It?s Not The End, But Rather A Beginning
Pomp and Circumstance is a familiar melody, commonly used at graduations, perhaps because it lends itself to a slow, lingering procession of capped and gowned people about to commence to the next stage of their lives. One of the definitions of the verb “graduate” is “to pass by degrees; change gradually.” Wordplays on “pass” and “degrees” notwithstanding, a graduation celebrates a change in a person’s life. It is a passage from one level of maturity and wisdom to another.

The ceremony itself, however, is not the focus. The focus is what the ceremony represents.

Since it has been so long, I remember little about my own graduations. My high school graduation was 35 years ago, from Annandale High School in Virginia. The ceremony was held at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts, and my only memory is that shortly after we in the Class of 1972 graduated, Wolf Trap burned to the ground. So, when you watch a performance from Wolf Trap on PBS, you’re seeing the later version.

I remember even less about my college graduation from East Carolina University in 1976. I think it was Memorial Day weekend, but I’m not sure anymore. When it came to my graduation from Christian Theological Seminary, listed next to my name in the program was the Latin phrase in absentia, roughly translated, “He ain’t here.” By the time the ceremony rolled around I already had moved hundreds and hundreds of miles away to begin my pastoral ministry. My diploma arrived in the mail.

Memories diminish regarding ceremonies, and, of course, it was the people I encountered as I “passed by degrees” and “changed gradually” that really mattered, anyway. Their words, their examples, and their caring were what influenced me, much more than the information printed in the text books studied, or the inspirational commencement addresses. Just to name a few, I think of Don Armstrong, Jim Coyle, David Carter, Emory Underwood, Ralph Messick, Lester McAllister, T.J. Liggett, Vinton Bradshaw, and Davie Napier. For all of us, the list continues after graduation ceremonies are long over and the signatures fade from our diplomas.

As people of faith, the thing for us to remember is that we can be on someone else’s list. We can “pass it on,” just as others have done so for us. In fact, we are called to be present for graduations in the lives of those around us, sharing in the grace of “passing by degrees and changing gradually” with them.

Worship This Sunday At The Church Of Your Choice
A lot goes on in and around churches.

I read today about several hundred undocumented immigrant workers who fled into a Roman Catholic church when federal agents swept through the area arresting others in the same situation.

Last week a gunman took his own life inside a church after shooting several rounds into a police station in an attempt to draw officers out into the open as targets.

A church in our area hosted a makeshift "tent city" of homeless folks on church property as officials and advocates wrangled about how to address the matter of homelessness in the city.

In some churches, street people are welcomed for meals and shelter; in others, every possible approach is employed to keep them out.

There are churches that surround themselves with American flags, while others are intentional in their witness to a higher allegiance.

Messages condemning homosexuals, liberals and others identified as abominations or unrighteous thunder throughout some churches. The "N-word" is muttered in sanctuaries and at coffee hour even to this day.

The proclamation of the good news of the forgiveness of sins touches the hearts and minds of seekers in other places.

The scriptures are read aloud from the King James Version, the New International Version, the Good News Bible, the New Revised Standard Version, and others.

Some project on screens or walls the words of hymns and songs. Others rely on hymnals.

Depending on where you show up on a given Sunday, you may see worshipers waving their arms, shouting, "Amen," or sitting silently and perfectly still.

The sounds of children enliven some churches, while elsewhere the slightest peep is met with stern glares.

I even once saw a pigeon walk out of a church's elevator, along with several human passengers, and disappear into the crowd in the narthex. No feathers were ruffled in the process, which sometimes is unusual in churches.

Yes, a lot goes on in and around churches. Some of it is relevant, important and uplifting. Some of it is completely off the mark.

Yet, God's power is so great, God's ability to make all things new so surprising, and God's judgment that life overcomes death so firmly and thoroughly established in God's Creation, even the church, with its weaknesses, shortcomings, failures, and startling differences, has a role and place. Even in the church, God's love and presence can be experienced and shared.

God's people are called to be a blessing to others.

In our finer moments we live up to that.

You Can't Choose Your Relatives
A generation ago or so, the songwriting team Avery and Marsh had a number of pieces popular among some church folks including the one that goes, "I am the church; you are the church; we are the church together. All of God's children, all around the world, yes, we're the church together."

Well, there's another one, written in a facetious manner, that I recently stumbled across. The title is "I Can Be A Christian By Myself:"

I can be a Christian by myself.
Leave my dusty Bible on the shelf.
I'll sing a hymn and pray a bit.
God can do the rest of it.

My heart's the church, my head's the steeple.
Shut the door and I'm the people.
I can be a Christian by myself.

Of course, the testimony of scripture is that God's people are bound together in community. We aren't just "people." We're "a people." We are related to each other. For Christians, our bond is faith in Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God."

Our sense of community is not always evident to the world, or even to ourselves. We permit disagreements over doctrine, social issues, and politics to disrupt our relationships with one another. When others see things differently, we sometimes pick up our toys and go play with someone else. We look for the church where we're "comfortable."

It's a shame, really. In fact, it's a scandal.

In my own tradition, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), our forebears made it clear: "Christian Unity is Our Polar Star." They were convinced that the most effective witness to the gospel was a fellowship of believers united in Christ.

They emphasized the responsibility of all Christians to read, study, and interpret the scriptures. They promoted freedom of thought. They believed in the interplay between faith and reason.

Taken together with the pattern of the formation of Christian communities, or "churches," in the New Testament -- the "Body of Christ," as opposed to the Body Parts of Christ -- this means that diversity and differences are not to be feared or avoided. Rather, they are to be embraced.

It has something to do with what Paul terms "the gifts of the spirit." We all bring something to the conversation. We all bring something to the community. We share our understanding, our perspective, our experience, our wisdom, our insights, and we all benefit in the process.

To me, that makes for a strong church. Perhaps it isn't a "comfortable" church. But then, what happens in a comfortable church? People stop praying, they stop witnessing, they stop giving, they stop just about everything else, except maybe trying to keep the organization alive.

Ironically, it is then that death sneaks up on them...us...the church. And then we don't have a choice.

We have to be Christians "by myself."

"Here Am I, Send Me"
In a recent discussion among clergy colleagues we talked about some of our thoughts and feelings on our role as pastors. It was clear we brought a variety of perspectives. I also read just yesterday a book written by a clergyperson who mentioned that when he travels he never tells his airline seat mate that he is a minister.

I remember that when I went to seminary I encountered people with a wide range of expectations and assumptions about what it meant to be a minister. As I told my colleagues the other day, I am a minister because I was called, not because I ever had the intention or desire to become one. So, my initial foray into that world, showing up at seminary, brought about a lot of reflection on my part.

But I assured myself by the clear awareness I wasn’t the only unlikely candidate for ministry present on campus. Some folks there, students and otherwise, seemed to me completely nuts, and I truly couldn’t figure out why they were there.

One person (not nuts) I found intriguing was a fellow named Tim. He pulled some time down at the state farm for saying “No, thanks,” when Uncle Sam sent his Vietnam-era greetings. Sporting wild hair and a beard, Tim very obviously was intelligent, often wearing a shirt selected from his incarceration wardrobe. I paid attention when Tim spoke in class because he had a lot more on the ball than I, and I wanted to learn.

On the other end of the spectrum from my point of view was a guy whose approach to faith struck me as very simplistic. He (perhaps 3 out of 5 on the nuts scale) was very friendly towards me, and I don’t mean to sound critical. It’s just that he was hemispherically different from many of the more intellectual people there.

I remember one day as I was leaving the building, I ran into this guy and he excitedly told me something he discerned about prayer. He said, “If my grandmother was driving her car and saw that she was about to collide with another car in an intersection, and she prayed, ‘Thank you, God, for keeping that car from hitting me,’ there wouldn’t be an accident! She thanked God in advance, so God would stop the accident from happening!” I just stood there as he hustled away reveling in his epiphany, which, no doubt, found its way into his next sermon. I’m currently rethinking his rating, possibly bumping him up a nut.

A number of my peers were enrolled only because they were required to get a Masters of Divinity degree by their denominational credentialing authorities in order to remain as pastors. In spite of the education they were working to obtain, they knew the real truth about God and Jesus, and no one was going to tell them otherwise.

That truth seemed to have a lot to do with white middle-class Midwestern North American conservative morals and values. Some of these fellows (yes, the ones I knew from this segment of the seminary population all were men) questioned the salvation of the unblinking professors who insistently challenged them to mine deeper ideas.

Then, there was Vinton Bradshaw, one of my all-time favorite people, who was the Director of Field Education at the seminary. He also was a mentor to countless folks like me over his long career. Vinton told us that we should "think of ourselves as ministers," right from the get-go. I had difficulty doing that, because I didn't quite know what that meant, but he valiantly dragged me along, anyway.

With the world, culture and church changing so much over the last generation or two, it's difficult to know what it means to be a minister. Sometimes church folks, not wanting things to change, insist on the minister fitting a mold or image that means something to them. Ministers hold themselves to a variety of standards they feel are appropriate. These don't always overlap exactly.

Grace, patience, growth, and understanding are beneficial to all concerned in the relationship.

Handsome Boy
Twenty-three years ago today, Mary and I spent the day at the hospital in Elmira, New York, awaiting the birth of our second son. On our last visit to the obstetrician, he examined Mary and declared, "This baby is over ten pounds!" There were no signs of labor. So, we set a date, May 18, and if labor didn't begin, a C-section would bring Matt into the world, apparently against his wishes.

And, that's precisely what happened. He weighed in at ten pounds, three ounces.

Maybe his reluctance to be born was to be expected. As a "Taurus," according to horoscope definitions, he should be "home-loving and tend to have deep sentimental attachments to people, things, and places...Astrologers do not consider Taureans to be fond of change, making the typical Taurus both reliable and committed, as well as inflexible." (MSN) I guess Matt just liked it where he was, and was ready to wait us out!

Of course, we're glad he came along, despite his hesitations, and he continues to bring much joy and happiness to our lives. We just wish we all lived closer together.

Make It A Blockbuster Night!
There is a church near our house currently advertising a FREE Movie Night, complete with popcorn. The title of the movie isn't mentioned, but one assumes it would measure up to someone's standards as family-appropriate. Good for them, and I hope they have a splendid turn-out.

Churches constantly are trying to come up with ideas of programs or events that will get people to come inside their building. But what happens when the folks show up? No doubt there are friendly people there to greet them. They watch a movie. But, then what?

Perhaps there is the expectation that once you get the strangers inside your doors they, or at least some of them, will be intrigued enough to come back for worship. And then, before you know it, they will join the church!

Is a FREE Movie Night or Talent Show or some other activity attractive enough to someone who has a spiritual void or longing in their life that they will finally take the plunge and go inside a church building? Or are they looking for something else?

Maybe another way to phrase it is to ask, "Is the church truly looking to be available to someone on a spiritual journey, or are we trying to attract people who, like most of us, really are pretty casual about that kind of thing?" Maybe we just think we need to get some more people into the church so it will continue to exist. If that's the case, for what reason does the church need to continue existing?

There is a growing number of books on congregational transformation. It seems all the ones I read, and all the speakers I hear talk about transformation, come back to the reality that there is a significant spiritual drought inside the church. Evangelism would be better understood, embraced, and practiced as church folks themselves are growing spiritually through worship, prayer, study, service, faithful stewardship, and other spiritual disciplines.

Small groups studying, praying and serving together is viewed as the best approach for people to start, re-start or continue a spiritual journey. Newcomers are less intimidated by participating in a small group than they are by simply walking into a church as a stranger on Sunday morning.

As church folks continue to grow in their faith, they are more sensitive to the nudging of the spirit, and they find themselves drawn into mission, even in ways they never imagined. Outsiders, however they encounter the members of a faith community, can sense something compelling in the lives of those whose faith drives them to reach out to others. That attracts spiritual seekers, and leads to the making of disciples.

In our regional church, we're beginning to place an emphasis on "Disciples making Disciples." Of course, the implication is you have to be a disciple yourself in order to make new ones.

I'm not convinced that hiding behind special event programs fills the need, even though I enjoy a good movie, just like anyone else.

"Those Who Love Me, I Will Deliver"
Yesterday's news of the death of Jerry Falwell received a lot of attention, and no doubt many people are mourning his loss. I did not know the man. I also did not have a favorable impression of his words or actions.

It seemed to me he was devoted to division and separation. I understand the Christian faith to be about reconciliation and unity. His message seemed to be one of judgment and exclusion, while Jesus spoke of grace and forgiveness, which he termed "good news."

I never saw the validity or attraction of the approach taken by Falwell and others of a similar mindset. Unfortunately, it seems many people outside the church harbor a suspicion that most, if not all, of us in the church reflect Falwell's attitudes and prejudices. So many of them choose to stay away.

I once saw a bumper sticker that said, "Lord, protect me from your followers."

I remember when the Y2K mania was going around, Falwell was quoted as saying he was stockpiling supplies -- including ammunition -- just in case the world went crazy because computers weren't programmed to click over to the year 2000. He made swift and harsh judgments on 9/11, letting us know that God was upset with the United States because of our moral failures. Comments he made about Islam sparked protests and riots half a world away.

The world took note of the passing of this person.

I have known numerous folks whose deaths were not noted by the world. It shouldn't have been a surprise, though, because few took note of their lives. One in particular I recall was a man named Willie, who was a member of my congregation.

Willie was an African-American man, in his 70's, who died following a struggle with a number of health problems. He was a modest man of meager means, poorly educated, and not especially articulate.

He worked hard for a long time in service industry jobs around Washington, DC, loved his family, and when I knew him, always had a positive outlook, a smile, and took great pleasure and pride in being able to walk to church every Sunday. And he dressed up for church, because he was raised to respect the Lord.

Willie was in a Bible study I led, and he always was present, always had read the lesson, and was prepared for the discussion. He was shy and hesitant about speaking up in the group, but someone once told me that Willie appreciated the fact that I and others in the group sought his observations and opinions. "No one ever really cared what I thought before," he had remarked to her in a matter-of-fact way.

Those of us who knew him felt a deep sense of loss when Willie died. The parish nurse who sat with him in the hospice unit that night reported that Willie knew he was dying, and he prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more. He confessed his sins to God, he praised God, and asked for forgiveness and mercy and blessing. Willie asked the nurse to read Psalm 91 to him -- several times during the night, between prayers, as he was dying. So she did. He died hearing these words:

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.’
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.


A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.


Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling-place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.


For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.


Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and Honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation. (NRSV)

What Did You Know And When Did You Know It?
I was sorry to see Paul McNulty, the Deputy Attorney General who yesterday submitted his resignation, get caught up in the controversy over the firing of nine U.S. Attorneys. His role in the matter remains somewhat unclear, at least to me, but his testimony before Congress gave the impression he was fairly detached from the firings.

The furor, of course, springs from the perception by many that the firings strictly were politically motivated, that the U.S. Attorneys let go were disloyal to the Bush Administration's agenda, shown by their pursuit or non-pursuit of cases in their various states.

When I worked for the Friends on Capitol Hill, I had a couple of occasions to work with Paul McNulty, who over that time served in a variety of capacities for congressional offices and committees. Even though he was an extremely busy person, he graciously agreed to meet with student groups when I invited him to discuss criminal justice issues, and he took seriously the students and their interest.

My impression of Paul McNulty was that he was an upstanding person, highly intelligent, and committed to public service. I'm sure he and I have numerous differences of opinion on political issues, but it's difficult for me to picture him being involved in political mischief. So, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, and I wish him well in whatever path he follows.

The whole scandal, though, points out the traps and snares of power. Sometimes, those who reach positions of power or authority -- political or even in the church -- see themselves as "above it all," and untouchable. They easily can lose sight of what's right, instead finding it irresistible to succumb to self-serving decisions and priorities. Those who don't play their game are "disloyal."

The taste of power is very intoxicating, and it seems sometimes the more you have, the more you want. Meanwhile, as corruption takes hold, the greater interest is not served, nations, groups or congregations are fractured, and everyone suffers.

It's disgraceful in national politics, and unfortunately, not uncommon. It's antithetical to the Gospel in the church, and likewise a part of the landscape.

The Answer Is Blowin' In The Wind
The recent tornadoes in Kansas and the surrounding area gave us a sobering reminder of the force of nature. I saw on CNN an interview with a United Methodist pastor from the town there that no longer exists. He was, naturally enough, very emotional about the tragedy and spoke of the determination to rebuild.

I was amazed to learn the number of tornadoes recorded in that area and others, well over a hundred just in a span of a day or two. It must seem to the locals like the end of the world.

Of course, it is not the end of the world. It's part of what life is like. We've had heavy smoke here recently from wildfires occurring well north of us. Places in California have much worse fires, and it seems to be a regular seasonal occurrence.

We're 18 days away from the official beginning of Hurricane Season, which lasts six months! A busy season is predicted once again, and people have to prepare for it.

Years ago a twister came through the town in South Carolina where I was serving as a pastor. It knocked over a bunch of pine trees, took off a roof or two, yanked a shrub right out of our front yard, and even kicked over the little sign in front of our church. My recollection is there were no reported injuries, and after a few days of constant chain saw noise, everything returned to normal.

I remember talking to a member of the congregation, and he said, "These sinners better watch out. This was just a warning." I'm not sure who the sinners were, or what they had done that caused God to spin a little wind through our town. I just knew, from what the man told me, it was someone's fault...someone else.

We seem to have an annual drought in Florida. There are tornadoes in different parts of the country this time of year. Hurricane season is marked on the calendar. Earthquakes and tsunamis occur on occasion. Mudslides and wildfires are prone to take place because of meteorological conditions. Snow blizzards and floods disrupt lives with some regularity, again as conditions warrant.

God stays pretty busy imposing these horrible situations on "sinners." How does God find the time, when God also is testing us every day, and "giving us" troubles, but not in a measure "more than we can handle?"

I guess it's difficult to reconcile the mysteries and cycles of creation and nature with our need to either blame someone (God, perhaps; other people, maybe), or think that we're somehow in control of and understand everything about life and the world.

My suggestion is that while we do try to understand as best we can, and respect, the forces of nature, we adopt a little more humility and recognize that we are totally dependent upon God for all things. That especially includes God's love which is ever-present, even in the midst of a ____________ (fill in the blank with your worst fear of a natural disaster), and which we are called upon to reflect to others in the midst of their suffering from ________ (again, fill in the blank).

To me, that seems what life is like, and part of how God intends the world to work.

Whither Shall I Flee From Thy Spirit?
In my sermon preparation this week I came across a quote from evangelist Billy Graham: "Take the Holy Spirit out of the church and 95% of what we're doing will still go on." I admit I don't appreciate what I perceive as Graham's fundamentalist approach to scripture, or that he has been so cozy with a number of U.S. Presidents, supportive, even, of their wars, but I must say I think he's on to something here.

Even if his percentage is inaccurate, he makes a valid observation. So much of what we do in the church seems irrelevant or unimportant. We spend more time on institutional maintenance, business and property, than we do on worship and study of scripture. Prayer is a minimal part of the life of the community.

There are 8,760 hours in a year. If we have a one-hour worship service every Sunday, that means 52 hours are devoted to worship. If an average were figured for the regularity of worship attendance by all church members, what would it be? Twenty hours per year? Less? That has an effect on the life of the faith community.

How much time is devoted to prayer by each member? Who leads the congregation in prayer at worship, meetings, and fellowship meals? Is it most always the pastor, because "that's his/her job?" People own more Bibles than any other book, but are they read and studied? When we had a guest speaker point out the low biblical literacy rate of church folks, someone actually asked me, "How do we improve on that?"

If we don't invite or look for the Holy Spirit to be a part of our life in the church, we'll likely more often than not miss its tug on our hearts and minds. Without the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit, what does the church become?

We're experiencing that now.

A new vision for the church is in order. Try this one on for size:

The church will be a community of believers centered in spiritual growth; focused on the presence of God in our midst; dependent on the Holy Spirit to call us out to know and respond to the needs and the searching of our neighbors, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through word and action, because we invite God to be here.