9/30/09 My breath prayer today comes from Hebrews 2:11, "For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father." I have been giving thanks today that Jesus is not only the Son of God but our brother who makes us one in our Father. I am so glad to be part of this kind of family. Yes, I give thanks for my biological family, but my faith family has seen me through a lot. We may not always be happy together, but we are one big family.
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
steadfast love
9/28/09 My prayer verse for the day has been Psalm 26:3, "For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you." I know that steadfast love in Hebrewis "chesed." It is covenant love, God's love, love that does not fail. I have trying to keep that love before me all day, starting with my walk this morning out under the beautiful stars. I saw it at a meeting I led in San Antonio, how people worked so well together. I anticipate tonight as our church council meets.
In steadfast love,
Lynn
In steadfast love,
Lynn
Sunday, September 27, 2009
gifts
from my sermon on 9/27/09 from Mark 10:17-31
Today was supposed to be Consecration Sunday, the day we make our gifts to Christ and to His Church. It is a day that no matter how we dress it up, you know calling the card an estimate of giving card or a commitment card, still feels like I have to fill out a pledge card to support the budget of the church.
Today, and here I am expecting many amens, hallelujahs, much clapping, dancing in the aisles, and so on, there will be no pledge cards!
Why? Let me illustrate...because let us all say together our church's mission statement....oops, we don't know it. When I came for my introductory interview 2 1/2 years ago with the Staff Parish Committee, I asked them if the church had a mission statement. "Oh yes, " was the reply. "What is it?" "Oh, it's there on the front of the bulletin...it's on our newsletter." "OK, but do you know it...does it motivate you?"
Whatever else you may say about Jesus, know this: he was very clear about his mission. In this passage Jesus in on his way to Jerusalem. That's the context for his encounter with the rich man and his imperatives: go, sell, give, come, follow. WE have tried to soften them. There are 3 major ways we have blunted the words:
1. the early Christians expected Jesus to return soon...so yes, give away everything to the poor. But Jesus didn't come back, we take a more reasoned approach, we are in it for the long haul.
2. This was meant for a few spiritual elite...like nuns and monks and ascetics....not for the ordinary masses.
3. Jesus used symbolic language. We are to get rid of anything that would keep us from following him, not just money.
Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem. What does that mean? Just after this passage, he says for the 3rd time in Mark's Gospel that when he gets to Jerusalem, he will be reviled, spit upon, and killed. Much to the chagrin of those who preach a prosperity Gospel, all health and wealth, Jesus goes to the cross. Peter and company, say, We've left everything to follow you. And Jesus says that they will be rewarded with land, and houses, and families.....and persecutions. Ouch! We don't like to see that it costs us something to follow Jesus.
Jesus was clear about his mission, and somehow a group of followers was engerized by that vision and was willing to endure the cost.
I have an idea...no money till we get clear on our mission. No pledge till we get clear on our purpose. No talk about budget until we are sure we are following Jesus.
We get to do this, participate in Christ mission for the world. You may remember we are in a sermon series on what UM believe. I am going through our vows; prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. We get to do all of these things.
The rich man missed this. He thought they were "have-to's". His question was, "What do I have to do....and get this next phrase in all of its financial glory...to inherit eternal life?" He had kept all the rules but he missed the relationship. Jesus said: go, sell, give, come, follow. But the man could not. Jesus looked at him with love. The man kept all the laws but he missed the love.
Jesus in teaching the disciple uses reiteration...twice he says it, How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. He uses humor and hyperbole. How big is a camel? How small is an eye of a needle? How hard is it for a camel to go through? The disciples say, as we do, "Then who can be saved?" It's impossible for mortals. But all things are possible for God. It is gift. We are saved by what God has done not by what we do.
I need to tell you a story. A pastor friend from the Metroplex area told of a family that visited his worship service. Like I do, Eric would call guests on Sunday afternoon. This particular family of husband, wife and middle school daughter sounded like they needed something. Eric says I usually don't visit in the home until after several times people come to worship, but I asked them if it was alright for me to visit. Yes, they said. Eric when to the nice neighborhood with large houses. He rang the doorbell. The man opened the door, revealing a full size olympic pool inside the house! The man was gracious taking Eric back to a den with coffee service. He got to know the family over several visits. Along the way, the wife called Eric one day, asking him to visit her husband in the hospital. Of course Eric went. As he entered the room, he noticed things from his prior training as a hospital chaplain. There were no flowers, no cards, no other visitors but the wife. Eric returned a couple of days later. Same script. He was bold enough to inquire, "I notice that you have no cards or flowers, and only your wife as a visitor. You do have friends, don't you?" "Besides you, you mean?" Eric said, I am your only friend? The man said, "I got so rich so fast that I couldn't trust anybody." Eric thought to himself, "He has everything....he has nothing that really matters." Eric continued to work with the man and his family. He invited him to the United Methodist Men, you know our cholesterol club. The man could tolerate the older men who still fought the wars on land of old and the wars of today in papers. He cooked for them and washed dishes. He took Disiciple Bible Study and found out that God loved him and had a community for him. He went on medical mission teams. He got involved in meals on wheels. In short, he found his mission. He was saved and turned on to helping others.
Today, you have a gifts sheet. I would love for you to fill this out and put it in the offering plate. What mission or cause or purpose has Christ place on your heart? What grabs you so deeply that you must invest in it? I have prejudiced you with my preaching, talking about us becoming a 50/50 church where we spend 50% on us and 50% on others. I have talked about us unbinding our hearts, about becoming credible witnesses in the world. I know you say that we have to pay the light bills, but can we do that in order to share the light of Christ in the world. I know we have to pay staff, but can we do that so tha t staff can empower others to be in ministry?
I am hoping we can come up with our mission phrase. The United Methodist Church has one: making disciples for the transformation of the world. Our Southwest Texas Conference, these 78 counties and 120,000 Methodists have one: Offering Christ to all. That's what I want something we can remember and get behind.
Yes, we will come up with a budget...but it might not be until January or February. This year we didn't adopt a budget until March and the world didn't stop turning.
Mission comes before money. We represent the One who befriends those who don't know they have a friend. Amen.
Today was supposed to be Consecration Sunday, the day we make our gifts to Christ and to His Church. It is a day that no matter how we dress it up, you know calling the card an estimate of giving card or a commitment card, still feels like I have to fill out a pledge card to support the budget of the church.
Today, and here I am expecting many amens, hallelujahs, much clapping, dancing in the aisles, and so on, there will be no pledge cards!
Why? Let me illustrate...because let us all say together our church's mission statement....oops, we don't know it. When I came for my introductory interview 2 1/2 years ago with the Staff Parish Committee, I asked them if the church had a mission statement. "Oh yes, " was the reply. "What is it?" "Oh, it's there on the front of the bulletin...it's on our newsletter." "OK, but do you know it...does it motivate you?"
Whatever else you may say about Jesus, know this: he was very clear about his mission. In this passage Jesus in on his way to Jerusalem. That's the context for his encounter with the rich man and his imperatives: go, sell, give, come, follow. WE have tried to soften them. There are 3 major ways we have blunted the words:
1. the early Christians expected Jesus to return soon...so yes, give away everything to the poor. But Jesus didn't come back, we take a more reasoned approach, we are in it for the long haul.
2. This was meant for a few spiritual elite...like nuns and monks and ascetics....not for the ordinary masses.
3. Jesus used symbolic language. We are to get rid of anything that would keep us from following him, not just money.
Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem. What does that mean? Just after this passage, he says for the 3rd time in Mark's Gospel that when he gets to Jerusalem, he will be reviled, spit upon, and killed. Much to the chagrin of those who preach a prosperity Gospel, all health and wealth, Jesus goes to the cross. Peter and company, say, We've left everything to follow you. And Jesus says that they will be rewarded with land, and houses, and families.....and persecutions. Ouch! We don't like to see that it costs us something to follow Jesus.
Jesus was clear about his mission, and somehow a group of followers was engerized by that vision and was willing to endure the cost.
I have an idea...no money till we get clear on our mission. No pledge till we get clear on our purpose. No talk about budget until we are sure we are following Jesus.
We get to do this, participate in Christ mission for the world. You may remember we are in a sermon series on what UM believe. I am going through our vows; prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. We get to do all of these things.
The rich man missed this. He thought they were "have-to's". His question was, "What do I have to do....and get this next phrase in all of its financial glory...to inherit eternal life?" He had kept all the rules but he missed the relationship. Jesus said: go, sell, give, come, follow. But the man could not. Jesus looked at him with love. The man kept all the laws but he missed the love.
Jesus in teaching the disciple uses reiteration...twice he says it, How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. He uses humor and hyperbole. How big is a camel? How small is an eye of a needle? How hard is it for a camel to go through? The disciples say, as we do, "Then who can be saved?" It's impossible for mortals. But all things are possible for God. It is gift. We are saved by what God has done not by what we do.
I need to tell you a story. A pastor friend from the Metroplex area told of a family that visited his worship service. Like I do, Eric would call guests on Sunday afternoon. This particular family of husband, wife and middle school daughter sounded like they needed something. Eric says I usually don't visit in the home until after several times people come to worship, but I asked them if it was alright for me to visit. Yes, they said. Eric when to the nice neighborhood with large houses. He rang the doorbell. The man opened the door, revealing a full size olympic pool inside the house! The man was gracious taking Eric back to a den with coffee service. He got to know the family over several visits. Along the way, the wife called Eric one day, asking him to visit her husband in the hospital. Of course Eric went. As he entered the room, he noticed things from his prior training as a hospital chaplain. There were no flowers, no cards, no other visitors but the wife. Eric returned a couple of days later. Same script. He was bold enough to inquire, "I notice that you have no cards or flowers, and only your wife as a visitor. You do have friends, don't you?" "Besides you, you mean?" Eric said, I am your only friend? The man said, "I got so rich so fast that I couldn't trust anybody." Eric thought to himself, "He has everything....he has nothing that really matters." Eric continued to work with the man and his family. He invited him to the United Methodist Men, you know our cholesterol club. The man could tolerate the older men who still fought the wars on land of old and the wars of today in papers. He cooked for them and washed dishes. He took Disiciple Bible Study and found out that God loved him and had a community for him. He went on medical mission teams. He got involved in meals on wheels. In short, he found his mission. He was saved and turned on to helping others.
Today, you have a gifts sheet. I would love for you to fill this out and put it in the offering plate. What mission or cause or purpose has Christ place on your heart? What grabs you so deeply that you must invest in it? I have prejudiced you with my preaching, talking about us becoming a 50/50 church where we spend 50% on us and 50% on others. I have talked about us unbinding our hearts, about becoming credible witnesses in the world. I know you say that we have to pay the light bills, but can we do that in order to share the light of Christ in the world. I know we have to pay staff, but can we do that so tha t staff can empower others to be in ministry?
I am hoping we can come up with our mission phrase. The United Methodist Church has one: making disciples for the transformation of the world. Our Southwest Texas Conference, these 78 counties and 120,000 Methodists have one: Offering Christ to all. That's what I want something we can remember and get behind.
Yes, we will come up with a budget...but it might not be until January or February. This year we didn't adopt a budget until March and the world didn't stop turning.
Mission comes before money. We represent the One who befriends those who don't know they have a friend. Amen.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
blessing
9/24/09 I grew up on a farm in the Panhandle of Texas. I know the value of rain. We never viewed rain as an inconvenience. We saw it as life. So the past two days I have not minded getting my feet muddy as I have been walking and praying in the mornings. I have been giving thanks, especially after the long period of drought here in central Texas.
The second time I went to the Holy Land, on the last day we were in Jerusalem in January, it was raining hard. Some were complaining, they hadn't brought rain gear, their feet were wet, etc. Our guide said, "do you know what we call rain here?" "No," we replied. He said, "Blessing."
Love,
Lynn
The second time I went to the Holy Land, on the last day we were in Jerusalem in January, it was raining hard. Some were complaining, they hadn't brought rain gear, their feet were wet, etc. Our guide said, "do you know what we call rain here?" "No," we replied. He said, "Blessing."
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
gluten-free
9/23/09 Last night at our worship committee meeting, I celebrated the sacrament of communion with the some 10 persons there. Lisa had bought a gluten-free loaf made with rice flour for us to try out. We have several folks in our congregation who bring their own wafer or cracker or bit of bread to communion because they have food allergies. Lisa and I were trying to find a loaf, one loaf, that we could all partake, to symbolize our unity in the body of Christ.
It was funny to do the evaluation after we had all eaten. Some asked about allergies to rice, or eggs, or milk. Would this gluten-free loaf work for them? The loaf was also too crumbly. Could it made where it stuck together better?
I was reminded of the quote from Kathleen Norris, who was asked for the first time by her little Presbyterian church to get the communion elements. As she was being checked out at the register, she pondered, "when it comes to the body and blood of Christ, is it paper or plastic bags?"
I am glad that we have a God revealed in Jesus Christ who comes into a world where other humans have food allergies and meets us where we are.
Love,
Lynn
It was funny to do the evaluation after we had all eaten. Some asked about allergies to rice, or eggs, or milk. Would this gluten-free loaf work for them? The loaf was also too crumbly. Could it made where it stuck together better?
I was reminded of the quote from Kathleen Norris, who was asked for the first time by her little Presbyterian church to get the communion elements. As she was being checked out at the register, she pondered, "when it comes to the body and blood of Christ, is it paper or plastic bags?"
I am glad that we have a God revealed in Jesus Christ who comes into a world where other humans have food allergies and meets us where we are.
Love,
Lynn
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
answers to prayer
9/22/09 Thank God for the rain. I have, you have, many people have been praying for rain in this extreme drought-stricken part of the world called central Texas. This is truly an answer to prayer...to wake up to generous, life-giving rains this morning.
Yesterday, I was visiting with a man whose family I have been praying for diligently. He was sharing that a job opportunity was opening up for him today. Another answer to prayer.
It was great to see Lizzie and Don back in worship after their surgeries. Some healing going on...an answer to prayer.
Some folks are stepping up to help us with our Imagine No Malaria campaign. Some 117 lives were saved this past Sunday as we had donated more than $1170 for treated nets. Another answer to prayer.
I invite you to pray a lot. Sometimes the answer we get is no...or wait...but sometimes God answers our prayers better than we pray them.
Love,
Lynn
Yesterday, I was visiting with a man whose family I have been praying for diligently. He was sharing that a job opportunity was opening up for him today. Another answer to prayer.
It was great to see Lizzie and Don back in worship after their surgeries. Some healing going on...an answer to prayer.
Some folks are stepping up to help us with our Imagine No Malaria campaign. Some 117 lives were saved this past Sunday as we had donated more than $1170 for treated nets. Another answer to prayer.
I invite you to pray a lot. Sometimes the answer we get is no...or wait...but sometimes God answers our prayers better than we pray them.
Love,
Lynn
Monday, September 21, 2009
Gifts
from my sermon on 9/20/09 on Ephesians 4:1-16
Every one of us is gifted for ministry. Last Sunday before our contemporary service, a little 4 year old girl named Sammi, came up to me and said, "Will there be ballet music for me to dance to today?" She was wearing her tutu and dancing shoes. I said, "I don't know. Go talk to Frank (who directs the band)." I didn't know it but she did, and Frank said that it wasn't ballet music but it was ok to dance. So during the first song, Sammi took her steps and did her twirls. And we smiled. "How sweet. How precious," we thought. After the passing of the peace and the announcements, the band started playing again, and Sammi was dancing again. Now I sit on the very front pew, so my back was to the congregation, and I didn't see this, but Jay, the chair of our worship committee was walking up the aisle. Some people told me later that they were anxious, "Oh, no. He's gonna tell her to stop. He's gonna shut her down." But when Jay got to the front, he began dancing with Sammi. She would shake her little behind. Jay would shake his somewhat larger behind. It was wonderful. I was crying. I was praying, "Dear God, don't let this moment ever end."
Everyone of us is gifted for ministry--no matter how young or old, male or female, no matter our level of ability--mental, physical, or whatever. The passage says, "Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."
And it feels good to share our gifts. You may remember I am preaching about our basic UM beliefs, starting with our vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Today, we are on gifts. We "get to" share our gifts for the building up of the body of Christ in the world. It is like dancing together in the house of the Lord. Don't lose this joyful image.
Some of us will be intimidated by this list of gifts in the passage. "Oh, no. Not me. I am not gifted." May I bring this list down to a place we can approach them?
Apostles...."I can't be in that inner circle of 12 that was with Jesus. It's impossible," We say. But I know my Greek. An apostle is one who is sent on a mission. Could that be us?
Mara, a senior in Westlake H.S., came to my office on Thursday afternoon. She is coming up with her senior project. Everyone else in her class is shadowing a doctor, or engineer, or computer software writer. No shame in any of that, but Mara is shadowing Alan Graham, head of Mobile Loaves and Fishes. She is the only one in her class whose project involves a non-profit. Mara wants to create micro-gardens, a garden in a plastic storage bin. Each would have soil, seeds, and airholes in it. People would take them, add water, and grow vegetables. The fresh vegetables would be given to the homeless who live on the street. Pretty cool, huh? Is Mara an apostle, one sent on a mission?
Prophets are not fortune tellers but truth tellers. I am proud of some of our Sunday School classes engaging in the health care debate. The view they are bringing to the discussion is that of the poor, the most vulnerable, who often get left out of the debate. That is the role of the prophet, to speak the hard truth that comes from God.
Evangelist...now we get really scared about this one. We think that we must have "hair that praises Jesus" ( I got that from an American Baptist theologian). But you remember that we did the Unbinding Your Heart series in the spring. What we were learning is that the world wants credible witnesses, people like us who live the faith everyday, who are not afraid to talk in our families, in our neighborhoods, etc. We share good news wherever Christ sends us. That's what evanglism means, "good news." I have a "help wanted" ad in evangelism. I need help with these worship services--people to do technical direction, to film, to audiotape, to link up with our website, do podcasts. Are there some evangelists out there?
Pastors....you may think that just applies to people like me who are ordained, but the work in Greek is literally "shepherds." "Help wanted" ad again...I need some folks who can help me tend the flock. I can't do it by myself. We have formed a Caring and Calling team to follow up on person who miss worship and Sunday School for a time. You see, when someone gets overwhelmed by life, they drop out of everything, even church. We call, and say, "How's it going? We have missed you?" Are there any shepherd out there?
Teachers....okay, we are pretty clear on this gift. I want to put a challenge to the men. We tend to have lots of females who do this ministry. But children and youth desperately need to see positive male role models. We barely have enough teachers in our children and youth departments. Are some of you men gifted for teaching?
There are many more gifts that we find in letters of Paul in I Cor. 12 and Rom. 12 that go beyond our passage, but everyone is gifted for ministry for equipping the saints and building up the body of Christ.
I hope that I have made these gifts more assessible to you. Today, I am asking some of you who were afraid of being gifted to choose one passion that you may pursue. I am asking some of you who do too much to cut back one passion to be more healthy.
A great way for you to find your passion is to go to our ministry fair and take the spiritual gifts inventory. You may find it at our website also. To incentivize (I just love how we make nouns into verbs) the process, we have an anonymous donor who will give $10 for every survey taken to our Nothing but Nets campaign. Ten dollars buys a treated mosquito net for a family of four.
You may have heard that the UMC is trying to rid the continent of Africa of the treatable disease of malaria in a campaign called Imagine No Malaria. You will be hearing a lot more about this in the future. It seems to be overwhelming. How can we possibly do that?
I came across a great analogy this past week. A single snowflake seems so small, so fragile. But put enough of them together in a snowstorm, and they can stop traffic. Or put enough of us together, and we can stop a disease.
That's what this passage is about--unity. Did you see how many times "one" was used? One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
It was probably a baptismal creed, capturing the essentials of the faith for those who felt drawn to become part of the church. Any baptized people here?
I need to tell you a story that comes from Fred Craddock, a Disciples of Christ pastor, theologian, writer, and speaker. I don't remember all of the details, but it goes something like this:
When Fred was first starting out, he was serving a country church, that practiced baptism by going down to the riverside and baptizing person there. By the way, we UM's can baptize by immersion, "Dunking", as well. So Fred and this adult man went down into the river. Fred asked those ancient, ever-new questions: Do you reject the power of sin? Do you accept the freedom and power of God? Do you confess Jesus Christ as your saviour and want to be part of his inclusive church? The man did and was taken under the water that cleanses and brings new life. He came out on shore and was wrapped in a blanket. A big bonfire was there on the beach. He stood next to its warmth while the whole church gathered around him in a circle. One by one, the members of the church said something like this, "My name is Betty, and I cool pretty good. I would be happy to cook for you and with you for others." "My name is Tom, and I'm handy with tools. I would be happy to work for you or with you for others." On and on they went. "My name is Ralph and I like to study the Bible. I would be happy to do that with you and with others." "My name is Millie, and I like to pray. I would be happy to pray with you." After they all had their say, an older man took Fred aside, and said, "Preacher, around here, we call that baptism."
Are you baptized? Are you standing in the circle? What would say is your gift? Everyone of us has been gifted for ministry. That is the good news I have to share with you today. Amen.
Every one of us is gifted for ministry. Last Sunday before our contemporary service, a little 4 year old girl named Sammi, came up to me and said, "Will there be ballet music for me to dance to today?" She was wearing her tutu and dancing shoes. I said, "I don't know. Go talk to Frank (who directs the band)." I didn't know it but she did, and Frank said that it wasn't ballet music but it was ok to dance. So during the first song, Sammi took her steps and did her twirls. And we smiled. "How sweet. How precious," we thought. After the passing of the peace and the announcements, the band started playing again, and Sammi was dancing again. Now I sit on the very front pew, so my back was to the congregation, and I didn't see this, but Jay, the chair of our worship committee was walking up the aisle. Some people told me later that they were anxious, "Oh, no. He's gonna tell her to stop. He's gonna shut her down." But when Jay got to the front, he began dancing with Sammi. She would shake her little behind. Jay would shake his somewhat larger behind. It was wonderful. I was crying. I was praying, "Dear God, don't let this moment ever end."
Everyone of us is gifted for ministry--no matter how young or old, male or female, no matter our level of ability--mental, physical, or whatever. The passage says, "Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."
And it feels good to share our gifts. You may remember I am preaching about our basic UM beliefs, starting with our vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Today, we are on gifts. We "get to" share our gifts for the building up of the body of Christ in the world. It is like dancing together in the house of the Lord. Don't lose this joyful image.
Some of us will be intimidated by this list of gifts in the passage. "Oh, no. Not me. I am not gifted." May I bring this list down to a place we can approach them?
Apostles...."I can't be in that inner circle of 12 that was with Jesus. It's impossible," We say. But I know my Greek. An apostle is one who is sent on a mission. Could that be us?
Mara, a senior in Westlake H.S., came to my office on Thursday afternoon. She is coming up with her senior project. Everyone else in her class is shadowing a doctor, or engineer, or computer software writer. No shame in any of that, but Mara is shadowing Alan Graham, head of Mobile Loaves and Fishes. She is the only one in her class whose project involves a non-profit. Mara wants to create micro-gardens, a garden in a plastic storage bin. Each would have soil, seeds, and airholes in it. People would take them, add water, and grow vegetables. The fresh vegetables would be given to the homeless who live on the street. Pretty cool, huh? Is Mara an apostle, one sent on a mission?
Prophets are not fortune tellers but truth tellers. I am proud of some of our Sunday School classes engaging in the health care debate. The view they are bringing to the discussion is that of the poor, the most vulnerable, who often get left out of the debate. That is the role of the prophet, to speak the hard truth that comes from God.
Evangelist...now we get really scared about this one. We think that we must have "hair that praises Jesus" ( I got that from an American Baptist theologian). But you remember that we did the Unbinding Your Heart series in the spring. What we were learning is that the world wants credible witnesses, people like us who live the faith everyday, who are not afraid to talk in our families, in our neighborhoods, etc. We share good news wherever Christ sends us. That's what evanglism means, "good news." I have a "help wanted" ad in evangelism. I need help with these worship services--people to do technical direction, to film, to audiotape, to link up with our website, do podcasts. Are there some evangelists out there?
Pastors....you may think that just applies to people like me who are ordained, but the work in Greek is literally "shepherds." "Help wanted" ad again...I need some folks who can help me tend the flock. I can't do it by myself. We have formed a Caring and Calling team to follow up on person who miss worship and Sunday School for a time. You see, when someone gets overwhelmed by life, they drop out of everything, even church. We call, and say, "How's it going? We have missed you?" Are there any shepherd out there?
Teachers....okay, we are pretty clear on this gift. I want to put a challenge to the men. We tend to have lots of females who do this ministry. But children and youth desperately need to see positive male role models. We barely have enough teachers in our children and youth departments. Are some of you men gifted for teaching?
There are many more gifts that we find in letters of Paul in I Cor. 12 and Rom. 12 that go beyond our passage, but everyone is gifted for ministry for equipping the saints and building up the body of Christ.
I hope that I have made these gifts more assessible to you. Today, I am asking some of you who were afraid of being gifted to choose one passion that you may pursue. I am asking some of you who do too much to cut back one passion to be more healthy.
A great way for you to find your passion is to go to our ministry fair and take the spiritual gifts inventory. You may find it at our website also. To incentivize (I just love how we make nouns into verbs) the process, we have an anonymous donor who will give $10 for every survey taken to our Nothing but Nets campaign. Ten dollars buys a treated mosquito net for a family of four.
You may have heard that the UMC is trying to rid the continent of Africa of the treatable disease of malaria in a campaign called Imagine No Malaria. You will be hearing a lot more about this in the future. It seems to be overwhelming. How can we possibly do that?
I came across a great analogy this past week. A single snowflake seems so small, so fragile. But put enough of them together in a snowstorm, and they can stop traffic. Or put enough of us together, and we can stop a disease.
That's what this passage is about--unity. Did you see how many times "one" was used? One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
It was probably a baptismal creed, capturing the essentials of the faith for those who felt drawn to become part of the church. Any baptized people here?
I need to tell you a story that comes from Fred Craddock, a Disciples of Christ pastor, theologian, writer, and speaker. I don't remember all of the details, but it goes something like this:
When Fred was first starting out, he was serving a country church, that practiced baptism by going down to the riverside and baptizing person there. By the way, we UM's can baptize by immersion, "Dunking", as well. So Fred and this adult man went down into the river. Fred asked those ancient, ever-new questions: Do you reject the power of sin? Do you accept the freedom and power of God? Do you confess Jesus Christ as your saviour and want to be part of his inclusive church? The man did and was taken under the water that cleanses and brings new life. He came out on shore and was wrapped in a blanket. A big bonfire was there on the beach. He stood next to its warmth while the whole church gathered around him in a circle. One by one, the members of the church said something like this, "My name is Betty, and I cool pretty good. I would be happy to cook for you and with you for others." "My name is Tom, and I'm handy with tools. I would be happy to work for you or with you for others." On and on they went. "My name is Ralph and I like to study the Bible. I would be happy to do that with you and with others." "My name is Millie, and I like to pray. I would be happy to pray with you." After they all had their say, an older man took Fred aside, and said, "Preacher, around here, we call that baptism."
Are you baptized? Are you standing in the circle? What would say is your gift? Everyone of us has been gifted for ministry. That is the good news I have to share with you today. Amen.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
suffering
9/17/09 My breath prayer today comes from James 5:13, "Are any among you suffering? They should pray." It seems simple enough. We use everything as a call to prayer, even suffering, maybe especially suffering. I started praying early this morning, even before I was fully awake. Sometimes when I am not ready to get up, yet I can't really get back to sleep, I pray. Today, I prayed particularly for those spots around our world where people are suffering from war, disease, corruption, oppression, famine, natural disaster. Suffering leads to prayer.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
help
9/16/09 My breath prayer for the day has been Ps. 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth." I loved starting my walk in the dark this morning breathing this prayer and seeing the conjunction of Venus with the cresent moon in the east. The earth was under my feet and the heavens were above, reminding me that the Creator of all this grandeur was our help. I like it that the pronoun is plural...our. I am part of a community. That's a part of my help also.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Monday, September 14, 2009
Presence
from my sermon on 9/13/09 on Matthew 18:15-20
Some of you may be expecting me to say that you "have-to" be present in worship and Sunday School, but those of you who know me well know I will say we "get-to" meet the presence of Christ in the presence of some of His friends. I am in the midst of some of our UM foundation stones, our vows and what we believe. Today, we focus on what Jesus says, "Wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst."
The passage sounds strange to us, because we are so used to my rights, my privilges, my wants, my needs...in our individualistic culture. Especially, when we hear Jesus talk about confronting someone who has sinned. Where does that happen...I mean without someone bringing a lawsuit? I would have us slow down and see that this could be a gift, when someone cares enough about you to show you the real you in order to restore you to right relationship. Even the 2 or 3 witnesses were there as referees in order to protect the alleged and the agrieved. The whole point was to try to bring people back into community.
I know that in the early Methodist reform movement that this kind of behavior happened. In the classes that John Wesley set up, the questions were asked, "Do you want to be told of your sin, and that right plainly?" They held each other accountable.
Even today, it sometimes happens in the church. At one church I served, a Sunday School class was formed entirely of persons in 12 step groups. Every one there knew that they were only 1 drink away, 1 hit away, 1 binge away, 1 rescue attempt away at returning to a downward death spiral. They held each other accountable. As they say in 12 step programs, "We are as sick as our secrets, as healthy as our sharing." Christ shows up in confronting sin.
Secondly, the passage says that we pray together. When 2 or 3 agree together in prayer, the point is not to coerce God, but for God to form us into community. Again, in the early Methodist reform movement, the small groups would gather with the leader asking the question, "How does your soul prosper?" I love that question....how is with you and God...how are you praying? Where else in life does that question get asked? It doesn't happen at the grocery store...or with your neighbors. It is a church, small group question. Christ shows up in our praying together.
Thirdly, the passage talks about binding and loosing. This language comes from a Hebrew understanding; it meant to apply the law to new situations. John Wesley certainly wanted the early Methodists to apply the scriptures to their lives. He wrote his own translation of the NT and included study notes. He encouraged the Methodists to read the whole Bible and to read it in small groups. Today, we have given you 3rd graders you own Bible. There are going to be parts that you really like in the Bible, and parts you wish weren't in there. Guess which are the parts you need to deal with? The parts you don't like. A small group helps us to not avoid what we find in the Bible. I find that people are transformed when they read the Bible together. That's why Cathy and I have for the last 17 years taught Disciple Bible Study.
Friends, we sometimes forget that we are part of a peculiar, particular community called church. We are not necessarily therapeutic, and yet healing happens. We are not just a social club, yet fellowship happens. We are not a service group, yet good deeds happen. Church is the place where Jesus happens, and because of His presence all of these good things happen.
They especially happen in small groups. Jesus had a small group. It was always Jesus and the 12. They were diverse. Matthew was tax collector who worked for the government of Rome. Simon the zealot was trying to overthrow the government of Rome. Fishermen and learned ones, young and old. Jesus brought them together.
I know that there is a lot of sin in the world....I can measure it because there is a lot of loneliness in the world. You were not meant for loneliness. You were meant for right relationship with God and with others. Christ offers us His presence in the presence of His friends.
Teresa of Avila, a Spanish mystic of some centuries ago, said, "God has so ordained things that we grow in faith only through the instumentality of one another." We deal with Jesus in dealing with His friends. And the surest sign that Jesus comes among us is that we are transformed, made into new persons in small groups.
Today, you have the opportunity to sign up for small groups. If you take the yellow sheets, you get to find a place of believing and belonging. Life is hard enough; you don't have to do it alone. In fact, I think it is impossible to do this Christian walk alone. We are spiritually vulnerable when we don't have the comfort and challenge of a small group.
The passage toaday began with the quote from the NRSV that said, when a member of the church sins against you. The word in Greek is literally "brother." The early Christians were so close that they comsidered each other family, brother or sister in Christ.
I need to tell you a story from the time I was pastor at Laurel Heights in San Antonio. It was on a Sunday morning at the end of the early service. I was standing at the back door greeting folks as they left. One of the ushers came running up to me, "Pastor, there is an emergency phone call for you."
Are you the pastor?
Yes, I am. Who are you?
I live in the same apartment complex with George and Mary. This morning I found Mary sitting in the passenger side of the car. George wasn't behind the wheel. I said, Mary, where's George. She said, I don't know. I know that she has Alzheimer's. So I went to their apartment. I rang the bell. I knocked on the door. I called out, George, George. No answer, so I went in. I went back to their bedroom. I found George in bed, dead.
Parentheses---This is the prayer I have heard prayed so many times....I want to die peacefully in my sleep. God anwered this prayer for George. Only problem was George also prayed after Mary dies. Back to the story.
I said, How did you know to call me.
He said, I went back to Mary. Mary, every Sunday morning, I see you and George get up early. You put on nice clothes. I guess you go to church.
Mary said, We are members of Laurel Heights United Methodist Church. We are part of the Aldersgate Sunday School Class.
That's what I want for you. Even when the neurons aren't firing so well across the synapses of your brain, that you still know to whom you belong. I can't make up stories this good.
The Aldersgate Sunday School Class met that day, but not up in their 3rd floor classroom. No, they met at Mary's apartment. They brought in the food. They made the phone calls to the handful of blood relatives. They made the funeral plans. Because you see, they were her family.
You don't have to go through life alone. You get to experience the presence of Christ in the presence of some of His friends. That is the good news I have to share today. Amen.
Some of you may be expecting me to say that you "have-to" be present in worship and Sunday School, but those of you who know me well know I will say we "get-to" meet the presence of Christ in the presence of some of His friends. I am in the midst of some of our UM foundation stones, our vows and what we believe. Today, we focus on what Jesus says, "Wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst."
The passage sounds strange to us, because we are so used to my rights, my privilges, my wants, my needs...in our individualistic culture. Especially, when we hear Jesus talk about confronting someone who has sinned. Where does that happen...I mean without someone bringing a lawsuit? I would have us slow down and see that this could be a gift, when someone cares enough about you to show you the real you in order to restore you to right relationship. Even the 2 or 3 witnesses were there as referees in order to protect the alleged and the agrieved. The whole point was to try to bring people back into community.
I know that in the early Methodist reform movement that this kind of behavior happened. In the classes that John Wesley set up, the questions were asked, "Do you want to be told of your sin, and that right plainly?" They held each other accountable.
Even today, it sometimes happens in the church. At one church I served, a Sunday School class was formed entirely of persons in 12 step groups. Every one there knew that they were only 1 drink away, 1 hit away, 1 binge away, 1 rescue attempt away at returning to a downward death spiral. They held each other accountable. As they say in 12 step programs, "We are as sick as our secrets, as healthy as our sharing." Christ shows up in confronting sin.
Secondly, the passage says that we pray together. When 2 or 3 agree together in prayer, the point is not to coerce God, but for God to form us into community. Again, in the early Methodist reform movement, the small groups would gather with the leader asking the question, "How does your soul prosper?" I love that question....how is with you and God...how are you praying? Where else in life does that question get asked? It doesn't happen at the grocery store...or with your neighbors. It is a church, small group question. Christ shows up in our praying together.
Thirdly, the passage talks about binding and loosing. This language comes from a Hebrew understanding; it meant to apply the law to new situations. John Wesley certainly wanted the early Methodists to apply the scriptures to their lives. He wrote his own translation of the NT and included study notes. He encouraged the Methodists to read the whole Bible and to read it in small groups. Today, we have given you 3rd graders you own Bible. There are going to be parts that you really like in the Bible, and parts you wish weren't in there. Guess which are the parts you need to deal with? The parts you don't like. A small group helps us to not avoid what we find in the Bible. I find that people are transformed when they read the Bible together. That's why Cathy and I have for the last 17 years taught Disciple Bible Study.
Friends, we sometimes forget that we are part of a peculiar, particular community called church. We are not necessarily therapeutic, and yet healing happens. We are not just a social club, yet fellowship happens. We are not a service group, yet good deeds happen. Church is the place where Jesus happens, and because of His presence all of these good things happen.
They especially happen in small groups. Jesus had a small group. It was always Jesus and the 12. They were diverse. Matthew was tax collector who worked for the government of Rome. Simon the zealot was trying to overthrow the government of Rome. Fishermen and learned ones, young and old. Jesus brought them together.
I know that there is a lot of sin in the world....I can measure it because there is a lot of loneliness in the world. You were not meant for loneliness. You were meant for right relationship with God and with others. Christ offers us His presence in the presence of His friends.
Teresa of Avila, a Spanish mystic of some centuries ago, said, "God has so ordained things that we grow in faith only through the instumentality of one another." We deal with Jesus in dealing with His friends. And the surest sign that Jesus comes among us is that we are transformed, made into new persons in small groups.
Today, you have the opportunity to sign up for small groups. If you take the yellow sheets, you get to find a place of believing and belonging. Life is hard enough; you don't have to do it alone. In fact, I think it is impossible to do this Christian walk alone. We are spiritually vulnerable when we don't have the comfort and challenge of a small group.
The passage toaday began with the quote from the NRSV that said, when a member of the church sins against you. The word in Greek is literally "brother." The early Christians were so close that they comsidered each other family, brother or sister in Christ.
I need to tell you a story from the time I was pastor at Laurel Heights in San Antonio. It was on a Sunday morning at the end of the early service. I was standing at the back door greeting folks as they left. One of the ushers came running up to me, "Pastor, there is an emergency phone call for you."
Are you the pastor?
Yes, I am. Who are you?
I live in the same apartment complex with George and Mary. This morning I found Mary sitting in the passenger side of the car. George wasn't behind the wheel. I said, Mary, where's George. She said, I don't know. I know that she has Alzheimer's. So I went to their apartment. I rang the bell. I knocked on the door. I called out, George, George. No answer, so I went in. I went back to their bedroom. I found George in bed, dead.
Parentheses---This is the prayer I have heard prayed so many times....I want to die peacefully in my sleep. God anwered this prayer for George. Only problem was George also prayed after Mary dies. Back to the story.
I said, How did you know to call me.
He said, I went back to Mary. Mary, every Sunday morning, I see you and George get up early. You put on nice clothes. I guess you go to church.
Mary said, We are members of Laurel Heights United Methodist Church. We are part of the Aldersgate Sunday School Class.
That's what I want for you. Even when the neurons aren't firing so well across the synapses of your brain, that you still know to whom you belong. I can't make up stories this good.
The Aldersgate Sunday School Class met that day, but not up in their 3rd floor classroom. No, they met at Mary's apartment. They brought in the food. They made the phone calls to the handful of blood relatives. They made the funeral plans. Because you see, they were her family.
You don't have to go through life alone. You get to experience the presence of Christ in the presence of some of His friends. That is the good news I have to share today. Amen.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
the tongue
9/10/09 James 3:1-12 has a scathing review of our speech patterns, how our tongues can both bless and curse. Today I am praying that God will guard my tongue. I know how easily I can wound others with my words.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
acceptable
9/09/09 That date is pretty cool as I typed it just now! My breath prayer comes from the last line of Psalm 19, verse 14, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." I began my prayer walk this morning by asking God to put a guard on my speech. How often I have said the wrong thing, the hurtful thing, the too glib thing. I asked God to guide my thoughts so that my words would come from a deep holy place. I thought about how God is a rock, a refuge, a strong place of solace. I thought about how God is redeemer, setting us free.
I know many pastors who say this verse as a prayer right before they preach. It works well for every day use as well. May what we say and think be acceptable to God this day.
Love,
Lynn
I know many pastors who say this verse as a prayer right before they preach. It works well for every day use as well. May what we say and think be acceptable to God this day.
Love,
Lynn
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Prayers
from my sermon on 9/06/09 from Matthew 6:5-15
We were made to pray. I have a pastor friend who bought a new notebook computer. She was afraid that it would be hard to connect to the internet. She thought she might have to buy an external antennae or purchase software or punch a bunch of buttons. But no, the moment she opened it and turned it on, it instantly found the nearest hot spot and she was connected to WiFi. She said, "It was wired to be connected." So are we! We were made to pray, to be connected to God.
Prayer is not commanded, it is commended. It is normal, natural human behavior. The passage says twice, "whenever you pray." It is expected that we pray.
As I am going through what we United Methodists believe in this sermon series, I remind you that the vows we make are "get-to's" not "have-to's". We get to pray. We were made to pray.
Jesus' teaching on prayer is found in our passage today. He says we don't pray for public show. If we do, our prayers are insincere and go no further than the applause we get. As read the commentaries, this type of public scene was not very common.
He also says that it is not necessary to pile up a bunch of words or fancy words. This feels like we are trying to manipulate God or use magic words to get what we want. He says the Father knows what we need before we ask.
So we go into our closet, maybe literally. I once had a church member, Mary Ann, who had a spare closet off of the master bed room. She put a kneeler in there, some candles, devotional books, etc. She knew that when she went in there, she had but one agenda, and that was to pray. To be alone with God is not being alone.
I had a man in another church who had a prayer chair. He had his devotional materials around that chair. He would get up early in the morning and sit in that chair to pray.
How about you? How, when, where, what do you pray?
Here's a good take-home line that I stole from a great author, "Pray as you can, not as you can't." Not worry about the way you pray, comparing yourself to others. Pray in your own unique way. There are as many right ways to pray as there are people.
Some of you will pray quietly as comtemplatives. Some will need movement. I walk as I pray in the mornings. Some of you will run, or swim, or do yoga, or tai chi. Some of you will pray with music. St. Augustine said, "The one who sings, prays twice." Some of you will pray best with a hammer in your hands as you build wall sections for Habitat for Humanity like yesterday. Some of you will pray as you study and come to new intellectual insights. Some of you will pray with your feelings. I am even not afraid of those who pray in special prayer language, like speaking in tongues.
I have heard a lot of stories about prayer over the years. I once had a woman in my church who said that she prayed while driving to work in the mornings. I said, "That's fine, just don't close your eyes."
Pray simply. Simply pray.
To this end we have a model prayer. It comes right in the center of the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7, in the theological and structural center, in the middle of chapter 6. We call it the Lord's Prayer, but really it is the Disciple's Prayer, a gift Jesus gave us. When we don't have the words, there are words waiting for us. It is amazing how adaptable this prayer is: we say it at weddings and funerals, when we are young and with our last dying breath, in private and in public.
Let's say it now: My father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be my name. My kingdom come. My will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give me today my daily bread. And forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive those who trespass against me. And lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. For mine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
OOps. Did you hear some dissonance? What pronouns did I use? (singular) What ones did you use? (plural) The model prayer always invites us into community, even if we are praying alone. The model prayer always invites us to seek God's purposes and not our own.
So we pray Our Father...God sets the agenda. John Wesley who started the Methodist refrom movement that became the UM denomination today said that we could pray in confidence to Our Father, that God is always more ready to give than we are to ask.
May God's reign come, God's will be done....this sounds a lot like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane...not my will, but thy will be done. Today, I am remembering Jill Baggerman, who has been a youth intern at our church. She is in Uganda today. She is foregoing her senior year at Texas, because she is putting her will aside. I read her email this past week as she was leaving. She said, God, get me out of the way, empty me, use me. We will be praying for Jill this year as she asks for God's will to be done in her.
Daily bread....what happened those 40 years in the wilderness? God provided manna daily. In Jesus' time the common laborer got paid at the end of every day's work. That was to provide bread for the morrow. It was a day to day existence. This line puts us in touch with the most vulnerable in our midst. I remind you today of the communion rail offering that goes for Mobile Loaves and Fishes which feeds the homeless.
Debts is really the best translation...for what can we pay to take sin away? All of us are indebted to God. God's essential nature is forgiveness.
The prayer ends with a doxology...for thine is the kingdom, power and glory...but not in the text. If you notice, it is a footnote. The doxology is not in the best and oldest Greek manuscripts. However, there are at least 10 different doxologies found. It shows the wide and persistent use of this model prayer in the early church.
Oh, you nearly let me forget the line about lead us not into temptation and deliver us frm evil....God doesn't tempt us....the best translation is "save us in the time of trial."
And so I end with a story of confronting evil. In Chile, there was a time of the "disappeared." Under Pinochet's government, people who disagreed with him simply disappeared. Some were killed. Some were tortured. A man who was being beaten, in the depths of despair, began to pray....Our Father, who art in heaven...the beating stopped....he heard his torturer say the words with him. The torturer said, "I am a Christian too."
We were made to pray. We keep praying this model prayer until we become what it says. We get to pray. That's the good news I have to share with you today.
We were made to pray. I have a pastor friend who bought a new notebook computer. She was afraid that it would be hard to connect to the internet. She thought she might have to buy an external antennae or purchase software or punch a bunch of buttons. But no, the moment she opened it and turned it on, it instantly found the nearest hot spot and she was connected to WiFi. She said, "It was wired to be connected." So are we! We were made to pray, to be connected to God.
Prayer is not commanded, it is commended. It is normal, natural human behavior. The passage says twice, "whenever you pray." It is expected that we pray.
As I am going through what we United Methodists believe in this sermon series, I remind you that the vows we make are "get-to's" not "have-to's". We get to pray. We were made to pray.
Jesus' teaching on prayer is found in our passage today. He says we don't pray for public show. If we do, our prayers are insincere and go no further than the applause we get. As read the commentaries, this type of public scene was not very common.
He also says that it is not necessary to pile up a bunch of words or fancy words. This feels like we are trying to manipulate God or use magic words to get what we want. He says the Father knows what we need before we ask.
So we go into our closet, maybe literally. I once had a church member, Mary Ann, who had a spare closet off of the master bed room. She put a kneeler in there, some candles, devotional books, etc. She knew that when she went in there, she had but one agenda, and that was to pray. To be alone with God is not being alone.
I had a man in another church who had a prayer chair. He had his devotional materials around that chair. He would get up early in the morning and sit in that chair to pray.
How about you? How, when, where, what do you pray?
Here's a good take-home line that I stole from a great author, "Pray as you can, not as you can't." Not worry about the way you pray, comparing yourself to others. Pray in your own unique way. There are as many right ways to pray as there are people.
Some of you will pray quietly as comtemplatives. Some will need movement. I walk as I pray in the mornings. Some of you will run, or swim, or do yoga, or tai chi. Some of you will pray with music. St. Augustine said, "The one who sings, prays twice." Some of you will pray best with a hammer in your hands as you build wall sections for Habitat for Humanity like yesterday. Some of you will pray as you study and come to new intellectual insights. Some of you will pray with your feelings. I am even not afraid of those who pray in special prayer language, like speaking in tongues.
I have heard a lot of stories about prayer over the years. I once had a woman in my church who said that she prayed while driving to work in the mornings. I said, "That's fine, just don't close your eyes."
Pray simply. Simply pray.
To this end we have a model prayer. It comes right in the center of the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7, in the theological and structural center, in the middle of chapter 6. We call it the Lord's Prayer, but really it is the Disciple's Prayer, a gift Jesus gave us. When we don't have the words, there are words waiting for us. It is amazing how adaptable this prayer is: we say it at weddings and funerals, when we are young and with our last dying breath, in private and in public.
Let's say it now: My father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be my name. My kingdom come. My will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give me today my daily bread. And forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive those who trespass against me. And lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. For mine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
OOps. Did you hear some dissonance? What pronouns did I use? (singular) What ones did you use? (plural) The model prayer always invites us into community, even if we are praying alone. The model prayer always invites us to seek God's purposes and not our own.
So we pray Our Father...God sets the agenda. John Wesley who started the Methodist refrom movement that became the UM denomination today said that we could pray in confidence to Our Father, that God is always more ready to give than we are to ask.
May God's reign come, God's will be done....this sounds a lot like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane...not my will, but thy will be done. Today, I am remembering Jill Baggerman, who has been a youth intern at our church. She is in Uganda today. She is foregoing her senior year at Texas, because she is putting her will aside. I read her email this past week as she was leaving. She said, God, get me out of the way, empty me, use me. We will be praying for Jill this year as she asks for God's will to be done in her.
Daily bread....what happened those 40 years in the wilderness? God provided manna daily. In Jesus' time the common laborer got paid at the end of every day's work. That was to provide bread for the morrow. It was a day to day existence. This line puts us in touch with the most vulnerable in our midst. I remind you today of the communion rail offering that goes for Mobile Loaves and Fishes which feeds the homeless.
Debts is really the best translation...for what can we pay to take sin away? All of us are indebted to God. God's essential nature is forgiveness.
The prayer ends with a doxology...for thine is the kingdom, power and glory...but not in the text. If you notice, it is a footnote. The doxology is not in the best and oldest Greek manuscripts. However, there are at least 10 different doxologies found. It shows the wide and persistent use of this model prayer in the early church.
Oh, you nearly let me forget the line about lead us not into temptation and deliver us frm evil....God doesn't tempt us....the best translation is "save us in the time of trial."
And so I end with a story of confronting evil. In Chile, there was a time of the "disappeared." Under Pinochet's government, people who disagreed with him simply disappeared. Some were killed. Some were tortured. A man who was being beaten, in the depths of despair, began to pray....Our Father, who art in heaven...the beating stopped....he heard his torturer say the words with him. The torturer said, "I am a Christian too."
We were made to pray. We keep praying this model prayer until we become what it says. We get to pray. That's the good news I have to share with you today.
listen
9/08/09 My breath prayer for today is from Proverbs 1:33, "Those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster." I have been trying to listen to my wife, to staff members, to church members, to the birds singing, to my dreams, to God. I have been trying not to prejudge what someone might say and simply receive what is offered. Listening is a form of love.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Thursday, September 3, 2009
law of liberty
9/03/09 My breath prayer for the day comes from James 2:12, "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty." May it be so, that God measures us by mercy. As I prayed for people this morning, I tried to perceive them through the lens of the law of liberty. I prayed that others might see me the same way.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
shalom
9/02/09 My breath prayer today comes from the very last words of Psalm 125, "Peace be upon Israel." The word for peace in Hebrew is "shalom." I have come to know shalom as more than the absence of conflict; it is the wholeness of God, the being at rest in God. It is found in the name of the holy city, Jerusalem, literally, city of peace.
I pray for peace in the Middle East almost daily, especially peace between Israel and Palestine. This passage today pushed me to send a donation to a woman who was returning to this area for the 12th time as a Volunteer in Mission for the United Methodist Church. I wanted to make my prayers concrete.
Of course I prayed that peace would come to many people and situations as I walked this morning, but it is good to begin in the Holy Land and work out from there to many specific areas.
Peace be upon you.
Love,
Lynn
I pray for peace in the Middle East almost daily, especially peace between Israel and Palestine. This passage today pushed me to send a donation to a woman who was returning to this area for the 12th time as a Volunteer in Mission for the United Methodist Church. I wanted to make my prayers concrete.
Of course I prayed that peace would come to many people and situations as I walked this morning, but it is good to begin in the Holy Land and work out from there to many specific areas.
Peace be upon you.
Love,
Lynn
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
eye
9/1/09 My breath prayer is from Proverbs 22:9, "those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor." My old Bible had a translation of "those with an eye of generosity." I am very aware of my eyes today, because I have conjunctivitus, commonly called "pink eye." My condition is really not much of a bother, but it makes me more aware of those who are really vulnerable like the poor--those literally in poverty, but also poor in spirit, in poor health, etc. What is the blessing? I found that as I concentrated on the needs of others, my problems, issues, anxieties, etc. seem so small.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
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