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.

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   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!

Finding The Things That Are Right

   There is a social media explosion happening in the world. Many people know it by the names of the most popular websites like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and maybe Flickster or Tumblr. People increasingly visit these sites to connect, to be inspired, to vent, to learn, and to seek advice. For as radical and even unconventional as this may seem to many, social media is becoming the new best friend/news outlet/therapy session/matchmaker/communications tool for hundreds of millions of people around the world. People are increasingly learning and commenting about the world online.

   One of the social media platforms rapidly gaining in popularity is a site called Pinterest.com; it has grown 800% since March of this year. I first learned about it from Blaire Morris, and joined it a couple of weeks ago to 'stay hip.' Pinterest is like an online scrapbook that you share with your friends. Pinterest allows you to keep all your ideas and inspirations in one visually appealing place called a board. People create them about all sorts of topics, but many are about fashion, decorating, art, or photography. Since I know very little about any of those, one of the first boards I created was called "Things Right in the World." I have images of Mother Teresa and Methodist missionaries at work, among others.

   Good things are a topic that gets far too little attention. Bad things get more attention than good. Our eyes, our ears, and and our minds are trained to see, hear, or notice the mistakes, errors, and failures. It is especially true when we talk about the world. We are quick to talk and agree about all of the things that are going wrong, but when pressed to talk about what is right, it is much harder to find consensus. 

   Our Missions Committee wants us to see good things and offer our support. Helping our neighbors in great need this Christmas season makes my list of things that are right. The Epworth Christmas Offering goes to support three of our key partners in ministry with specific goals in mind: Open Door Community House ($2000), the Wynnton Neighborhood Network ($1000), and Brown Bag of Columbus ($1000), and the total received will be shared among them. I received a $500 check this past week for this very effort that, when combined from the Love Light Sunday offerings, puts over $1000 towards our ambitious goal. If you feel led to give beyond your regular contribution to Epworth making a gift in honor or memory of loves ones, or you can receive a certificate to give as a present at Christmas. 

   May we be those who see the right and name it. May we be those who see good happening...and join in. Grace and Peace to you.

Winning

   More and more, winning is seen in a negative light.  Rightfully so, as some people see winning as so important that playing within the rules or thinking about others are ignored.  Of course, Charlie Sheen made the phrase infamous in a rant earlier this year, as he lashed out at coworkers and his bosses over their unwillingness to enable to his craziness any longer.  ‘Win at all costs’ is the creed by which some folks live, and it has expanded the bounds of what success looks like beyond decency and morals. 

   It is a shame that winning has been brought low by those who have only their gain in mind.  Instead, I’d like to think of winning as the goal for every team, group, or organization.  Not to make others losers but surely to give every person a goal in which to strive. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, this week, set the all-time records for wins in men’s college basketball (read the story here). He earned seven of his record 903 wins from the twelve games he coached against the Georgia Tech teams on which I worked! Nonetheless, he makes winning something to be admired.

   What does winning look like for our church?  What is the goal that every person in the church is pulling toward?  If our journey were seen as a race, do we agree on where the finish-line is located?  Are we all headed in the same direction? I have said before,

A win happens every time a person is lead into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and then sent out to bring about change for the Kingdom. 

   Of course, this requires a team effort. It calls for the right equipment, the right strategy, the right people, and a united Spirit. We have so much of that right here. Just like any other team event, winning for the church takes time and it takes determination.
   I have been so blessed to stand alongside the great women and men of this church as we seek God’s Kingdom wins. I’m looking forward to the distances we’ll run together towards the goal stretched out before us. Grace and Peace, Scott

The Season of Advent

   The Four Sundays of Advent make up the first season of the Christian year. Advent derives from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming.” The season proclaims the comings of Christ.  
   The church uses these four weeks as a time to prepare for Christmas.  I believe firmly in this idea - we need to get ready for what God has in store for us on Christmas.  Not another present under the tree, not the car in the driveway with the oversized bow on top as the television commercials would have us believe - but the coming of a Savior to win us away from slavery to sin and death and back to the freedom to live.  We are preparing to celebrate once again, the birth of One who comes continually in Word and Spirit to us.
   But Advent is not only about Jesus’ birth in that manger, as if we should keep our eyes fixed on the rearview mirror of history.   It is in God’s plan that Jesus comes again, a second time.  Advent is equally about the time Jesus did come then and the time He will come again.  We celebrate the two comings of Christ.  We will spend some time in these four weeks recognizing the One whose return in final victory we anticipate. 
   Each year Advent calls the community of faith to prepare for these comings.  So worship is a little different for these weeks - because we are different.  While the world busies itself with preparations for presents or parties, the church pushes past some of that to see beyond. We want to gaze into the truth God has for us. 
   We begin worship this week by lighting candles and reading scripture.  Candles remind us that Jesus comes as light of the world - and that we too often find ourselves walking in shadows and darkness.  I believe the church is obligated to proclaim, “We need a Savior.”  Let us enter into the season of expectantly preparing for His arrival.

Form Follows Function

   It was the American architect Louis Sullivan who coined the phrase in his article The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered in 1896. Later one of his students, Frank Lloyd Wright, would revise it to say, "form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union." I remember the quote first entering into my academic life as a sophomore enrolled in an industrial design class in college. I recall names like Herman Miller, Charles Eames, and the Bauhaus movement. My appreciation for great furniture, spectacular gadgets, and soaring architecture grew. The Eames Lounge Chair captures the concept of form following function perfectly. From shape to materials and even to the process by which it is manufactured, the function of the object determines so very much about the form that it takes. 

   I have been struck how much this concept drives the way I think about the church, or my ecclesiology. I very often find myself turning to fundamental ideas about why we do a thing when I am asked about how we might do that very thing. Consider these examples:

• Preaching - is intended to build up, teach, and inspire us as members of the body of Christ on earth. While those functions can each demand their own devices from time to time, are there particular ways and methods for how we can best achieve effective preaching in the church that help us to achieve all three? What role do trust, relationships, knowledge, and authenticity play? What about style, attire, length, and even location?
• Stewardship - was the topic Jesus taught upon in his conversations with the disciples, the crowds that followed him, and even the critics that challenged him. It is one of the most delicate subjects to deal with still today, yet it remains at the center of how we relate to God and each other. What details about how we talk about stewardship and go about leading each other to excel in this area are important? Honesty, fairness, truth-telling, and confidentiality come to my mind. How about yours?
• Welcoming Guests and Members - is something about which we pride ourselves. It functions as a way to learn names and connect in deep ways with other people's lives. Some forms are in place: greeters at the door, nametags in the hallway, passing the peace in worship, connection cards, and follow-up from the pastor for new visitors. What other forms should we consider in order to achieve the function of helping people know our great desire for them to feel welcomed by God into Epworth?

   As I read some of the most important sections of the New Testament, whether in Matthew 28 on disciple-making, 2 Timothy on teaching, or Matthew 6 on prayer, so much of the Bible describes functions for the church and the forms they should take. 

   Are their areas and forms in your life that no longer serve their purpose or function? Have you audited your forms lately to see that they still balance with the purpose and functions you are called to achieve? This is a good question? Peace to you on the journey.