9/22/11 I wish I could tell you that it was easy, being the senior pastor of a healthy progam-sized church, but it's not. We had a meeting yesterday with our District Superindent. We were sharing with her the exciting news of the launching of a new worship service here (this Sunday!)with its small groups, mission component, feedback sessions, etc. She made the very astute comment that some of the family members (staff, long time members of the church, etc.) might be feeling a bit neglected...what with all of the effort, time, commitment, energy being shown this new child. As wonderful as it is to try this new venture, it is not without cost in terms of money, time, and especially emotion.
Love,
Lynn
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
ears
9/21/11 My breath prayer for the day comes from Psalm 78:1, "Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth." Today in my early morning walk/prayer time, I tried to listen to everything around me, to God. Instead of filling the time with my words or petitions or names of people on my heart, I tried to hear. I used my ears more than my mouth today.
As I walked, I heard the chorus of birds, many different parts and melodies, but coming together in a beautiful harmony. I heard the crunch of dry leaves under my shoes....God knows we need rain. I could hear the traffic, cars rushing to work, to school, to play....I prayed for my neighbors. I heard the wail of a siren...I prayed for fire, police, EMS workers. I heard the beep.beep.beep. of heavy machinery backing up.....I prayed for those who labor in the heat and the recovery of the economy.
Today, I am going to listen to people when they talk, really pay attention. I am going to use my ears in prayer today.
Love,
Lynn
As I walked, I heard the chorus of birds, many different parts and melodies, but coming together in a beautiful harmony. I heard the crunch of dry leaves under my shoes....God knows we need rain. I could hear the traffic, cars rushing to work, to school, to play....I prayed for my neighbors. I heard the wail of a siren...I prayed for fire, police, EMS workers. I heard the beep.beep.beep. of heavy machinery backing up.....I prayed for those who labor in the heat and the recovery of the economy.
Today, I am going to listen to people when they talk, really pay attention. I am going to use my ears in prayer today.
Love,
Lynn
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
a tell all book
From my sermon on 9/18/11 from Psalm 105:1-11
There is a song I learned in church growing up…sing with me..
Oh the B I B L E, oh, that’s the book for me…
I stand alone on the Word of God, the B I B L E.
What a wonderful book. We give it to 3rd graders today. The Psalmist gives thanks for the book, saying call on his name, make know his deeds, remember his works and the judgments he uttered.
I want you to remember your first Bible…or your first memory of a Bible story….who gave it to you…who told you the story…I want you to turn to a partner and share your memory.
This year marks the 400th year since the King James Version was published. That event made the Bible accessible to English speakers. Today, there are so many translations of the Bible, and paraphrases and Bibles directed to special groups. You may even have a Bible app on your smartphone. But I want to know do you read the Bible today?
I was trying to think of a way to get the 3rd graders and in fact all of you to read the Bible. I came across a quote from Ted Wardlaw , the president of the Austin Seminary, that might help. He had a seminary professor who said in class one day, “The Bible is the most dangerous book ever written.”
Can you believe that we give this book to 3rd graders? Annie Dillard in her book An American Childhood talks about growing up in an upscale suburb of Pittsburgh. She wonders about the sanity of those who gave her the Bible, “if they had read it, they would have hidden it. Didn’t they recognize the vivid danger, that we would, through repeated exposure catch a case of wild opposition to their world?”
The Bible is a tell all book. Have you read tell all books where a movie star or sports hero or rock idol will expose everything? Or if they don’t their maid, or driver, or body guard will.
The Bible tells us all about God…who God is, what God does, what God says. We read the Bible to remember this God so that we can be saved from spiritual amnesia. That’s why the Psalmist says we read this book.
But don’t read this book! It’s dangerous. This God favors the vulnerable, the widow , the orphan, the sojourner in the land. OUCH! God opposes the proud, the rich, the powerful. This God welcomes all kinds of people we would never welcome. This God wants Abraham and Sarah and us to be blessed to be a blessing to others. This God wants Jonah and us to preach good news to our enemies. This God wants us to be a light to the nations so that all will be drawn to worship.
Don’t read this book! It’s dangerous. God calls the most unlikely ones. Abraham and Sarah are in their 70’s when God says they are going to have a child and that that child will be the start of a whole new people of God. Joseph is part of a blended family, one of the youngsters. His brothers want to kill him, but settle for selling him into slavery in Egypt. He becomes the #2 man in the land and saves his people. There is Esther who wins a beauty contest in Persia. She uses her natural abilities to save her people. There is a boy who shares his lunch with those who have come to hear Jesus. His generosity sets in motion a miracle by which 5,000 are fed. There is a woman, a foreigner, a Gentile, who pleads for her sick daughter to be healed. Jesus hears her prayer and heals the daughter.
Don’t read this book because it will not only tell all about God, but also all about you. One the second page of the Bible, one man kills his brother over whom God likes best. I know you never fight over toys or over getting attention in your families. Don’t read this book because you will find that we are prone to lyin’, cheatin’, stealin’, and foolin’ around.
Don’t take the class I start next week during Sunday School time on the Bible from Scratch, the New Testament for Beginners. You will only find out all about yourself.
For goodness sake, please don’t underline in your Bible, write notes in it, or highlight it. If you do, then when I come to do your funeral, I will know what was important to you and how the Bible impacted you.
You know I am kidding, right? I really want you to read the Bible. More than that I want the Bible to read you, who you are. A writer from 1734, J. A. Bengel, said, “Apply thyself wholly to the scripture text, then apply that text wholly to thyself!”
Don’t read this tell all book, because if you do, you just might find that
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
There is a song I learned in church growing up…sing with me..
Oh the B I B L E, oh, that’s the book for me…
I stand alone on the Word of God, the B I B L E.
What a wonderful book. We give it to 3rd graders today. The Psalmist gives thanks for the book, saying call on his name, make know his deeds, remember his works and the judgments he uttered.
I want you to remember your first Bible…or your first memory of a Bible story….who gave it to you…who told you the story…I want you to turn to a partner and share your memory.
This year marks the 400th year since the King James Version was published. That event made the Bible accessible to English speakers. Today, there are so many translations of the Bible, and paraphrases and Bibles directed to special groups. You may even have a Bible app on your smartphone. But I want to know do you read the Bible today?
I was trying to think of a way to get the 3rd graders and in fact all of you to read the Bible. I came across a quote from Ted Wardlaw , the president of the Austin Seminary, that might help. He had a seminary professor who said in class one day, “The Bible is the most dangerous book ever written.”
Can you believe that we give this book to 3rd graders? Annie Dillard in her book An American Childhood talks about growing up in an upscale suburb of Pittsburgh. She wonders about the sanity of those who gave her the Bible, “if they had read it, they would have hidden it. Didn’t they recognize the vivid danger, that we would, through repeated exposure catch a case of wild opposition to their world?”
The Bible is a tell all book. Have you read tell all books where a movie star or sports hero or rock idol will expose everything? Or if they don’t their maid, or driver, or body guard will.
The Bible tells us all about God…who God is, what God does, what God says. We read the Bible to remember this God so that we can be saved from spiritual amnesia. That’s why the Psalmist says we read this book.
But don’t read this book! It’s dangerous. This God favors the vulnerable, the widow , the orphan, the sojourner in the land. OUCH! God opposes the proud, the rich, the powerful. This God welcomes all kinds of people we would never welcome. This God wants Abraham and Sarah and us to be blessed to be a blessing to others. This God wants Jonah and us to preach good news to our enemies. This God wants us to be a light to the nations so that all will be drawn to worship.
Don’t read this book! It’s dangerous. God calls the most unlikely ones. Abraham and Sarah are in their 70’s when God says they are going to have a child and that that child will be the start of a whole new people of God. Joseph is part of a blended family, one of the youngsters. His brothers want to kill him, but settle for selling him into slavery in Egypt. He becomes the #2 man in the land and saves his people. There is Esther who wins a beauty contest in Persia. She uses her natural abilities to save her people. There is a boy who shares his lunch with those who have come to hear Jesus. His generosity sets in motion a miracle by which 5,000 are fed. There is a woman, a foreigner, a Gentile, who pleads for her sick daughter to be healed. Jesus hears her prayer and heals the daughter.
Don’t read this book because it will not only tell all about God, but also all about you. One the second page of the Bible, one man kills his brother over whom God likes best. I know you never fight over toys or over getting attention in your families. Don’t read this book because you will find that we are prone to lyin’, cheatin’, stealin’, and foolin’ around.
Don’t take the class I start next week during Sunday School time on the Bible from Scratch, the New Testament for Beginners. You will only find out all about yourself.
For goodness sake, please don’t underline in your Bible, write notes in it, or highlight it. If you do, then when I come to do your funeral, I will know what was important to you and how the Bible impacted you.
You know I am kidding, right? I really want you to read the Bible. More than that I want the Bible to read you, who you are. A writer from 1734, J. A. Bengel, said, “Apply thyself wholly to the scripture text, then apply that text wholly to thyself!”
Don’t read this tell all book, because if you do, you just might find that
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
singing
9/15/11 My breath prayer for the day comes from Psalm 105:45, "So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing." I have a lot going on right now. Nothing strange about that--it is the start of a new school year which translates to people being back at church and the start of programming at church. We are also trying to launch a new worship service and a new caring/listening corps called Stephen Ministry. I have responsibilities beyond the local church with my work as the chair of the order of elders which also puts me on the board of ordained ministry. There is routine stuff like preparing for worship services, responding to emails, connecting with various church committees. So I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. This morning on my walk, my prayer was mostly singing. I found myself not singing the old hymns of the faith, but the new ones from contemporary Christian radio stations. "I will walk by faith...even though I cannot see."
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
miracles
9/14/11 My breath prayer for the day comes from Psalm 105:5, "Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered." Yesterday evening I was talking on the cellphone with a young man who was about to have another surgery to remove a tumor on his brain. Several years ago, he had had a benign tumor removed from the very same spot. The surgery had been invasive, leaving his face and one eye askew. The recovery was long and painful. A new benign tumor had reappeared on his brain recently, so another surgery was called for. In the interim years, a new technique was devised that called for entering through the nasal passage. It is much less invasive and involves much less pain and recovery time. Last night as I was visiting on the phone with Jeff who is having surgery this morning, he said, "It is a miracle."
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
moon
9/13/11 The past two mornings my early walks have been illuminated by the full moon, the so called "harvest moon." In my prayers, I have reflected on how we Christians are like the moon, reflecting the light of the sun/Son. As John the Baptist says, we are not the light (Christ is!), but we are called to witness to the Light.
Love,
Lynn
Love,
Lynn
Monday, September 12, 2011
we are the Lord's
From the worship service on 9/11 from Romans 14:7-9
Welcome to this worship service on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. In worship we hold ourselves before God who holds us.
I want to address the children first. Boys and girls, something happened 10 years ago that made some of us very sad, and mad, and fearful. You have no memory of it at all. You may have heard of 9/11 and how many lives were lost that day. Today, I am asking you to pray for those of us who do remember. You may use words, you may pray silently, you may use touch, you may cry. One way of praying is to use that sheet of paper we gave you. I want you to write the word God in the center of that paper. Then around the word God write or draw a picture of others you may pray for—parents, firemen, police, EMS, neighbors, friends. No matter what else happens, I want you to remember that God is in the center of everything.
Now you adults, I bet you can remember how you first heard about the tragedies of 9/11. I invite you to hold those memories before God in worship today. I will tell you about my day to prime your memory pumps.
It was a Tuesday morning. I was awakened very early in the morning by a phone call. One of my leading church members in Portland had died. W. C. Andrews had been the superintendent of schools for 25 years. He was now retired, but still very active in the community and in his mind. He was a pillar of the church, Mr. Credibility. When we did our capital campaign to relocate the church, I asked W. C. to stand up before the church and say, “It’s going to be OK. We need to do this.” He did that for me, and it was OK. After visiting and praying with the family, I went back home to shower and to shave. A little later I was in my office when the secretary came in and said, “You not going to believe it, but a plane has just hit one of the twin towers in NYC.” We turned on the TV and another plane had hit the other tower. It was no accident; this was intentional. I was driving over to the Andrews house to make the funeral plans, listening to the radio of a plane hitting the Pentagon, and then another plane crashing in Pennsylvania. There are no words to describe the horror. What are your memories?
(silence)
I stumbled through the day. I was supposed to lead a workshop that evening on “Futuring for the Church” for the Corpus Christi District for some 25 leaders. The program director for the district called me and asked, “Do you want to cancel?” “Absolutely not! If we ever needed to work on the future of the church , it is today! I will not let terrorists determine what I do or who I am! I will not operate out of fear but faith!”
My associate pastor led a prayer service at the local church. I did the presentation for the district. I did this because I believe God is at the center –not just of that piece of paper, or this message, but of our world. Boys and girls, hear me. God did not want this tragedy to happen and God did not cause it to happen, but God was right in the middle of it trying to bring healing out of it.
The scripture we read says, that whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. We belong to God. We can see the presence of God everywhere.
Where did we see the presence of God after 9/11? On that Sunday, the churches were full. People needed something…Someone bigger than themselves to believe in. The Church has been doing this a long time, finding hope in the midst of hurt. All down through the millennia we can see God right in the midst of tragedy. For some of you, you remember Dec. 7, 1941. My generation may remember also the assassination of John F. Kennedy on Nov. 23, 1963.
At these times, we ask where are you God? I saw God after 9/11 in the many folks who responded in faith by donating blood. Many gave generously to help those affected by the deaths. Some volunteered to serve in the military. Some Christians made a point to stand by Muslims and go to mosques to say that 19 terrorists don’t define a world religion or a great people. Many helped at ground zero in NYC. I will address the sacrifice of the first responders in just moment.
I know that after 9/11 I will never be the same, our world will never be the same. Today, as you go to board an airplane, you take off your shoes, you show your laptop, you have no more than 3 oz. in fluid containers, you may go through a body scan. We bear it as a small sacrifice to pay for the good of the whole.
On that 9/11, a plane flew into the Pentagon. One plane headed for the Capitol building was taken back from the hijackers and plowed into the ground in Pennsylvania. At the World Trade Center…I want to emphasize that word “World,” people from more than 70 countries lost their lives. Every major world religion was represented in those losses. This was not just something that happened to Americans or Christians; it was a world event. Some 2,977 lives were lost in these terrorist acts.
On that 9/11 many first responders rushed to the scene. As people were running out of the Twin Towers, they were running in. On that day 411 first responders died. They made Ground Zero into Ground Hero. Today we are recognizing first responders here in worship and at a reception afterwards. Few can be here today, because so many are still out on the front lines of fighting wildfires in our area.
I see the presence of God in their heroic actions.
God is right in the middle of all our lives, even in the wildfires. I got an email from Danika, one of our moms caught in the fires of last week. I share it with you now.
I must share with you a story of this weekend and let you know kids do listen and learn during Sunday School.
This Labor Day Weekend with the brush fires in our neighborhood and mandatory evacuation was very scary and intense. All we could do was pray. At one point the fires were getting very close to our house and I can’t even begin to tell you what that felt like. We knew this because from time to time we would get reports of where the fire was heading and how far away it was from certain sections in the neighborhood. The kids were scared but we did our best to keep them calm. (We were worried sick because our dog was in the house. We were not at home when they made everyone leave and our neighbors couldn’t get him out.)
Once we got into a hotel, we found some paper and crayons for the kids. Dawson told Kaylen about the Prayer Paper he learned in Sunday School. Explaining you put GOD in the middle and then write words, names, etc. of those you are thinking about. Examples of things they wrote around GOD, family members names, firefighters, friends, teachers, rain, pets, safety, protection, schools, TEXAS, BASTROP, homes, etc. They had been praying but to have a physical piece of paper to hold and look at really helped!
Just wanted to share to make sure you know that teachers and Sunday School programs do make a difference. Even though it was scary, we never felt alone.
Thanks for all you do,
Danika
God is right in the middle. We belong to God. Whether we live or whether we did, we are the Lord’s. Did Christ live? YES. Did Christ die? YES. Did Christ rise again? YES. So Christ is the Lord over life and death and eternal life. He is the ultimate judge of all. He is our hope. We have no fear. We are the Lord’s.
Welcome to this worship service on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. In worship we hold ourselves before God who holds us.
I want to address the children first. Boys and girls, something happened 10 years ago that made some of us very sad, and mad, and fearful. You have no memory of it at all. You may have heard of 9/11 and how many lives were lost that day. Today, I am asking you to pray for those of us who do remember. You may use words, you may pray silently, you may use touch, you may cry. One way of praying is to use that sheet of paper we gave you. I want you to write the word God in the center of that paper. Then around the word God write or draw a picture of others you may pray for—parents, firemen, police, EMS, neighbors, friends. No matter what else happens, I want you to remember that God is in the center of everything.
Now you adults, I bet you can remember how you first heard about the tragedies of 9/11. I invite you to hold those memories before God in worship today. I will tell you about my day to prime your memory pumps.
It was a Tuesday morning. I was awakened very early in the morning by a phone call. One of my leading church members in Portland had died. W. C. Andrews had been the superintendent of schools for 25 years. He was now retired, but still very active in the community and in his mind. He was a pillar of the church, Mr. Credibility. When we did our capital campaign to relocate the church, I asked W. C. to stand up before the church and say, “It’s going to be OK. We need to do this.” He did that for me, and it was OK. After visiting and praying with the family, I went back home to shower and to shave. A little later I was in my office when the secretary came in and said, “You not going to believe it, but a plane has just hit one of the twin towers in NYC.” We turned on the TV and another plane had hit the other tower. It was no accident; this was intentional. I was driving over to the Andrews house to make the funeral plans, listening to the radio of a plane hitting the Pentagon, and then another plane crashing in Pennsylvania. There are no words to describe the horror. What are your memories?
(silence)
I stumbled through the day. I was supposed to lead a workshop that evening on “Futuring for the Church” for the Corpus Christi District for some 25 leaders. The program director for the district called me and asked, “Do you want to cancel?” “Absolutely not! If we ever needed to work on the future of the church , it is today! I will not let terrorists determine what I do or who I am! I will not operate out of fear but faith!”
My associate pastor led a prayer service at the local church. I did the presentation for the district. I did this because I believe God is at the center –not just of that piece of paper, or this message, but of our world. Boys and girls, hear me. God did not want this tragedy to happen and God did not cause it to happen, but God was right in the middle of it trying to bring healing out of it.
The scripture we read says, that whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. We belong to God. We can see the presence of God everywhere.
Where did we see the presence of God after 9/11? On that Sunday, the churches were full. People needed something…Someone bigger than themselves to believe in. The Church has been doing this a long time, finding hope in the midst of hurt. All down through the millennia we can see God right in the midst of tragedy. For some of you, you remember Dec. 7, 1941. My generation may remember also the assassination of John F. Kennedy on Nov. 23, 1963.
At these times, we ask where are you God? I saw God after 9/11 in the many folks who responded in faith by donating blood. Many gave generously to help those affected by the deaths. Some volunteered to serve in the military. Some Christians made a point to stand by Muslims and go to mosques to say that 19 terrorists don’t define a world religion or a great people. Many helped at ground zero in NYC. I will address the sacrifice of the first responders in just moment.
I know that after 9/11 I will never be the same, our world will never be the same. Today, as you go to board an airplane, you take off your shoes, you show your laptop, you have no more than 3 oz. in fluid containers, you may go through a body scan. We bear it as a small sacrifice to pay for the good of the whole.
On that 9/11, a plane flew into the Pentagon. One plane headed for the Capitol building was taken back from the hijackers and plowed into the ground in Pennsylvania. At the World Trade Center…I want to emphasize that word “World,” people from more than 70 countries lost their lives. Every major world religion was represented in those losses. This was not just something that happened to Americans or Christians; it was a world event. Some 2,977 lives were lost in these terrorist acts.
On that 9/11 many first responders rushed to the scene. As people were running out of the Twin Towers, they were running in. On that day 411 first responders died. They made Ground Zero into Ground Hero. Today we are recognizing first responders here in worship and at a reception afterwards. Few can be here today, because so many are still out on the front lines of fighting wildfires in our area.
I see the presence of God in their heroic actions.
God is right in the middle of all our lives, even in the wildfires. I got an email from Danika, one of our moms caught in the fires of last week. I share it with you now.
I must share with you a story of this weekend and let you know kids do listen and learn during Sunday School.
This Labor Day Weekend with the brush fires in our neighborhood and mandatory evacuation was very scary and intense. All we could do was pray. At one point the fires were getting very close to our house and I can’t even begin to tell you what that felt like. We knew this because from time to time we would get reports of where the fire was heading and how far away it was from certain sections in the neighborhood. The kids were scared but we did our best to keep them calm. (We were worried sick because our dog was in the house. We were not at home when they made everyone leave and our neighbors couldn’t get him out.)
Once we got into a hotel, we found some paper and crayons for the kids. Dawson told Kaylen about the Prayer Paper he learned in Sunday School. Explaining you put GOD in the middle and then write words, names, etc. of those you are thinking about. Examples of things they wrote around GOD, family members names, firefighters, friends, teachers, rain, pets, safety, protection, schools, TEXAS, BASTROP, homes, etc. They had been praying but to have a physical piece of paper to hold and look at really helped!
Just wanted to share to make sure you know that teachers and Sunday School programs do make a difference. Even though it was scary, we never felt alone.
Thanks for all you do,
Danika
God is right in the middle. We belong to God. Whether we live or whether we did, we are the Lord’s. Did Christ live? YES. Did Christ die? YES. Did Christ rise again? YES. So Christ is the Lord over life and death and eternal life. He is the ultimate judge of all. He is our hope. We have no fear. We are the Lord’s.
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