little man, big change

from my sermon on 10/31/10 from Luke 19:1-10

Happy Halloween! I would love to know what you are going as tonight. I know we have gotten away from acknowleging saints as we used to do, and we have tended toward scary costumes. Always popular are witches and ghosts. I think trending upward this year are vampires and zombies. If you haven't chosen a scary outfit this year, I have one for you. Are you ready? Go as an IRS agent!

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. It is the only time in all of the Greek literature that this term is used. We have examples of tax collectors, but only this example of a chief tax collector. If a tax collector is scary, then a chief tax collector is scary squared!

Jesus encounters Zacchaeus in Jericho. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus has been on a long journey toward Jerusalem. We have been going along trying to learn what it means to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus. Jesus is almost to Jerusalem. This is one of his last encounters before entering.

I have been to Jericho. The first time I went to the Holy Land, we landed in Amman, Jordan. We spent the night before crossing the Jordan River at the Allenby Bridge and enterine Israel. Just inside was Jericho, one of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. I remember there be fruit orchards and a spring of water. I bought a grapefruit which I ate by the springs. Jericho is today as it was then on major trade routes. It was a great place for a chief tax collector to squeeze as much out of travelers as he could.

Zacchaeus was rich, but that didn't seem to satisfy him. He wanted to see Jesus, not just His physical appearance, but as the text says, "to see who Jesus was." He wanted to see His character. Was it true what people were saying about Him? Zacchaeus was a seeker.

He couldn't get to see Jesus because of the crowd. Was it because he was short? Be kind here, because I resemble this remark. He runs ahead and climbs a tree. Maybe he is being clever and creative? But grown men don't run and climb trees; it is undignified. Do you know why I think he is in the tree? Because he is desperate. He could have bought a front row seat on the parade route and had his body guards secure it. He is in a tree, because we put him there. We hate him and fear him. He is up a tree, out on a limb, because we put him there, and he doesn't know what else to do to see who Jesus is.

We forget sometimes what it is like to be a seeker. We put up all kinds of barriers and inside language. At another church I served, we did a building project. At its conclusion we sent out mailers and put up door hangers inviting our neighbors to an open house. The amazing thing is some people actually responded and came. You know me; I am out there greeting people, saying my classic line, "Help me with your name." She said, "I am Jo" (not her real name). She gave her first name. She started coming to worship. When the registration pad was passed, she just wrote her first name, Jo. Finally, she wrote her family name as well. Weeks later, her address and telephone number. Do you get a sense of her caution? She was a seeker, but careful. There was some story there, but I didn't know it. Can we pause with Jo for a moment, as she is out on a limb?

Jesus was passing by, and he looked up at Zacchaeus. This may be the only time that anyone had looked up at him in his life, in all the meanings of that phrase. And he has been called a lot of names in Jericho you can be sure, but Jesus calls him by his given name, "Zacchaeus." You remember your Hebrew. Jesus calls him, "righteous one", "pure one." How long had it been since anyone had ever called him that?

Jesus said, 'hurry, come down, for I must stay at your house today." Here, we need to pause and sing that song, some of us learned as children: Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he, he climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see, and as the Lord was walking by, he looked up in the tree, and he said, Zacchaeus, you come down, for I am going to your house today, for I am going to your house today.

What does it mean for Jesus to come home with you? We had company last weekend, my mom and youngest brother and children. Did they just pop in? No, we had clean sheets and towels' we had dusted and vacuumed; we had bought food. Can you imagine Zacchaeus walking in the backdoor and saying, "Honey, guess who's coming for dinner? It's Jesus." And how about invited Jesus home to our insides today. "Jesus, you may not want to go there in the basement. It awful ugly. Don't go in that closet of shame and guilt." And here's the thing: Jesus accepts Zacchaeus and us just as we are.

Back to Jo, she grew to trust us. She revealed that her husband was abusive toward her, physically, emotionally, and verbally. Her way of dealing with that was to put on a lot of weight and to work long hours to avoid going home. She was belittled. One ican be small on the inside, not just short in height. She had believed what her husband had said about her. But at church she heard good news, that Jesus loved, that she was a person of worth. She began to believe that. She got a counselor. She lost weight. I don't recommend this in every case, but she got a divorce. She joined the church. She had her children baptized. What was wonderful was that she became our best greeter. She didn't wear a greeter badge. No, at the passing of the peace, it was much more than a mere formality. She would look around for the stranger, the newcomer, the guest, the seeker. She had recently been there and been changed. She knew what it was like to be out on a limb and then be welcomed in.

Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus to his home. The crowd grumbled. Only 3 times in Luke's Gospel do the people grumble. All 3 times it is when Jesus welcomes someone they can't stand. "HE eats with tax collectors and sinners!" Who is it that we grumble about? Who have we put up a tree. Surely Jesus can't love these, we say. Election day is Tuesday: is it Republicans, or Democrats. It is those who live in E. Austin, or W. Austin? Is it muslims? or persons of different sexual orientation? Who do we think is beyond Christ's love? Our vision statement is really challenging us: Following One, Serving All. All means all.

I have a confession to make at this point. I am addicted to "Glee." Thank goodness of Netflix. Cathy got all of season one which we missed last year on DVD. It is simply a soap opera in a high school with great music and dancing. I know this doesn't in real life, but there are strata of persons who are accepted or not. Top of the pecking order are the jocks, the football players, etc. Right up there are the pep squad members, who are called, I am not making this up, the "Cheerios." But at the bottom are the members of the glee club, the misfits, the ones who get slushies thrown in their face. We do this. We put people up in a tree. Jesus can't possibly love them.

Zacchaeus stood there. Sometimes it is good to make a stand. He says, "Half of my goods I give to the poor." How much is a tithe? Ten percent. Here he is giving 50%. Let's make it real. How many TV's do you have? Two? Then one is gone. How many cars? Two, then one is gone. He says, if I have defrauded anyone, I will repay 400%."

I think he had a change of heart. It is a miracle story. Jesus said earlier, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven." Zacchaeus this little man has a big change. He gives. People don't give to budgets. They give because their lives have been touched by Jesus. They give so others can know that too.

Jesus says, "Today, salvation has come to this house." When is a good time for salvation? Right now! You don't wait until you die. Salvation begins today.

Jesus says that Zacchaeus is also a son of Abraham. He always had been, he just didn't realize it until he saw who Jesus was, and until Jesus saw who he was.

And here's the good news, the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Amen.

habitat

10/28/10 Last night I attended the 25th anniversary gala for Habitat for Humanity in Austin. In the last 25 years Habitat has built 275 new homes and refurbished 50 older homes. Seventy-five thousand volunteers have helped out. One of those volunteers is a member of the church I serve. Gerard Van De Werken has been the lead guy on 25 homes! I am honored to be a part of his Friday crew. Some dozen guys and a couple of gals will work on Friday mornings to get things set up for the larger crews that come out on Saturdays.

I love Habitat because we work side by side--volunteers and homeowners. The new owners pay no interest on their loans. Dignity, respect, and yes hope are all present in Habitat.

Love,
Lynn

leadership

10/27/10 I took part in the Board of Ordained Ministry meeting yesterday. Our bishop, Jim Dorff, had asked for an hour of our time, which we obviously granted. He had one point: as pastors, we are called to be leaders, not just preachers, teachers, administrators, spiritual directors, etc. He said that we can no longer make appointments as if we are filling in the slots, but we must send leaders to ministry settings. We can no longer expect the seminaries to send us leaders if we don't as a board or conference send them leader material. So as a board we can no longer just see if someone meets the minimum theological standards, but we must see if they have the potential to be leaders. Our bishop wants to develop a framework where leaders are developed. Our bishop got confirmation yesterday that his vision was on track. I for one am thankful for his leadership.

Love,
Lynn

how long O LORD?

10/25/10 I was reading today from the first verses of Habakkuk where he asks, "O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?" I was crying out in my prayer/walking time this morning: How long will the prodigals stay gone? How long will there be fighting in the Holy Land? How long will there be suffering with cancer, AIDS, etc.? How long will injustice, greed, hatred, prejudice, etc. seem to dominate? How long will we avoid facing evil? How long will we medicate our feelings, give in to distracting entertainment, etc.?

And then I thought about how long the LORD has put up with us and our sins. I gave thanks for God's long-suffering love.

Love,
Lynn

the Jesus Prayer

from my sermon on 10/24/10 from Luke 18:9-14

Breathe....very slowly in and out. Keep breathing. In Luke's Gospel we find Jesus teaching more about prayer and spending more time in prayer than we do in any of the other gospels, so I think it would be appropriate for us to pray during this time together. So breathe and get into the rhythm of praying.

As you breathe, I have a gift for you....the Jesus prayer. As you breathe in, "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God," and as you breathe out, "Have mercy on me a sinner."

Say it inside your soul....say it out loud with me...write it down to remember it....say it to Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

I first encountered the Jesus Prayer when I was in my first year as pastor in San Saba in 1983 or 84. A group of us pastors had gotten together to form a study group. We got from Perkins School of Theology a list of readings and audio tapes. We would come together once a week to study and pray. One of the lessons was on the Jesus prayer. You recognize the words of the tax collector as the basis of the prayer. Now the tax collector was voted in his senior class as "least likely to be saved." How do you feel about tax collectors today? Well, they were even less liked back then. They were independent contractors who tried to squeeze as much money as they could from their fellow citizens. Their neighbors looked at them as traitors because they worked for the oppressing government of Rome. They were considered as ritually unclean. In short, nobody liked them. So we find the tax collector standing far off from the Holy of Holies, not lifting up his eyes, beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner."

Now over the centuries the prayer has been expanded. Have you ever thought of this? The Bible can not only be read and studied but also prayed. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, they substituted the word God with teh words Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. It became the Jesus Prayer, and it became very important to their spirituality. One Russion monk is said to have recited this prayer with every breath and then with every beat of his heart. He became the Jesus Prayer.

Are you still breathing and saying, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me?"

A year or two later, I did the Workbook of Living Prayer by Maxie Dunnam. There on page 105 was the Jesus Prayer. The exercize asked us to reflect on the terms used in the prayer. Here were some of my reflections:
Lord--Who or what is #1 in my life? Who is my master? Is it security...or money...or reputation?
Jesus--did God really become human? Take on our flesh? Did Jesus put his elbows on the table? Did he cuss? Did he worry like I do?
Christ--God's chosen one, not the expected, exalted military or political ruler, but a crucified Savior. One who is broken, so we might be whole.
Son of God--the revelation of who God is, God self-revealed, God with us
Have mercy--my need for forgiveness. This does away with all of my attempts to earn salvation on my own.
Me, a sinner--this fact is ever before me. I try to cover it up with bravado, with being a know-it-all, churchiness and religiousity. I am always looking for the faults of others, so I don't have to deal with my own.

I know that I am the Pharisee. I am very religious. I am a professional pray-er. I go to meetings, and people say, "here's Lynn, Preacher, would you say a little prayer to get us started?" Go to a dinner or other setting, and it happens all over again. You're the professional; say a little prayer. I fast...I literally go without eating as a spiritual discipline. I tithe....I literally give 10% to the church....and beyond that to many other causes. I am holy....but how easily that can become holier than thou. I am righteous....but how easily that can become self-righteous. I am the Pharisee. I look down on others. Thank God I am not like them--the greedy, dishonest, impure, especially that tax collector. It is so easy to not see others as persons of worth, to put others down and to lose one's soul.

Last week, the theme was the promise of persistent prayer. This week the theme is peril of presumptive prayer. Are you still breathing? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

I know you never do this, but I will be standing in line at HEB. It is the express checkout line. It very clearly says, "12 items or less." But the person in front of me as 14 items. I know because I have counted them. Then go to pay with a check....from out of town....and then they have coupons. And I am so important and my time is so valuable that I am just about to explode. That's when I breathe and say, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."

I am so good with words. At times I have taken my words and aimed them like a laser guided missile with exact precision right into the hearts of those I love the best like my wife or 2 sons and struck where I could cause the most damage. I have killed with my words. Sometimes there has been collateral damage. I didn't even intend to, but caused harm anyway. Then I breathe and say, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

The Jesus Prayer is not some magic incantation, not some secret formula. In fact the Orthodox Church even has issued cautions about only doing the Jesus Prayer and nothing else. But there is a real gift for us if we pray it. It expresses our deep need for a Savior. It is our cry for help.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

telling our story

10/21/10 I know this...I know this...I know this....sometimes I remember to practice this: people don't give to budgets; they give to visions. So when I get it right, I tell stories of how Christ is changing lives. Our bottom line is changed lives, not dollars and cents.

So this week in staff meeting, I heard the story of one life changed from Susan, our handbell choirs director. There is a young man named Tim who is fascinated with the handbells. He has been after Susan to let him play. Tim is brilliant and passionate, but he has some motor skill problems. He can do American Sign Language and use the computer, but he has a hard time speaking.

Susan had him come to practice. She gave him one chime to ring. He cannot use his left hand as well as his right one, so he will play one note with his right hand. This Sunday at the 11:15 a.m. service, Tim will join with others in playing "Jesus Loves Me." And Jesus does love Tim, and Susan who lets Tim play, and all of God's children.

That's why people give. It is because of stories like that. Lives are changed in the church because Jesus loves us.

Love,
Lynn

fed

10/20/10 Today we had the Austin District Professionals meeting at Manor UMC. We preachers love to talk and to talk to each other and to talk about each other, so the first 45 minutes was spent in eating and drinking and visiting in the fellowship hall. Then we went to the sanctuary where the business agenda and the worship service were combined in an order that went together pretty. We were challenged by statistics of level attendance numbers in a metropolitan area that has been rapidly growing. We were encourgaged by the start of Servant Church, for 20-30 year olds. We were uplifted by a connection with Dieke clinic in Sierra Leone. We sang and we prayed. We heard the word of God preached. We celebrated the sacrament of communion. I left this morning well-fed.

Love,
Lynn

Joel

10/19/10 My breath prayer for the day comes from the prophet Joel 2:28, "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." Old older son is named Joel. The name means the LORD is God. May this passage be true for our son and all God's children: that they know that they have the Spirit pouring over them and that they are all a part of God's purposes.

Love,
Lynn

always pray

from my sermon on Children's Sabbath, Oct. 17, 2010, from Luke 18:1-8

Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem. Along the way, he tells a story about how we need to always pray and not lose heart. The hero in the story is a widow, who has no power, no standing in the community, much like a child. The bad guy in the story is a judge who doesn't care what God or others think, yet he grants the woman's request. The point is that God is not like this judge, but rather grants our prayers graciously. The women is a model for persistent prayer. Today, I want to give you some practical ways of praying with and for children. Even if your children have long gone, or you don't have any children, you still might get a nugget that leads you to more constant prayer.

1. Meal times---how many of you say a grace over a meal at least sometimes? A bunch of you, terrific. Our meals can become more than just the intake of calories; they can become like the meal we have at this table, the sacrament of communion, where we sense the nearness of Christ. You may have some standard prayers: Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies and our bodies to thy service, or God is great, God is good, now we thank him for our food.

2. Thank you God for---At meal times and other times, you can complete this sentence. We are going to try it right now, starting on this side of the sanctuary and going over here. You may be able to say it out loud. We will do a popcorn prayer. Just go off like popcorn kernels when I point to you. It doesn't matter if others hear what you say; God has big ears and wil receive all of these prayers.

3. Help me God---Let's try this one out loud too......I heard from adults help with patience....I heard from children help with tests.

4. I am sorry for--This one goes deeper. It is like a prayer of confession. You may not be able to say it out loud. You may pray it so deep that only God can hear it.

5. Singing--A great old saint of the church (Augustine) said, "the one who sings pray twice." We can sing our grace. The Johnny Appleseed song: Oh the Lord's been good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun, the rain and the appleseed, oh the Lord's been good to me. Or the doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise God all creature here below, praise God above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Or John Wesley's grace to the same tune: Be present at our table Lord, be here and everywhere adored, these favors bless and grant that we, may feast in fellowship with thee.

6. Humor--we could sing Wesley's grace to a different tune, like Fernando's Hideaway. It is okay to laugh and smile as part of our praying. A mom was about to give birth to her 3rd child. She had a 7 yr old daughter and a 4 yr old son. The 3rd child was another boy. The girl said, "Oh, I prayed for a little sister." The boy said, "I must have prayed harder." (laughter) Of course God doesn't work this way, but it is good to have humor in our praying.

7. Icon---An icon is a symbol that calls us into an awareness of God. It can be something as simple as a candle. Our boys when they were little used to run through the house, sometimes clothed, sometimes not. At dinner they might run by and grab some food off the table. We learned to turn off the lights, and light a single candle. That got their attention. We slowed down, we sat down, and it became a different atmosphere. You might try flowers, or a picture, or a rock, or anything that calls you into the presence of Christ.

8. Bed time--my hunch is that you children have a routine for going to bed. You might have supper and brush your teeth and take a bath and read stories and say prayers. In church language you have ritual, an order of worship. You know what is coming next and that brings comfort to you. Our children's minister has some wonderful resources of Bible stories if you want to contact her at the email address I will provide in a section below. Another way of praying is to read the blessings that this congregation wrote for you at your baptism. You can take the new picture directory and match the face of the family praying for you. Sometimes people tell me that they fall asleep while saying their bedtime prayers. They tell me they feel guilty when they do that. I want to relieve you of that guilt. What better way to go to sleep that praying with God and resting in God's arms.

9. Repeat after me---sometimes at meal times or bed times or other times, we can do a repeat after me prayer. You can say God bless mommy and daddy and .... You can say Dear God, thank you for this day, thank you for your children, thank you for Jesus who loves all the children. In his name. Amen. The Lord's prayer can be learned as a repeat after me prayer.

10. Seasons of the church year--we Christians tell time differently and it is a good way to remember what God is doing in our lives. Advent, the season of preparation before Christmas is fast approaching. You can have a creche scene and add characters ( a sheep, a donkey, an angel, etc.) each day or week. The wise men can draw closer. You can have an advent calendar with the little windows that open each day. Hilary would be happy to share with resources for praying through the year if you would contact her at HMartin@westlake-umc.org or www.candlepress.com.

11. Praying with others at worship and Sunday School--it is a good thing for us to gather and pray together, but our prayers don't have to end here. The worship bulletin will have a call to worship, a prayer of confession, a unison prayer, etc. These can be taken home and used throughout the week. Parents can ask of children: what did you learn today? Where did you experience Christ today?

12. Situations--you can use anything as a call to pray. Hasn't the fall been glorious? Thank you God for this beautiful sunrise. When I hear a siren, I pray for the fire, or police, or EMS, and I pray for the situation they are handling. In times of crisis, we might say, "Help us God." I once had a man who had cancer. When I asked how I could pray for him he said, "Every time you open your can door, pray for me." I prayed for that man a lot. It is amazing how many times I got in and out of my car.

13. Breath prayers--you moms and dads when you get pregnant, what do you learn to do? To breathe. When you are in conflict, what is a good thing to do? To breathe. The Jesuits taught me a new definition of sin: it is the failure to pause. Breathing is a great way to slow down, to center, to call upon God, to pause. When you children hear the dreaded words, pop quiz, it is a good thing to breathe. I know we have said no prayer in school, but that is a lie. There is a lot of praying going on when there is a pop quiz.

This breath prayer concept is something I actually practice.

14. Praying with scripture--one of the things I do is to combine the breath prayer with a short piece of scripture. So for instance this past week, I breathed in and out II Tim. 4:5, "fulfill your ministry." I get tired sometimes, not physically tired, but tired of pettiness. The word came to me, "Fulfill your ministry." Sometimes, I can't sleep at night. I know I am the only one who has this problem. I breathe in and out some of my favorite scriptures: Cast all your anxiety upon him for he cares about you. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. One of my most used breath prayers is "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner." I will say more about this prayer next week, so this is your teaser to come back.

By breathing and centering on scripture, you may find that you are praying a lot. Prayer becomes not a last resort, but a way of life. For me, it is a way of keeping sane. Prayer becomes a way to not lose heart.

15. Silence--so ofter we go to God with our list of demands or our mind made up about how God is going to answer. Silence allows God the opportunity to speak. We close in silence. Listen for what God is praying for us....and don't lose heart.

stretched

10/14/10 I am going home this afternoon, after 4 days of cont. ed. Even after 32 plus years of ministry, I have still much to learn. I am still being stretched by this pesky God who will not leave me alone or let me go. After walking all of these hills at Mt. Sequoia, I also need my leg muscles to be stretched.

Love,
Lynn

sweet words

10/13/10 My breath prayer for the day comes from Psalm 119:102, "How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" I like words. I write and deliver sermons. I write newsletter articles, blogs, and tweets. I teach. I listen and offer spiritual direction. Here I am at this cont. ed. event, and it is a torrrent of words. But there is underneath all of this a Word from God that is sweeter than honey. I desire this Word more than any others.

Love,
Lynn

continuing ed

10/12/10 I am on the mountaintop. I am at Mt. Sequoia Conference and Retreat Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This campgroup is literally on the top of a hill with a circle road (.9 mile) that looks off and down 360 degrees around its loop. It is fall, and the leaves are just beginning to turn their reds, oranges, yellows, golds, rusts, etc. I have enjoyed walking in the mornings and in our brief breaks.

I wish I could tell you that it is a relaxing time, but the course work is challenging. I am taking the New Church Leadership Initiative, Path 1. We started at 11:30 a.m. yesterday with lunch, and didn't quit until 9 p.m. last night. We have speakers presenting, survey instruments to complete, small group sessions, powerpoint presentations, and books to buy. It is the proverbial "drinking from the fire hydrant" (too much in too short a time). I am glad that I can be here and still be stretched in my ministry.

Love,
Lynn

the thankful Samaritan

from my sermon on 10/10/10 from Luke 17;11-19

Have you written your thank you notes? My mom is a dear, sweet woman, but in one area she is dictatorial--thank you notes. Come Christmas, or birthdays, or graduations, after 24 hours the clock starts ticking. Have you written your thank you notes?

Something much deeper than thank you notes is going on in this passage. Luke has Jesus going on an extended journey in his Gospel. It is not a sentimental journey, but a sacramental one. We know what happens in Jerusalem. Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection forms one salvific event. This trip is preparing all who follow Him for this act. In this lesson today, Jesus is going along the border between Galilee and Samaria. Now, good Jews would take great pains to avoid Samaria. More about that later.

Jesus is approached by 10 lepers. Here is a fun topic: leprosy! There is a disease we know today as Hansen's disease where a person loses sensations in the extremities and skin may turn splotchy white. In the Bible, there is a much broader definition than just this one ailment. IN the Holiness Code in Leviticus 13 & 14 you can find out more than you ever wanted to know about leprosy. It could include having mildew in your house walls, or fungus in your clothing, as well as a host of skin diseases including eczema, the heartbreak of psoriasis, ringworm, and rashes. What do we do when there is a disease we can't explain? We get scared! What do we do with such people? We cast them out! We are threatened so we ostracize them. Hear is what it sounds like....(a person rings a bell from the back and shouts "Unclean, unclean!").

But here, the 10 lepers go off script. They shout, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

Jesus sees them. The English translations don't do justice to the Greek. It literally says that Jesus sees 10 persons with leprosy. Do you get the significance? Not 10 lepers, but 10 men with leprosy. You are not the disease. You are not the diagnosis. You are not AIDS, or bulimia, or cancer, or diabetes....You are a person with this disease.

Jesus follows the Old Testament Holiness Code. He sends the 10 to the priest, who acts as the public health officer, who can certify that they are clean, and can reenter the community. As they go, they are cleansed. Are there any Catherines in the congregation? That is the Greek word for cleansed.

One of the sees that he is healed. He returns to Jesus, praising God loudly. There are times to pray quietly, even in silence, but there are times when it is most appropriate to pray loudly. If you are a miner in Chile who has been trapped underground for more than 60 days, and shaft B reaches you, it is a time to ring bells, and blow sirens, and shout, "Hallelujah!"

This one kneels at Jesus' feet and says, "Thank you." As you can tell, there is much more going on here than just writing a thank you note.

Then there is a short phrase; we would likely pass right over it except Luke drops a bomb with just one word. The one who says thanks is a Samaritan. Samaritans were looked down on for 2 reasons. They had been the Jewish people left behind when other Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon. They had intermarried with foreigners, so that good Jews would say about them, "Half-breeds!" They didn't worship the same way. They read the Bible differently and they looked not to Jerusalem but Mt. Gerizim. So the good Jews would say about them, "Heretics!"

So this one who says thank you is a triple outsider. He is a leper, a Samaritan half breed, and heretic. He becomes the model for giving thanks.

The math major in me loves this. Ten are healed, 9 do what is lawful, 1 does what is loving, 9 do what is right, 1 does what is righteous (in right relationship), 10 are made clean, and 1 is made whole. This is the story of the thankful Samaritan.

We have heard of Samaritans before in Luke's Gospel. You may remember how a lawyer asked Jesus what it took to inherit eternal life. Jesus turns the question back to him. The lawyer quotes the two great commandments to love God with all one's heart and soul and mind and strength and to love one neighbor as oneself. Jesus says he answered correctly. But the lawyer wanting to justify himself asks, "Who is my neighbor?" So Jesus tells a story about a man being attacked by robbers on the Jericho road and being left for dead. A priest walks by. A Levite walks by. Another man sees the beaten man, binds up his wounds, put him on his donkey, takes him to an inn, pays the innkeeper to take care of him, and says he will come back. And who is the hero in this story? A Samaritan, the Good Samaritan.

In our passage, we have the thankful Samaritan. He is the model of gratitude. He is the model of disipleship. This foreigner is not welcome in the Temple in Jerusalem, but he is welcome at Jesus' feet. Jesus welcomes all.

Jesus is on a journey. We are too. Our vision statement is "Following ONe, Serving All." It is challenging us to welcome all. Our Journeys Sunday School class is struggling with the idea of becoming a REconciling Ministries class, which means they would be welcoming gays, lesbians, transgender folks. Some 20 people met last Sunday night to begin this prayerful, careful process. They are afraid of the unknown. They are afraid that in taking this stance they might alienate some of their own class members. They are afraid that they might split this congregation. They are afraid that some might see this as only a political stance. There is one more thing that they are afraid of, and that is, not doing what is righteous. You are welcome to join the process of discerning as we meet again on Sunday, October 17, at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship classroom.

Then last Wednesday afternoon, I joined the prayer group as I usually do. I think it is a good thing for me to be in prayer for this congregation. Nancy usually has us read a passage of scripture 3 times and receive a word or phrase that resonates with us, but this time she had us read Gal. 3 where it talks about how our baptism in Christ has washed away the old distinctions and that we are all one in Him. There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. Then she asked us to name who are the insiders and outsiders today. Straight or gay, able or disabled, sober or addicted, rich or homeless, we said. It is challenging to welcome all.

It reminded me a pastor I knew when I did my D. Min. work at Austin Seminary in the early 1990's. This pastor led a congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church, a denomination that is radically welcoming, especially to the gay and lesbian community. He said this: In our church we have communion every week. People kneel to receive a piece of bread and the cup. But we do something else every week. We lay hands on the people (lots of gay men, HIV positive), and pronounce a blessing on them. Many times they are in tears. They often say, "This is only touch I receive all week long." They are so grateful.

A true sign of discipleship is gratitude to Jesus who welcomes all.

workman

10/07/10 My breath prayer for the day comes from II Timothy 2:15, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth." A lot of Friday mornings one will find me out at the jobsite where we are building our next Habitat for Humanity house. I like to work with my hands. I like to make an accurate cut on a piece of lumber. I like to see what I have done after a few hours of work.

Most of my work as a pastor involves relationships, Holy Spirit, and vision. This work is hard to measure sometimes. I hope that I am a good workman in my day job as a pastor, rightly explaining the word of truth.

Love,
Lynn

come and see

10/06/10 My breath prayer for the day comes from Psalm 66:5, "Come and see what God has done; he is awesome in his deeds among mortals." As I was walking and praying this morning, I tried to keep my eyes open, my spirit aware of how God was moving in our midst. I was giving thanks for God's presence in my family--both my biological family and my theological family. I was lifting up the mission team that was flying out early this morning headed for Haiti. I was giving thanks to God for the beauty of creation; these fall days in Austin are spectacular with ideal temperatures and low humidity. I was giving thanks for the many healings God is working in people's lives--in their bodies, in their memories, in their relationships, and in their minds. My prayer for you today is that you also come and see what God is doing.

Love,
Lynn

on my heart

10/05/10 Early this morning, around 4 a.m., a couple that I had been praying for, I don't know how else to say it, were on my heart. I could not stop them from coming into my awareness. I have been missing them in worship; that is, to say, they have not been attending recently. Their giving pattern and participation in small groups has dropped off. All of these are warning signs to me. Therefore, I have called them, and gotten only their answering machine. I have also sent emails to which I have gotten no reply. Yet because they are on my heart in such a powerful way, I will try again...probably today. I have learned not to ignore these prompts from God, when God places such people on my heart.

Love,
Lynn

welfare

10/04/10 My breath prayer for the day comes from Jeremiah 29:7, where the LORD tells the prophet to " seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." So by welfare, I am not talking about what the government does to meet the needs of the poorest in the population. And I certainly don't feel like I am living in exile as the Israelites did when they were carried into captivity in Babylon. My prayer has been to acknowledge that I am called to be the very best citizen in Austin, Texas, where I live, because my well-being is tied to its well-being. So this morning, like most mornings, I am picking up trash along the trails. This is trash I didn't create, and I am not responsible for, yet it is my park and my city, so I pick it up because I want my park and my city to be clean. I said a prayer for the beauty of creation I got to enjoy as the sun rose on this cool morning. I went through my list of praying for other people--biological family and church family. All of our welfares are tied together.

Love,
Lynn

mustard seed faith

from my sermon on World Communion Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 from Luke 17:5-10

The problems in the world seem so huge. The challenges are overwhelming. Our faith seems so small. What can one person possibly do?

In 2006, Lynda Commale saw a PBS documentary on malaria and its devasting effects on women and children especially. "I have to do something," she said to herself. Over breakfast the next morning, she shared her concerns with her family, her husband and their two small children. Her 5 yr old, Katherine, had all kinds of questions: "What kind of mosquito does this? How does a person get sick? What are bed nets?" Katherine was really upset at the fact that a child died every 30 seconds. She counted out on her little fingers 1,2,3,4.....27, 28, 29, 30. "Mom, we have to do something." Lynda knew that a bednet costs $10. She figured they would buy $40 worth, one for each member of her family. Katherine said, "I can do a lemonade stand."

They knew that they wanted to do more, but didn't know how. So mother and daughter went to their church. I am not making this name up; it was Hopewell UMC in Downintown, Penn. They talked to the Christian educator. They came up with a powerpoint presentation. They showed to the congregation. On one Sunday, they raised $11,000. Katherine was on the floor of the church lobby helping to count. At every $10 bill, she said, "There's another one, and another one."

They sent the money to the United Nations which was just starting the Nothing But Nets program. Early partners were the United Methodist Church and the National Basketball Assoctiation. These partners asked Lynda and Katherine to become spokespersons. They agreed to. They sharpened their presentation and went out to other churches and schools. They came up with a skit. They got children to come up on stage and pretend to be asleep. Then a child pretending to be a mosquito would come attack them. Much booing and hissing. Then those same children would be covered by a net. The mosquito couldn't get in. Much cheering. Katherine created gift certificates for people to buy remembering birthday, anniversaries, etc. She has sold over 500 each year.

Over 3 years Lynda and Katherine raised over $140,000 themselves. Through their programs, millions more have been raised. Lynda says that sometimes she wants to give up. The burden is too much to bear. Then someone will come along and set her straight again.

You know that we have gotten caught up in this. Last year this church raised over $35,000 in cash. With pledges still coming in, we will be up around $50,000 from this one congregation.

What can one person do in the face of world problems? A lot.

You may be saying along with the first followers of Jesus, "Increase our faith." Remember in this section of Luke, Jesus is on a long journey to Jerusalem and all that happens there. He is trying to prepared his disciples. He has been teaching them about all that they must give, and give up, and forgive. No wonder they say, "Increase our faith."

His response is, "if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this 60' tree be thrown into the sea, and it would be." Now I need to do a little Greek with you. You may think "if" means "you may or may not have faith." But what it means here in this phrasing is "since you have the faith of a mustard seed, it is enough."

Now mustard seeds are very small. I will be giving you one as you come up to take communion today. I want you to hold that little piece of bread in your hand along with that tiny seed. I want you to hear Jesus say to you, "you may think your faith is so small, but I tell you it is enough. Act on what you already have. Put into practice what you believe."

On this World Communion Sunday, I remember Rosa Parks, who was too tired to move to the back of the bus. She stayed seated and started a modern emancipation movment. Just mustard seed size is enough.

Lech Walensa in Poland was just a laborer on the docks in Poland, but with organizing and with the Catholic Church's help, a communist government was overthrown.

One of my heroes is Bill W. He had tried everything to get sober. Finally, he talked to one other alcoholic. He said, "I am not here for you; I am here for me. I need this to get well." He started alcoholics anonymous, which then spread to narcotics anonymous, and overeaters anonymous, and gamblers anonymous. All of these 12 step recovery programs start with admitting that we are powerless over our behavior. We seek God as our Higher Power to restore us to sanity.

When I read this passage this past week, I remember a story from a long time ago, early in my ministry. That line about tossing a mulberry tree triggered something in my. You know that the coca plant is grown in Central and South America so that cocaine may be produced from its leaves. It just so happens that mulberry trees are exactly suited for the same climate. Someone had the idea to approach farmers with the options of replacing their coca plants with mulberry trees. What eats mulberry leaves? Silkworms! Instead of destroying lives with their crops, farmers were given an opportunity to give life.

These last 2 examples capture the last part of the Gospel lesson for today. When we have done all that we could, we should not expect an award or a thank you card or an "atta boy" or a "you go girl." When we do the right thing, we may never get credit. It is enough for us to say, "we are your servants. We were only doing what is expected."

I know today you may be saying, "Lord, increase our faith." Or in today's vernacular, "Super-size me." But the Lord will be saying back to you, "you have plenty of faith to act on. Do right and don't worry about the results."