Name of Jesus that we can be made a new creation.

So, Happy New Year! Celebrate the fullness of this day. And claim the potential fullness of the coming year. Let's celebrate the end of this first day of the new year with this prayer: Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."*

*Both the prayer and the quote are from the Episcopal Church's Publication, "Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 1991"

Same Bat Channel, New Bat Channel

2006-12-31T15:30:00.000-05:00

Joyfully, several folks have let me know that they're planning to come to the Monday Bible 101 group. So, we're off and running and I'll be posting info here like, what we're covering at each session, how things with the group went, and questions that were intriguing or points of conversation were helpful or provocative. So, keep your eyes on this blog over the next several weeks to get a flavor of what's cookin' with the group.

Aaannnddd....I had a couple of immediate responses from folks who really, really, really wanted to come but couldn't make it on Mondays at noon, or daytimes at all, for that matter. So, as promised I'm adding a new day/time that was agreeable to those first few folks who asked.

Thursdays 7:30 - 9:00 pm is the alternative time for the Bible 101 group. So, same bat time, same bat channel...and, new bat time, new bat channel. The beauty of it is that these sessions are designed to be interchangeable, so if you can't come on Monday one week, come Thursday night instead, and vice versa. Cool, huh?

Reverend Mother Says: You Say You Want A Resolution?

2006-12-28T12:21:00.000-05:00

We-ell, you know...we're all doin' what we can. So I decided to do something I can. You know with these New Year's Resolution things, the experts in human behavior all say that it's best to start with a manageable goal, a reasonable expectation. I prefer a holy hope - but that's just the cloth I'm cut from. How about you? Want to join me? I hope so.

I've decided to lead a five-session course on the Bible at my home and to set up this blog as a way to keep people posted (ha!) on what we're doing each week. So this is the place for information, questions, suggestions, feedback, and inspiration. The course will run on Mondays from 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm beginning on January 8th and we'll meet five times over a six week period (no meeting MLK holiday). Bring your own lunch. We'll end just before the introspective season of Lent begins, and decide where to go from there, if anywhere.

The topic for the course? The Bible. I know, I know...but you see, that's the point. The Bible has been a point of contention and comfort, and continues to generate interest and provoke anxiety. For the worst, the Bible has been used as a weapon to denigrate, shame, and subordinate peoples. For the best, the Bible has been accessed as inspiration, to generate hope and healthy relationships. So what gives? How can one book be so many contradictory things to so many people?

Come and See. The basic idea is that whether you're an absolute newcomer to the Bible or whether you're a veteran biblical scholar, you'll find something helpful here to take away with you. We'll get a basic overview of what the Bible is, how it came to be, the timeline behind the text, and explore the different modes of understanding what it means. We'll even do a quick review of different translations and help you figure out how to select a Bible that speaks to you...if you decide you'd like to get your own copy, or find a new copy for your collection.

We're also going to do something really practical, that anyone at any point in their journey of spiritual learning and exploration can do - something that can really be, dare I say, mystical: Lectio Divina.

Come and join us - virtually or in person. Reply to this blog or send me an email if you have questions. A detail of dates and topics will appear here soon.

Did you ever wonder...?

2006-12-23T23:07:00.000-05:00

So, maybe you're wondering just how we're going to spend that hour-and-a-half on Mondays considering "THE BIBLE." If you are, here's the plan:

12:00 - Show up, Come in, Hang up your coat, Get out your lunch, Chat
12:15 - THE BIBLE: 101 - or The Bible for Dummies - or Bible Background Basics - call it what you like.
1:00 - Lectio Divina (a spiritual practice of "listening" to the Bible in community)
1:20ish - 1:30- Wrap up, Dash out, or Pour another cup of tea and bide your time until my kids come home or you need to go pick up yours, or get to that doctor's appointment, or whatever.

So, maybe you're wondering if you don't have a Bible which one of the myriad translations you should dash out and buy.
I wouldn't do that. I've got a few extra copies here if we need them and they're all different translations based out of different languages. See, the deal is that every 'translation' is really just as much a different interpretation - so they kinda make a point with the way the translation is spun....but that doesn't mean they aren't each valid in their own right. If this all sounds like gobbledy-gook then, well, that's why you're coming to this thing, right? Ok, so my advice is this: If you have a Bible, whether it's well-worn, highlighted and underlined, or whether it's got to be dug out of a box in the basement or pulled off a high shelf and the dust blown off - then fine...bring it along. However, if you don't have a Bible handy, then just wait. You'll be happier making a choice when you're more informed and in the meantime, we're all grownups - we can share.

So, maybe you're wondering if you're going to be the only male/single/over 60/under 30/GLBT/divorced/addicted/person of color/wiccan at this thing.
Maybe. So what? This isn't an affinity group just for PLUs (People Like Us). This is a community thing where anyone who has questions and wants to explore new understandings for themselves with a group of people who are open to questions and the questioners - whomever they may be - can come and find a place and time set apart just for this purpose. So ALL ARE WELCOME. Period.

So, maybe you're wondering if this could happen in the evening instead of the daytime.
Maybe. I'm open to suggestions. Actually, it doesn't have to be either-or, it can be both-and. It's just that since this is new, I didn't want to overdo it and set up two groups and then have only two people show up and think "this sucks." So, instead, I'm setting up one group for now - but I'm totally open to working with you on this. Just let me know.

So, maybe you're wondering why I didn't advertise child care for this.
Again, I'm open. I've got room in my house for a few little people but we'd need to come up with a plan for that and I didn't want to get something all set up and then find out that no one needed it. And, of course - it's your call as to how nearby you'd like to have your kids as you engage in some grown-up time. Will they really let you think if they know you're in the next room? Maybe they will - maybe they won't. Will you be able to concentrate on the subject at hand if they're not in the next room? Maybe you will, maybe you won't. Hey, I get it. I really do - my three kids have been dragged everywhere with me including seminary classes and dinner parties. Other times, I couldn't get far enough away. (Have you ever taken the phone into the bathroom and locked the door so you could attempt to have a conversation uninterrupted? I thought so. My daughter even thought to have a telephone conversation you had to be walking around at a pretty good clip!) So, do what you've gotta do but please let me know in advance so we can plan accordingly.

So, maybe you're wondering if you'll dig this "mystical" lectio divina thing that we'll be doing too, or if it will just seem weird.
You'll never know til you try, will you? If you've made it this far, then just showing up is the next step. Once here, I'll trust you to be a grown-up and give it the old college try. If you find that it's really not your thing after a couple of times, then bow out after the Bible 101 thingy - no harm, no foul. This is about finding something for you that helps you move along in your journey. Take responsibility for it. Own it. You won't hurt my feelings.

What else are you wondering?
Let me know. I'll try to answer all reasonable questions - and maybe even a silly one or two.

Email me.

Why Am I Doing This?

2006-12-18T09:59:00.000-05:00

For several years now, I've felt a strong pull to serve my immediate neighbors who feel disenfranchised - from the church, from organized religion in general, or from having time and energy to deal with a faith community. I am a life-long Christian who was raised in and practices my faith in The Episcopal Church and have strong faith connections with many friends and parishioners. But I understand what it's like to lack that spiritual connection with friends. I've been down that road of disconnect. Today, I am blessed to be part of a fantastic faith community - St. David's Church in Washington, DC where I'm the Assistant Rector (Pastor). I also have many friends in my neighborhood and through various community organizations with whom I can share that journey of faith. And still, there are many friends and neighbors who have admitted to me that they have lost their connection and are open to finding a new one - they just don't quite know how or where.

Because my life has been enriched through Christian community, I want to be able to share what I have with friends and strangers alike: a place of welcome to all who question their faith and are looking for how God is working in their lives. In my own faith journey it was this type of questioning that led me to seek God more intentionally and to discover my calling.

I worked in churches in Southern California as parish administrator and youth pastor. After the birth of our twin sons my husband's job landed us here in Northern Virginia. We joined a local church (Church of the Good Shepherd) and once again found a lively community where we could grow and serve...and along came baby #3, our daughter.

My search continued and eventually I attended and grauduated from Virginia Theological Seminary (the awesome class of 2004) with a Masters in Divinity degree. I was ordained as a deacon in June that year at the Washington National Cathedral. On January 6th, 2005, the Feast of the Epiphany, I was ordained a Priest in the One, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

Since September 2002 I've served with the people of St. David's Church- as seminarian, deacon, and now priest. Although St. David's is located in Washington, D.C. we have individuals and families who make the drive from parts of Maryland and Virginia to practice their faith in a lively worshipping community. And my family is one of them. It was because of our kids enthusiasm over this church that we landed there. My husband, our three children, and I live in Fairfax, VA in the Mantua subdivision.

We've been blessed with a great church community and a great neighborhood community filled with friends who have supported us all the way. When blessings are this abundant, they overflow. I don't want that overflow wasted, so after much prayer and searching, this is where I am...on a blogspot reaching out to my neighbors.

That heart for the disenfranchised is not limited to the realm of church, though. See my links to some wonderful groups of people who have welcomed me to participate in the amazing things they are doing for homeless children, mentally ill adults, street dwellers and yes, exotic dancers! My mission call is grounded in the great commandment and follows the principle that the Most Reverend, William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1940's articulated : "The church is the only society that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members."

Come and join me on this journey. Come with questions. Come and see. Come and grow.