Gordon's Blog

Advent 2011

2011-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

This time of the year always seems to be a cacophony of emotions. Certainly it has aspects of both beginnings and endings. For some, this time of the year is bittersweet with the memories of past Christmases and a longing for those who are no longer with us. For others it is a time of joy and excitement as they get together with family and friends to ride on the coattails of their children’s enthusiasm about the season. All in all it is a season of transitions.

Our Church calendar begins with this season of Advent. The word Advent literally means: “ the beginning or arrival of something anticipated”. For those of us that are Christians, that is followers of Christ, it is an anticipation of the Messiah and the coming of the kingdom of God. Advent marks our recognition of God incarnate - God with us.

In my own faith journey this past year, I have become more and more aware of this notion of God with us. The realization is that the Kingdom of God is not something in the future that we enter into at the time of our death. The Kingdom of God is now. God is with us. God becomes incarnate through us as we interact with others in our day to day lives.

One of my favorite hymns of this season is “In the Bleak Midwinter”. The last verse of the hymn goes like this:

What can I give him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

As we muddle through this season it is important to remember that Advent is a time of anticipation; the anticipation of God coming into our lives yet again. Much like Lent, Advent is a time of reflection. But Advent is a reflection outward instead of the inward reflection of Lent. It is a time of hope and giving; the giving of ourselves.

So as we move through this season of Advent and then Christmas, my prayer for us all is that we allow ourselves to anticipate and encounter God through each other. My prayer is that we all give ourselves an opportunity to follow the living Christ by our service to others; by the giving of our hearts. The Kingdom of God is now! Emmanuel! God is with us!

God’s peace to you now and always,

Gordon

2011-02-18T10:33:00.001-08:00

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The Confusion of Blessings

2011-01-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt. 5:1-12)

When I was in grade school, I remember a science experiment we did when we were learning how our senses of taste and smell work. As we all know, our sense of taste and smell are very much tied together. In addition to our senses of taste and smell, our vision plays a big part in how we taste and smell things. We know this experience all too well. It happens every day with the hamburger and pizza commercials we watch on television or see on billboards. In fact as I am writing this, I am watching bits and pieces of the Food Network. My wife is making “ummm” noises as we see the delectable looking foods they are preparing. Neither one of us can smell or taste the food we see on the television, but we can imagine the taste and smell of that food all too well.

The taste experiment I remember from grade school was for us to be blindfolded and given different foods to feel, smell and taste, then guess what they were. Some foods we could identify right away because of their texture, smell and taste. Peanut butter on a spoon was a no-brainer…

Then the teacher brought out a tray with several bottles with droppers in them. Some of the liquids in the bottles were colorless and others were colored in bright primary colors of blue, red, purple, green and yellow. Without being blindfolded, our teacher would put a drop of the liquid on our fingers to taste and we would have to then guess what the flavor might be. This was much more difficult than it would seem, especially since some of the colored liquids did not match up to the flavors… banana flavor in the blue liquid, cherry flavor in the green liquid… lemon in the purple, etc. It just did not match up… it confused our senses and the way of thinking about what we were tasting. What we knew in our heads did not match what we were seeing and experiencing…

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7) that we began reading today in our lectionary, are some of the most endearing and well known sayings of Jesus in the whole New Testament. Our readings from this 5^th Sunday after the Epiphany (Matthew 5: 1-12) are what are known as “the Beatitudes.” They are seemingly comforting words. However, if we are to really push ourselves and think about these words in the context of our own experiences in the world, it could be like my experience with the flavors in the dropper bottles. One can come away feeling confused and challenged about how we normally perceive things in our own life experiences; especially what it means to be or feel blessed.

This account of Jesus ministry appears in both Matthew and Luke. Some biblical scholars speak of “The Beatitudes” as a poem. This is because when the passage read as it would been spoken in ancient Aramaic, there is a rhythm and rhyme quality to the words that Our Lord used. These words are so very familiar to us. If you go into any card shop and stroll through the inspirational sections, you are guaranteed to find these words inside a large number of the cards. On the surface they seem to bring comfort.

But one of the things that can manage to slip past us about these familiar words, is how radical they really are. You see for that day and time, and even in our own, to be considered blessed for having some sort of hardship or malady is just absurd. In the original Greek , in which the New Testament was first written, the word “blessed” come from the Greek word “makario” which means to be happy. So when thinking about this meaning of the word blessed or to be happy, the words of The Beatitudes seem confusing. It would make much sense for us to say I am blessed because my (401)K is doing well… or I am blessed because my house is nice and has not been foreclosed… It is would be more likely for us to say that I am blessed because I have a job and got a raise this year… We are blessed because we have an unlimited amount of food and clean drinking water available to us…

What we would NOT say is exactly what Jesus DID say. We would not say, “I am blessed because I am struggling with depression” … we would not say, “I am blessed because I am consumed with grief”… we would not say, the people living under political oppression and abuse are blessed; nor would they say that of themselves…

Most of us have experienced the pain of grief and/or feelings of uncertainty that life tends to hand us over time. And when we are in the very midst of those painful times of grief and uncertainty, these words feel audacious and somewhat insulting… “Blessed are those who mourn…?” “Blessed are the poor in spirit…?” “Blessed are the persecuted?”

Two weeks ago, we all were horrified as we heard the news of the crazed gunman in Tucson taking the lives of innocent people and injuring so many others. As I watched little Christina Green’s funeral I asked “why?!” I experienced a sense of outrage that someone could do such meaningless act of violence… there was no point to it… there was no blessing in that!

For us to find blessing in the hardships of life is just as confusing to our senses as those little bottles of flavors my school teacher brought out to us. It is confusing to hear Jesus say that when we suffer it is a blessing. If you are like me, I have a hard time buying into that idea.

Nonetheless, in my own life’s experiences, I know for sure I have received the blessings of others when life has been most difficult. My wife’s diagnosis of breast cancer is not what I consider a blessing; Christina Green’s unnecessary death is not a blessing… people losing their jobs and having their homes taken away as a result of greed is not a blessing… people suffering from the results of natural disasters or wars is not a blessing…

But people sending cards and offering meals during a time of uncertainty and recover, that is a blessing… a community rallying around a mother and father overcome by grief, that is a blessing… friends and families giving another family without a home or a job a place to stay, that is a blessing… giving disaster relief and sending food to those torn into by wars and disasters, that is a blessing… Offering up to God in prayer those that we despise … that is a blessing…

The kingdom of God is all around us. Like the flavors in the dropper bottles, sometimes what we think we know in our heads about God and life’s challenges just do not match up. You see, blessings never come from what you have nor the privileges we are given… blessings never come from the situation you are in… there is no blessing to grief and hardships. The blessings come from what is given to us by others during our tough times… And the blessings also come when we reach out to each other during those times when we are most vulnerable. That, my friends, is the Kingdom of God… that is when Christ becomes incarnate…

Why?!

2011-01-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Tonight as I was watching the news and hearing even more about the tragedy in Arizona, I was flooded with the same emotions I felt on 9/11… The question of “why?” kept ringing in my head… As they played the footage of little Christina Green’s funeral I was again flooded with emotions of grief and can only imagine what it must be like for her parents… and in reality, it is too painful and overwhelming to even to begin to imagine…

I thought about the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner. I asked in my head, What went wrong? How could anyone become so twisted… so evil? What could make a person go so far off the deep end to kill and maim so many people without any sense of regret or remorse? How could anyone become so mentally ill and evil…

There are no easy answers to any of these questions. And even if we knew all of the answers, it would not change what cannot be undone nor the pain and grief it has caused for so many. The only thing we can do is respond in some way. We do have some choice around that… maybe… I think.

The response for us that profess to be followers of Christ is to somehow forgive Jared… really?! I am not sure how… I am not sure I even want to know how... For the people that were victims and their families, this seems like an outrageous thing to ask. Give the death penalty… make the perpetrator suffer… get revenge… that sounds much more reasonable and maybe easier to do! But is that the response that will cause anything to change?

It is insane to believe or think that God caused any of this to happen… Will any good come out of this? probably… I think there has been already. Does that answer the question “why”? Not one bit! Nonetheless, the tragedy stands to remind us what is really important… what really matters is life. When tragedy strikes, agendas go out the window… Things and money become meaningless…The support and love of others becomes the ultimate value and need… Love and compassion somehow rises to the top…

My hope in the days to come is that love and compassion stays floating on the top… I hope that as choices are made about how to respond to what has happened, it is done with love and wisdom… I hope we seek ways to prevent tragedies like this from happening again and not just seek retribution and revenge… May God have mercy on all the souls affected… may He grant his peace…

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with all who suffer in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (BCP p.494)

Liberals vs. Conservatives

2011-01-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

I have had an interesting debate with an old friend on Facebook this week. It started with me posting a “like” on my profile for a group called “The Christian Left”. When I did this, one of the first comments was from this old friend that said, “Do you align yourself with socialist, communist, etc?” I responded by saying, “No, just followers of Christ and the diversity it represents; Christ taught love and acceptance... not hatred, fear and name calling...” I also let my friend know that I did not appreciate his “labeling” and what I perceived as name calling. I think though it was all just his way of inviting me into a debate about politics and religion… which is okay, those kinds of debates are good to do as long as it does not get nasty and personal.

My friend went on to say, “Just asking, I read a little and see they don't believe that far left which is good. I agree with your statement above, a view can be expressed without the name calling and personal attacks which I am against.”

I then responded with, “Sorry I misinterpreted your question, but it did come across as a ‘dig’... I do consider myself progressive and we probably would not agree in our political views; which is okay... I just believe that we need to be Christ-like in our comments to one another no matter how far left, or right one might be in their views... For me, following Jesus is about love, compassion and helping those that do not have the means to help themselves... if you consider that ‘socialist’ and ‘communist’...then I guess I do align with that...”

My friend then responded with, “No, I agree we should help those as directed by the Holy Spirit. I cannot help everyone. I know the government cannot help everyone either. Jesus said we will always have the poor with us. Jesus did a finished work on the cross and that includes providing for everyone if they will only believe on Him. Problem is when we put our belief in something else it comes up short, including the government.”

My next response was, “And I would add this: something Jesus actually said to his believers ("those that believe on him")... "just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me..." Very true that the poor will always be with us, but it is not an excuse to ignore and turn our backs on poverty. I would not agree that Jesus "did a finished work on the cross"; the story ends (or rather begins) with resurrection and life. This is a lively debate and I will write more later... You have inspired me to write more, which I am going to use in my blog...”

As read back over this, I wondered if we were debating the same issues or not. I know that my friend, based on his Facebook posts, most likely aligns himself with “conservative” values and political views. I would guess, but don’t know for sure, that he considered himself part of the “Tea Party” movement. Politically, I would consider myself having the opposite view. I consider myself a progressive and I am a follower of Christ or “Christian” as he is as well.

It is tempting for me to launch into a discourse about why I think I am correct in my views and he is wrong, but I think that would ultimately bring more division and definitely go against what I believe Christ taught, love, compassion and acceptance. My friend would most likely hold to the idea that the Bible is the infallible word of God and should be taken literally and at face value. I would not. I see the Bible as the inspired word of God, written by man and open for interpretation and discernment. But what I think we both would agree on is that the Bible contains all things necessary for salvation and contains eternal truth. I think that we would both agree that following Christ can transform people’s lives and should be the basis for how we live our lives.

In the end, the progressive (or liberal) vs. conservative debate is really based in fear. In my progressive way of seeing things, trickle-down economics just does not work. It only breeds greed and corporations focused on profit rather than people; it has happened already. I think government has to be an advocate for the people by limiting corporations from becoming too big and too greedy. My conservative friends take the opposite view. They feel that government should stay out of the loop and that the free enterprise system will work just fine if left to its own devices. The conservative view is that we need to promote an unobstructed free enterprise system to create jobs. Nonetheless, both progressives and conservatives are concerned about the economy, human rights and personal freedoms. We just do not agree on how we go about addressing those things.

It seems to me that if we as a nation could start focusing on the things we agree on rather than always focusing on “left wing” or “right wing” agendas, everyone would get at least some of what they want. Just like in communities of faith, our common lives together absolutely depends on each other. The same is true for our nation. The threat of terrorists, the Taliban, emigrants or any other entity outside our borders is nothing compared to the damage we are doing to ourselves from within. Hatred, suspicion, greed and fear feeds on itself. Those are the things that will bring our nation down quicker than anything else. When we can learn to treat each other with dignity, compassion and love, is when our nation will be on course and be a true leader in the world.

Finding the 'Magic Wand'...

2010-06-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Over this past month I have been fairly immersed in my work with Episcopal Appalachian Ministries. I have been filled with both excitement about the work being done to minister to the people of our region while at the same time, like many of you might be feeling, have a feeling of being overwhelmed by the shear enormity of the issues we face in our country and throughout the world. As I mentioned in one of my sermons this past month, we live in scary times. The economic crisis, the wars in the Middle East, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the coal mining explosion in West Virginia, the rising rate of unemployment… the list goes on and on. I wish so much we could find the one “magic wand” that would fix it all, but there just isn’t one we seem to see… at least not one we seem to be accessing. But despite the gloom and doom that seems to be all around us, there is some hope out there for the whole big picture.
I had the pleasure of attending an Episcopal Conference on Domestic Poverty in Newark, NJ about a month ago. At this conference, there were folks representing the whole gambit social, economic, healthcare and welfare groups within the Episcopal Church; in addition to experts from governmental and academic circles. I am still muddling through all the information that I received there… it is hopeful and at the same time overwhelming. Despite this, I left the conference with a renewed sense of energy about how we, as the Body of Christ, can begin to address the multiple issues that haunt us in this world. Although, as I mentioned, there is no one “magic wand” or solution, however there are many solutions just as there are many parts to the body… it is all connected. The one thing I heard, above all the many issues that were discussed, is that there is a resolve within our Church for us to work collaboratively to address the many complicated issues that we are all called to address by virtue of our Baptismal covenant. The truth is, we and “the issues” are all connected.
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, was the keynote speaker at the conference. In her talk, she pointed out how so much of the problem with domestic poverty is interconnected with how we view each other and the earth we live in. She said, “We’re here to do justice, and love mercy. We’re here to walk humbly with God and bring good news to the poor. That good news of justice and mercy looks like the ancient visions of the commonweal of God where everyone has enough to eat, no one goes thirsty or homeless, all have access to meaningful employment and health care, the wealthy and powerful do not exploit the weak, and no one studies war any more. It includes the work of building community and caring for the earth, both of which are essential to the health of a spiritually rooted person, in right relationship with God and neighbor.”
I think for most of us, we tend to have this flaw of wanting to point the finger and blame many of the hardships of life on something or someone besides ourselves. It is very easy to fall into the trap of pointing our finger at “the liberals” or “the conservatives”. We blame BP, the Taliban, coal companies, lack of education or anything else we can point to for the plight of the world. But the hard truth is that we are all broken and flawed; we are all sinners. We put our own needs before others. We consume more than we need and we hold onto our “stuff” as if it were going to somehow save us.
As Christians, we know better… Jesus was very clear about that. We have all heard it before… “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
I wish I could offer THE “magic wand” for the plight of our current world and country situation… all of the issues are very complicated. Like you, I still have to drive to work… this computer that I am typing on is most likely using electricity generated from coal burning generators. The oil spill crisis in the Gulf and the recent coal mine explosion in West Virginia just last month are all connected to our need to consume cheap energy. I, like you, would much rather I buy gas for $2.30 a gallon than $2.75 a gallon… I would much rather my electric bill be under $150 a month… it IS complicated…
I think that if there is a “magic wand” it has to be rooted in a change of heart for us all. It would be a spiritual change. It would look something like the Kingdom of God… or rather, would BE the Kingdom of God… Rather than be preoccupied with what we spend for energy or trying to hold onto and protect our “stuff” we would be preoccupied with loving our neighbors and protecting the neighborhood, “this fragile earth, our island home” (BCP 370).
You see, poverty at home and abroad, the environment, corporate greed, terrorism and energy consumption and all that other stuff that scares us, it is all connected. It is about the relationships we have with each other in this world. For there to be change we will all have to be willing to truly live into our Baptismal covenant and truly “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as yourself”. It means we each have to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being”(BCP 305). This my friends is the way of Christ… it is the way of God… it is the Kingdom of Heaven…

Do you want to be made well?

2010-05-08T19:06:00.001-07:00

One of the curious things about us as human beings is that we will tend to do the
same thing over and over again expecting to get a different result. To give you an example of this, remember the last time you were on your computer and had a slow internet connection? Do you remember pointing your mouse to click on something or hitting the delete button and nothing happened? How many times did you hit delete or click?.... that is my point exactly!

The alternative Gospel reading for the sixth Sunday of Easter (John 5:1-9) sort of reminded me of that… Let me tell you why… In this narrative, Jesus was in Jerusalem one of the few times he visited Jerusalem before his crucifixion. He is walking near the pool of Bethzatha. In more ancient translations of this scripture there is added a verse that gives a further explanation of why the people that were ill were waiting there. According to legend, the waters were stirred up during certain seasons because the Lord would send angels to stir the waters. It was believed that when person entered the waters at these times, they would be healed from whatever ailment they might have.

We know that the man in this Gospel reading had been sick for a long time, 38years. It says that Jesus knew he had been there a long time; we really don’t know how long; it could have been all day or it could have been weeks, months or years. But what is readily apparent is that he had made several attempts to get to the pool and it had not worked. It is easy to surmise that this man has been desperately trying to get into the pool and that had been his total focus for the amount of time he had been there. Then Jesus comes along and says, “Do you want to be made well?”… it is almost like a wake-up call… You can almost imagine the man saying to himself, “oh yeah, that is why I am here!” It is as if the whole purpose of his being at the pool had been somehow lost. He was so focused on doing something the same way over and over again, getting into the pool, that he seemingly forgot why he wanted to get into the pool in the first place. What he really wanted was to be made well… getting into the pool was just a means to an end. He had totally forgotten why we was going through the motions… Kind of like we all do sometimes… When Jesus brought his focus back to the place it needed to be, that is when things began to change.

It is very easy for us to lose our focus at times; especially during this day and time. We live in some scary times. In the last year and a half we have lived through the most severe economic crisis since the great depression. People have lost retirement funds and unemployment is on the rise. The loss of jobs means a life of uncertainty; no income, no health insurance and a future that is unknown. Foreclosures have become the norm in many parts of the country. Meanwhile, homelessness and hunger are even more common.

Our nation is at war in a number of places, most notably Iraq and Afghanistan. The loss of life and the physical and psychological damage to our service men and women is affecting whole families and communities. Their sacrifice seems as if it is barely scratching the surface in relieving our sense of feeling more secure or a sense of peace about the future. The wars, the economic instability, the oil spills, and threats of suicide bombers makes it a scary time indeed. We all know these things all too well.

The sad thing is that much of the destruction occurring in the world is being done in the name of religion. Those who blow themselves up on airplanes or in the markets do it in the name of religion or a religious vision, as do those who seek vengeance for their actions. There are those who claim a gospel of prosperity and blame the jobless and poor for their own plight also have a religious vision, as do those who would deny food and healthcare to those that do not have them…
Those of us who call ourselves Christians also have a religious vision. Has your religion ever gotten in the way of you offering love and grace to those that are wounded or marginalized? If you are like me, you bet it has!

The problem is that we can get so wrapped up in our high ideals and religious convictions that we will mow down anyone who stands in our way. We lose our focus and tend to forget why we have committed ourselves to following Christ.
Our religion as Christians, our Gospel, if we are genuinely true to it, is a message of hope. It is easy to lose sight of that in these scary times.

The writer of Revelation knew that as well. Throughout the session of Easter for this Church year, we have had readings from the book of Revelation. Revelation is one of those books in the Bible that we rarely use in our lectionary. Revelation is also is the one book that most of us that preach avoid like the plague because it is so strange and weird with its images. Most of the book is a strange mix of supernatural images, fierce beasts, symbols and battles. We read about horsemen, dragons, sea monsters, earth creatures, lakes of burning sulfur, mouths with swords in them and much, much more! It is enough to give you nightmares for weeks. Despite this, Revelation has had profound impact on Western culture. It is one of the most widely illustrated books of the Bible with depictions in architecture, paintings, tapestries, stained-glass and altar pieces. Even some of the great classic authors of history and modern times have drawn from Revelation. Dante, T.S. Elliot, William Blake, Ray Bradbury and more have been inspired by its images. Even in music, Revelation has influenced some of the greats such as Handel in his Messiah and Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Revelation was written in the late first century, a scary time for Christians. John wrote his letter while in exile on the island of Patmos, to Christians in seven churches in the country we now know as Turkey which was still part of the Roman Empire. Most Romans of that time, saw Christians as disloyal or unpatriotic because they refused to worship the Emperor. They were tortured, imprisoned, and executed because of what they believed and followed. Many Christians gave into the culture of the time in order to avoid the ostracism and economic deprivation. It was a scary time to be a Christian. Because of this (as it is today) many had forgotten why they followed Christ.

Despite what we tend to hear most about Revelation, the letter of Revelation was not sent to predict the end of time but to divulge the truth about the challenges the churches faced in their time. John wanted to give them hope and help them to endure and encourage them to resist complacency and then give into the religion and social practices of the empire around them. We have that same struggle today. It is very easy to give into the fear and uncertainty that we find ourselves living in during our own times. It is easy to point to the “beasts” of our own time, from Sadam Husain, Osama Bin Laden, to Goldman Sachs, as being the culprits for our current hard times.

In the book of Revelation, Babylon serves as the primary metaphor for the Roman Empire complete with its oppression, violence and injustice. Biblical scholar Dr. Gail O’Day says, “ … the goal of Revelation is to invite the Churches (of that day) to move out of Babylon and into the grace of the city of God”. And what a city it is! The New Jerusalem; the city that comes down from heaven. There is no need for a temple because God’s presence is in everything. The gates of the city are always open and the gifts creation are available to everyone. The Tree of Life is planted on both sides of the river and available to all, regardless of which side of the river (or the train tracks) you live on. “The leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.” It is a beautiful city indeed. It is the Kingdom of God. Every time we say the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…” Those of us that choose to be part of that kingdom and live in that city that comes down from heaven, need to keep our focus.
If ever there was a time when the hope of the resurrection needs to be shared, now is that time. The beautiful city of God is not just about our pie in the sky hope of going to heaven when we die; although I certainly don’t discount that. The vision of the beautiful city that we all long for in the future is here now. God is present and moved into our own city; our own neighborhood.

The fear, anxiety and hopelessness of the man by the pool waiting for an angel to fly by is no different than our own fear, hopelessness and anxiety. Life has a lot of uncertainties and things for as to be afraid of. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem is here now, all around us. We can choose to live inside or outside its walls. We can choose to stay on our mats and keep doing things the same way we have been. We can choose to glorify all the wrong stuff; war, humiliating our adversaries; shaming the immigrant, ignoring and neglecting those that live in poverty; consuming goods that possess us rather than us possessing them; going through the motions of our religion without creating the spiritual discipline that helps us truly listen to Christ and follow in his footsteps. We truly do need to ask ourselves, “do we want to be made well?” We can keep clicking on the same things over and over again expecting something different. Or we can take up our mats and walk into the city of God. Inside these walls we come to know the grace and love that transforms lives. In this kingdom, good overcomes evil, love overcomes hate, hope overcomes despair, and life overcomes death – both are here and now as well as in eternity.

Bigfoot and Jesus...

2010-04-12T18:10:00.001-07:00

One does not have to change too many channels on TV, these days, to find some sort of program about the supernatural. This, in and of itself, tells me that we have a fascination with these sorts of things. Even our movies, from “Ghost Busters” to “Avatar” appeal to our attraction to other worldly things. I have to admit, I am sort of drawn to these things myself.
Since I was a child, I have had this fascination and fantasy of going to the Northwest and look for Sasquatch or Big Foot. Just ask my family, anytime a program comes on about Big Foot, I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

I am going to go out on a limb here; when you think about the Gospel reading for this past Sunday (John 20:19-31), Jesus appearing to the disciples is not really that much different than a Big Foot story. After all, the only evidence we have of Big Foot are eye witness accounts, some questionable film footage and some plaster casts of foot prints that any creative person could recreate without too much problem.

Jesus’ resurrection is only an eye witness account. We have more evidence for Big Foot than Jesus coming to life again! When it comes to my own life experiences with death and dying, I have learned with fairly strong certainty that dead things just don’t come back to life. Having been a person who spent the early part of my career as a funeral director, this conclusion is even more firmly planted in my head. Like most of us, it is very easy for me to identify with Thomas; I want the proof, show me the hard facts, the numbers… Thomas is not really any different than the rest of us.

John in writing his Gospel, knew that the resurrection was going to be a very hard thing to sell, even in his day. The Gospel of John, as we know now, was written nearly a full century after the event of the resurrection. The stories of Jesus and his life were at best second or third hand at this point. John was writing to people that were born after the resurrection and had never seen or heard Jesus in the flesh. There might have been a few eye witnesses around, but those folks would have been way on up in years. John’s problem was in the continuing problem of the Church to give witness to the resurrection at a time when Jesus was no longer around to be seen or touched. Then as now, it was very easy to doubt the truth of the story; hence, John’s use of the story of Thomas.

By detailing Thomas’ reluctance to believe, John takes the words right out of our mouths and puts them into to Thomas’ instead. John does this so that we have the clear opportunity to ask ourselves howwe come to believe; or not believe for that matter. Thomas was a bit different than the other disciples which might be an explanation as to why he was not there in the room with the other disciples the first time Jesus appears. After all it was Thomas, back when Jesus was trying to return to Bethany to see Lazarus (which was deep in enemy territory for Jesus) and despite the other disciples’ discouragement, who said, “Let us also go, so that we might die with him”. At the table of the Last Supper, when Jesus told his disciples to not be afraid because they knew the way to where he was going, it was Thomas who said, “Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Thomas was bit of a maverick. He was not a blind follower. He was a brave literal-minded kind of guy who could be counted on to do the right thing, but only if he knew for sure it was the right thing to do. Maybe you know some folks like that yourself. Those people that are full of integrity who refuse to go along with the crowd just because it is popular. Thomas was just this kind of guy. It would have been very easy for him to have succumbed to the peer pressure and just believe, because they all said they had seen Jesus. He could have said, “okay, I believe you, what next?” But Thomas did not. "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." Thomas is simply a stand-in for all the rest of us who want to see it for ourselves before we are convinced that any of it is true.

On top of the absurdity of a dead man coming back to life, it would have been risky and still is for us today to believe in something as outlandish as the resurrection. It would have been very risky indeed for the disciples to have bought into a resurrected Messiah immediately following his implication by the Jewish leaders and execution by Rome. The Gospel reading records that the disciples had gathered together. They had gathered in secret, huddled together behind closed doors. They were afraid that the fate that had overtaken Jesus might just come upon them. In the eyes of their governing authorities they would been categorized as rabble rousers and troublemakers. They would have been perceived as Jesus had been perceived, as an up-setter of the status quo. After all, those that rock the boat take the risk of being tossed overboard! They were genuinely afraid.

They had been told and been witnesses of their Master’s execution and now this strange tale of being seen alive by his closest female friend. Well, it would not be unreasonable to blow this tall tale off and simply assume that Mary was a bit hysterical from her grief. But they too were grieving left crushed, defeated, afraid and alone. The dream was dead. For all practical purposes, this should be the end of the story. Jesus was crushed by the people that saw him as a threat. One more innocent victim of the prosecuting authorities. Now that the trouble had been dealt with perhaps stability might return to the community, a community still under the domination of the powers that be, but a community relieved of their nuisance. The powers that be closed the book on Jesus; done deal. The disciples also thought it was the end of the story.

Then, in a very strange and supernatural turn of events, here is Jesus alive and well, all of the sudden in their midst, just like old times. And his first word to them, which will be repeated, is “peace.” But why “peace?” If you had seen God’s chosen murdered and then come back to life what would you be expecting; especially if you had deserted him, denied him, betrayed him? Wouldn’t it be more reasonable to expect a vengeful God giving the disciples what they deserve for going AWOL and not being loyal to their leader. Humanity had effectively decided against God in rejecting his agent. Surely, God must be angry. Jesus’ announcement of peace removes that fear. Jesus announcement of peace says God is not like that. Unlike the political and military machines whose peace must be ever gained by continually beating down and overtaking their foes, Jesus word of peace puts an end to old way of doing things.
Even with Thomas, Jesus understands his doubt and does not dismiss him from the circle of friends even though Thomas did not trust what his cohorts had told him. Jesus did not admonish or scold Thomas for his disbelief. Instead Jesus comes back and repeats the whole scene for the benefit of Thomas. It is transformative, it demonstrates that neither he nor his Father participate in retaliation or revenge. It is more than a greeting, “Peace be with you”, it is the offering of a whole new existence and a whole new way to perceive God.

The announcement of the Risen Lord is the foundation of all Christian faith and theology. It is the very basis of our existence as followers of Christ. Truly the experience of encountering Jesus in that closed room transformed lives. It turned a bunch of rag tag followers who were terrified and running scared into a Church that survives to this day. It turned those followers from cowards into leaders that stood by their conviction that Jesus was alive. As we see in our reading from Acts for this past Sunday (Acts 5:27-32), the disciples’ resolve and conviction about Jesus had changed so drastically that they were willing to defy a straight order by the Jewish Council to stop saying Jesus was alive; the very people they had been running from that night in the closed room.

Believing in the resurrection is something we all must wrestle with. We are outside the circle of this story by thousands of years. As if to speak over Thomas’ shoulder to the rest of us, we hear Jesus say ,“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen but have come to believe.” Those who were witnesses to the resurrection knew they had encountered something extraordinary had happened in their lifetimes. The stories they have left us with in the scriptures, beg us still to take their word for what they are sure they saw.

I cannot offer any sort of empirical evidence of Jesus being raised from the dead; there is none. But what I can do is point you in a direction in which we can encounter the risen Lord; an encounter just as valid as the disciples’ encounter that evening in the closed room. The good news is that we don’t have to go far to see and experience that.

There is the story that aired this past week on NBC about Marcia Merrick who for the past 40 years has gotten up at 4:30 in the morning to make 400 sack lunches and then take them into the streets of Kansas City, MO to give to the homeless people living there. She not only hands out the sack lunches, but she spends timing talking these people without homes and giving a long awaited hug or kind word. I don’t know if Marcia is a Christian or not, the story did not say; but surely Christ is risen in this woman…

There is also the ongoing story of my friend Harry Chase who lives in Knoxville and drives every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to Jellico, in Campbell Co. TN to work as a volunteer in the Maplewood School for preschool kids who are born into families where the cycle of poverty seems to never end and domestic violence, drug abuse and alcoholism is the norm. You don’t have to talk to Harry long to realize his compassion for these kids and their families. He is making a difference one child and family at a time; surely Christ is risen in this man…
Then there is the story of us here today. We come week after week toreceive renewal, affirmation and hope in the risen Lord. For us we can hear the words of Jesus echoed week after week, “Peace bewith you” and “Blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe”. There is this encounter with the risen Lord every time we come to this table together.
We receive Christ together as one living body. “By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit…” we receive the living Christ. There nothing we have to do to receive this gift, except to hold out our hands and receive the body and blood of Christ. And despite all of our doubts and desire to have proof, we are still part of this living body and blood of Christ. We encounter the risen Lord through each other. Through us, Jesus truly lives… Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Sacred Places...

2010-02-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

I remember when I use to drive to and from work when I had an office in Johnson City, how there were some days when the vista in front of me was truly breathtaking and awe inspiring. But on most days, I would drive to and from work and not really take notice of the mountains or the scenery. And sometimes, on very rare occasions, I would feel something a little deeper; a spiritual connection, if you will, when I did take notice of the beauty in front of me. I do live in a truly beautiful part of the country. I would like think that most people like to see these mountains as special places – places where we go to seek renewal through visits, vacations or summer homes. There is a hint of sacredness about being in the mountains. When you visit some of the local sights close to where I live, like Roan Mountain, Mt. Mitchell or Clingman’s Dome you just somehow feel closer to heaven. Whenever I have hiked along some of these high ridges of the Black Mountains or Smokey Mountains, there has nearly always been this sense of awe and a feeling of being in the presence of God; a sense of being in the presence of something greater than myself.
The geographical region of the country in which I live, called Appalachia, stretches from Northern Alabama and Mississippi all the way to Southern New York State. Geographically, these mountains are considered the oldest in the world. There is a culture and heritage present in Appalachia that is very rich. Many of us place a high value on the arts and crafts of the mountain people; the quilts, the bluegrass music, the dance forms, and the literature from Appalachia that enrich our American experience. But despite the rich culture, arts, music, natural beauty and abundance of natural resources, the Appalachian region remains as one of the most poverty stricken regions of our country. There are many contradictions in how we view these beautiful mountains and the people who live there. We allow the natural beauty of the mountains to be destroyed by such practices as mountaintop removal mining and the clear cutting of forests. The stereotype of the “Appalachian Hillbilly” is still present. Even in my own community, you do not have to go far to find people who speak with a distinctive Southern Appalachian accent and somehow come across as lacking any sort of formal education. Most folks have tendency to devalue people like these by making them the butt of a thousand jokes about laziness, ignorance, and incest. And, as we well know, Jesus calls us to respond in a much different way.
The culture and people of Appalachia are unique and our ability to minister to the needs of these, our neighbors, has to be much more hands-on. The good news is that there are numerous ministries and programs reaching out to the folks of Appalachia. One of which is Episcopal Appalachian Ministries. Episcopal Appalachian Ministries, or EAM, is an organization within the Episcopal Church that is a coalition of dioceses that serve the Appalachian region. EAM’s mission is to support those doing ministry in Appalachia, both urban and rural, through a broad program of education, advocacy and mission. It serves as a clearinghouse for those seeking mission opportunities in the region. EAM is funded by the National Episcopal Church, but also by the member dioceses and individual donations. The ministries supported by EAM are grassroots and hands-on.
The lectionary readings for the Last Sunday of Epiphany (Feb. 14, 2010) takes us into the mountains to some sacred places where we encounter some very mysterious and “other worldly’ events. The Old Testament Lesson (Exodus 34:29-35) is the story of Moses, after receiving the Ten Commandments, coming down from the mountain with the skin of his face shining because he has been in the presence of God. There was no question that Moses had been changed by his mountain top experience.
In the Gospel reading for the Last Sunday of Epiphany (Luke 9: 28-36), we see an event that very much parallels the Moses’ story on Mount Sinai. Jesus too, is on a mountain top and has a change of appearance in front of his disciples. We call this the Transfiguration, although the reading from Luke does not use the word “transfigured”. But we do see that word used in the other two synoptic Gospels; Matthew and Mark both say, Jesus was “transfigured”. When I think about the meaning of the word transfigured, my mind immediately has thoughts of some sort of science fiction movie where seemingly ordinary people morph into some sort of space alien. But, I doubt seriously that is what happened here…
Another way to think about the word “transfiguration” is in terms of the word “transformation”. It is interesting to note that transfiguration and transformation come from the same Middle English root meaning “to change shape.” Transformation, however, from a linguistic approach, can mean “the process by which deep structures are converted into surface structures.” And if we really think about it, that does fit. The depth of who Jesus is, is brought to the surface during the Transfiguration – his face, appearance, and clothes are transformed. Jesus’ face shines, and in Luke’s words, “They saw his glory.” Jesus is transfigured, that is, transformed showing the truth of who he is with a heavenly voice underscoring the visible evidence that Jesus is God’s son and that we are to listen to him.
The transfiguration of Jesus is perhaps the ultimate mountaintop experience. Here on the top of a mountain, Peter, James, and John are left with no doubt as to Jesus’ divinity. I think that this might just be the big take home point about the transfiguration story. We are to be left with no doubt about who Jesus is and the fact that he was both human and divine. But another part of the story that I think is just as noteworthy is that this story takes place on a mountain top and in a way that hints of what it is like to truly encounter God.
In the verses immediately preceding the Transfiguration story of Luke, Jesus says to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me…” Immediately following this invitation by Jesus to become active participants in his ministry, we have the account of the transfiguration, with God telling the disciples to “listen to him!” We heard these same words from God following Jesus’ Baptism, “listen to him”! Through our own Baptismal Covenant we not only accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we also say that we will “listen to him.” We say that we will seek and serve Christ in ALL persons and strive for justice and peace among all people.
We are all called to seek out the transfigured Christ in the world; we are all called to visit the sacred places. But we are also called to “listen” and to respond with a servant’s heart and in humility. We are called to listen when those living in our midst who are suffering, when they are in need, when they are disenfranchised and subject to injustices. We are called to listen not only as individuals but also as a community, as part of the body of Christ. As a community, we respond by entering into relationships with those that are different than ourselves; those folks that speak with a distinct drawl or don’t have a place to call home; those people that under normal circumstances we would have no relationship. By doing this, we are entering a sacred place; we are standing on Holy Ground.
In a few more days we will enter into Lent and a season of penitence and self-reflection. On Ash Wednesday we will place ashes on our foreheads with the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. There is no distinction here… we are all dust. In the eyes of God we are all equal. We are all part of the Body of Christ regardless of how we speak, where we live or how we dress. God calls us into to respond with love and humility.
Soon the cold of winter will pass, and we will be able to return to those sacred places, both on the mountain tops and in the hollers of these beautiful Appalachian Mountains. And as we return to these sacred places, we might just experience a voice that says, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Let us continue to revel in the presence of the Transfigured Christ in those sacred places … And more importantly, as we enter into the session of Lent and our thoughts turn inward, pay attention to how we are called to respond to those around us. By responding out of love and compassion to these very people, right here in Appalachia, we might just witness a Transfiguration… the appearance of those faces might just change... and their clothes become dazzling white.

Haiti Earthquake Response

2010-01-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

Haiti Earthquake Response

Man, you got to get in there with 'em

2010-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Most of us have family stories that are either handed down to us or are stories that we have lived through. If your family is like mine, those stories tend to get embellished as time goes on and the facts around the story tend to get blurred. Some stories tend to be more significant than others. Some are just funny events or funny things that happen. Others might be stories that convey some sort of tragedy or loss. And every once in a while you get one that is full of meaning. It might not be apparent at the time the story was happening, but in retrospect, it turns out to be significant.
I have a story about my grandfather that is kind of worth sharing. My version of the story I am sure is tainted with embellishments. But, as an old Native American chief once said, “I don’t know if this story happened or not, but I know that it is the truth”.
My grandfather was a Baptist minister and the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Columbia, TN during the 1950’s. He had gotten a call from his friend who was the Rector of the local Episcopal Parish requesting the use of First Baptist Church’s baptistery for a Baptism. You see, the Rector of the Episcopal Church was faced with a somewhat unusual request to perform a Baptism by full immersion. So the two colleagues got their calendars together and decided on a date for this to occur. The date coincided with a Sunday in which the Baptist Church was having their Baptisms. So the arrangement was that the Episcopal Rector would make use of the baptistery later that Sunday afternoon, so that the baptistery would not have to be emptied and refilled with water. So at the appointed time that Sunday afternoon, my grandfather in his wisdom, said, “ I should head down to the Church just to make sure that my friend from the Episcopal Church has all that he needs and has not run into any problems”. So when my grandfather arrived at the Church, he was a little shocked to find his friend, the Rector, standing on the back pew of the choir loft, reaching over the glass wall of the baptistery attempting to Baptize this person by full immersion. The problem was, for those of you not as familiar with the procedure in the Baptist tradition, is that the Baptizer usually gets in the water with the folks being Baptized. Also, it is the normal operating procedure that the Baptizer wear some sort of rubber chest waders in order to save having to get their clothes soaked with the process. Well my grandfather had neglected to tell the good Rector this detail, and naturally the good Rector did not see the point in getting himself soaked in the process of the Baptism. After all, he had already been Baptized himself, and his Baptism “took” the first time! Well, my grandfather was pretty a gassed by this sight of his friend attempting to do a full immersion Baptism without getting in the water. My grandfather then, without thinking about how he might interrupt the dignity of the service and the Baptism, blurted out and said, “No man! You gotta get in there with um...”
Our Gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 3:15-16;21-22) is one of the four Gospel narratives of Jesus’ baptism. All four of the Gospels contain an account of Jesus’ Baptism, so needless to say, this is pretty important stuff! None of the narratives tell us how Jesus was Baptized or anything about John’s technique. So, the point of argument about whether we should Baptize by immersion or not is probably a moot point. Nevertheless, one thing we do know is that Baptism is universal and practiced by all Christian denominations in its various forms and fashion. And despite the differences in theology and doctrine, we all can agree that our lives in Christ begin with Baptism.
Jesus’ Baptism in the River Jordan marks the beginning of his ministry on earth. This is paradoxical for us too as followers of Christ. For you see, Baptism is the point at which we begin our ministry in the world as well. Baptism is a sacrament. Baptism is an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace. It is a gift from God. Baptism is the sacrament by which we become part of the Body of Christ; we become inheritors of the kingdom of God. It is truly a gift. However, here is the caveat... We are required to do something with that gift. We are to follow Jesus’ example.
For those of us in the Episcopal Church, every time we have a Baptism or Confirmation we affirm or reaffirm the Baptismal Covenant (BCP p. 304) We enter into a covenant when we are Baptized. These words are also echoed for us too each time we say one of the Creeds during our regular worship or prayers.
This business of following Christ can be challenging to say the least. In our Baptismal Covenant, it asks us if we are willing to “persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?” Then in the very next question, it asks if we are willing to, “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?”. And here in lies somewhat of a dilemma. By affirming these two things as followers of Christ, it almost certainly takes us right out of our comfort zones.
I think most of us are pretty to willing to do these two things, resist evil and proclaim the Gospel. But at the same time, if you are like me, you have this sinking feeling that this is something that will be difficult to do. After all, it sounds messy and one could really be seen as some sort of “jack-leg” preacher if you got out there and started renouncing Satan and proclaiming the Gospel. I think most of us would want to keep our hands clean and sit back and enjoy all the grace and love that God’s gives to us. But following Christ and living into our Baptismal vows also requires us to act. Not act for the sake of somehow earning what God gives us. Afterall, that debt was paid on the Cross. But act because it is what God beckons to do. It requires us to go into the world. It requires us to take the risk of exposing ourselves to sinners.
Let’s jump back for a moment to the Baptism narrative. John the Baptist is out on the edge of town drawing crowds like crazy. But the crowd that John is drawing are not the best of characters. There is the savory lot of tax collectors and Roman soldiers that have gathered. For all practical purposes the place was teeming with sinners. A whole group of flawed and guilty human beings holding out all hope, that somehow, this loud and boisterous character named John the Baptist could give them some relief from the misery they were feeling in their lives. They were hoping that somehow, John could help them clean themselves up and turn their lives around. If this had been in our day and time, the list of folks gathered there would most likely read like the arrest blotter in the local newspaper. These would be people who had been arrested for bad checks, driving drunk, petty larceny, prostitution, assault and domestic violence. Needless to say, for most of us, these would be exactly the folks we would NOT want to associate with and we certainly would not want to be seen hanging out with them. But Jesus, in his typical fashion, does something radical. He gets in line with these folks to be Baptized. You see, Jesus was just not really well known at this point. The crowds of folks were not following him around as they would later. As I mentioned before, this story is at the beginning point of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus simply took his place in line and waited his turn. It was not until later, when the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him that people realized who He really was. And even after it was made known who Jesus really was, He continued to walk and live among the sinners. That is really the bottom line of Jesus’ ministry. He came into the world to save sinners. Sinners just like you and I. We might not be some of the notorious sinners hinted to in the Gospel reading, but sinners nonetheless.
I truly believe that when we are Baptized, like with Jesus, the Holy Spirit descends on us like a dove and we are somehow transformed by that. And like it was with Jesus, our Baptism marks the beginning of our ministry on earth. Our Baptism also involves a covenant. The only way for us to truly KNOW Christ is to follow him through service to others. The Baptismal Covenant is how you DO Baptism. Baptism is a gift. In order to accept this gift and follow Christ it requires sacrifice. It means that we too must give ourselves. We too have to “take up the Cross”. Just like Jesus did at his Baptism, we have to be willing to get in line with a bunch of sinners. We have to risk getting out of our comfort zone and be willing to get our hands dirty. We have to risk associating with people that are hungry for the Good News of God in Christ. We have to respect the dignity of every human being. We have to be willing to associate with the homeless, the folks haunted by addiction, the criminals, the cheaters, the liars, the dirty, the sick, the neglected and all those other unsavory characters out there. So, like my grandfather said, “Man, you gotta get in there with um”...

Homily for Christmas Day

2009-12-25T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here we are on Christmas Day after the crescendo of Advent and the Christmas Eve services of last night. Over this past month we have diligently decorated our trees, hauled out the Christmas decorations from the attic and garage; arranged the greenery and crèches; lit the Advent wreaths, baked the Christmas cookies; wrapped all the presents. We have been building on the excitement and anticipation of this day for several weeks. We have put in so much effort into creating the “perfect holiday”. So, this is the day we have prepared for. And in a moment, “in the twinkling of an eye”, the packages are torn into, the food is devoured and we can finally relax... And let’s not forget too... that finally, at last, we have a baby in the manger... “the Word made flesh”
Our Gospel reading from St. John (John 1:1-15) that we read today gives us a much different spin on the all too familiar birth narrative that we read last night. If you are like me, it is much easier to get our mind around the image of a baby in a manger than it is to swallow this notion of “the Word made flesh”. Sometimes it is just difficult to comprehend this theology. Nevertheless, in these mysterious words that we read today, “In the beginning was the Word...,” we are called to reflect on an extraordinary truth about Jesus.
At the time that the Gospel of John was written, for the Greek scholars of that day, the concept of “the Word” was a philosophical concept or theory. It was a concept that would have been very familiar to them. These early Greek scholars suggested that there was a source of eternal truth or absolute truth. This source they termed The Logos: “The Word.” To them, there was nothing personal about the idea. It was just assumed that only a few of the educated elite would be able to contemplate this truth or even begin to understand it.
As The Rev. Anthony Clavier put it in his sermon on Christmas, “the idea of an eternal Word tells us two things. The first is that there is a truth, an eternal truth to which we have access. The second idea is that this truth is communicated to us by God. ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt with us.’ St. John here says something extraordinary. The eternal truth of God, God communicating to us, is not just a philosophical ideal for scholars, but a real person for which we all have access. Jesus is the Truth, Jesus is God communicating (to us). Jesus embodies God’s agenda for the Church and for the world.”
It is easy for us to look at the all too familiar image of a stable and a new born in a manger and see the glory. We have created for ourselves a lot of pomp and circumstance around our version of the Christmas story. However, another way to look at this story is to see God’s identity with those who have nothing. The truth in the story about the Holy Family is one of two ordinary people, living in poverty, trying desperately to find some relief from the cold and place suitable for Mary to give birth as her labor pains grew stronger and more frequent. All they can find is dirty cave filled with animal manure and rotting hay. The baby is born and they have to just make do with what they have. Tired, cold, hungry, scared and alone they bring into the world a baby. It is an ordinary miracle for a baby to be born. But this was just not any baby. It is easy to wonder if Mary and Joseph knew the significance of this baby in front of them. After all, they were just two ordinary poor people just trying to survive. Little did they know who this baby would become, God incarnate; “the Word made Flesh”. As we hear echoed later in the Gospel of John, this baby does become, “the way, the truth and the life...” The amazing thing is how God chose to bring all this about.
You see, God could have chosen to bring a savior into the world in much more dramatic way. God could have revealed the truth to us in a way that had many more “bells and whistles”. He could have revealed himself in a much more powerful way... or did he? “The Word became flesh”... flesh, just like you and I are flesh. Jesus was born of a woman, living an ordinary life. The son of God was born to an ordinary human being. God used ordinary human beings, living an ordinary meager existence to change us. But God also uses you and me. For just as God became human in Mary’s womb, so God the Son, that babe in the manger, enters our humanity, and causes us to be changed. Just as God used Mary and Joseph to help bring about change in the world, God also sends us to bring about change. That is what our Baptism is all about. It is the miracle of allowing God to work through us that brings hope into the world; a hope that can transform all of human kind. It is the kind of transformation that only the love of God can bring that causes frail and powerless human beings to be transformed from living in despair to living in hope. It was the willingness of that baby, who grew to become a man, to die on a Cross so that we might live.
We are all called to follow the same journey that Jesus did here on earth. We all begin life through the miracle of a birth. Each of us are born into different circumstances. Some of us are born into privilege... others might be born into poverty or life circumstances that lends itself to suffering. Regardless of our circumstances, we are still all called to follow Christ... “the Word made flesh”. We are all the flesh of God. We become agents of God’s purpose as we do as God wants us to do. We tell the Gospel story to others. We love one another. The transforming power of God is played out in the world through us by: caring for the sick, the outcast, the starving, those in the midst of war and civil disturbances, the homeless in the street, those tortured by addiction, the abused and neglected, the single mother abandoned by her parents, those living without knowing when they might eat again or find shelter from the cold. When we allow “the Word” to become part of our own flesh, we are then able to transform not only ourselves, we transform the world...
So on this Christmas Day, accept with gratitude the abiding presence of the Christ child in your own flesh and then, in Him, go into the world to love and serve the Lord.
Amen...

Charter for Compassion

2009-12-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

Charter for Compassion

Our Life Stories

2009-12-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

The Lessons and Carols we read and sang this past Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport, told us the story of our Christian heritage. The Gospel and readings announced the coming of a Messiah. John the Baptist’s cry was to get ready! Here He comes! Get ready for God to come! However, I think we sometimes get confused about what we are really preparing for. Sometimes I think we tend to think about Advent in terms of a bumper sticker I saw one time: “Jesus is coming... look busy...” John the Baptist’s cry to prepare the way gets turned around in our minds. It really does not have anything to do with getting the last minute shopping done or getting the Christmas decorations up. The Lessons we read are the prologue of the Jesus story that we will celebrate from now through the crescendo of Easter. We are here at the middle point of Advent, the wreath is up and the blue paraments are out. In a few more weeks we will celebrate the Nativity of our Lord in which we remember the coming of a baby. It is the all too familiar story of the manger, the angels and shepherds, the wise men, the sheep and lambs, the Star of Bethlehem and that image of a lowly stable where this story unfolds. But the story sometimes gets pushed aside by the excitement of the secular holiday season. This sacred story we begin telling here during this season of Advent, intersects with the world outside these walls. The holiday rush is in full tilt. We are just barely finishing up the leftover Thanksgiving turkey from the previous week. The holiday music and Christmas Carols has been blaring in the shopping centers for a month already (since the day after Halloween, I believe…) This mixture of the secular and sacred that we have bombarding our senses all around us, can have a way of leaving us feeling somewhat overwhelmed and confused. The baby in the manger that we will encounter in just few short weeks, somehow gets lost in the visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. Advent is very surely a season of anticipation. But we must not forget that Advent is also, and more importantly, a penitential season that calls us to look inward. It is a time for us to reflect not only on the past year, but reflect with anticipation on things that will be new in the coming year.
This was my “official” last Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport. I will be moving to a new parish that has been assigned to me by my bishop, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport, TN. I felt so very blessed to have had the presence of so many friends and loved ones, when I took on some new things by way of my ordination vows. It all seems fitting for me personally that my ordination has occurred during the season of Advent. Advent is the beginning of the Church year and a season of preparation. It is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives that will bring new stories and new memories.
Some 18 years ago I moved to Kingsport after going through some major changes in my life. I moved into this community literally not knowing a soul. But I quickly found a home AND a wife at St. Paul’s! St. Paul’s brings to mind for me so many different stories. There are so many people from St. Paul’s Church, both living and dead, that have influenced and enriched my life. Each one of us has a different story to tell. For me, and especially for Sister, my wife, St. Paul’s has been at the center of all those momentous occasions in life; our wedding, our daughter Rebecca’s baptism, the burial of Sister’s parents and now my ordination. All of these things, and many, many more to even begin to name, have shaped the story line that is our life. However, the significance of this story does not come from any one event, person or personality. Our individual life stories give us different ways of seeing the world. And all that is important, yet insignificant in the bigger scheme of things… The significance of the stories of our lives is found in the relationships we have with each other within the Body of Christ. It is through bonds we have with each other that we find God incarnate. Certainly, we can experience God through times of solitude and meditation. But to truly KNOW God, well, that has to be done in the context of community. Whether you choose to kneel or stand during the Eucharist; cross yourself or not; intinct or drink from the chalice; prefer Rite I over Rite II, it means nothing without community. It does not matter how much you give or don’t give; what you wear, who you vote for or support politically. It does not matter if you are liberal or conservative, moderate or indifferent; whether you go to church every single Sunday or just go every once in a while. It does not matter if you are male, female, straight, gay, lesbian, white, black, blue, green, purple or red with pink polka dots! What matters MOST are the relationships you have with that person next to you and, just as importantly, the relationship you have with the rest of the folks in the world outside your own walls. What matters are the relationships that are forged through service to one another both locally and the rest of the world. We serve Christ by participating in each other’s lives through our prayers, presence and coming together around the table.
This leg of my journey in Christ is entering a new phase as I depart from the regular parish life at St. Paul’s Church and move to begin a new ministry at St. Christopher’s. But the departure of myself and my family is not a total disconnection from St. Paul’s. We are still bound to the St. Paul’s church family by the love and support that has shaped the story that is our life. It is a story of compassion and caring. It is the story of how lives can be irrevocably changed by reaching out to those both known and unknown. My hope and prayer for my friends at St. Paul’s is that this will continue. And my advice and maybe even admonition would be to handle each other with care. Avoid harsh tones or cutting words when you disagree. Seek and follow Christ always. Pay attention to the relationships. That is where you will find Christ.
So, the next time you come together around the Eucharistic table, take a moment to notice the faces of those around you there. I think you will see, as I have seen and continue to see, the face of God; just as surely and as clearly as those shepherds did when they looked into that manger to see a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Amen

New Directions

2009-11-16T07:06:00.000-08:00

Next Sunday marks the end of the liturgical Church year in many churches across the world. The following Sunday (Nov. 29th) we will bring down the green paraments and replace them with blue or purple as we begin the season of Advent. The season of Advent is a season filled with anticipation and excitement. It is also a season of penitence in which we are called to reflect and turn our thoughts inward. For me, it is very fitting that my ordination as deacon is occurring during this season of Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the church year. This is significant for the Brewer family as we begin this new phase of our lives through my call to the ordained ministry in the world. There have been many people who have helped me along the way. As with any journey, there are many starting and stopping points along the way. My ordination on December 5th will mark both a starting and stopping point for me within both my Church life and career. I will depart from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church as lay person and enter into the ordained ministry at a new parish. I wanted to share with everyone some of changes that will happen for both myself and my family.

As many of you know, my bishop, The Rt. Rev. Charles vonRosenberg has assigned me, upon my ordination as a deacon, to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Colonial Heights ("suburb" of Kingsport, TN). I am so excited about becoming the deacon at St. Christopher’s and joining with The Rev. Maggie Zeller in the ministry and parish life there. The liturgical role as a deacon is to proclaim the gospel, lead intercessions, wait at the Eucharistic table, and direct the order of worship. The vocational diaconate is unique in that deacons have a special relationship with their bishop. Deacons serve in a parish at the discretion of their bishop. A vocational deacon’s ministry is also unique in that it is NOT a “stepping stone” to the priesthood as a transitional deacon would be. I do not aspire to be a priest. My call to ministry is in the world.

My ministry in the world has encompassed two distinct areas thus far. Firstly, my work with Osman Hope; this ministry to the people of Honduras has been very central to my calling to the ordained ministry. I will continue my involvement with Osman Hope. Secondly, I have been involved in starting the counseling ministry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in which I work with people in my role as a Marital and Family therapist. Father Jay Mills, rector of St. Paul’s, has been very instrumental in encouraging me to expand this ministry. After consulting with Father Jay and my bishop, Bishop vonRosenberg has given his blessing for me to continue with the counseling ministry at St. Paul’s Church during the week as part of my regular occupation as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

In addition to this change in my parish life, I will be leaving Youth Villages in my role as a Clinical Program Consultant. Beginning the 1st of January I will transition to doing my private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist more full-time, in the context of St. Paul's counseling ministry. In addition to this, I have accepted the call to become the new Coordinator of the Episcopal Appalachian Ministries (EAM). This is a half-time position within the Episcopal Church to work with and coordinate the various mission ministries occurring in the dioceses throughout the Appalachian Region. I am very excited about this new direction in my life. I will use the St. Paul’s Church office as my “home base” for both my private practice work and EAM.

Life has a way of producing change. As we live, change is inevitable. When I moved to Kingsport over 18 years ago, little did I know that joining the Episcopal Church would irrevocably change my life. It was at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church that I met and married the love of my life, Sister Carlock. Sister was born into and baptized at St. Paul’s Church. We have shared the joy of seeing our daughter Rebecca’s baptism at St. Paul’s. Needless to say, St. Paul’s has been central to us in our life as a family. Through the years, we have developed so many significant and close relationships with the people and the saints of St. Paul’s. I am grateful to God that our lives have been enriched by these friendships. St. Paul’s Church has been the place where my call to the ordained ministry was awakened and nourished. The body of Christ is only experienced and shared through community. I cannot think of any place I have felt this more than at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The love of Christ is expressed in so many ways: the food pantry, the Christmas dinner, through baptisms, meals on wheels, trips to Honduras, Sunday School, EYC, and the purely socials. And most importantly, we have celebrated the love of Christ every Sunday around the table at the Eucharist. I am thankful that I have had the joy of being part of the community of St. Paul’s Church and the life in Christ that is so rich and vibrant.

So as I head in a new direction with excitement and anticipation, I am thankful to God for all the blessings I have been given in this life. I am thankful to my wife and family for all the love and support they have and continue to give me. So as we quickly move into the season of Advent and all the excitement and anticipation of the holiday season, let us pray that we will come to know the love of God revealed to us in a manger. Let us gather together in love to experience that peace which passes all understanding.

May the peace of God, which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with us and remain with us always. Amen.

2009-10-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Baptist roots.... Episcopal heart...

2009-09-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I put in my last blog post. I realized too that I had not really written anything specifically about my upcoming ordination as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. Many of my friends and family have been aware that for the last three years I have been in the formation process for ordination in the Episcopal Church. The question I get asked over and over is, “what does this mean and why?” So here we go, let me “splain”...

My calling to the ordained ministry is to become a vocational deacon. I do not aspire to become a priest. That is a different calling and different ministry all together. So let me explain a little more for the benefit of those folks that might come from different Christian traditions and backgrounds, which might not be as familiar with the Episcopal/ Anglican traditions.

A deacon in the Episcopal Church is defined this way by the Church:

“Deacons are members of one of three distinct orders of ordained ministry (with bishops and presbyters or “priests”). In the Episcopal Church a deacon exercises "a special ministry of servanthood" directly under the deacon's bishop, serving all people and especially those in need (BCP, p. 543). This definition reflects the practice of the early church, in which deacons were ordained "not to the priesthood but to the servanthood [diakonia, "ministry"] of the bishop" (Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition). In the ancient Greek-speaking world the term diakonos meant an intermediary who acted or spoke for a superior. Christian deacons were agents of the bishop, often with oversight of charity. Since ancient times the liturgical functions of deacons have suggested the activity of angels. As they proclaim the gospel, lead intercessions, wait at the eucharistic table, and direct the order of the assembly, deacons act as sacred messengers, agents, and attendants. The revival of the order of deacons in the twentieth century has emphasized social care and service. Many bishops in the Episcopal Church expect their deacons to promote care of the needy outside the church. In addition to those ordained deacon as a permanent vocation, there are also "transitional deacons" who are ordained deacon as a preliminary step toward ordination as a priest. This practice is required by the canons of the Episcopal Church, but its theology and usefulness has been questioned by those who favor direct ordination to the order for which one is chosen.” (Source: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/19625_14159_ENG_HTM.htm) Deacons are typically non-stipend clergy and assigned by their bishop to a particular parish to work assisting the priest in many of the activities of that parish. However, it must be noted, as mentioned above, a deacon’s ministry is primarily “in the world” and not a particular parish. Ultimately he/she reports to the bishop and not the congregation to which he/she is assigned.

The Episcopal Church is the descendent of the Church of England in America. Even today it is still part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. I grew up as a Baptist. I come from a heritage of church folks of which I am very proud and cherish! Some of my kinfolks were “ministers” and some “deacons”... In the Baptist tradition, the terms “minister” and “deacon” have a different connotation than it does in the Episcopal tradition. A “minister” or “pastor” within the Baptist tradition is a clergy person. A deacon on the other hand, is a layperson who is elected by a congregation for a term as an administrative leader (much like a vestry member in the Episcopal Church). However, deacons in the Baptist Church are ordained, but it is still considered a lay order. In the Episcopal Church, however, a deacon is considered and holds the title of a clergy person (ie., “The Rev.”)

As I mentioned before, my calling is to the diaconate; being a deacon. It is a difficult thing to explain in words being “called” into ministry. It is something almost purely experiential in nature, and at the same time there are definite signs and roadmaps along the way. I think though the seeds to my calling into the ordained ministry were planted early on in my life. My Baptist roots are still there and have been an integral in my formation as a follower of Christ. Nevertheless, my heart is with the Episcopal Church. My attraction to the Episcopal Church is due mainly to the sacramental and liturgical nature of its worship. The Episcopal Church is also theologically grounded in tradition, with a devotion to the study of scripture that is balanced with reason. The Church uses this “three legged stool” of, devotion to scripture, tradition and the use of reason as the sources of its doctrine and authority; this too is one of the many things that brought me to the Episcopal Church. As The Rev. George Ann Boyle put it, “The beauty of the Episcopal tradition is that it is open to questions and new possibilities, as well as ancient teachings. Imagine a spiritual practice that is both grounded in tradition and open to new possibilities.” (Source: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/visitors_33028_ENG_HTM.htm) The Episcopal Church is where I have found my connection to God. It is also what continues to draw me in and compels me to take the path that I have taken in life.

The other part of being called to the ordained ministry has centered around my experiences in working with the poor and neglected both locally and abroad. As a result of being touched by the lives of people who are suffering both physically, emotionally and spiritually, my life has been irrevocably changed. I can remember distinctly, about eight years ago, listening to a presentation by my friend Pete Borg about some work being done in Honduras with some children’s shelters. I remember feeling and thinking to myself, this is something you MUST get involved with. Little did I know at the time, that would be the beginning of my involvement with Osman Hope and also my calling to become a deacon.

So eight years later I am on the verge of becoming ordained. I have nearly completed my formation process, which has involved intensive study of scripture, theology, church history, homiletics, liturgy, ethics, canon law and modern issues. I have met with the examining chaplains and they have given their “stamp of approval”. So, by the grace of God and the consent of the people of God, I will be ordained into the Sacred Order of Deacons by The Right Revered Charles vonRosenberg, 3rd Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee on December 5th, 2009 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport, TN.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP 540)

"What One Can Do" - The Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation blog: Millennium Development Goal #1 – by John G. Miers

2009-08-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

"What One Can Do" - The Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation blog: Millennium Development Goal #1 – by John G. Miers

Archbishop of Caterbury's New Year Message - the treasure that is our fellow human beings

2009-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

Resolving things...

2008-12-31T12:21:00.001-08:00

Today is New Year’s Eve. For the most part it seems unremarkable. I got up this morning and did my usual routine…Up at 5:30 am, make coffee, Daily Office (Morning Prayer Rite II), then out for my morning walk… Other than the struggle of waking up and usually having to force myself out of bed, my morning routine is something I truly look forward to. The drive to work was a little more remarkable in that the scenery with sun breaking through the clouds was exceptionally beautiful this morning. The streams of light looked like strings of a musical instrument touching the ground as if the earth was its sound board. I almost expected some heavenly music… but got NPR instead…As far as it being New Year’s Eve, I began to reflect on the past year and wondered if I should even bother making any sort of resolutions… I can’t even remember if I made a resolution last year, much less what it was…
I do know that during this past year I did start some new things. The first thing that has come to mind is the aforementioned morning routine which was started in 2008. Not sure exactly how the morning walk got started other than an attempt to get back into a daily routine of doing some sort of physical activity. I did run across a podcast called “Pray-as-you-go”, which is produced by a Jesuit community in Great Britain. My discovery of the podcast and podcasts in general has helped me stay motivated with the walking. “Pray-as-you-go” is significant because of its simplicity; about 10 to 12 minutes long, basically some music, a scripture reading and a reflection on the reading; mostly music though. The music varies from day to day. Sometimes it is typical sacred music. Other times it ranges from contemporary to world ethnic (i.e. Ladysmith Black Mambazo). Regardless of the music, it helps an introspective person like me find some focus and not let my head get too far up in the clouds. I also catch up on “The News from Lake Wobegone”… my other favorite podcast. As my friend The Rev. Pat Grace advises, one must have a good belly laugh each day to feed the soul… Garrison Keillor does that for me… I usually end the walk by listening to some of my favorite tunes on the I-pod…
During my walk and while driving to work this morning I did ponder the issue of making a resolution… which caused me to think about the word resolution… Not sure what I need to resolve… I do know I want to keep up my morning routine. If for nothing else, it has helped me stay grounded and focused on spiritual things. It is a way for me to connect the dots and get back in touch with the meaning and significance of things. So I have resolved to keep that up…
As I have moved through life and become more experienced, by virtue of time passing, I find that I am more content with simple things. Maybe too it is that I have just begun to perfect the art of being in the moment. I remember reading or hearing from someone, that if a person could learn to truly be “in the moment” and not be preoccupied with the past or future, they would experience ecstasy… I can’t say that I have experienced ecstasy, but I will say I have a greater sense of peace and contentment in the little and unremarkable moments of life… especially on the morning walks. There is a feeling of resolve, if you will, that life really does not get any better that what I have right now. Of course, just like everyone else, my life is not devoid of ups and downs or the usual anxieties of living. There are times when I get preoccupied with the past or future; feel guilty about things I should have done differently or worry about upcoming events or uncertainties. I still get angry and frustrated with people in my life from time to time. But I will say it is much easier now to just let it go and get back into the moment, sometimes kicking and screaming along the way…but I get there eventually.
So this next year, let it be resolved that Gordon Brewer is going to stay the course… I will attempt to find joy in the moment no matter how trivial or boring it might seem. I will do my best to exercise patience with those around me. I will continue to advocate for those living in poverty in order to end the plight of poverty. I will strive to have a good belly laugh each day. I will pray daily in some form or fashion. I will take delight in my family, friends and loved ones and all the privileges that God has blessed me with. So here is a toast to the ordinary simple things of life… may we all find joy and happiness in the daily grind and morning walks…

Charter for Compassion

2008-11-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

Red Rubber Ball

2008-11-17T18:46:00.001-08:00

It's A New Day

2008-11-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Proud to be...

2008-11-06T13:45:00.001-08:00

There is a song by Lee Greenwood, “God Bless the USA”, that is one of those songs that usually gets and emotional response if it is played to a large crowd. Here in my part of the Southeast at least it is almost revered as much as the “Star Spangled Banner”. But I have to admit, I have always had a little bit of a problem with the song. There is a line in the song that brings the song to a crescendo: “... And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, 'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land; God Bless the U.S.A....” At this point people usually stand up and clap and cheer. It has taken me a while to figure out what exactly, at a gut level, my distaste for the song has been about. I have begun to wonder if I have just lost all sense of being patriotic.

The election of Barack Obama as president helped me to finally pinpoint what it is about that whole patriotic thing that I have had problem with. In the song, the “…defend her still today” is what bothers me. You see to think about something in terms of “defense” or having to protect, implies an atmosphere of fear. And I think that has been why I have a problem. If we are always responding out of fear vs. compassion or love, then we will have to build more barriers and fortresses to “protect” ourselves from what we fear. For me, there in lies the problem of the last 8 years of our country... or really the whole history of our country since the end of the Civil War.

My belief is that the fear has caused us to breed greed and thus the predicament of where we are financially in the US. It is a simplistic explanation of our current economic crisis, but at the very core, that is what has driven it all; fear that we will loose what we have, the greed to get more than what we need and then take a posture of defense to protect what we think we deserve to keep, which feeds into this whole warped idea of “defending our freedom”. We tout freedom as a value we hold most dear, but our actions around this have not been contiguous with what we preach; “defending freedom”. At least what I think of when I think of freedom.

I am just old enough to remember growing up on the tail end of the civil rights movement of the early 1960’s. I grew up in the South and did not realize or understand fully until much later in life the significance of that time period. I remember when the issue of “busing” came up in Cary, NC, where I was raised, and all of the resentment around that on both sides of the issue. Of course I was not affected directly in that I was white and lived in an affluent part of the county. I do remember the racist comments that were made about the African American students that were being bused from Raleigh to attend the school that I did. My school went basically from being less than 10% African American to close to 30% African American overnight. There was a lot of unjustified fear that was bred through all of that. Some of the white parents were convinced that we would all turn into drug addicts or be mugged in our school… The good news of course is none of that happened. In fact I ended up with some African American friends who enriched my life and went very quickly from being “that colored kid” to being simply my friend; the obvious differences in skin color quickly faded and we were just all people and didn’t notice or even care who or what color there was. I also remember during those years going on a school trip and driving into the town of Selma, NC where there was still a big bill board that said, “The Knights of the Klu Klux Klan welcome you to Selma, NC”. I remember one or two of my black friends seeing it and a look of fear coming over their faces as they sunk into their seats. Truly, their freedom was lost in that moment… I wish I could have defended their freedom then… If only I had known how…

So this brings me back to president elect Barack Obama… I have been watching with enthusiasm this week the festivities and excitement we are seeing in our nation over the outcome of our election. I have been moved by what all this really means. I think as a country we have finally “gotten it”. Not totally because Barack Obama is African American and we elected him, but because the type of change he is recognizing that we need as a country. I think he truly understands the fear that has driven our country to where it is now. I think he understands that in order for us to truly have freedom, we all need to have access to the same basic needs such as quality healthcare, education, housing and jobs. Until everyone has the basics, there is no way we can “pull ourselves up by the bootstraps” and have true freedom and liberty in our country. Poverty and the lack of basic needs nearly always breeds loss of empowerment. No empowerment causes fear; as does the other extreme of opulence and too much power.

I have to admit after the last two presidential elections, I have been disturbed with the direction of our country. It goes back to the whole fear approach that has been taken. No I have not forgotten 9/11 and the pain that event brought our country. I truly believe we need to defend ourselves from attackers; it’s a basic need of safety. But I do not agree that we should go to war to “defend our freedom” when we have not been willing to work together within our own borders to assure people basic necessities of healthcare, education and jobs. If you really want to provide freedom then we need to free people from poverty and lack of basic needs; along with the oppression of racism and hatred. And I am happy to say, I feel like we are on verge of beginning to accomplish that with our next president at the helm…

I can say now I am proud to be an American… When you see that a little over 52% of the people support a person as president that also just happens to be African American, we are finally getting it… Not because he is African American, but because of color blindness that it represents. When you see the celebration of his victory and look at the crowd to see a mixture of faces that are black, brown, yellow, red and white we are finally starting to get it… when you see the joy and elation of a 90 year old African American who has lived through some of our country’s worst oppression of racism, we are finally starting to get it… As I watched the celebration on election night I could hear, running through my mind, the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “…I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together…" And I believe, we have finally gotten it…
For that I am proud to be an American!!

The leaves are falling and so are gas prices...

2008-11-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

With the coming of autumn in my neck of the woods here in East Tennessee, one usually expects trees ablaze with stunning colors that are truly breathtaking. However, this year, it is not so much that way. We have had a very dry September and October, not to mention the summer months, which has really dampened the colors this year. This year they have seemed almost pasty and pastel as compared to the usual vibrant reds, golds and yellows we normally see. It just does not seem as much like fall or how it ought to. It all “feels” different... On the other hand, I was able to buy gas this morning for $2.35 a gallon! That made it feel a little better considering that just a month ago I remember very painfully putting $5 a gallon gas in my car. Then there are the other two main topics of that are looming... the financial market and the presidential race. Those two things not only feel different, but they are different. It is a blessing that I am not a political scientist or a finance guru or my stress level would be out the roof.

If you are like me, you might be spending a lot of time thinking about all these things here lately. The leaves changing, gas prices, the election and the stressed out financial markets... The thing is, with all four of those things, I have absolutely little to no control. For the election I can vote (and did). But with the other three, leaves, gas and the financial market, I can’t control that any more than a snail could build a house. It is kind of a helpless feeling. What I mean is that I would love to get one of those “Easy Buttons” and make the leaves the exact hue I think they should be, drop the price of gas at least $1 and have the candidate I support to win automatically. (He is of the blue variety just in case you want to know or have not guessed already.) The truth of the matter is that there is, in reality, very little I have direct control over past my own actions. What is a paradox though is that my career centers around helping people get control of their own lives. Which begs the question, what do we really have control over?

In my private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist, people only come to see me because something in their life is out of control...or at least it feels that way to them. With people that come for marriage counseling, it might be a spouse that has been unfaithful. Or on the less serious side, it might be a young newly married couple trying to make sense of how to negotiate making new rules for their family. The problem being that they base their view of the relationship on the assumption that things should work like it did when they lived with their mom and dad or when they were single. Sometimes it is a person who is struggling with chronic depression and anxiety that just seems to be taking over their life. Or it might be a person who has experienced the trauma of abuse and is trying to make sense of it all. In a nutshell, most people that come for counseling and therapy are experiencing very common life problems. But what drives them to seek counseling is that the symptoms they are experiencing are unmanageable for whatever reason. In other words, with all the things they have tried so far to “fix” the problem , it is just not working. And for that reason, their life feels out of control and unmanageable.

My job as a therapist really boils down to helping people sort out what they have control of and what they don’t. Then helping them to come up with solutions to how to make changes in what they do have control of. Sounds simple doesn’t it! To use the well known cliché, “easier said than done”... Where it gets complicated is that people have this natural propensity to go after what they want, rather than what they need. To make things even worse, is that most of us really have a hard time distinguishing between want and need. And the more energy spent going after “wants” rather than “needs” just screws everything up. To give a very simple example: I “want” the leaves to be a perfect combination of colors and last for at least a couple of weeks. But I “need” to be satisfied with what God gives me in the way of fall foliage... I have no control over what I want, the leaves being “perfect” colors. But I do have control over how I appreciate what I am given... less than colorful leaves. You know, the whole glass half full vs. half empty thing. I have a choice of being upset that the over-all colors this year are so less than brilliant. Or, I can take delight in the fact that one tree in my front yard that has been absolutely stunning this year.
There are so many things in life that I have little or no control over. Tomorrow is election day and by this time on Wednesday we will know for sure, who our next president will be. I exercised what I little control I have in the outcome of the election by voting early. (I think that my “blue” candidate will win this year). I hope that the campaign promises made will make a difference and end some of the angst people are generally feeling about the economy and the state of the world in general. My hunch is though; there will be more things to come up in the future that will cause more anxiety about life; like the leaves not changing the way I want them to, gas prices going back up or a volatile financial market. In other words, change is inevitable. Most of the changes that occur, I do not have control over. But one thing for sure I do control is my attitude and the way I view the changes. I can choose to go through life kicking and screaming or I can choose to sit back and just enjoy the ride... I think I will just enjoy what God hands me and take delight in that...

I-phone; something to think about...

2008-10-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

Osman Hope, Inc... bringing hope to the children of Honduras.

2008-10-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Osman Hope is a non-profit ecumenical organization that is dedicated to eliminating the cycle of poverty in the country of Honduras. Osman Hope provides day shelters to the poorest of the poor children... Find out how you can help by sponsoring a child or providing a scholarship by visiting www.osmanhope.org

The heart of bailing out...

2008-09-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

As I thought and prayed about what to say in this blog on this day of prayer, fasting and advocacy, I had originally planned to speak to the poverty we find here within the United States. Specifically, I was going to speak to the high rate of infant mortality that is truly an epidemic among poor African Americans here in my own State of Tennessee and across the rest of the nation. I was going to speak to the fact that this phenomenon is a replication of the plight of poor folks all over the world and how it is a matter of the “haves” and “have nots” living separate lives, even though we are next door to each other... but I will save that for another blog here soon.
Instead, I decided I would speak to the one thing that has been in our thoughts and minds all week; the “melt down of Wall Street”. Now I know some of you might be thinking I have gone off the deep end by daring to compare the collapse of the American economy with the plight of the extreme poor in the world. However, it occurred to me this week that the root of the turmoil on Wall Street and the existence of extreme poverty are absolutely related. The problem of ending extreme poverty in the world seems on the surface to be an issue of “not enough resources”. We know that it would only take 0.7% of the world’s wealth to put an end to extreme poverty. Yet there is something that keeps us that are living in privilege from doing that. And that “something” is a heart problem...
You see, both the collapse of the economy and the poverty of the world are symptoms of our mindset and general approach to life. We have let our greed infiltrate us to the core and take over our hearts. We have let our fear of loosing what we cling to pull us into the mire of avarice. The privileges we have been blessed with have become our curse. The God we say we worship and say we trust in is only a concept. We hold up “family values” and belief in God as what drives up. But our actions and way of life points to something different. The recent events of this week and last are the evidence for that... As my friend The Rev. Mike Kinman so eloquently put it, “we dole out resources to the poor with an eye-dropper...” Then we build monuments to the almighty dollar that has printed on its side, “In God We Trust”. It is truly the definition of irony...
The leaders of our country will be making some hard decisions this week about how we are going to handle the crisis with the economy. It is pretty poignant to think that at the same time that congress is debating in Washington what to do about bailing our Wall Street, that in New York, the leaders of the world will be discussing the crisis of extreme poverty. It is so incongruous. Nevertheless, it is really dealing with the same issue. It is a matter of the heart and taking a hard look at what we really value.
Even though I know it will not happen this week, but I have wondered something... What would our world be like if we were to bail out the people of poverty in the world with the same fervor as we are wanting to bail out Wall Street... What if... we spent 700 billion dollars on the Millennium Development Goals... My hunch is that if we did that, the turmoil in the Middle East would come to a screeching halt; terrorism would see a drastic decline; there might even be a decline in global warming! But most importantly, the hearts of men and women all over the world would be changed. We would be “transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Jesus said, “"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money...” (Mat. 6: 24-25) We have the opportunity to serve God. We have been serving money and look at that outcome...
My prayer on this day of advocacy for the Millennium Development Goals is that our nation and world will have a transformation. I pray that our leaders will have the insight and courage to truly trust in God and end the cycle of greed and poverty in the world. I pray too, that our hearts will be healed and that we will move from the fear of loosing what we think we are entitled, to becoming true stewards of what God has given us by his grace. I pray for forgiveness from the sin of greed. I pray for comfort to all those who suffer from hunger and poverty. Lord give us peace in the world and change our hearts. Help us to show your love through our actions. All this we ask in your name. Amen...

Osman Hope Mission 2008

2008-08-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

This past month(July 19-27) eight people from across the US went to the country of Honduras for a mission trip to work in the Osman Hope Children’s Shelters. Glenna Depew, Gordon Brewer, “Sister” Brewer, Rebecca Brewer, Donna Adams, Brian Dennis, Kimberly Dennis and Ed Warnol went for a week of ministry in Honduras in all three of the shelters run by Osman Hope, Inc. Osman Hope partners with local churches to provide day shelters in Honduras for children living in extreme poverty. Osman Hope is an ecumenical non-profit organization committed to working toward the Millennium Development Goals. Osman Hope is dedicated to ending poverty in Honduras and Central America by providing, nutritional meals, safety from the streets, help with schoolwork and spiritual guidance to the poorest of the children of Honduras.
Honduras is a country of contrasts. On one hand you have a country that is filled with tropical forests, lush green mountains and abundant in beauty. On the other hand, it is a country in which the majority of the people live in extreme poverty on less than $2 a day. Honduras is the second poorest country in the Caribbean and the poorest of the Central American Countries. Most effected are the children. It is not untypical to have several young children left to fend for themselves for weeks at a time while their parents are out trying to find work and/or scrape out a meager existence just to support the family. It is also, not uncommon at all to find a 6 year old left to care for children younger than they are or even infants.
Our week was spent traveling first to the town of Santa Cruz de Yojoa located about an hour south of San Pedro Sula. In Santa Cruz is the largest of the Osman Hope shelters where about 50 children are served. We were able to help another group in working on a water tower to supply water for new “banos” (toilets) and showers for the shelter. The second half of the week was spent in San Pedro Sula and Villanueva working and playing with the children in those two shelters. (Incidentally, the shelter in Villanueva is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras) Glenna was able to use her expertise in organizing games, art projects and activities with the children. We had a great time playing and interacting with the children. It was truly a ministry of presence in that most of the kids get very little love and affection at home.
Another highlight of the trip was to visit a new project that Osman Hope has become involved with in an area outside of San Pedro Sula called Rivera Hernanadez. Rivera Hernandez is a slum area developed on a levee of what is called the Rio Negro (Black River or River of Pollution). The families are squatters, living illegally on government land. In the middle of this muddy and disease infested village is a church. The church is run by Pastora Maria Flores. Pastora Flores has started a children’s feeding program and young adult literacy project program in this area of Honduras. Osman Hope has made a commitment to help with this project by subsidizing their feeding program.
Whenever you return from travel outside of the country, it seems like it is only natural to need a few days just to be re-acclimated to what is familiar and “back in the groove” of life in general. Even though this was my fifth trip to Honduras, it always takes me a few months to reflect and get my brain around all that was seen and experienced. The extreme poverty we witnessed is truly overwhelming to see and experience. It would be very difficult for one single group or mission trip to make a major difference. But I truly believe that lives are changed and enriched by mission trips. Not only on the receiving end, but it is ten fold on the giving end. It would be fair to say that our lives are changed by having been in Honduras, interacting with the families and children we encountered. Sure, we were able to give some things away and provide a lot of fun activities for the children in the shelters. But he significant change came through building relationships and sharing in the lives of the people. As a result, in the words of St. Paul, we were “transformed by a renewing of our minds”. I can dare say, that for most of us in the group, we gained much more than we were able to give. At the same time, we felt God’s presence along the way as we attempted to minister to the children and families of Honduras.
For more information about Osman Hope you can visit the website: www.osmanhope.org or contact Gordon Brewer at lgordonb@charter.net.

Preparing for Honduras

2008-07-07T20:20:00.001-07:00

It really has not sunken in yet for me that in just two more weeks I will be leaving for Honduras again. This trip will be my fifth mission trip to Honduras and it is interesting how my preparation for the trip has changed from my first trip. I guess the main difference between this trip and my first one is that my perspective has changed drastically. I remember well how my preparation for the first trip involved months of planning and how I began packing several weeks in advance. (As I write this, I have not so much as even pulled out a suitcase). On my first trip, my expectations were fueled totally by my imagination and facing an adventure that was totally unknown. I remember expecting that I would be very uncomfortable and that I just needed to be prepared to bear what ever came my way. In particular, I remember expecting that I would be ill with “stomach distress” the entire trip and that I just needed to be prepared. I was very vigilant in making sure I had plenty of Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, Cipro and toilet paper to face the inevitable... or at least be able to face bravely all the horror stories of “Montezuma’s Revenge” I had heard from folks that had traveled in Central America. Needless to say my imagination was much larger than the reality that came after I made the trip; not the first hint of stomach distress or “discomfort”...
As I prepare for this next trip I am reminded of my first few trips. But what I am reminded of has nothing to do with any discomforts I might have experienced. If you have ever been on a trip in which the purpose was doing short-term humanitarian/mission work, you know what I am talking about. Any “discomfort” a person might feel is quickly forgotten when you are humbled by the conditions of people living in abject poverty in another part of the world. You are hit square between the eyes with how privileged you really are. You come home left with the indelible images of children left to fend for themselves on the streets with absolutely none of the privileges we all have here north of the tropics... You leave with a sense of guilt knowing that you are returning to the comfort of your home with all the things we take for granted everyday. ..Things like safe water to drink, a dry place to sleep, and three meals a day with more food in one meal than many of the folks you have left behind would even see in one week... You go home to an unlimited supply of everything... Where the shoes you have on your feet cost more money than most of the folks you left will ever see in a year...
When you stop and think about the expense of traveling to places like Central America, Africa, Asia or any of the Third World for that matter, the question always comes up, wouldn’t the money you end up spending on a trip like this, be better spent by just sending it directly to the folks in need? That is a very legitimate question and to be honest that might be true. But, one of the common things that most anyone who as done mission or humanitarian work will tell you is that you receive far more than you are able to give when you go to a place like Honduras. What you receive is not tangible. It is true, to just send just the money you might be able to provide more very needed food, clean water, medical care or housing. And that would be the easy thing to do. But what you wouldn’t receive is the self-awareness, growth and compassion. In other words you would not come away “...transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom.12:2). You would be void of the relationships that are so vital to becoming aware and connected to the people living in poverty. Not going and simply writing a check would only be throwing more money at a problem without having to engage with the people and their lives.
The time for my trip to Honduras will be here before I know it. Preparation as far as what to pack and what to be prepared for is second nature now. My focus now is NOT on how the trip will be potentially uncomfortable. Rather, my focus now is on renewing the old friendships from previous trips. I am excited to see again the children and families that touched my life in a very real way the first time and every time. I won’t just be giving things to children... I will be participating in the lives of Baldemar, Johana, Edgard, Luis, Paola, Lupe, Juan, Brenda, Emma and Isaac... You see, “those people” and “those children over there” have names... When you learn the names and share in their lives you are transformed. The poverty you see is no longer "their problem"; it becomes your problem and you take it personally. When you look into the faces and see from whence they come, you are transformed. In a very strange and different way, you know and feel the presence of the One who died for us all. For in the faces of “those people” you no longer see just “them”; they are you and I. And when you share in their lives, you see the face of Christ...

Osman Hope - Bringing hope to children in poverty...

2008-07-06T19:59:00.001-07:00

Everything, Everywhere

2008-06-30T08:04:00.001-07:00

On the back of my office door there is a collection of tote bags that I have gathered from the various conferences I have attended over the last few years. I am not sure how the tradition got started, but it seems to be a pretty good idea. Inevitably, I come away from conferences loaded down with all kinds of “stuff”. Most of it is seemingly useful stuff, like pens, pencils, luggage tags, tape measures, and notepads. Other stuff is maybe not quite as useful, but more on the “fun” side of things like stress-balls, balloons, and foam hats. When I look at the totes hanging on the back of my door, I wonder what I really took away from those conferences besides all the pens, refrigerator magnets and stress-balls…

On the weekend of June 6th there were about 300 Episcopalians and Anglicans from all over the world that gathered at a conference in Baltimore, MD. And despite all the anxiety about the “issues” in the Episcopal Church, not once did any of that come up; thanks be to God! This conference was different… “Everything, Everywhere” was the first of its kind in which 300 people came together to pray, think, hear and discuss the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s). You know all that stuff we are really called to do… The “stuff” I came away with could not begin to fill any sort of tote bag. The “stuff” was a sense of purpose and calling that was shared by the people in the conference. There was a resolve that echoed through out the conference that the Millennium Development Goals are not just something we MIGHT do, but something we MUST do.

The MDG’s are pretty basic goals: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability and 8. Develop a global partnership for development. At first these goals sound pretty overwhelming. When you realize that all it would take is 0.7% of the world’s wealth to accomplish these goals by the year 2015, it sounds a little more doable. It can not be done alone. It will take a lot of collaboration by the people of the world to accomplish this. But, the paradox of it all is this: it has to start with each of us individually, by recognizing how one can contribute a minimum 0.7% of what we are each privileged to have here in our part of the world.

I came away from this conference with a lot of thoughts and ideas to process. First of all, with all the poverty that we still continue to see here locally, why even focus on global issues? I guess the main reason is that it is something we are called to do by virtue of what it truly means to follow Christ. But to put it in more concrete terms, now more than ever, with the increasing global economy, the rest of the world is truly more of our neighbor now than it has ever been. Other thoughts: we do have a lot of need in our own country and we need to continue to help those in need that are literally next door to us. However, even the poorest of our poor here in our country have a much larger safety net to help out (school lunch programs, federal/state aid, Medicare/Medicaid, food banks, etc.). True, the safety net is not perfect and we need to continue to help our local neighbors who are in need, which in reality is just as much part of the MDG’s as global reconciliation. Nonetheless, the level of poverty found outside the US in third world countries is exponentially much more severe and widespread than we find within our own borders. The first step in trying to tackle this momentous task of ending extreme poverty, illness and starvation in the world is to become aware. And once we are truly aware, we can be motivated to action through our prayer, use of our resources and the things we advocate for in our ability to vote.

In the end, I did come home with a few trinkets typical of most conferences. But the real stuff, the stuff that matters most, was the common resolve of the participants of the conference to keep spreading the good news of Christ throughout the world through our actions. The main point of it all: “The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matt. 25:40)

If you want to find out more about ways you can help visit these websites:

Episcopalians for the ONE Campaign (www.episcopalchurch.org/ONE)
Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (www.e4gr.org/)
Episcopal Relief and Development (https://www.er-d.org/MDGs/)
The Millennium Campaign (www.noexcuse2015.org/)

Easter "Stuff"

2008-03-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well today is the day after Easter. Easter has been really different this year. Easter has come at about the earliest possible date in the traditional liturgical calendar. Easter is what we call a moveable feast. It always falls the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox or March 21. Well the full moon this year hit on Friday, March 21st. Therefore, Easter this year is about as early as it can possibly come. And when it comes this early, it just does not seem much like Easter. For us, here in East Tennessee, spring is barely starting to show itself. Besides that, they are calling for snow flurries this evening. It just does not feel or seem like Easter.
The other issue for me is that this year’s season of Lent has also been very different. My wife’s aunt, who was age 90, died during Lent. Her death was not a tragic death nor was it unexpected, but nonetheless, it was a sad event with a mixture of emotions for my wife and me. Her death did bring with it relief from suffering. And up until the time of her death, we really felt helpless to help her other than fight like hell to try and make her comfortable. It really was a very helpless feeling to stand by and watch someone you care about loose their ability to communicate in a coherent way, see them in pain, and then know how to help them; not only the physical pain she was in but also the emotional pain, for her and us, of loosing mobility and independence. The term “quality of life” hits between the eyes and we know for sure what it means. Even though we knew she was going to die very soon, we still had this sense of trying to hang on a little longer.
The other thing we are faced with when someone dies is what do you do with his or her stuff? For the majority of us in the U.S., over the age of 30, have an awful lot of stuff. Furniture, clothes, pictures, china, ironing boards, magazine, books, cookware, etc., etc., the list is really endless. The temptation is to think, “oh wow, I am going to be able to have more stuff”. But then where do you put the new stuff when you are already overloaded with stuff anyway? So, then you have to really stop and discern, what of all the old and new stuff do I really need. It really is quite the dilemma. We think, “oh, I could sell that on E-Bay” (which we probably will), but only the stuff we are willing to part with. So how do you decide what you are willing to part with. After all, it is just stuff...
The problem lies in the meaning we give to our stuff. I will be the first to admit, I like my stuff. And my stuff is hard to part with sometimes. It is especially hard to part with if I think it is something that has monetary value or that I will use again sometime in the near future. Or even worse are those things that have sentimental value... As I said before, it really is quite the dilemma.
Now, let me get back to Easter and Lent. This year, during Lent I took on the discipline of trying to simplify my life. In other words, learn to live with less stuff. Then guess what happened... I’ve told the story already. So what do I do? Well, I had an “aha” yesterday. As we were helping Aunt Sara’s son pull the last of the “valuable” stuff out of the apartment, we were discussing what to do with it all. For you see, Aunt Sara’s son lives in France and there is only so much he can take back with him in a suitcase (He really is the lucky one!). My wife and I both felt very odd and somewhat guilty about taking possession of a large majority of the stuff. We did not feel it was ours to keep in that way. The “aha” was that just because you have the stuff, does not mean you possess it. Then we came up with the whole idea of saying, okay all this stuff now belongs to ALL of us. Our intention now is to pass it around and use it within the family. That to me was liberating. We now are simply keepers of the stuff until someone else needs it or wants to use it. And that made my life much more simple...
There was a great lesson to learn (or rather re-learn)in all that for me. For one to possess something, potentially takes away the opportunity for others to enjoy or make use of the thing in possession. As soon as you possess or own something, it takes a lot of energy to hang on to the possession. We then become slaves to what we own. The possessions end up owning us...
Easter did come early this year. I rather missed recognizing its arrival because of my preoccupation with all the stuff. Easter always comes shortly after the first day of spring. It is a time of renewal and things coming up from the ground out of their winter graves. A resurrection if you will. Despite how tightly we hang on to the stuff of life, the cycle of life continues. I think I will choose to let go of the stuff despite my tight grip. Easter will continue to come, along with the things that really matter. My hope is that I will notice and quit holding on to the stuff...

Starfish Movers Wanted!

2008-03-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted anything to my blog. Like most people, I think I have gone through periods in my life in which I am less motivated to do things that challenge me. One of those things is writing about things that are meaningful and impact life. So having said that and made my lame excuses, I am now motivated to start back up with a regular blog; at least for today I am motivated...
I am in the process of organizing another mission trip to Honduras with Osman Hope. My trips to Honduras each year, for the past four years, have become something of which I have become passion for me. My first trip to Honduras was truly life changing and made me even more aware at a very gut level, the needs of people in the world outside of our comfort zone here in the United States. To travel to and work side-by-side with people living in a third world country can’t help but to impact you in a very special and meaningful way.
Despite the current economic downturn here in the US with soaring gas prices, the cost of food going up and the housing market crash, we really are still very privileged and fortunate to live where we do and have all that we have. Even though some in our communities live pay check to pay check, they still have a standard of living that is leaps and bounds ahead of most of the rest of the world. Millions live not pay check to pay check but meal to meal. But even more tragically is loss of spirit and loss of hope that many around the world face each and every day. When you see this first hand, it most certainly calls one to “do something”... I found that to be an overwhelming call.
There is a story about a person walking on the beach and they see millions of starfish being washed to shore dying. Off in the distance they see a man walking back and forth from the shore to the water. As they get closer, they see that the man is taking starfish and putting them back into the water. The person walking on the beach stops and asks the man, "Why are your doing this? There is no way in the world you could begin to make a difference for all these millions of starfish." The man kept at his task and simply looked up and said as he dropped a starfish back into the water, “it made a difference for that one”...
I think that is how it is for us as we face the overwhelming task of addressing poverty and hunger in the world. We can only do it one person at a time. As we move from just one or two addressing problems to 10, 20, 100 people being involved in the issue of addressing world poverty and hunger the impact is increased exponentially . Image how the starfish story would have been different if it ended with the person on the beach getting their friends involved with moving starfish, and then their friend’s friends... They would have been able to get the majority of the starfish back into the ocean.
We are blessed with having an abundance of resources, knowhow and money in this country. Change occurs when people are motivated to change. Motivation comes from feeling something on an emotional level. That is why I like to have new people go with me on my trips to Honduras. They come away motivated, acutely aware and knowing the needs of people in third world countries. They in turn make others aware and get them involved.
So, my goal is to keep moving starfish one at a time. Then too, to get others involved in moving starfish. Then maybe, those folks will, in turn, get others to move starfish. If we do that way, just maybe, we can have a whole nation of starfish movers...
If you are interested in joining the next trip to Honduras, please check out http://ezmissiontravel.com/osmanhopetrip.html