Preparing for a Holy Week

   Just a few weeks ago, the Church gathered for Ash Wednesday and started this journey called Lent towards Jerusalem, the Cross, and Easter’s empty tomb. Now, in this the last week of Lent, we remember Christ’s Passion. It is a week of special devotion. The word ‘Passion’ comes from the Latin word patior, meaning “I suffer”. It was Athanasius, an early church theologian and later a bishop, who referred to it as ‘holy Paschal week.’ Greek and Roman worship books called it the “Great Week” because great deeds were done by God during this week.
   In the early church, only Friday and Saturday were observed as holy days. By the late 4th century the various parts of the Passion story given to us in the Gospels had been separated out, and people began commemorating them on the days of the week on which they had occurred. You’ll recognize these:

Palm Sunday: Jesus’ triumphal entrance into the city

Maundy Thursday: Judas’ betrayal and the first Holy Communion

Good Friday: The crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus

Holy Saturday: Jesus’ body rests in the tomb

Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of Jesus, the Christ

   It was actually the ancient Christians in the church in Jerusalem that first organized dramatic ceremonies during Holy Week at appropriate local holy sites that had been restored by the Emperor Constantine. Visitors to the city were so moved that these ceremonies have spread from Jerusalem to churches worldwide. We celebrate many of them this coming week, as we remember and are transformed by story of God’s love and overwhelming grace.
   Epworth gathers this Palm Sunday, and then again on Good Friday, to hear the story of the Passion of the Christ. Long before Mel Gibson created the splendid, gruesome, and highly-profitable movie of the same name, the church recorded the story and set out to retell it every year that we might not forget. From the sight and sound of children waving palm branches into the room, through the placement of Jesus' body in a tomb, we will hear the account of the final hours before the stone is place and the story seems finished.
      May the grace and peace of waiting and anticipating be ours. Scott

Moses, Matthew, Paul and our own James - We All Have a Past

   I was laughing on Saturday night and then again on Sunday morning, each time James Faircloth came to me with his dry wit and jokes about how we were tempting the heavens with all of that rock and roll music played at our Best Songs Ever event. The music was amazing, the food was delicious, and the night was memorable. But, James kept coming back to me with a steady routine of jokes about all of us were in danger for encouraging Bob, Andy and the others to play Guns 'N Roses and the rest of the non-Gaither songs that were featured. James confessed that he was suffering from PTBS: post-traumatic baptist syndrome. He said his years of faithful attendance in baptist churches made it hard for him to clap to Neil Diamond or Billy Joel in a church fellowship hall.
   I need to say, James was joking. He had a great time. I could tell from the twinkle in his eyes, but not from the smile on his face. He would be a great poker player - except they probably didn't let him do that, either, growing up in those churches!

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   James' jokes about his own past prompted me to think about universal a topic it really is. Leaving things from the past in the past has a great scriptural tradition. Moses had anger-management issues. Matthew was a tax-collector working for the wrong side. Paul was an upcoming leader who used his power to hunt down and have Christians killed. Yet, all of them were used by God despite their pasts. All of us have experienced those moments when our past makes an appearance in our present. It is said that God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called. I agree. I would add that God's call is not for those with perfect pasts. If it worked that way, our pews would remain empty.
   The very same Paul mentioned above, after an encounter with the living Christ on the road to Damascus, would leave his past behind him and go on to start churches and write letters that would make up half of the New Testament. He spoke often of his past, every time referring to the new life he had in Christ. He says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." Paul would have known the passage from Isaiah 43:18 that said, "Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past."
   Unlike the jokes James and I shared over the weekend about being taught to not listen to or sing along with 'that kind' of music, I am glad we are able to come together and do a new thing now. I am glad God has forgiven our pasts and freed us for abundant futures. May the grace and peace of the very God who makes all things new be with you, Amen!

Essential Reading for Humanity

   A friend of mine once asked me to share the titles of some books that I have read and appreciated. I’ve long held that a small list of books has influenced my life significantly, based on the ways they’ve shaped my thinking, my actions, and by how often I quote them aloud or refer to them in my mind. Here they are, in no particular order, with a note about their publication. I’ve read a few books over the years, but these are the ones I return to most often.

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck (Arrow Books, 1978)

- I've read the first section over and over again. This book is brilliant. 

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (originally published in 1945)

- A super story about heaven and hell, salvation, redemption, restoration, the communion of the saints, and how we can live even better on this side of heaven. 

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (originally published in 1942)

- Straight out of hell, this collection of fictitious letters from one demon to his nephew offers a stark look at how we are made and how the forces of evil and wickedness are working against us.

The Will of God by Leslie Weatherhead (originally published in 1944)

- This is so very good. It helps me to put words to both the good and bad of this world and find God's love for us in the midst of both.

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary D Chapman (Northfield, 2009)

- I ask every couple I marry to read this before the wedding, but believe every person should know their own love language in order to communicate and thrive in life. 

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan & Switzler (McGraw-Hill, 2002)

- This book helps to reduce tension and anxiety in order to get more done and be kinder doing it.

Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom (Paulist Press, 1970)

- This is a gift; written by an orthodox priest, it offers those who would follow a path toward the love of God. 

Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded) by John Medina (Pear Press, 2014)

- Written by a neuroscientist, this is the layperson's guide to the real science of how our brains work. Every page is filled with stories and truths to apply right away. This book is transforming.

Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr (Jossey-Bass, 2011)
- A deep look into the truth of the Gospel: we are made to rise and fail, win and lose, conquer and fail. It is an affirmation of our wins and triumphs and being exposed as vulnerable. Shouldn't be read until age 35+.

The Holy Bible 
- The true story of the God who made us and is saving us. Start with Mark and then try reading it from beginning to end. You have my permission to skip some lists and genealogies in the Old Testament your first time through.

Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger: Obama and Netanyahu

"You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, 

slow to speak, slow to anger" - James 1:19

   Little is known about the James who wrote the letter bearing his name towards the end of the New Testament. It is strongly believed that he was the same James who served as the head of the church in Jerusalem, which was home base for the movement in the first century. It is also believed that his older brother was a certain wandering Galilean teacher and miracle-worker, named Jesus.
   I wonder if this wisdom from James 1:19 could be traced back to growing up in the same house with Jesus. Did he see his older brother model these truths as they were coming up together? If so, what a splendid example of brotherly love and right-living.

   The reality of our human condition is that many people struggle mightily to listen well, to speak after thinking, and to keep our emotions in check when we differ with someone else. This has been on display this week, and in the previous months, in the conflict between two strong allies, nations who are like brothers, Israel and the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited by our Congress to come and speak back in January. The main points he outlined this week before a very partisan gathering in Washington were Israel's concerns over a possible agreement between the U.S. and Iran on nuclear research. Israel is against the deal, believing such a deal threatens their security, while many around the world see the deal as a way to block Iran from going further and developing nuclear weapons. President Obama and the White House have taken offense at the very invitation of Netanyahu to speak to Congress. They cite the advantage Netanyahu gets in his own tight upcoming elections in Israel, that he offers no new alternatives to the Iran dilemma, that he is simply trading in fear, and that he has come to the U.S. to further the bitter partisan divide within our own political landscape.
   All of this is just another small piece of a terribly larger puzzle that is American politics and international relations. It is also a case study in the very thing James is talking about when he writes his letter to early Christians. For James, both Obama and Netanyahu would be wrong. One side does not want to listen any more while the other is forcing its way to the stage to speak.
   Julie and I have been to Israel; we spent 7 days there in early 2007 on a trip touring prominent Holy Land sights with a group from South Georgia. We felt the tension and believe that Israel needs to be protected. But, we also saw the ways that Israel is the perpetrator of human rights violations upon their neighbors. The entire Middle East is a complex situation. But, that could be said of a thousand topics in our world today, right?
   Life is complex. Sometimes the best we can do is to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Grace and Peace, Scott

Epworth's Transformation: More Than Surface Deep

   I never saw the Bill Murray comic classic Groundhog Day when it came out in 1993.  I was too busy not studying calculus. But, I am familiar with the folklore that says if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2, then spring will come early and, if is it sunny, then we’ll have winter for six more weeks. Last month, Punxsutawney Phil predicted we would have a long winter. Of course, that is not great science, is it? You cannot predict the future weather for months out based on one day’s conditions.

   Last week, I was delighted to write a report on all of the new construction and renovation projects that Epworth has tackled in the past 54 weeks. The list is long, and the changes are dramatic. ROCON is waiting on the delivery of the final piece, new entrance doors to the Fellowship Hall, and that project will be complete. But, I also promised to report on the transformations happening at Epworth that are more than surface deep.

   First, let me revisit the groundhogs. I don’t think you can predict the future based on one day’s weather. Just like I don’t think you can speak to the Spirit-led transformation happening at Epworth without considering a variety of measures. So, here goes:

• The transfer of the Hamp-Stephens funds last January made a huge impact on our Spirit. More than just allowing us to pay for the construction work, finally having the monies in hand freed up so many of our people from the sense of dread that the funds would somehow be lost to us. 
• Our Vision Team that met from January to June of last year helped capture a clear mission: Epworth connects and equips all kinds of people to seek, serve and share Christ. People are learning and quoting this statement to each other and to folks outside our church. 
• The Vision Team also laid out an ambitious goal of having 60% of our active people serving beyond the walls of our church in ministries in our community. I hear of people taking on new projects and passions all the time. This is the church being the church! 
• Finally, I received feedback from our congregation in a survey I did on Epworth’s vision and our future. One of the questions asked, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank your confidence in the statement, “Epworth will be a thriving congregation in the year 2025.” The average answer came back as 7.5. 

Think about that last point. In a world that is changing so rapidly around us, our people nevertheless are very confident that Epworth will be here. I believe they are right and I believe that hope comes from the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to transform us. 

   Like the word of promise spoken by the prophet Ezekiel to God’s people countless generations ago, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” I don’t think this is some silly tradition that is poorly predicting the future weather - I believe Epworth is positioned to continue seeking, serving and sharing Christ with the world. 

   Grace and Peace, Scott

Looking Back on the Good

   The Scriptures contain some pretty serious consequences for those who look back. In Genesis 19, Lot's wife is left behind - in the form of a pillar of salt - when she casts a glance back after being instructed to not look back. Jesus says, in Luke 9, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." In both cases, it seems that looking back in a way that suggests returning to the past is deemed a very bad thing.
   However, I think there is scriptural evidence that looking back to take stock of what was beneficial, for the purpose of changing course or getting perspective, is clearly a good thing. Luke 15 tells of the younger son thinking back to his father's home and coming to his senses. Clearly the New Testament comes to us only eyewitnesses spent years looking back and thinking through the words and deeds of Jesus. I think looking back can have value. We probably don't do it enough: slow down and look back.
   It was February 3, 2014 that our church gathered to hear a report on two proposed renovation and new construction projects. It was also that night that the assembled group first learned of the transfer of the Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC funds into Epworth's account. Who knew that a unanimous vote would be the beginning of fifty-two weeks of work?

• The hallway renovations, and the renovation that upgraded the women's restroom in the long hallway, would be completed in April, just before Easter. 
• The parking lot project would begin in May and wrap up in August. 
• The children's ministry wing project would begin in June and wrap up the week of Homecoming in September.
• Finally, the renovation of the Fellowship Hall and the new storage room that has been built started in October and are finishing this week. We hoped it would be finished in December, but the middle of this project was delayed for 2.5 weeks by the City, another three weeks by our choice to upgrade the ceilings, and then a week for Christmas break. So, while Andy Rolling and ROCON are a couple of weeks behind on the timetable considering these bumps in the road, their work over the past year has truly transformed our building.  

   In all, our Building Committee has led us to tackle six projects. We have has construction crews on the property for forty-eight of the past fifty-two weeks. At the same time, different monies were raised or given to replace the commercial refrigerator, the business phone system, and to install a new security system at the church and in the parsonage.
   What a year! And this only scratches the surface of what Epworth has going on. Next week, I want to highlight the transformation that continues in Epworth.
   Grace and Peace, Scott

Don't Bother Praying

   My friend Linda had surgery in December, and spent the better part of January in physical therapy regaining strength. She was delighted to once again be in control of her daily schedule, to sleep in her own bed, and to resume her life, but she was also worried. Many of us who have witnessed loved ones try to recovery from a fall or surgery or have even gone through it ourselves know, it is not an easy transition. There are a dozens of daily and weekly tasks that become strenuous to accomplish.
   So, there she was, a few days from returning home after over a month in two different local medical facilities, and worrying about it. She said as much to one of the folks where she was in physical therapy and they offered her a piece of wisdom that she passed on to me. I thought so much of it, I am sharing it with you. The woman told Linda,

If you're going to pray, don't worry. If you're going to worry, don't bother praying.

I love this. Of course, she was reworking the essence of Jesus' words to those gathered around him when he preached the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:34 records Jesus saying, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
   In my years of visiting and counseling with friends of all ages, this might be the passage I quote more often than any other. Almost everyone struggles with worry. It is human nature. It is not the nature of one who is seeking after the will of God, though. Worry is about fear, prayer is about trust. We cannot have both. Which do I choose?
   May you choose wisely and live abundantly. Grace and Peace, Scott

The Grace found in the Common and Ordinary

   Let's talk about the Christian Year. Are you familiar with...

   Easter? Yes, we’ve heard of that. 

   Christmas? Of course, we know about that. Everyone knows about that.

   Lent? Isn’t that the time when we are getting ready for Easter? 

   Advent? I recall hearing a preacher say it’s the four Sundays before Christmas where we prepare and anticipate the coming of baby Jesus.

   Common Time? What? Huh? I don’t know much about that. When is it?

   Common Time,  also known as Ordinary Time, is located at two different places in the year of the Church’s worship calendar. Don’t worry too much if it is not a season you recognize because it was only recently introduced in 1969. The Second Vatican Council of the early 1960s brought about sweeping changes to the way Roman Catholics interacted with the rest of the Christian world, how they organized themselves, and even how they patterned their worship. One of the most significant changes was to the way they designated the Sundays after Epiphany in January - when we mark the visit of the wise-men bringing gifts to Jesus - and the Sundays after Pentecost in May or June - when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to birth the church. Starting in 1969, Catholics and most Protestant churches refer to these two seasons as Common Time. 

   Christians have been thinking about the time since the early days after Jesus departed the first disciples and ascended into heaven. But, what value is there to time? Fifteen years ago in seminary, I highlighted these words of James White, 

 The calendar of the early church centered upon what God had done and continued to do through the Holy Spirit. The point of the Christian year is that all is done for us. All we have to do is accept what God has done. Then we really are free to act. The church’s liturgical year both underscores the futility of our efforts and exults in God’s victories for us. In short, the church year is a constant reminder of gifts that we cannot create but can only accept. 

- Introduction to Christian Worship, p. 67

  I like to think that our worship helps us to recite the marvelous works of God in history and in our stories. For me, Common Time is the reminder that even though every day is not a major holiday or date to celebrate a certain event in history, every day and week is a gift to be used. We can use ordinary days and common moments to praise God for the constant grace we have been given in the living of our lives. 

   Grace and Peace to you, Scott