These Enduring Tasks remain Essential for All of Us

   While the sound of fireworks can still be heard all around my house most nights, the official celebrations have ended. Everyone knows July 4, 1776, the day that the Continental Congress finalized the formal Declaration of Independence. But, what about July 9? Here is the background... 

   In the summer of 1776, as many as 32,000 British troops were gathering on nearby Staten Island. They were preparing to engage their enemy - the rebels of the American colonies. Knowing that the first official battle of the American Revolution was coming, General George Washington conveyed two direct orders to the Brigade Majors who commanded the troops. 

   First, he ordered that the brand new Declaration of Independence be read out to soldiers of the Continental Army in Manhattan. He believed reading the Declaration "will serve as a fresh incentive to every officer, and soldier, to act with Fidelity and Courage, as knowing that now the peace and safety of his Country depends (under God) solely on the success of our arms." He wants them to be inspired.

   Second, he passes along the news that the Continental Congress has made funds available to hire a Chaplain for every regiment! He writes that the "Commanding officers of each regiment are directed to procure Chaplains accordingly; persons of good Characters and exemplary lives - To see that all inferior officers and soldiers pay them a suitable respect and attend carefully upon religious exercises. The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger - The General hopes and trusts, that every officer and man, will endeavour so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country." He wants them to be spiritually cared for.

   Similarly, these are the primary tasks of the local church: to be a place where people encounter the God who inspires us and cares for us. I am humbled to serve a church that lives this out. God wants to connect with us and does that best through our relationships with others. 

   Grace and peace, Scott

I Don't Know Anything

   The English proverb suggests, "Good things come to those who wait." This week, Epworth received approval from the City of Columbus to move forward in the new construction of a storage room that will adjoin the Fellowship Hall, as well as with renovations to the Fellowship Hall. ROCON had done as much as they could in preparing the walls, duct-work, floors, and electrical fixtures up to the point that the first inspections would take place and allow the work of putting things back in place could begin. The progress inside and outside will pick up quickly now that the permit is approved and on site. Good things are going to come quickly!
   I've learned so very much throughout the previous ten months that Epworth has been engaged in renovations. From fire and building codes that keep us safe, to energy-efficient light fixtures, and the latest HVAC units that heat and cool spaces for a fraction of the cost of previous designs, it has been a fascinating journey for someone who likes to learn new things. Glenn Griffin (architect), Andy Rolling (contractor) and Laura Jane Murphy (city inspector) are just three of the countless folks who passed through our hallways offering both knowledge and care to our congregation's buildings and future.

   The most recent lesson was a refresher in a course I've had many times before. It came as I stood behind a giant concrete truck - someone told me that when full they weigh 67,000 lbs - and watched a crew of workers spread and smooth the perfect combination of rock, water and chemicals into trenches that had been perfectly dug, measured, covered and then reinforced. I was struck: I would not have a clue how to do this correctly! For as much as I have learned over the years from my grandfather in his shop, from the mission teams from Albany First UMC along the hurricane-damaged coast, and recently with Riley Middleton on one project after another, I don't know anything about pouring concrete to create a new room. Thankfully, I don't have to!
    One of the greatest and most beautiful truths of the church is that we are not in this alone. Romans 12 tells us our team is like the body of Christ, Ephesians 4 tells us that each has been given various gifts for ministry, and Hebrews 12 reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And 1 Corinthians 3 proclaims that underneath it all is the perfectly poured foundation of Jesus Christ which the hymn-writer Samuel Stone turned into the tune in 1866 that even now sings in my heart, "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord...."
   May the grace and peace of Jesus, upon whom our salvation is built, be with you! Scott

What We Do For Children

What Is Happening

  The tragedy and scandal at the Penn State University football program continues to make headlines as the findings of various investigations are released and now as punishments and consequences are meted out. At the center of this tragedy are the actions of assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and the inactions of head coach Joe Paterno, along with the school's president and others in key leadership positions. The scale of this story is enormous. That it happened at one of the most highly respected universities in the country is shocking. That the all-time winningest coach at the top level of college football would be involved is even more so.
  The ramifications of what is being uncovered are far-reaching. My initial reaction from nearly a year ago was that this will reshape not just college athletics or the world of sports, but nonprofits and all organizations that serve in and around children. I continue to pray for the families of the victims and the entire community that is grieving.
  This tragedy, like the shooting deaths in Aurora, Colorado last week, is unsettling. I think it gives us reason to clearly define what it is we believe.

What We Believe

  The Bible tells us that every person is created in the image of God and therefore has great and immeasurable value in the eyes of God, the Creator of the universe (Genesis 1:27-31). Jesus goes on to define a right relationship with God as one that is like a father and child (Matthew 6:9). He goes on to say that entrance into heaven hinges on changing to have childlike characteristics (Matthew 18:3). Finally, Jesus speaks a word of woe to anyone who would cause one of these "little ones" to stumble. The church is a collected group of people who are seeking to live by the Kingdom values taught by Jesus and found in the Scriptures, but also who are teaching and confirming such grace-filled living in the others who are welcomed on the journey (Ephesians 1:18-23). Embodying the love and radical grace of Jesus is what it means for the church to be the 'Body of Christ' in the world.

What We Do (in response to our beliefs)

  A number of years ago, our church council adopted a Safe Sanctuaries policy, similar to the one required of every United Methodist Church in South Georgia, to be intentional about protecting children, our church, and our volunteers. It sets some minimums for both recruitment of volunteers (time involved at church, background checks, etc.) and establishes policies about how children are supervised (at least two approved persons present, no groups in rooms without windows or open doors, etc.). We continue to live into what this means for our church.

  In addition to our volunteers, the Conference required a day-long session of Sexual Ethics training for clergy serving United Methodist churches every three years. Scott is scheduled to attend his third round of this in September of this year.

  Starting this year, we have adopted the principles of ORANGE ministry with children and families. ORANGE is about the church's commitment to partner with families to shine the light of Jesus into the lives of the next generations. Families are first in the line of influencers of children, so we want to help them train up children in the best possible way. This means we are encouraging more participation by adults in children's ministry events instead of less. We love families of every size (family is 1+)!

  Beyond just policies and practices, we pray. We pray for those who have been hurt by the world and for those not yet reached by God's love. We pray for every child in our care and prepare for all of those who will arrive someday. We pray that as we teach and model the love of God we know we are also greatly loved.

I am the Church

I am the church.....

The great Creator drew the plans for me within his heart of love.

The great architect gave his dearest possession that I might be erected.

My one and only foundation is his Son - whose body was nailed to a tree.

My cornerstone - the stone which the builders rejected - is Christ himself.

My walls - placed without the sound of hammers - were built with the blood of the martyrs.

My steeple points upward toward the great Architect, builder throughout eternity.

From my belfry rings out the call to worship to multitudes of all ages.

My door swings open to all people of every condition and age, bidding them welcome.

In my sanctuary there is -

  Peace for troubled minds,

  Rest for weary bodies,

  Compassion for suffering humanity,

  Forgiveness for repentant sinners,

  Communion with the saints,

  And Christ for all who seek him.

(poem by Beulah Hughes)

   This is one of the 277 poems and clippings that my grandfather passed on to my brother, cousin, and myself to use in our preaching and ministry. I cannot find it on the Internet, yet here it is. It is interesting and peculiar, to be honest. We are so trained by the children's song to think of the church as you and me and not a building, that a poem written in the 'voice' of the structure where we gather for worship and ministry is striking.

   Yet, there is much truth here. God created the church and God's plans for her are mighty. We are to partner in ushering in the Kingdom of God. We are called to continue the mighty acts of Jesus Christ, just like the first apostles did in the Book of Acts.

   Read the poem one more time and consider all of the work of God and the sacrifices of God's people throughout the ages that have given to us this opportunity to be a part of God's amazing work of grace in the world. Humbling. Inspiring. Daunting.

   Grace and peace, Scott

The Hope of the Church

   We live in a big world, and the news of the world is often heavy and disappointing. A school shooting that steals young lives or continued violence in Syria by the government on its own people with a death toll of 7500+ are both in the headlines this week. Allowing such news to dominate our spirits and breed in us a negative view of the world is an easy trap in which to fall. We are to mourn with those who mourn and we will indeed suffer. But "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3) 

   It is that sense of hope and joy that explains why I am walking around with a spring in my step this week. Sunday and Monday were the first two nights of our eight sessions of Confirmation and a really super group of students has joined us so far, including Alex, Austin, Ben, Cheyenne, Dylan, Elizabeth, Kyle, Natalie, Payton, Reese, Richmond, Skylar, and Trevor. In just the first two sessions we've touched upon Creation, Sin, Redemption, the Holy Spirit, and the nature of the Church. In talking about the nature of the Church, we looked at how the United Methodist Church defines what it means to be Church:

The church is a community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. It is the redeemed and redeeming fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by persons divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the church seeks to provide for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world. - Preamble to the UMC's Constitution

Of course, words are only symbols and signs pointing us to something else, but these words are lofty enough and large enough to prompt us to look upward for what being the Church might mean. We spent a few minutes talking through the overwhelming idea that we are called to help 'redeem the world'. Considering all of the conflict and pain and terror and suffering, how can we be expecting to make a dent, or to have an impact?
   The scriptures, anticipating such a question, tell the story of how the Church was started. Just before Jesus ascends into heaven in Acts 1, leaving the disciples on earth to be the hands and feet of his movement, he instructs us to wait on the Holy Spirit. It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that they will exist. It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that we exist. It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that our mission to redeem the world could possibly be achieved. But, looking out into the faces and futures of the students who have gathered with us so far and knowing it is Jesus who goes with them, I like our chances. Grace and Peace to you, Scott

Prayer for GOD's People

O GOD, our Father, we know our own weakness. 
Our minds are darkened, and by ourselves we cannot find a know the truth.
Our wills are weak, and by ourselves we cannot resist temptation, or bring to its completion that which we resolve to do.
Our hearts are fickle, and by ourselves we cannot give you the loyalty which is your due.
Our steps are faltering, and by ourselves we cannot walk in your straight way.
So this day we ask you,
To enlighten us;
To strengthen us;
To guide us, that we may know you, and love you, and follow you all the days of our life.
Give to your Church your blessing and your protection. 
Guide her in her thinking, that she may be saved from the heresies, which destroy the faith. 
Strengthen her in her witness, that she may bring no discredit on the name she bears. 
Inspire her in her fellowship, that those who enter her may find within her your friendship and the friendship of their fellows on this journey.

- From Prayers for the Christian Year by William Barclay

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.