We’ve been here before, but who wins this time?

   We’ve been here before. It is amazing how things repeat themselves. Sometimes we feel like we can predict the future simply because we’ve already seen it so clearly in our past. The repetitive nature of things can be found all over.

   Take this weekend’s Super Bowl XLVI, for instance. We’ve already seen this game before. In fact, Super Bowl marks the 13th Super Bowl that is a rematch of a regular season game. In case you are wondering, the loser in the regular season is 7–5 in these games, including 5–1 the last six times this has happened. This bodes well for the Patriots, since the Giants won earlier this year on November 6. But, not only have we seen these two teams compete already this season, many fans remember they faced each other in a Super Bowl a couple of years back. This is the sixth Super Bowl in which that has happened. Both head coaches (Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick) and both starting quarterbacks (Eli Manning and Tom Brady) were in the same roles back 1998. The entire storyline, and certainly the commentary before and during the game, will be about the frequent times these opponents have faced each other.

   Which brings us to the Gospel.

   Isn’t it very similar in our own lives, too? We continue to face some of the same opponents. Our storyline is fond of repeating itself, isn’t it? And, it is not just us? How many of us have loved ones and friends that confide in us, and share their lives with us? How often do the frustrations and challenges they share with us repeat themselves? It is the same people, or the same situation, or the same stumbling block that continues to prevent them, and us, from moving forward.

   What are your adversaries? Gossip? Self-control? Greed? Stubbornness? An unhealthy appetite? Laziness? Arrogance? Isn’t it true that the same opponents line up against us, time and time again? In the contest of eternal proportions that is being played out in our souls, we’ve been here before, but who wins this time?

   We are the victors, in Christ. That is the Good News. That is the promise. 1 John 5 says it this way, “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.”

   May you face the opponents of our souls, that seek to crush the abundant live that Christ offers to each of us, and place your faith in the One who has already conquered death. He is Jesus. Love wins. Grace and Peace to you, Scott.

SOTU

   Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution commands the president of the United States to annually come before Congress to present the state of the union, or what is called SOTU. Our founding fathers knew, like we do, the immeasurable value of taking time out to reflect where we have come from, where we are, and where we are going.

   A year ago I introduced three core values that I believe remain at the center of where God desires us to focus: personal discipleship, excellence, and sustainability. They remain central to the modern realities of living into Christ's great commission to the church. Eugene Peterson interprets it this way: 

"Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." (Matthew 28). 

We must first be those who are being trained and made into disciples ourselves. We cannot lead people to a place we have not been or will not go ourselves. Secondly, we must be stewards of the resources and blessings God has given us, which means we must do church in a sustainable way. No longer can we take on all things; we must take on the right things for us and allow someone else to do the others. Finally, we must do all ministry with excellence, because the globalization of the world has surely elevated everyone's expectations about quality.

   As for specific areas within our church, I will touch briefly on a number that merit our attention:  

• Ministry with Families of all sizes - it is a concept called Orange, and we asking everyone to begin to Think Orange. It starts next Wednesday, February 1 after supper.
• Sunday School - participation has increased, thanks to the consolidation of our morning worship services, and to the opportunity to start two new classes. It is in this hour that people are able to learn and witness what being a disciple of Jesus looks like in the world. This Sunday's gathering of our SS teachers and leaders intends to further inspire all of us to pursue excellence in this critical ministry.
• Missions - our new emphasis on involving every person in serving with our hands in a variety of ways is already showing results. Let us remember, we gather to grow in order that we go to serve. The church fails when it remains here without going out there.
• Finances - the way our people have committed to stewardship is moving us back toward sure financial footing. 2011 saw great generosity, as we paid our Conference apportionments, paid our bills, and even paid back some to ourselves. We are improving, but each of us must continue to be faithful.

   The state of the church is good, not yet great, and in constant need of grace. But we take comfort in knowing, best of all, God is with us. Grace and Peace, Scott

Thank You Jim Morpeth, founder of Country's Barbecue

   I want to begin by saying thank you, then take a couple of moments to say why. So, here goes, "Thank you, Jim Morpeth." I read the piece that ran on Monday in the Ledger-Enquirer (find it here), and I was impressed and appreciative. 

   As for why I am thankful, let me be clear; it is not only for the amazing food served up at any of your three locations. I love your food. I especially love the skillet apples...I have some every time I dine with you and your great team of co-workers.  I am also thankful for your sponsorship of last month's Reindeer Run to support the Children's Miracle Network...my wife and I and our two boys had a great time! But the neither the delicious meals you serve up or the charity work you do are what is prompting me to write a note of thank you today.
   I want to thank you for being generous with your praise of others. Specifically, in the article in the Ledger-Enquirer (you really should read it here), you seemed to naturally flow into talking about others in the community and sharing your appreciation for them. I loved it. It was genuine, and it was classy. It is not something that happens enough, anymore. 
   You made three different references to our great downtown community. Your first reference was to another dining establishment around the corner from your Broadway location: Fountain City Coffee. Not only were your complimentary, but you were specific in your praise. That is how to be genuine and to build others up. You then made a quick mention of the local vendors who participate in the sidewalk market when the weather is warmer. Finally, you finished with a great word of affirmation for the Springer Academy and the work of Ron Anderson. I know we've had folks from our congregation who have participated in it, and they share your deep thankfulness. 
   Jesus taught and modeled such behavior. One fascinating story that comes to my mind is told in  Mark 9. The disciples tell Jesus about another person, outside of their own inner circle, who was doing good work on his own, and they wanted Jesus to help them put a stop to it, but he wouldn't. The truth he shared that day that he wants us to know is this: every person working for good in the world is working on the same team! 
   So thanks for seeing the world in such a glorious, and grand manner. Thanks for sharing with all of us your humility and appreciation for what others are doing. Thanks for reminding us that we are not all working against each other...that good deeds should be celebrated by everyone. Grace and Peace, Scott.

Five Non-negotiables

   I stumbled upon a letter, over the holidays, that I wrote back in 2003. In the process of an interview for a possible position within the church, I was asked by a pastor in South Georgia to list five non-negotiables in my life. I have included the list. 

Five non-negotiable things in my life:

1. My covenant with my wife, Julie. I will not negotiate in terms that would do anything to damage the promises that I have made with her, or that she has made with me. That does not mean that situations will arise within each of our lives that require that we go back and restate what our promises were.  Yet my promise to be there for her requires that I consider deeply how I am interpreting the other claims upon my life.
2. My presence in the life of my son, Sam.* While not entering into a public covenant like that of wedding vows, we are in many ways more intimately connected in these years ahead because of need for guidance, protection, and instruction as he grows. 
3. My faith in God. I believe in, and am shaped everyday by God the Creator, that has sought me through grace to be renewed in his likeness. He extends that same love to every person. 
4. My passion for the church. I will not allow anything to turn aside my deep conviction that the church is a great gift to the world, and is God’s great vehicle for sharing and being the healing, transforming, and saving power that is given through Christ Jesus.  
5. My deep belief that all people are included in God’s grace is non-negotiable.

* - This one only lists Sam, as Jack was still two years from entering the world; Jack makes the list now, too!   

   I offer these as encouragement to consider what things in your life are non-negotiables. What are the boundaries for where you will go? How do the rock-solid commitments you have made influence your everyday life, your plans for the short-term, and your dreams about the distant future? I think the abundant life that Jesus talked about included such commitments and non-negotiables. His choices, made in the everyday living of life, emerged from a deep sense of knowing his place and his direction. The Gospels are filled with the difficult choices he made, and then often the reasons he offers for why he is doing one thing over the other.

   At the core of my non-negotiables is my family and my faith. Many of you would have these on your list. We are going to be talking about new ways to bring the faith of the church and the heart of the family together in 2012 here at Epworth. It is a concept called Orange, and I am excited about it. May God use it to solidify the non-negotiables in the lives of all of our people and grow us for God's glory.

Ponder It A Bit Longer

This example of procrastination turned into stewardship first appeared in the New Yorker magazine.

   For many folks, Christmas ended on the 25th. I was amused to see people proudly post online that they had already de-Christmased their homes on the 26th...taking down the wreaths, tree, ornaments, nativity scenes...in order to get things back to normal. For others, Christmas ends a little later on, but truthfully few still observe all twelve days of Christmas that actually start on December 25th. Instead, we all have our own schedules and ways of ending things.

   Can you remember how the first Christmas story ends? Luke 2 says, "all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Something about that line about Mary is interesting to me. It says people were amazed at the moment - the baby, the manger, the pitiful surroundings, the shepherds, the star - but that Mary apparently hung on to it all longer than just the moment. She kept it. Christmas was longer than a day or even a season.

   Some of you are saying, "Sure she did, she had a newborn on her hands and did not have a choice." But I don't think that is what Luke is talking about. I think he wants us to know that Mary was paying attention, and that the implications of the significance of that first Christmas were not lost on her. Things had changed; not just for her but maybe for the whole world.

   We could learn from Mary. It is worth remembering that out of all the women on earth, God did choose her to bring the Savior into the world. We all could stand to allow the truths of Christmas to linger a little longer in our hearts, too. God becoming flesh and blood, as the writer John tells the Christmas story, is something new altogether. God has done a new thing. Maybe we can take our old ways...and packed them up with all of those ornaments and decorations. Grace and Peace to you, Scott

Sing. Now. Be Merry.

drawing by Ed Fisher, appeared in the New Yorker magazine

   Christmas is drawing close...it is here. For many folks, this cartoon captures the truth. We feel like a part of the herd, pushed forward and told to "sing now." It is Christmas. Sing. Be merry. Have a good time.
   But, we resist. For good reasons. We know better than to dictate feelings and emotions to others. It does not work. And, besides, some people find it hard to be merry all of the time during this time of the year. Memories are strong, right now, and those memories take us back to when loved ones were still with us and things were different. The holidays can be difficult. We would be remiss not to respect that truth. I believe we must be ever vigilant to reach out to those who hurt and extend our care and compassion, especially now.
   Beyond our respect for the feelings and context of others, I read into this cartoon another element of modern celebrating that had little place in the original Christmas story: the sense of awe. Stories of the first Christmas, from Matthew and Luke, are both filled with moments of surprise and wonder. There were angels making startling announcements to both Mary and Joseph. Elizabeth and Zechariah get the surprise of the their lives, when told they have have a son named John. An angelic chorus directs shepherds to cave used as a stable, of all places, to find a child just born. All the while, we're told God's plan to redeem all of the world is being put on full display. The first Christmas was anything but rote.
   In the midst of all of the emotions and busyness of the season, may we move at our own pace toward the scene being played out before us. May we gaze with awe at how the God of the Universe is choosing to reveal himself to us this year. Grace and Peace to you.

Guide to Lectio Divina

This is a practice I have recently begun, and I thought I'd share it...this overview comes from the monthly devotional book Give Us This Day.

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Choose a word or phrase of the Scriptures you wish to pray. It makes no difference which text is chosen, as long as you have no set goal of “covering” a certain amount of text. The amount of text covered is in God’s hands, not yours. Read. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the “still, small voice” of a word or phrase that somehow says, “I am for you today.” Do not expect lightning or ecstasies. In lectio divina, God is teaching us to listen, to seek him in silence. God does not reach out and grab us but gently invites us ever more deeply into his presence.

Ponder. Take the word or phrase into yourself. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Do not be afraid of distractions. Memories or thoughts are simply parts of yourself that, when they rise up during lectio divina, are asking to be given to God along with the rest of your inner self. Allow this inner pondering, this rumination, to invite you into dialogue with God.

Pray. Whether you use words, ideas, or images—or all three—is not important. Interact with God as you would with one who you know loves and accepts you. Give to God what you have discovered during your experience of meditation. Give to God what you have found within your heart.

It is not necessary to assess the quality of your lectio divina, as if you were “performing” or seeking some goal. Lectio divina has no goal other than that of being in the presence of God by praying the Scriptures.

—Fr. Luke Dysinger

Luke Dysinger, OSB, is a Benedictine monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey, Valyermo, California.

Our God is an Awesome (and Enormous) God

   A new article in the journal Nature this week reveals the latest and largest discovery in the universe in quite some time. Scientists have found the biggest black holes known to exist, each one 10 billion times the size of our sun. A team led by astronomers at the University of California, Berkeley, discovered the two gigantic black holes in clusters of elliptical galaxies more than 300 million light years away. Described as "monstrous", by Berkeley astrophysicist Chung-Pei Ma, they are almost twice as large as the previously largest black hole. Dennis Overbye, science reporter for the NY Times, writes, "Black holes, regions of space where gravity is so intense that not even light can escape from it, are among the weirdest of the predictions of Albert Einstein’s curved-space theory of gravity, general relativity — so weird that Einstein himself did not believe it. He once wrote to a friend that there ought to be a law of nature forbidding such a thing." That is dark and that is large.

   Black holes define complete darkness. The message of the season of Advent, on the other hand, is the light of Christ that enters the world to drive out the darkness from among the world and the souls of women and men. That is precisely how John's Gospel begins. But, I cannot get over how large that is: 10 billion times larger than our sun.

___________

   Sara Renner's senior lecture recital last week at Columbus State's Schwob School of Music was really well done. I was joined by a group from Epworth and we were all impressed. The first half featured Sara teaching on the history, impact, and theory of her chosen piece of music, followed by her performance of it. At the break in between, I turned to those around me and said, "We have witnessed the truth of God. For just when we thought we knew it all, or at least a lot, we sit and listen to an entire lecture on a subject that we nothing about!" We were all  blown away. In that moment God was reminding me, through this gifted musician and friend, that I am very small and God is not. 

   God captivates me with song and with size. If a black hole is that large, then how much larger is the God who can not only conceive of it...but with just a word create it? Advent calls us to prepare for the coming of the One who is light and life. May we delight at such a thought!