I may be the worst person in the world when it comes to waiting. I think Kati would agree with me on this. At the grocery store, I am the one changing checkout lanes for the possibility of making it through the line a minute faster. I am one of the people that pre-orders everything from Apple because I cannot stand to queue up at the store. This morning, I changed lanes three times on the Yale. I will not even mention the lifespan of presents in our house (Hint: They do not make it to Christmas or birthdays). I am not good at waiting.I do not think I am alone either. We have a society based of instantaneous gratification. Waiting is antithetical to so many societal and technological trends. Movies and television shows are on demand now through smartphones, tablets, and computers that we can take anywhere and watch anytime. Fast food is even faster than it was a generation ago because so much of it is precooked and simply reheated. In Texas, there are stretches of road where you can drive 85 miles per hour to help get you to your destination a little sooner.This lack of waiting makes the season of Advent particularly challenging. We do not wait well in general, so an entire season of the church dedicated to waiting is difficult. And since Jesus has already come and does every Christmas, then that makes the waiting all the more arduous: we have waited before on Jesus.Luckily, this waiting is not without activity. We are waiting in preparation for something to happen. This waiting is pregnant with expectation for this future. In many ways, we are starting our faith journey anew each Advent. We are evaluating where we are and where we are going. We are discerning where God is coming into our world in fresh ways. What has happened in the past is not necessarily predictive of where God will be in the new future and we must prepare for that. Jesus may arrive every Christmas, but neither Jesus nor we will be the same at each encounter. Advent prepares us for that reality.This is a time of hopeful waiting. Jesus is coming. The world will change again. Our world will change in him. Wait. Prepare. Expect.
Truly Thankful
I love Thanksgiving. The food is wonderful. The gathering together of family is a blessed time. The hours of relaxation after the food are great too. Most of all, I love the football. Professional or college football, the fact that I can eat that much and then watch football for hours afterwards is a true Thanksgiving blessing.When the Pilgrims and other early settlers first celebrated Thanksgiving, they were thankful for a lot more and a lot more important things. They traveled thousands of miles to an unfamiliar land. They were cut off from everything they had previously known. The conditions here were harsh and daunting. Everything they needed, they now had to make or create for themselves.The image we most associate with Thanksgiving is the image of the pilgrims and Native Americans sitting down to a meal in Plymouth, Massachusetts. We all know this story. After a long year, harvest came and the pilgrims wanted to give thanks to God for such a bountiful harvest that would allow them to survive through the winter and beyond. They were thankful for God’s grace. This was only one of many early Thanksgiving meals. When a group arrived at the Berkeley Plantation in Virginia, before they planted a single crop, they set out a large feast to celebrate the safe ocean crossing and to give thanks to God. Many other Thanksgiving meals were celebrated in those early days in the New World and in all of them there was a recognition that everything we have to be thankful for comes from God. Our hands can plant the seed, but the seed, the water, the sunlight, the energy to grow, and abundance of the harvest all come from God.I urge you, as you are eating later this month (and at gatherings throughout the month), to remember these early celebrations of Thanksgiving. See what they saw: God at the heart of all goodness. Know what they knew: everything we enjoy and live for is from God. Today, tomorrow, everyday let us be thankful for God’s grace, for God’s love, and for God’s mercy.
500 Years of Reforming
The final Sunday of October marks our annual observance of Reformation Sunday. On Reformation Sunday, we celebrate the tradition that grounds our faith. This year is the 500th anniversary of the day on October 31, 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church. This symbolic act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. A short while later, John Calvin, the spiritual father of the Presbyterian Church (USA), became another early voice calling for reform in the church. On the last Sunday in October, we remember these leaders and many others that sought to change the church for the better.The Reformation is often framed in theological terms. Luther, Calvin, and others called for changes in the way that the church thought about the bible, salvation, communion, and more. They made many theological arguments and wrote many thoughtful books. Their core concern, however, was pastoral. How could the average person be assured of their salvation? How could the person in the pew know God if the bible and mass were in a language they did not understand? How could believers experience the imminence of God if the bread and wine were reserved only for the priest? The reformers were motivated by a love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. They wanted them to know that it is through faith that they are saved, that the bible and liturgy should be in their native tongue, and that Jesus Christ is present with them as they eat and drink at the Lord’s Supper.One of the other battlegrounds of the Reformation was what was called the “priesthood of all believers”. They believed, as we do today, that in our baptism we are called to service in the church and world. Each of us is called and equipped uniquely and personally to do ministry. Some are indeed called to be ministers, but all are called to do something in the name of God. In that call to service, we are all equal and all priests. It is a priesthood of all believers, not just some.As we mark Reformation Sunday and the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation, I call you to remember your baptism and your faith. Where is God calling you? How is God calling you to service? I also call you to a deeper faith. Generations of people fought and often died so that you could participate in this journey of faith more fully. They died so that you might know Jesus Christ in a fuller way. When was the last time that you read your bible? When was the last time that you discussed your faith or asked questions to dig deeper? When was the last time you enjoyed a prayer or song in worship?We exist because of the reformers before us. Our faith and our ability to discover what our faith is comes to us because of Luther, Calvin, and many more. Celebrate by believing!
Worshipping Well
An argument has been made recently that the reason for the decline of the church in the last decades is not due to theology or practice but due to a lack of creativity. It is truly a fault of imagination. While the world changed, we stayed the same. The argument goes that the church is, quite frankly, boring. It is repetitive. We sing the same songs. We say the same words. We even sit in the same pews. We do all of this week after week in the same setting. And for many, exiting the church is the response.One of the conversations that has sparked a lot of interest on the Worship Committee is “How do we make worship more creative, better even?” The new Welcoming Time that will precede worship came out of a similar conversation. “What should we be doing that we are not?” We want worship to matter. We want worship to enliven the heart, to point to Jesus Christ in new and profound ways, to be something that people look forward to all week. To do this, our mindset and expectation has to change. To that end, you will notice small changes to the Order of Worship. (The Prelude and Announcements have already switched places.) You will also notice changes that are meant to deepen the experience of worship: 1) the baptismal font is more centered now, and 2) the Communion elements will process in during the new Communion Hymn starting on September 10. My hope is that you will also see new creative elements to worship beyond this.At a worship conference I attended a few years ago, they challenged us to think of the best worship service we ever attended. Some shared stories of particularly meaningful Easter or Christmas Eve services. Some recounted singing around a campfire. Some even spoke about a special service following a national or local tragedy. In almost all the stories, the best and most meaningful services were the ones that were out of the norm. The setting was different. The liturgy had changed. There was special music. The church was decorated differently. They did different things. They moved from their seats and gathered around the communion table, baptismal font, or prayer station. Church changed and because it changed it changed them.I want to challenge all of you as you read this: What was you favorite worship experience? Where did it happen? How did it happen? What made it so special? Why was it different? Help Southminster improve our worship by suggesting how we can make worship more meaningful and creative.
Almost Fall
I love the fall. I love it so much that any time I get within a horizon’s distance away from it I start talking about how much I love the fall. Weeks of 100+ degree days will send my mind there too!I love the fall because of the transition it marks. We go from the relative slowness of the summer months to the increased activity of the fall and then into Advent and Christmas. I love seeing the church come back to life after a few months break. I love seeing ministries take on new energy after a short pause. For the record, I also enjoy the transition from baseball to football, the leaves changing, the fall television schedule, and the promise of cooler weather.This newsletter will arrive in the midst of the August heat and fall will still be around the corner, but I wanted to get you prepared now for everything you will see coming up over the next few months. Here are some highlights:
-August 2 will be the first Young Adult Night Out, a monthly gathering of Southminster’s young adults and friends. They will meet at Bricktown Brewery at 6pm for a free meal with childcare provided at the church.-The Second Sunday Fellowship Meal on August 13 will be sports themed. Wear your favorite college gear to church and lunch that day. Following the meal, we will assemble the water and snack kits for our homeless ministry.-In the month of August, various roofing projects will take place across the building to repair hail damaged surfaces. The damaged portion of Cottrell Hall first floor will also be remodeled. Please pardon our mess.-Celebration Sunday is September 10. Celebrate the start of the Sunday School year by joining a class and bringing a friend to worship that day.-September 10 will also mark the beginning of a new Sunday Schedule. More information about this change is below.-October 5 marks the start of the Southminster Speaker Series. At 7:00PM that day, Rev. Carol Howard Merritt will visit with the congregation and community about her new book Healing Spiritual Wounds and her journey of faith.-On October 15, during the Sunday School time, Sherry Kenney with Presbyterian Foundation will present about Planned Giving, Memorial Funds, and the Church. Make plans now to attend this important informational session.-November 2 is the second speaker in the Southminster Speaker Series. Rev. Sharon Risher will join us and share her experience of tragedy and forgiveness following the loss of her mother, two cousins, and a childhood friend in the 2015 Charleston Church Shooting.
As you can see, it is going to be a busy time in the life of our church. These highlights only scratch the surface of the activities we will encounter. Beyond so much happening, I would encourage you to invite family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and more to experience these events with you. We want to be the heart of activity in Brookside. Helps us reach out to show we are The Heart of Brookside.
Welcoming Diversity
If you ever set foot on the campus of Harvard University you will notice that the sidewalks are curiously arranged. At other public institutions, the sidewalks might run around the outer edge of green spaces and connect the buildings in straight lines. A few might cross the space, but direct connections between buildings are limited. This is a common landscaping scheme to create an orderly aesthetic. The sidewalks at Harvard are not constructed in this manner. Once you step out of the doorway of a building, sidewalks shoot off in every direction to every point you might travel. A virtual spider’s web of concrete allows direct access to your destination across campus. The walkways are random, but more efficient.This came about because for generations Harvard lacked sidewalks. Students and faculty simply maneuvered from building to building in the most direct routes they could through grass, mud, and snow. When Harvard finally got around to paving the pathways, they decide to not impose order to the multitude of routes. They paved them all. And that is how Harvard came to have such an eclectic network of sidewalks.I am reminded of that story when I think about the mixture of people we have in the church. For some, an orderly arrangement of sidewalks would make absolute sense. For others, the seemingly random but more direct way might seem better. Likewise with the church, I know people who love the rhythm and flow of a beautiful liturgical prayer. I know others that appreciate the freedom and directness of an extemporaneous prayer. In the same way that some people learn better sitting around a table discussing a passage of scripture, others might gain more hearing a lecture. One person might gain a world of spiritual insight from a well preached sermon. Another’s heart might be filled better by a service project beyond the church walls. All of that is to say that the church, the people in it, their spiritual needs, and more are truly diverse.Part of being a welcoming church, a church that is welcoming to the diversity of God’s creation, is honoring the multitude of ways that people experience God and grow in faith. When we vary the liturgy on Sunday morning, we are seeking to do that. When we offer a variety of Sunday Classes presented in a variety of ways we are doing that. My favorite thing might not be your favorite thing, but by lifting up the variety of human expression we create a more welcoming environment to friends and visitors alike.A few weeks ago, we read about the calling of the Twelve Apostles in Matthew. I am not sure that Jesus could have gathered a more diverse group of people in 1stCentury Israel. The church is just as diverse today with more diversity waiting beyond the church walls. Let’s live into the blessing and richness of God’s creation.
Spiritual Serendipity
A few years ago, Kati and I visited Europe. It was our first trip there and I planned every detail for almost a year. The itinerary was set early on. The cruise was selected and booked as soon as I could. The airline tickets were on sale four months before, so I snapped them up. Then came the detail work. I meticulously plotted and planned everything that I wanted to see. I scoured TripAdvisor.com for the best tour companies in each location I would be visiting. I researched the currency and outlet specifications for each destination. I made note of the average temperature and rain fall for the periods in which I would be visiting. I created a spreadsheet of the cost of every detail of the trip to accurately account and estimate all of my travel dollars. I made a special calendar to keep track of where I was supposed to be and when. I purchased all the big and small things I would need for the trip. A week before I left, I packed everything I could and noted what was left. Everything was planned down to the letter. Everything except the visit to Tuscany in Italy. Kati had heard from a friend of a friend about a new company that was giving fantastic tours from Florence into the wine making region of Tuscany. With all the work on the rest of the trip, I decided this leg was best left to others. And it was amazing. First, we drove for an hour into the rolling hills and endless fields of grapes where most of the Chianti wine in the world is made. Then we stopped at an excellent “medium” size winery that produced only about 350,000 bottles of wine a year. Later we saw a small, picturesque, family owned, winery producing lovely wines on a completely different scale. At both stops, the view of the countryside and wine was amazing. What was even more amazing was the stop for lunch in between the wineries. In Panzano, Italy, in the heart of Chianti country, lives the most famous butcher in the world. His name is Dario Cecchini and he runs Antica Macelleria Cecchini. Bill Buford’s tantalizing book about cooking, Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany, made Dario a world-wide star (if you like cooking) and subject of more than one trip from a Food Network Channel host. Dario’s food, from the salami to the bread and olive oil to the lardo to the white beans and potatoes to every single meat dish he put in front of us, was truly out of this world. It was an incredible experience in the middle of day of incredible experiences and in a place I never expected to be. What’s more is that it was completely unplanned by Kati or I. With all the months and long nights of planning, the vague “Noon-Lunch” stop on the touring company’s itinerary was the highlight of the trip. We did not know where we were going. We did not know who we would meet. We had no way of anticipating the antipasto, wine, meat, dish after dish of incredible food, and the grappa that followed. It was serendipity. We could use more serendipity in our spiritual lives as well, I think. Too often, it seems that we treat our practice of a faith formulaically. Church for an hour on Sunday. Prayer, daily or nightly. Sunday School once a week (except in summer). Scripture reading a couple times a week. The ardent believer among us might even read a daily lectionary or keep up another daily spiritual practice. In all those cases, though, spiritual development is the product of planning and repetition. But what about the serendipitous moments of faith? The moments where the Holy Spirit intervenes. Pentecost is around the corner and those Holy Spirit moments of faith, serendipitous moments of faith, matter too. The moments were God is remarkably present. The singular moments where Jesus’ words in scripture seem to be speaking to you. Yes, I think we need the spiritual serendipity too. Summer is not a liturgical season, but Ordinary Time is. It is that time between the busy time where our faith may just have the chance to serendipitously grow and change. Enjoy your summer. Enjoy your Ordinary Time. May you encounter God in a new way there. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is already at work at just that.
After Easter
I am not sure we know what to do with this time after Easter, but before Pentecost. All the patience, preparation, and waiting for Easter is behind us. The fine Easter clothes are packed away for another year. The Easter lilies are slowly wilting away. The cheer of Easter has been replaced with the exhaustion and relaxation that mark the weeks following this holy and busy time. It is almost like that days after that other high holiday, Christmas. Jesus Christ is here. Now what? Today, Jesus has died and been resurrected. Now what?This time after is Easter is known as Eastertide. It is the fifty day period from Easter to Pentecost. It is a continuation of the celebration of Easter. Beyond a one Sunday event, Eastertide is a season of the church that marks the resurrected Christ’s presence with us and his commissioning of us for ministry. In the same way that the gospels do not end at Easter (except Mark), neither does Christ’s ministry to and with us. In Matthew, we are sent to “make disciples and baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” In Luke, Jesus walks with some of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. In John, the resurrected Christ eats a breakfast of fish and bread with disciples. And Jesus appears to a variety of people in all three.This time after Easter is about remembering and living into the reality that Jesus' resurrection and ultimately his ascension do not mean that the gospel ministry is over. On the contrary, for us it is just beginning. And more than that, Jesus Christ will still be with us in the power of the Holy Spirit animating and inspiring us to do God’s work in the world. The resurrection and ascension mark the eternal continuing of Jesus’s work and presence with us.As Eastertide rolls on, let us continue to celebrate the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the continuing of his ministry in our hands.
