Wait On the Lord

Advent is a season of waiting which marks time with pondering, prayer and patience. Scripture tells us to wait on the Lord, however, not just in preparation for Christmas. We are to wait on the Lord for all types of incarnations of His life with us. We can wait for the Lord to birth a new ministry, for example, holding out prayers as we wait and see. We can wait for the Lord to awaken a relationship that has been conflictual, holding out prayers as we wait and see.

Waiting on the Lord has come to be a central understanding for me of what it is to pastor a church. Waiting is a dimension of servant leadership that I have come to appreciate, although struggle to faithfully employ!

Leaders, especially pastors, are to be wise and strong. We are to make things happen. We even use language that reinforces this - how often do you hear pastors say "We need to move the congregation" as if we can cause large action in simply by preaching the right sermon. I am not discounting the power of the spoken word - I just see the source of the power as coming not from the speaker but from God.
Any gift in leadership that I posses comes from the Lord, to whom I am serving. This is the basis for servant leadership to which I am called. Servant Leadership reminds me of my spiritual place as a Pastor.

So when I "wait" on God - turning in prayer first - this is because I know who is the true leader, the true authority over all. It is God. And God is working things out for good - while inviting me to participate in the process.

I say I struggle to "wait" because I love to get things done and see results. So often, I will set out on a course, relying on my human efforts - and it fails miserably. That is when I return to the posture of waiting. My desire to see a grand idea come into being has many time become a spiritual wedge between me and the Lord. I find myself worn out, discouraged - all because I was running on human steam rather than the grace of the Lord.

If you have something big that you feel God is calling you to - perhaps you may want to consider waiting on the Lord through the 40 Day Prayer Experiment that is happening in our church. Here's what one person has said about the 40 day experiment so far -
"This has just made me more aware to ask God each day help me be more connected to him and his desires for my life."

Dogs in Church

If you have a pet, then you might know what it's like. You leave for church in the morning, and feel those sad eyes watching you as you depart.

Some folks at Olivet can relate to the guilt of leaving of a pet - and they decided to bring their pets with them. Pets are can worship too. Here is a Chihuahua puppy sitting on the pew with her friend.

Prayer while Walking

Have you ever prayed while walking? I would love to know how you experienced it and if it is a part of your regular prayer expression.

Bless The Lord... really?

Again and again, "Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul" comes up in scripture. Psalm 103, for example, which was our devotional reading this morning. This is a puzzle for many of us. How can we "Bless the Lord"? Are we capable of "handing out" graciousness to God? Does God needs a blessing from us? No of course not. God is the source of all blessings and doesn't NEED our blessing.

Consider it this way: As you become aware of God's blessing upon you, your whole self fills with gratitude. It is as if our soul itself begins to reflect the One who is the source of all Goodness.

Not sure that helps you - but when I try to wrap my mind around how I can bless God, I find it helpful to see my thankfulness as a reflection of God's blessing that points back to God in tribute and praise.

Will We Recognize Each Other in Heaven?

This All Saints Sunday, we read the names of those who have died since last All Saints Sunday. We tolled the church bell as each name was lifted up in prayer.
It is a lovely service in which we always join in singing "when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing it will be". But will we be able to find each other in this joyful, crowded place of heaven that John describes in Revelation 7 as multitudes in matching white robes?
I was pondering this with the Christian book club when I realized that our recognition of each other in eternity can't possibly be like it is on earth. We rely so much on physical appearance to determine recognizing each other. But God sees us differently. We are more than body shapes, hair color, or skin tone to God. He knows us as he knit us together in our mothers womb, when we took our first breath, our first steps or turned from Him on a path of erring ways.
Perhaps in heaven, what we will recognize about each other is not based on physical appearance, but by the spirit that dwells with in us.
Have you ever run into a dear friend who you haven't seen in years and didn't recognize them until you heard them say your name? I had this happen with a friend who had completed the gastro-bypass. I didn't recognize the smiling kind person until i heard her voice call my name - then in an instant I knew who she was.
We are so much more than our bodies. So much more than what we see. And it is for this that we will know each other and celebrate our reunion.

5x7 Folded Card

Classic Slate Blue 5x7 folded card

Mom. Dad. Kids. Christmas photo cards by Shutterfly.

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2011 Report to Charge Conference

2011 Report to the Charge Conference
Sharing My Vision for the Church

Every church is unique and blessed. Every church (like every person) is created for a unique purpose that fulfills God’s plan to transform lives. As your pastor, it has been my prayer that God would uncover the unique blessedness of Olivet so that we could transform disciples and thus transform the world through mission. The Bishops Call to Action became a useful tool in discernment. We looked at statistics from Mission InSite, a tool that provides demographic information tailored to our area. Our leaders examined the Call to Action materials and pondered the questions posed. I personally read over twenty years of charge conference documents.
But, it turns out, God’s vision for Olivet was in front of us all along, displayed creatively on a worship banner hanging in our sanctuary: “From Olivet, they followed.” Are these just the words from the Palm Sunday hymn “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” which poetically describes the procession of Jesus into Jerusalem with crowds waving branches high in the air? Or is it more? I looked upon that banner one day and realized that it is more. It is a mission statement. It holds our identity.
Olivet in the Bible, like Olivet Church, was a place where people were renewed and strengthened in their faith journey. Olivet is where Moses, David, and even Jesus himself drew close to God in times of struggle. It is where the disciples received instruction from Jesus. Olivet (or Mount of Olives) was a unique place of retreat, renewal and discernment. But no one stayed seated in Olivet, it was always a place from which people departed in order to follow God’s call. From Olivet, they followed and so should we.
Many have shared with me how Olivet Church has been holy place on their faith journey. Olivet may be geographically off-the-beaten path but sometimes in life we need to take time off the path to reconnect with God in order to gain our strength and direction.
Historically, this church was built for the people of this neighborhood and her families. Her identity has always been tied in this way, yet over the years, that connection has lessened. The Call to Action identified how the leaders want to rekindle the positive connections the church had to being a central component of the neighborhood. The Church Hall and Good News Center, for instance, could become once again a place of connection for neighbors to meet, hold meetings, and share information.
My vision is that Olivet claim (or reclaim) our sacred understanding of who we are based on the biblical Mount of Olives and strive to live out the mission, “From Olivet, We Follow.” May we make decisions rooted in a balanced understanding Olivet’s retreat/renewal/nourishing aspect of ministry with the call to follow Jesus from this place into the world where God sends us. Our ministries should keep a balance of both components – the grace that changes us and the grace that sends us into ministry. From Olivet, we follow!

On The Road with Jesus

Jesus encountered many people as he traveled the road to Jerusalem. Some received his teaching with great joy. Others were changed by his healing touch. Still others, though, turned away from both. No matter the outcome of the encounter, each person was changed in some way.

The story of the Rich Young Ruler is one case of a person who eagerly approached Jesus with flattery and inquiry but left him sad and deeply grieved. The reason? Jesus called him to sell all he had and give it to the poor. He couldn’t do that...because his riches were too valuable to him.

The obstacle that stood in his way of following Jesus was his inability to surrender that which, ironically, he never really possessed and won't be able to hold onto forever. (His money) But if time is money, as the saying goes, then might we also be called to see our time as something to be sacrificed?

When we become a follower of Jesus Christ, our time is given new priority. We volunteer. We give a helping hand. We become a listening ear. We take time to cook food for others at Project Echo. We give time to God in prayer (when we used to give it to the TV!).

This last month, we mourned the loss of a member of our church who gave much time to others. The late Les Myers lived sacrificially - serving both God and country. He was a veteran and a lifelong Methodist who was a founding member of Hughes United Methodist when it was first breaking ground. He gave of his time toward the “hands-on” with ministries of Olivet and Habitat for Humanity. How different so many peoples lives would be today if Les had responded like the Rich Young Ruler instead of living out his life so generously? Never underestimate the impact of giving of your time.

At his memorial service, several expressed their appreciation for Les’ generosity in life. One man summarized it by saying, “He left this world a better place than when he found it.” To give of our time and energy to help others is in fact to make the world a better place.

You and I have been given the gift of time. Therefore, with hearts that desire to love and serve God, may we do so by giving of ourselves to others through our prayers, presence, our gifts and our service – and may that be our witness!