Out the Door

Goodbyes and Hellos Part 2

On July 1 I will officially become the pastor at the United Methodist Church of LeMars.  It will be a privilege and an honor to lead this part of the family of God.

A couple of days ago I wrote about what I will miss when Julie & I say "goodbye" to New Sharon.  Today I want to mention some things that I am looking forward to when we say "hello" to the people in LeMars.

1)  I'm looking forward to leading a group of people who aren't afraid of change.  The congregation has experienced an incredible among of change in the last few years.  I believe these changes have paved the way for a bright future.  One of the things I have told a number of people about the LeMars' church is that they don't have a Sunday School program.  Rather, they invest their energy into a midweek program that has paid great dividends.  That's a change in the way of doing ministry that few congregations could begin to imagine.  It is this imaginative spirit and a willingness not to do things just because "that's the way we've always done it," that excites me.

2)  Since one of my spiritual gifts in teaching, I'm looking forward to helping the church build a strong adult discipleship ministry.  I've long believed in trickle down spirituality.  By that I mean the spiritual depth and maturity of an entire congregation is determined primarily by the spiritual depth and maturity of its leaders.  One cannot pass on something that one does not possess.  In the little time that I spent with a few folks from LeMars, I sensed their desire to deepen their faith.

3)  Having lead "contemporary" worship for more than a decade and having developed the technological skills necessary to do this, I'm looking forward to leading the church into the brave new world of 21st century ministry.  This is not always an easy transition, but I believe the people have demonstrated that they are up to the challenge.

4)  I'm looking forward to developing new friendships and experiencing the personal growth that will come with learning to love God's people in this congregation.  In the end, Christian life and ministry come down to relationships.  It's all about loving God and loving our neighbors. 

5)  Since I mentioned that I will miss cheesy potatoes, I have to say living in the ice cream capital of the world sounds like a fair trade.  I'm glad there are plenty of places I'll be able to ride my bike around LeMars.  I have a feeling I'm going to need the exercise!

Goodbyes and hellos

In about 3 1/2 months, Julie and I will be packing up our things and moving to LeMars where I will assume the position as the pastor for the LeMars UMC.  Though we've been through this process a number of times, this will be my sixth charge, saying goodbye never gets easier.  We've known for several months that a move may have been in the works and we're excited about the possibilities for serving God that lie in front of us.  Still, there are things I'm going to miss a great deal when we leave New Sharon.  At the risk of leaving something out let me mention a few things.

I'll miss the tremendous staff which makes this congregation run.  Each one of them is sold-out for the kingdom of God and have such a great heart for ministry.  I'll never forget the first Sunday we were in New Sharon.  Julie & I arrived at the church and the street was crowded with people.  The youth were getting set to take off on their first TeenServe trip and the air was filled with excitement.  That atmosphere of anticipation, that God is going to move in our midst is rooted in the staff's love for Jesus and their faith that God is active in our world.

I'm going to miss the wonderful times of worship.  The worship team has about doubled in size since I arrived thanks to great paid and unpaid servant leaders.  It is obvious each Sunday that the individuals who help lead worship aren't doing it for their own glory but rather so that others can connect with God.  Their voices and musical talent have given me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes on many occasions as the Spirit worked through them.

I'm going to miss the youth.  The first confirmation class I had here gave me the nickname PJ and it has stuck.  The youth of this congregation play such an active role within the life of the congregation.  They model faithfulness and servanthood and this congregation won't be the same without them. 

I'll miss cheesy potatoes.  The UMW ladies who prepare and serve at funeral dinners provide a ministry that touches grieving people's lives.  The cheesy potatoes have come to represent for me the warm and comfort their love for others provides. 

I'll miss the love and support of so many people who have been understanding of my weaknesses and caused me to stretch and grow spiritually.  Since I announced our move yesterday, several individuals have said that Julie & I have had an impact on their lives.  I thank God for this.  I'm convinced no one truly comprehends the role we play in others' lives and I'm sure the people of the New Sharon UMC have little idea how much they have meant to me and how much they have helped me become a better person and a better pastor.

I could go on for quite some time, but I don't want to get all melancholy so I'll stop here.  As I have reflected back over my years in New Sharon and prepare to say goodbye, I give thanks God for them, while at the same time I look forward with hope and thanksgiving to what lies in store for Julie and I when we say hello to the folks of LeMars.  I'll share my thoughts about that soon.

I've been curious

This Sunday during worship I'm giving the members of my congregation the opportunity to ask a question which they have pondering.  I'm going to see what happens when people can text in questions. 

I have some questions that I’d like answered.  Some of these questions are deep, questions that people have been asking through the ages.  Others are just things that I can’t figure out.  They are in no particular order.  I’d love to hear how you’d respond to any of these, leave a comment or email me at [email protected].

• Why do we say mean things to those we love most that we’d never consider saying to a stranger?
• Why do young people full of potential suffer and die, while aged folks who have lived their lives and are ready for heaven linger?
• Why are Americans who have so much sadder than people who live in impoverished countries?
• Is there life on other planets?
• Why did God create the universe that is mostly invisible to the human eye?
• How do people fall in love?
• Why does the largest animal, the blue whale feed on one of the smallest, krill?
• Why does doing the right thing often seem hard, while doing the wrong thing comes so easily?
• Why is it that we know a lot of people, but have so few good friends?
• Why can I birdie one hole and get a triple bogey on the next?
• Why is reading a novel easy while reading the Bible takes real effort?
• Where are all the technological changes leading us?
• Why are TV’s getting larger and smaller at the same time?
• How can some people suffer much and remain happy and positive and others, including me, complain at the slightest inconvenience?
• How can Congress that oversees the Post Office which loses billions of dollars a year doing the simple task of delivering a letter possibly oversee something as complex as the health care system without major cost overruns?

No Apologies Necessary

'm not much for passing along emails which end with "If you love Jesus," or "If you're a true American" or similar ridiculous statements, once in a while I receive something which I think is worthy of being passed along.  Here's one of them.  (I don't make any claim as to the truth of these reports, but I'd like to think they are true.)

 

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO.  DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.
Rusk responded "does that include those who are buried here?
DeGuale did not respond.

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When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.
He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.  The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'

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There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.  During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims.  What does he intended to do, bomb them?'
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency  electrical power to shore facilities; they have three  cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.  We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'

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A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

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AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.
"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked  sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously..
"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."
The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard  look.  Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."
 
You could have heard a pin drop.

When to draw a line in the sand

Our family traveled to Texas a number of years ago to see my sister who was living there at the time.  While we were there, we spent a couple of days in San Antonio.  We took a boat ride along the famous river walk, got soaked by the acrobatic stunts of Shamu at Sea World, and of course toured the Alamo.

In front of the Alamo embedded in the stone is a bronze line.  It represents the line in the sand which Col. William Travis drew when he challenged the defenders to stand and fight.

There are times in life when we need to draw a line in sand.  When we say, “This is as far as I will go and no further.”  In this age of relativism there is much which pushes us to compromise our morals and values.   If we’re going to keep from crossing the line, then we have to have a firm grasp of what our morals and values are.  The time to draw the line in the sand isn’t when the wall is breached and attackers are upon you.

The trick is as a wise old preacher once told me deciding if this mountain is worth dying for.  The patriots at the Alamo decided that liberty was worth dying for.  And they sacrificed their lives defending it. 

I’ve learned over the years that there are only a few mountains which are worth dying for, that it is a rare occasion when a line need be drawn in the sand.  Much of what I considered important as I looked at it in a new light, turned out to be more of a personal preference rather than a true deeply held value.

For instance, Julie and I never got worked up by the hair style choices that our boys made while they were growing up.  Whether it was spiked or shaved off or somewhere in between, several of which I thought were pretty strange looking, it was only hair.  We were willing to allow them the freedom to decide for themselves on such things, so that when we told them no to drugs, to drinking and driving, and the like they would understand that there was no room for compromise.

Each of us is confronted regularly with situations which challenges our likes and our values.  Deciding a head of time what things truly are our values can save a lot of unnecessary conflict, while at the same time providing us with a line which we will not cross.

It's Free

I subscribe to a RSS feed from Give Away of the Day.  It offers free downloads of various software.  I've found a couple useful.

Before I decide to try the give away of the day software I always read the comments others have made.  The wide spectrum of complements and complaints never ceases to amaze me.  One person thinks the program is the best thing since sliced bread (though no one uses that exact phrasing, I'm showing my age again).  Another person thinks the same program is a pile of garbage and a waste of time.

As I read the comments I ask myself, "who do I believe?"  Being one who believes there no such thing as a free lunch, I tend to put more credence in the negative comments.

I wonder if this is the reason so many people have trouble wrapping their minds around God's grace.  We tend to put a value on things based on what it has cost us, and not just in monetary ways.  If I spend a lot of hours finishing a woodworking project, it takes on an importance which far outweighs its actual worth, because it cost me my labor. 

It's this kind of thinking that leads many people to believe they must earn God's favor.  If it's worth having, and obviously I think it is, then it's worth working for.  But grace cannot be earned, it's free.  Grace is the most contra-intuitive thing in all the universe.  The most valuable thing we can ever possess is the give away of the day.

If you haven't "downloaded" God's grace for yourself, take the word of certified skeptic that this is one that you don't want to pass up.  And it's as easy as saying to God, "God, help me!  Save me by your grace."

Goodbye to an old friend

We had to say goodbye to our dog Shadow this week.  A number of physical problems made it necessary to have him put to sleep. We've had him for almost 16 years, ever since Josh found him as a pup at Grand Meadow Heritage Days.   Julie & I keep thinking that when we walk into our house, Shadow should be coming to greet us.  Though he was in our care, he was always Josh's dog.  Josh's senior pictures that hang on our wall include Shadow.

Genesis chapter two says that when God saw that Adam needed companionship, God created animals.  There's no other connection on earth like the connection between a person and his/her pet.  As Shadow drifted off, I said a prayer of thanks to God for his friendship with tears in my eyes.

We've already started looking for a new puppy.  Both Julie & I agree that life just isn't the same without a dog.  If we can find one that is as friendly as Shadow we will be blessed indeed.

Others reflect ourselves

You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

That quote from Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott's book If Life is a Game These are the Rules, caused me to immediately think of Ted Haggard.  Haggard was well known for his condemnation of homosexuality, which proved to be little more than projected self-loathing.  After that initial thought, I continued reading;

We are usually drawn to those most like us and tend to dislike those who display aspects of ourselves we dislike....Consider approaching your life as if other people were mirroring back to you important information.  If you accept this premise, then each encounter reflects back to you an opportunity to explore your relationship to yourself and to learn. 

I can see some truth in these ideas.  I met with our Ad. Council Chairperson for breakfast yesterday.  He is a visionary, very logical, believes that the church can be more than it presently is and thinks in terms of process.  I really like him.  And guess what, I'd use those same descriptors for myself.

When I think about people I dislike, most I would describe as controlling, angry, humorless and stuck in the past.  Assuming that Carter-Scott is right, then deep down I must be worried that I'm controlling, anger, humorless, and stuck in the past.  I sit here asking myself, "Am I controlling?"  Yes, I suppose as much as I preach permission-giving there's a part of me that wants to be in control.  "Am I angry?"  Sometimes I sense latent rage that I fear may rear it's ugly head.  "Am I humorless?"  My family rarely laughs at my jokes, so maybe I am.  "Am I stuck in the past?"  Definitely not, at least I don't think so.

Carter-Scott goes on say, Perhaps viewing weakness in others is an opportunity to extend the loving arm of compassion to them; or it could be the perfect moment to heal the unconscious judgment you have secretly harbored against yourself.

All of us have hidden wounds and repressed fears that we shove deep into our subconscious.  Maybe the doctor is right.  Maybe if when encountering an individual who rubs us the wrong way, rather than becoming irritated we ask ourselves, "What is it about this person that bugs me?"  We just might discover something about ourselves that could be healed by the amazing grace of God.

I'm right brain

The way the human brain works intrigues me.  When Gavin pointed toward this site the purportedly reveals whether a person is right or left brain, I had to visit it.  What amazed me is when I first looked at the dancer, she was spinning clockwise.  With some effort I could see her spinning anti-clockwise.  Once she started spinning anti-clockwise it took very little effort to refocus and see her back spinning clockwise again.  I don't understanding how that works.  The reasoning part of me says that what I see is reality, but this test proves once again that what we see may not be what others see and my reality which is changeable is not the only one.

Called to Testify

I received a phone call a short while ago from the Bremer County District Attorney's office.  I have been called to give a deposition in a murder case.  Some of you may recall that our back door neighbor was killed in January 2006.  The individual who has been charged with the crime lived across the street from us.  It seems I witnessed the get-away car as the suspect fled the scene.  The authorities believe that the murder was drug related.

What makes this especially hard is that I know the suspect.  In fact, I visited with him in my office on several occasions and my wife taught his brother at school.  Now I am being asked to testify against him.  It goes against my pastoral spirit.  I'm suppose to visit those who are in prison, not help send them there.  Still my neighbor's family deserves justice.  I guess that's what I have to keep in mind.