Pastor Faith's Blog

Wait On the Lord

2011-11-30T19:05:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-11-23T04:05:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-11-07T14:29:00.002-08:00

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

2011-11-07T14:29:00.001-08:00

Classic Slate Blue 5x7 folded card

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

View the entire collection of cards.

2011 Report to Charge Conference

2011-10-28T07:06:00.001-07:00

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

2011-03-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

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!

If Christmas is a Mess..

2010-12-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

Weeks ago, my daughter and I were singing along to the Christmas music that was playing outside a shopping area. She enjoys all those overplayed classics, like Frosty the Snowman or Santa Claus is Coming to Town.. because for her they are fresh and new. As we both sang along, I heard her continue “He’s making a mess, he’s checking it twice!” We both looked at each other. And she said, “Mommy, Why is Santa making a mess?”
If Santa is the one to blame for initiating the tradition of gift-giving which has grown into today’s frenzied shopping, then my daughter is right – Santa has made a mess of Christmas.*

Christmas, however, has always been messy. We may like to remember it as the Silent, Holy Night.. but Jesus was born in a noisy, preoccupied, and crowded town of Bethlehem. If, today, we become discouraged by the competing factors of commercialization at the holidays, it is important we remember that the first Christmas had it’s own set of challenges. Royal decrees, traffic jams as people traveled for the census, and stressed-out innkeepers all made for a less than holy first Christmas. This is the good news of Christmas; that God could appear despite all complications – that God is be born into “the mess”.

In my family growing up, it was a logistical nightmare to get all five of us to church (on time!) for the Candlelight Christmas Eve service. By the time we settled into the pew, we were worn out by the frenzy of Christmas preparations. As the lights dim, and the story was retold in music and scripture – it was as if journeyed back to Bethlehem.. but this time, we get a chance to truly receive Him. Stressed out at the start of the worship service, I always left with a new sense of God’s peace and love.
I hope that this Christmas, your heart was also humbled by God’s love for you. We had an incredible offering of music by the Olivet Choir, vocalist Janna Bruno, and guitar/singer Kyle Samilton and his friend from Frostburg State . So many kids and adults participated in the reading of scripture and the retelling of the story. It was a time once more for the Holy Spirit to draw near to us.. and to draws us closer to one another.

May Christ continue to born in us – deepening our love for each other and for God – not just on Christmas but throughout the year ahead.

* Do you find it challenging to fit Santa’s large, jolly persona into humble manger where Christ was born? Invite you to check out the book A Special Place for Santa. It was given to me by Kit and Dave Jones and I really love it! This is an excellent book for any who want to reclaim the sacred meaning of Christmas while at the same time celebrating with a cultural icon. It teaches the lessons of kindness and generosity by retelling the legend of Saint Nicholas who gave to the poor on Christmas day.

When Christmas Includes Cancer... Pray for a Cure

2010-12-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Keeping Christmas Merry can be a source of stress for those who have lost loved ones are who are coping with cancer. People with cancer and their families and friends often approach the holidays with conflicting feelings: excitement, worry, hope, exhaustion, and happiness. Our December 5th worship services will include a time of prayer and healing as a response to the needs of our world. God's incredible love is dwelling among us. No matter what - the hope of Advent is that we can receive the life-giving gift of Jesus Christ today.

PRAY for a Cure..

CANDLE #1 Memory Candle

The first candle we light is the memory candle. Christmas is a time filled with memories of those we love. As we light this candle, lift your candle as you remember someone who wont be with you this Christmas.

(silence)

Heaven at Last— by Horatius Bonar

Angel voices sweetly singing,

Echoes through the blue dome ringing,

News of wondrous gladness bringing...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Now beneath us all the grieving,

All the wounded spirit's heaving,

All the woe of hopes deceiving...

Ah 'tis heaven at last!

Sin for ever left behind us,

Earthly visions cease to blind us,

Fleshly fetters cease to bind us...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

On the jasper threshold standing,

Like a pilgrim safely landing

See, the strange bright scene expanding...

Ah 'tis heaven at last!

What a city! what a glory!

Far beyond the brightest story

Of the ages old and hoary...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Softest voices silver pealing,

Freshest fragrances spirit-healing,

Happy hymns around us stealing...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Gone the vanity and folly,

Gone the dark and melancholy,

Come the joyous and the holy...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Not a broken blossom yonder,

Not a link can snap asunder,

Stay'd the tempest, sheathed the thunder...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Not a tear-drop ever falleth,

Not a pleasure ever palleth,

Song to song for evercalleth...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Christ Himself the living splendour,

Christ the sunlight mild and tender;

Praises to the Lamb we render...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Now at length the veil is rended,

Now the pilgrimage is ended,

And the saints their thrones ascended...

Ah, 'tis heaven at last!

Broken death's dread bands that bound us,

Life and victory around us,

Christ the King Himself hath crowned us...

Ah,'tis heaven at last!

Candle # 2 Survivors Candle- Conquerors and their Caregivers

The second candle we light is the survivors candle. As we light this candle, lift your candle in honor of someone who has been given the miracle of more time.

So many survivors are thankful for those who stood strong beside them.

So, as we light a candle for survivors may we also recognize the blessing of the strength of caregivers – Caregivers go unrecognized, yet they are survivors too.. Hear these words from the apostle Paul who describes the role of God in the life a caregiver–
“Praise be to the God who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

To my Friend by Beverly Anderson

I stood one day at my wits end-

Then you came in the door, my friend;

And just your very presence brought

A ray of light for which I’d sought.

And as we sat and talked a while,

My frown soon changed into a smile.

New hope sprang forth, dispelling fear,

The path ahead became more clear.

you truly seemed to understand-

Your spoken word; warm clasp of hand

Were what I needed that bleak day,

And I thank God you passed my way.

Now, unafraid, with courage strong

I face each day with joyous song.

And if some day I see a friend

Who stands alone, at his wits end,

I pray that I, to him will be

The caring friend, you were to me.

CANDLE #3 For Those Battling Illness

The third candle is for those who are battling illness this day. As we light this candle,

hold up your candle as an outward expression of holding up their life to the grace of God.

His Everlasting Grace by Dolores Karides

I bow my head in reverence

And repeat my morning prayer,

I know God hears my every work

And keeps me in His care.

He knows when illness threatens me

And when I’m racked with pain,

He knows the hour I need His help

And makes me well again.

He knows my needs before I do

And gives me strength to cope,

He knows my faith in Him is strong

And fills my life with hope.

Then when the daylight dims and fades

I say my evening prayer

And know His love envelops, me,

For He is always there.

Now we invite all who desire prayer to come forward at this time. When you come forward, you may receive the blessing of a prayer with the oil. As people are coming forward, be in prayer for them.

Anointing at altar while song playing on organ, “On Eagles Wings”

Candle #4 Hope;

The last final candle we light is a candle of hope. Let us all hold up our light as we

declare that every battle fought on earth has already been won in heaven, the victory is

already there. For nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

What Cancer Cannot Do Author Unknown
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot reduce eternal life.

It cannot quench the Spirit.

A Life Giving Christmas

2010-12-07T10:01:00.001-08:00

A crowd of restless children lined up inside the shopping mall for their annual photo opportunity with Santa Claus. Oddly, a self-conscious 30 year-old woman (without any kids in tow) joined the others in line to sit on Santa’s lap. Now, we all know that Santa doesn't usually take requests from adults, but after waiting in line with children for 20 minutes, Santa didn’t turn her down. She cautiously approached him and asked,
“I know that this is unusual Santa.. but may I give you my Christmas Wish List?”
“Well, sure. Have a seat and tell me what you want for Christmas,” replied Santa. “There is just one thing on my list…Something for my mother,” said the woman sweetly. “Well, that's very loving and thoughtful of you,” smiled Santa,“What do would you like me to bring her?” Without missing a beat she answered quickly, “A son-in-law.”
If only it was that simple, right? Relationships, harmony, peace in our homes and our world – these can’t be bought in a shopping mall.
Last Sunday, everyone at church was invited to answer the question, “What is your deepest hope this Christmas?” Instead of crafting a Christmas Wish List of things that can be bought, we began a church-wide “Hope List” of the deepest longings of our soul.
The Hope List is our first step toward a life-giving Christmas. The Hope List will become our prayer list over these weeks leading up to Christmas. Keeping hope before us stands in contrast to the culture that identifies wishes and wants as the source of a merry holiday. To keep hope before us is how we will focus on Christ this Christmas. Several volunteers will take your individual hopes and turn them into Christmas Ornaments which will decorate the tree in our sanctuary.
Consider the hope of your neighbor. Hold them in prayer. To know each other’s hopes and to support one another in prayer is the first step toward preparing for Christ, rather than just getting ready for a holiday. For these weeks of Advent, let’s keep Hope alive. The full list will be available to each of you – I hope you will incorporate these prayers into your spiritual discipline of daily prayer this Advent season..

Revelation 7 thoughts on Halloween

2010-11-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

In October, the excitement of Halloween can bring great joy to kids and adults. Carving pumpkins, wear a costume, trick-or-treating..what’s not to love? The United Methodist Men of Olivet threw a wonderful party between the worship services on the last Sunday of the month. Thanks to Jane Gribble for the decorating the hall. Kit Jones for leading the children's arts & crafts. Mary Novak who prepared delicious "eyeballs" (a pasta/meatball combinations) to eat at fellowship hour. I think we all got a good laugh at the well-costumed Hood family – and watching the children try to eat powdered donuts that hung from the limbo stick!

You could say that my participation in Halloween is in line with the kind of innocent fun we had at Olivet. It could be rated “G” or “E” for everyone. Since my daughters still prefer the princess and fairy costumes over the witches and skeletons, I had forgotten that there is another side of Halloween. The dark side: with zombies and Dracula’s. The side of Halloween that depicts death and the demonic.
Strangely, the dark side of Halloween came to my attention on a recent kindergarten field trip to a pumpkin patch. Along with learning about corn and harvesting, this farm included a hayride. This seemed harmless enough until the tractor rounded a corner and were in a wooded area with gory images of bodies hanging from trees suddenly met our eyes! One of the young girls in my group became so frightened she had to be held. Even in broad daylight, she was terrified by the people jumping out and the animated witches on brooms. Adults nearby comforted her, “It’s make-believe, honey, it’s make-believe.” I told her, “Close your eyes, don’t look at it.” It occurred to me as I held her that what we saw was not just spooky, it was violent. Worse, it depicted violence that ends in death.
Later when the kids were talking about their sisters and brothers, this little one sadly said that she had a sister, but her sister had died.
That was when I realized that although it is true that violence we saw was make-believe – this girl knew that death is not. Death is not pretend, not for any of us. But death, for us who have faith, isn’t scary. It is not spooky or something to be feared. Death is the beginning of a new life in God’s glory.
Halloween was on a Sunday and it coincided this year with our celebration of All Saints/ All Souls, The scripture reading was from Revelation 7, where John is able to take a peek into the realm of heaven. He sees those who have died together at the throne of God. He is not afraid, but amazed at this musical gathering of people and angels living and worshiping together. I don’t know if John expected that heaven would be a time of eternal retirement, where we relax on a cloud while a cherub serenades us with a harp – but it certainly was not what he saw. The picture of heaven is active and busy.
In our worship service for All Saints/All Souls, the gathered community lifted up the names of those who died in the last year. We were reminded of the words from Philippians, that our citizenship is beyond earth, it is in heaven.. and someday each of use will join the multitudes in with eternal gratitude for what God has brought us through in life.
Olivet Church dedicated a new memorial plaque which will be located in the church sanctuary as a tangible place of honor for those we love. Each name was read and the church bell tolled in reverence.
May we rest in the truth of the promises of the Lord- that in death, He gives us life, in darkness, light and in sorrow, hope.

Graphic of Sin & Salvation

2010-10-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

In a recent search for information on the internet, I came across this animated image depicting sin (separation from God) and the saving grace of Christ.

I included it here - Also, to learn more, visit the website that it came from about "getting right with God."

Judgement in Luke 18:9-14

2010-10-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday, one of our lay speakers, Tiffany Gaines delivered a wonderful sermon on the parable from Luke 18:9-14. Many people have asked me to repost her sermon illustration about judging others on the basis of what we see. I have located it for you! Although the illustration is not fact, it is still a very great example of how people can be blinded by stereotypes. Thanks Tiffany for such a thoughtful, well-delivered sermon on laity Sunday!

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the president's outer office.
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.
She frowned. "We want to see the president," the man said softly.
"He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the lady replied. For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't. And the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted to do.
"Maybe if they just see you for a few minutes, they'll leave," she told him.
And he sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.
The president, stern-faced with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The lady told him, "We had a son that attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. And my husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."
The president wasn't touched, he was shocked. "Madam," he said gruffly. "We can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical plant at Harvard."
For a moment the lady was silent.
The president was pleased. He could get rid of them now.
And the lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a University? Why don't we just start our own?"
Her husband nodded.
The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.
And Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.

The Lesser Told Story of the Miners

2010-10-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

This month, we've been studying the 2nd Letter to Timothy, one of the three Pastoral Epistles in the New Testament. Last Sunday, we looked at 2 timothy3: 14- 4:5. Paul tells Timothy to Preach, proclaim, persist and persuade and then concludes “Do the work of an evangelist.”

“An evangelist? Really?” you wonder to yourself, “Surely, a run-of-the-mill Christian like myself is not an evangelist. Evangelists cause a scene. That's not me.”

But before you determine that evangelism is not for you. I want to share with you a story from the rescue of the Chilean Miners. It's a story few people may have heard about. It is a story of evangelism.

A man named Igor Bravo is the engineer who owns the geo-technical monitoring company that was called on to assist with the rescue efforts when the 33 men were trapped in a living room-sized chamber beneath the earth. The job of his company was to design a way to get through to the men with supplies. They were successful but as they continued, Igor became concerned that there was more than just miners' physical needs at stake. If they were to survive 2,000 feet below the earth, they needed hope.

See, Igor was a trained engineer who also attended a local church. He was a Christian, a Baptist, who may have learned (as paul describes Timothy) of the teachings of the bible from childhood. We don’t know for sure, but he said later that his faith is important in everything he does. He saw the devastation of the situation and he told reporters later, "I had to help in some Christian way." (emphasized by me)

Igor Bravo called his pastor, Luis Cortéz, for help. They decided that if the pastor could get bibles, inspirational music or audio of sermons to the site, then Bravo would send it down to the men.
The result? Those men were lifted up, not only by prayers of us on the outside, but by the inspirational Christian music, sermons and also the 33 Bibles that were made available. The men essentially “had church” a half-mile underground!

Igor Bravo said,
“If there is an opportunity to share the Gospel -- to contribute to the Christian cause and evangelism, it's something that's in [my] blood, in the church as a whole that all of us, no matter our job, are evangelists.”

All of us are evangelists.
All of us see needs everyday. They may not be as dramatic as the needs of men in peril a half mile beneath the earth. But the needs are there all around us.

For Igor Bravo, the need of God’s people was plain and clear. There was danger and the men were trapped.
But there are people in danger all around us. They may not be trapped 2000 feet underground, but they are trapped by relationships, substances – they are running on the wrong path in life and like a mine that only has so much oxygen, there is only so much life left on those paths that bring about death and destruction.
Does any of us see opportunity to be an evangelist right in your neighborhood? In your community involvement? In the gym you work out at or in the grocery store where you shop?
All of us are called to be evangelists - and invite people to the source of life – the grace of God in Jesus – For us at Olivet, we reconnect with the grace of God's love when we attend worship together. When we meet and remember and proclaim the “good news” that none of us is trapped. Life can be different as we grow in our understanding of the mystery of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
Invite someone to church. A stranger. A coworker. A neighbor. Afterall, it is most likely that you made your way to Olivet by invitation.
Let us learn from the committed faith of Igor Bravo, and see that all of us can do the work of an evangelist.
For more on the story of Igor, visit Baptist Press for more.

In Honor of Lieutenant Looney

2010-10-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

This last week on the cover of the local newspaper was a photo of a young man who died in the war. Lieutenant Brendan Looney, USN, 29. He was a navy seal, and one of the nine special forces personnel killed when a NATO helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

He was on the cover of our paper because of his connection to Calvert County. So many were looking forward to him coming home this month - and this tragedy struck everyone so deeply.

The funeral was at Arlington was last week – and as ridiculous as this may sound, the TV news reported that as the hearse rounded the hill to enter the gates of Arlington, they were greeted by several protestors. Yes, protestors. Angry people who were not there for any personal reason against Brendan (they didn't know him) but they were there to make a theological statement about his death. The statement on cardboard signs was their statement of faith "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." "God Hates You."

Paul in his writing in 2 Timothy points out that heretical teaching harms innocent bystanders. This was certainly true last week.

The actions of the protestors have become a case to be argued before the Supreme Court - They call their protesting "freedom of speech." And certainly people have a right to such freedom.. but even when it means offending the family trying to make their way to the funeral of their young son killed in combat?

For the court, the question is: When does free speech become harassment?

For me as a pastor, the question isL when does for freedom of interpretation of scripture (which I believe we need) become harassment?

Paul's advice to Timothy,was not to fight the battle but to remind them. Remind them.
Remind them of what?
Remind them of the salvation story. The Holy Mystery. That Christ is Died, Risen and will come again. Remember it for yourself and remind others. It will keep things in perspective.
The Holy Mystery of our salvation is profound. We all can agree that there are things on this side of heaven that will be won and lost. But the one who is eternally linked to the soul of Christ Jesus will endure, die and be raised to new heights in the end. What matters most, it seems, is that we cling to the truth of this Holy Mystery... even though it holds a truth that none of us can ever fully grasp.

I offer the Holy Mystery to my brothers and sisters of WBC who believe that God is punishing our nation by killing soldiers. I remind you of the salvation story. You are right that in order for us to be saved, there is punishment for sin. But the punishment is over. The debt of sin has already been paid. No more sacrifices need to be made to attone for the sin of our our nation (or every nation for that matter)

The mysterious part of all of this is that the punishment was not upon us who deserved it, but upon Himself. He paid the cost. Once and for all.

I remind you and I remember it for myself because in pondering this mystery of faith is how we grow in grace.

Back to School – A Fresh Start

2010-08-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

It’s been years since I boarded a school bus or had to shop for school supplies. But this last month, I became a part of these end of summer rituals because my oldest daughter started kindergarten. She stepped onto the school bus and waved goodbye! Not just to me.. but also her pre-school years.
As she eagerly anticipated the first day of school, I remembered fondly the back-to-school excitement. Each school year began a clean, blank notebook, several shiny folders and sharpened pencils. It was as if my even my school supplies were alert and ready to get started. My mother took the annual “First Day of School Photo” and a new year began.
Walking through my neighborhood one evening before school was in session, I passed a group of kids sitting alongside the sidewalk, in the grass, with their skateboards talking. Not intending to eavesdrop, I plainly heard one boy remark, “This year, I’m in a whole new school. All those rumors from last year? I can leave them behind.” Ah, yes. A new school year offers the hope of a fresh start socially, as well.
My less pleasant “back-to-school memories” are the ones matched with the “low feeling” that would set in by mid-fall. My school supplies were worn out or missing. The 3-ring binder no longer snapped shut perfectly. The coursework was actually work. By Thanksgiving, any fresh start I thought I had was certainly over.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he writes “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” This lovely line is usually found on inspirational posters and matched beautifully with a photo of a butterfly or a rainbow. As inspiring as that appears, the words are lifeless for anyone who is “in Christ” but feels discouraged with old, reoccurring struggles. If we don’t see the effects of the “new creation in Christ” does that mean we are not fully in Christ? No. Paul says don’t regard each other (or situations) from a “worldly point of view”. The work of Christ in our lives is sometimes hidden, but it is always there.
In education, the best teachers are those who find the hidden potential of a student and call it forth. That is why teaching takes patience and fortitude. At the turn of twentieth century in Boston, there was a child named “Little Annie” whom doctors had determined was beyond hope. They placed her in an asylum where she became so violent that she was given solitary confinement.
One Christian teacher took notice of Little Annie and reached out. Each day, she would read to the child, talk to her, and offer her a cookie. The child never responded. The teacher didn’t give up hope and kept extending God’s grace to her. After two years, the girl was transformed! Little Annie was told she could leave the asylum. However, she chose to stay. Little Annie stayed and worked with patients who were suffering, believing in people when no one else cared. She extended the love as it had been extended to her.
Today, you know “Little Annie” better as Annie Sullivan who worked hard to teach (and reach) a deaf and blind girl named Helen Keller. As an adult, Helen Keller attributed her success in overcoming her handicap to tenacious love of Annie Sullivan, a teacher who could see beyond outward appearances*.
Outward appearances can be deceiving. As Christians, God loved us when we were far from perfect. We are to pass on that grace to others and look beyond appearances.
A fresh start can come at the beginning of a new year – it can come as the calendar rolls over a new page. But the real fresh start is what God gives us through Jesus - and we give each other in His name.

Thanks be to God!

*Story of Annie Sullivan taken from the book Victory Over the Darkness by Neil Anderson.

We are the Clay

2010-02-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Each Sunday before Easter, we will begin our time of worship by singing "Change my Heart O God".
The song, based on Isaiah 64, invites us to consider ourselves as formless clay in the hands of the Divine Potter.
Have you ever watched a potter work at a spinning wheel? It is quite a process. First, the clay is pounded, softened.. only then is it ready to take the form that the potter has envisioned. The potters hands plunge deep into the center of the clay and draw forth a beautiful shape. The result? A unique piece of pottery with the handprints of the potter all across it!
The season of Lent is a time for you and I to be reshaped by God. Consider that you are clay in the hands of God's grace. You can't spin yourself into shape. You need the hands of the Potter to draw forth your beauty.The process of becoming who you are is not self determined - although we would prefer to think we are in charge of our lives!

This Lenten season, ponder each day that God’s hands are holding you. Give yourself over to these Hands - surrender to the One who first formed you in your mothers womb, who sees you this day and loves you even more.

Sticks out like a sore thumb

2010-02-12T17:25:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, our scripture is from Luke chapter 9, titled The Transfiguration. This scripture is always placed before us on our church calendar so that we read and examine it on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the Sunday before we begin the season of Lent. Consequently, the sermon is often about mountaintop experiences, the children's sermon is about Jesus' dazzling clothes.. and if you are like me, you dread the whole thing.. thinking, "Oh, not that crazy scene from scripture again." And we hold our breath until next week, when we can finally get on to the more realistic, "meatier" business of Lent.
It is unfortunate that Transfiguration Sunday sticks out on the church calendar like an odd iridescent, glowing, thumb... It really ought to be respected for what it truly is: An important stepping stone for us as we head into the next 40 days of Lent.
(FYI on Lent: Lent is the season before Easter when, in 40 days, we come to terms with whatever it is in our spirits that is keeping us from Loving God and neighbor. It is a time when we turn our hearts toward God. When we ask God to get rid of the sin within us. Sometimes we give up a bad habit or secret pleasure during Lent, as a way not just to break the habit, but to force our whole self into reality that we don’t belong to ourselves, we belong to God.)
So, this strange scripture that we read ever year at this time, right before Lent, is actually full of meaning for us heading into a season of repentance, a season of Lent.
Why? Well, because when Jesus headed up the mountain to pray, it wasn’t for just his regular prayer time.. if Jesus ever HAD plain old regular prayer time like the rest of us, this prayer time was different. Because he was praying about what lay ahead of him. A painful death by crucifixion.
Reminds me of that question sometimes people ask, What would you do if you knew you had only two months left to live? And people say things like, I’d skydive. What did Jesus do? He gathered with friends and prayed for strength, for guidance, for fortitude.
What is different about Jesus knowing he only has a couple months left to live.. and that pretend scenario, is that if the scenario is to be asked the way that Jesus was being presented with it, the question for you and I would be..
What would you do if you knew you had only two months left?
And that you would die in a torture chamber, beaten, mocked and then killed the most slow painful death??
Posed that way, we don’t really think so much about skydiving, huh?
Only when we think about it this way, do we begin to understand why he went up that mountain.. and only then do we get a glimpse, not just of the radiating face of Jesus - but the dazzling prescence of God who gives strength, guidance, fortitude to the Christ who will suffer for us.

When Cats Fall From the Sky

2010-01-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

A Pastor discovered a kitten had climbed up the tree outside his parsonage. Having a heart for all of God’s creatures, the pastor took it upon himself to get the little kitty out of the tree. He tried calling and coaxing her down by holding out tuna. But she wouldn’t stop crying and was too scared to move. Seeing that the tree wasn’t sturdy enough for the him to climb, he figured would need to lower the branch in order to grab the kitten. Pondering it more, he constructed a plan to tie a rope to the branch and then to the bumper of his car. If he could drive slowly away, the tree branch might bend enough to allow him to stop the car, jump out and rescue the kitten.
He got a rope, tied it to the tree and his vehicle and then slowly pulled the car forward, frequently checking his progress in the mirror. But just as he moved a bit further forward... the rope snapped. The tree limb went "boing!" and the kitten sailed through the air - out of sight.
The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a stray little kitten. Nobody had. Giving up, he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.
Oddly, a few days later while shopping at the grocery store, he happened run into one of the church members. He noticed that in her shopping cart she had cat food. Now the Pastor knew this woman didn’t like pets, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food? You didn’t get a cat, did you?” She replied, "You won't believe this," and proceeded to tell him her story. Evidently, her daughter had been begging for a cat, but Mom kept refusing. She kept begging until finally, the exasperated Mom told her little girl, "Well, if the Lord gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it."
The lady ended her story to the pastor, "Would you believe, I watched my child go out in the backyard, get on her knees, and ask Lord for a cat. And really, Pastor, it sounds crazy, but a kitten dropped out of the clear blue sky, with its paws spread out, and landed right in front her!"
Isn’t this somehow the way things work? We try our best to solve a problem, to make a difference and yet we bumble things up miserably? Or we resist and insist that something doesn’t occur (like our daughter getting a cat) only to find that the power of prayer trumps our human logic? Thankfully, God is in charge to cover our mistakes and ensure that every lost kitten gets into the hands of the one who truly loves it. No matter what.
In the last ten years, many of you have felt like the outlook for Olivet was dismal. Our worship attendance and membership was in decline, our financial situation was stessful ... and to pray for a reversal seemed as crazy as praying for a cat to fall from the sky.
I am delighted to report that Cats Are Falling From The Sky for us at Olivet. Incredible growth has occurred. We reached the end of the decade in strong financial and numerical standing. Overall, we weathered a decade where it felt, at times, for many of us that our prayers could never be answered. As we go into a new year, we go with a sense of God's faithfulness and steadfast prescence.
Every Pastor prays to someday serve a church during it's season of growth. I am humbled to be a part of Olivet in these days!
The February Newsletter that comes out next week will include an end of year, end of decade, report on our church. I invite you to read it over and notice God has blessed us. The vital ministry of Olivet is an expression of the faith of each of you and your confidence in God's provision.

Considering Some Scenarios

2010-01-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

This came in through the e-mail - so who knows if it is true or not, but it got me thinking. So I wanted to share it with you.

You are asked 2 scenarios, which you should read and respond to yourself, before scrolling down.

Scenario #1: If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis; would you recommend that she have an abortion?
Think about it.

Now, read the next before scrolling down.

Scenario # 2: Pretend that it is time to elect your next leader. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates: Pick one.

Candidate A
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks quite a few martinis a day.

Candidate B
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a great deal of whisky every evening.

Candidate C
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extramarital affairs.

Which of these candidates would be your choice? Decide first.
No peeking!!!
Then, scroll down for the answer.

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt
Candidate B is Winston Churchill
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler

and by the way, the answer to the abortion question—if you said yes, you just killed Beethoven.

-----

Well I "fell" into this one. Did you?

Christmas Cards All Year Round

2009-12-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Cards have begun to arrive and there are so many beautiful ones. Funny ones, retro ones, quirky ones, and ones with photos I haven't seen since their last Christmas card. I love getting reconnected this time of year. As a kid, when cards arrived, we hung them around the door frame to enjoy the pictures. But when it comes time to taking these Christmas Cards down, along with the tree and other decorations, it never feels right to just toss them, does it?

I heard of a great solution to this dillema. Someone told me that they keep the Christmas Cards "out" all year round. They display them at Christmas and then when the season is over, they place them in a bowl (or a basket or something) on their kitchen table. Each morning, for the rest of the year, this bowl of Christmas Cards becomes the centerpiece of their morning devotions. They randomly pull out a card, read the message, and pray for that particular family.

I thought that was the coolest idea I have heard of - and just wanted to share it with you.

Note: i can't remember who told me about this, so if it is you - please share more about how this tradition got started. I love it and may have to start it at my house! Also, the photo is from a designer named Chris Tyre. check out Chris Tyre's creativity.

What Business are we in?

2009-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

Olivet will hold our annual Charge Conference on November 7 which is kind of like a church business meeting.. which had me wondering about a question posed by author Kirk Hadoway, who wrote, Behold, I Do a New Thing, Transforming Communities of Faith. He suggests that churches should ask themselves, “What business are we in?”
Unfortunately, the term “business” brings to mind an exchange of money for goods or services, which doesn’t fit the nature of the church. But if we widen our understanding of business as more than an economic system, we might see our business as discipleship, mission or ministry to the community.
As your pastor, when I ponder what kind of business Olivet Church is in, my hope is that Olivet Church is in a business of grace. We are in the business of offering God’s free grace to all. We don’t exist for ourselves – we exist for others.
This stands in contrast to the world which is “in the business” of celebrating the self and the success of rising to the top. Popular reality television shows are in the business of placing conflict on center stage. But the church is in the business of celebrating the One who emptied himself in peace and humility.
A member of Olivet appreciatively remarked on how Olivet is a place of grace. He said, it was the “one place in my life where all the other stuff (job success, family success, keeping up with the Jones’) doesn’t matter.” To be in the business of grace means loving people where they are.
A business of grace doesn’t take pride in itself because the work of the church is about glorifying Christ.
We work together in ministry in order to be the Body of Christ for others. Not to make a name for ourselves. In this sense, a church is very different from any other business. To be a business of grace means that, at the center of all we do is not personal ego… but the Living Christ glorified. This last year, we met some challenges, conflicts and times of tough problem-solving. What brought us through these moments was the humility that our work is not our own. Grace met us in those times and supplied us with creative solutions and new avenues.
Letting go of the trappings of ego and surrendering to the movement of God who continually makes all things new is the challenge of being committed Christians. Whenever we forget that Olivet’s work is about relying on God’s grace, we get caught up in snares.
Grace is what “equips the called” which is opposite of what we usually assume, namely that grace “calls the equipped.” Ordinary folk working together in the name of Christ is what transforms lives and communities.
This last year, I witnessed persons trust the grace of God as they step forward to lend a hand, start a new ministry, join a small group or further their education. I saw God’s grace at work, when we collaborated with St. Paul’s, Eastern and St. Johns and other area churches in putting together the Youth Worship Nights and the outdoor drama of The Passion. Every venture was a step out of our comfort zone, with a certain trust that God would strengthen us.
In November, area churches will partner in ministry to transform the lives of persons in our county. The second week of November, we are participating in the Safe Nights program at Middleham Chapel. On Nov. 15th at 5pm, Olivet and Solomons UMC are co-sponsoring a Christmas Concert by the Community Chorus which raises funds and awareness for Hospice. Also for Hospice, I encourage you to attend the Festival of the Trees on Saturday, November 28 at Huntingtown High School to see all the trees including the one that Olivet has crafted featuring handmade ornaments. (see page 2)
At Olivet, my hope is that we continue to be in the business of grace – both for personal transformation and the transformation of our world. At the end of our worship services, we receive the benediction of grace to remind us that as we leave, we are not alone. We go in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and we are sent out to a world that challenges us to model Jesus’ love and service to neighbors, family or coworkers.
Yet, as we scatter off into our daily lives, we never face it alone. We have each other and we have God’s grace to meet every moment

Gone Fishin'

2009-10-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Our family has taken up fishing. It began when Doug bought a pole. Then, as a Mother’s Day gift, he gave me a pole. Of course, this meant our daughter wanted to fish like mommy and daddy.. So we bought her a pink Barbie fishing pole and set out to fish on the dock near our house where the charter boats come and go.

At first, we got a bit of attention having a four year old casting out her Barbie pole. Smiles from the charter boat passengers seemed to say “Oh, how cute, how innocent, and how uh… there ain’t no way she’s gonna a thing with that pole.”

One neighbor walked over and told me that none of us should expect to catch a fish with the using a bobbin and a single hook. You need to have weights in order to go deep – and the bobbin prevents the hook from reaching the big fish.

Actually, I had heard this advice when I purchased the bobbins at the tackle shop. The cashier didn’t even want to even sell them to me. “You don’t need those,” she said, point blank.
“I know I don’t need them, but I grew up fishing with red and white bobbins, in a pond catching bluegill. Since this is the way I know – I’m gonna use a bobbin.”

Then I added, “Oh and I need more worms, too.”

She cried out, “More worms?!. YOU JUST BOUGHT SOME AN HOUR AGO!”

Evidently, I went through too many worms too quickly. The cashier explained that I could cut the worms and use less worm per hook. But when your toddler finds sport in tossing worms into the water, they still don’t last long. Boy, I was doing everything wrong.

Nevertheless, last week, Doug and Julianna caught a fish. A huge fish. A 20 inch Rockfish with a pole that everyone determined couldn’t catch a thing.

In the ninth chapter of Mark, the disciples are quick to plow over each other deciding who is the greatest. From the beginning of the church, it has been a struggle for believers to see each other the way that Jesus sees us – as precious in his sight. There is a part of our human condition that wants to draw lines around who is “in” and who is “out.” The red words of Jesus offer a corrective, pointing out that no one is greater than another and everyone who does ministry in Jesus name is blessed.

When we see someone doing something differently, whether it is fishing, or ministry, may we remember Jesus’ words and withhold our judgment. Jesus, by his death and resurrection, imparts to us the grace to regard each other as precious and share a life together based on his love. Thanks be to God for the grace of Jesus Christ!

Let the Son Shine In

2009-09-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

Every morning, without fail, I go down stairs to the kitchen and find a pot of coffee waiting for me. My husband makes it for me before he leaves for work. There is nothing nicer than waking up to coffee already made. I count it as the first blessing of the day. What happens next, however, not many people know. It is a bit embarrassing to admit to – but before reaching for the morning coffee, I open the cabinet, pull down a coffee cup and peer inside it see if it is clean. That would not be shameful in and of itself, but if you knew that I tried 3 or 4 cups before I come across one that is clean enough to drink from.. uh, that is disgusting.

How do I know this? Because In my half asleep state I have in fact poured coffee into such cups and been drinking from them only to notice parts of a potato peel floating happily in my drink.

Sooo – ok – no one is begging to come to my house for dinner, now huh?

Jesus encountered a group of people whose religious piety was as effective as my dishwasher, both producing lives that were spotless on the outside, but the inside? The part that really matters? It’s caked with grime.

His message is that faith is not a matter of keeping external rules, without regard for what's inside you. You must pay attention to the condition of your heart! Our heart is where our problems begin.

Now, if we took daily inventory of all that swirls within our minds and hearts – we might intentionally stop each day, and ask God to scrub us clean. We all have sin within us, all of us – it’s nothing God doesn’t know about. But to turn to God for the removal of sin is the first step on a path that is traditionally called the journey of inward holiness.
This cleaning up may not always feel GOOD – those scrubbing bubbles may feel like brillo pads at times. But holiness is a process of being made aware of our shortcomings, our blind spots, our areas of life that are still growing. Holiness is God’s act of giving us grace and forgiveness while at the same time calling us to greater depths of faithfulness.. This is what the apostle calls “his spirit witnessing to our spirit”
When the God who is holy and dwells in us,
we - who are made in his image, but fallen short of his glory, surrender to his Divine love. Not for our own glory, but so that he will be the source of our every moment, and shine through us.
But we must first “let the son shine in.”

Signs of Our Faith

2009-08-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

This week, I was sitting in a restaurant when I noticed the manager walking through the seating area discussing with one of his associates about the arrival of the New Fall Banners. They walked around and he pointed out where the new banners would hang. He also pointed to places where the summer banners currently hung; near the doors, above the booths, etc. The associate was having a difficult time; it seemed, of understanding what the manager was trying to do. I watched as the manager described how some of the current banners were ineffective and needed to be moved. He also showed where some empty walls would be better placement for the signs.

“If someone is sitting here, they can’t see that sign because it is behind the buffet counter. We need to move that one. And when people are standing in line over here, they should be able to look up and see it in plain sight, not a blank wall.”

Eventually, he understood and they developed a plan for where the new banners would hang.

The discussion got me thinking about how we can benefit from seasonal re-examination of our lives, especially when it comes to how we present ourselves as people of faith. Although their conversation was about marketing a restaurant, each of us communicates a message to others. Our “banner” is how we live. Do our actions reflect that we are followers of Christ? Can our faith be seen from a variety of angles? Or is it hidden so that only those who get close can see?

In Mark 7, Jesus warns us that we should not be like the hypocrites who present themselves as faithful believers in lip-service only. A hypocritical restaurant would be one where banners hung with pictures of mouthwatering items, but none of those items are on the menu. Jesus knew people who were like this - who presented themselves as godly, holy, loving, but then treated others with disdain. He described them as “dirty dishes” - like a cup that is clean on the outside, but filthy on the inside. (These types of cups come out of my dishwasher all the time. I never drink from them!)

Our outward expression of our faith (or banner, so to speak) is only as reliable and true as the inward experience of God’s love in our hearts. We can’t expect that a sign hung around the neck reading “I’m patient” will guarantee that nobody will get on that persons nerve. The virtues of following Christ, such as patience, kindness, love, charity, these arise from hearts that know the love of Christ.

Faithfulness in heart and action is a lifelong balance and ongoing journey. Olivet Church has many opportunities for you can learn, study, ponder and pray alongside other companions on this quest. The Christian walk is never done solo. Instead, in the fellowship of believers, our lives are transformed by grace and the meaning of our lives is revealed moment by moment.

Through a Glass Dimly

2009-08-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was visiting my parents with the main goal to meet with the doctors to inquire of my mother’s health. The big question for all of us was, after 7 months of treatment, is she better? Is she healed?
The scripture readings at Olivet Church over the last several weeks have been of the miraculous healings by Jesus. In the gospel, it seemed like where ever sick people were found, if they met Jesus of Nazareth their illness was healed and their lives were forever changed. It is no wonder, then, as I sat in the office and the doctor gave us the news that her first treatment incomplete and that more treatment is needed - my mind went to Mark 8 – the two-part healing of the blind man.
In Mark 8, the man is healed gradually with the medicinal techniques of Jesus day. In that single story, I got reassurance that yes, there is hope for us when healing takes time. God’s healing grace is in treatments that like my mothers, are repeated again and again. Jesus, the great physician, did not always healed all at once.
On the trip home, my flight was delayed so I sat in the airport waiting out a rainstorm. The more I sat, the more discouraged I felt about my mother’s health. I sat thinking and looking out the huge, floor-to-ceiling window as the rain poured down. The landscape slowly slipped from view. The horizon of cypress trees and taxiing airplanes went from rather clear, but rainy picture… to a blurrier and blurrier sight as the rain came down in sheets. Pretty soon, I couldn’t see the slow moving planes at all. The only thing I could see was the droplets of rain racing across the glass window.
I returned to my bible and found Mark 8: 22-26 to read again the account of healing. (Jesus spits in the blind man’s eyes, asks the blind man if he can see. The blind man answers that he can see, but it’s really blurry. “People,” he says, “look like trees walking.” – Kind of like my partial blurred view out the window, I thought.) Jesus lays his hands on the man a second time and asks him to look upward. Then, his sight is made clear. This time, I noticed that in the story Jesus redirects the mans gaze upward the heavens. This spoke to me because I realized that for us who are in the process of healing and wholeness, the best place to fix our eyes, is upward. I looked out that window again, thinking, when the storms of life come I must not be discouraged by what I cannot see, but keep fixed on the hope of the unseen.

The view out our window on life, changes with the weather. When the storm pounds the glass – we can’t see like we used to. An illness or personal struggle can make us blurry-eyed, it can make us short-sighted. And certainly, our hope in those times is easily diminished.. but the bible says, in all of life, we never see perfectly, we always see through a window dimly.(1 Corinthians 13:12) We never have the full picture of what God is doing. One day, all will be revealed to us. And for us who love Christ, we are strengthen by this hope in Him.
It gave me strength that day, to consider that Jesus is still our healer. He is ever-with-us. He is bringing us to perfect sight over our long lives. It is by his grace that he takes me and you by the hand – just as he did the blind man and leads us.. If we keep our eyes, fixed on him, the unseen, we are sure to see more clearly over time.

When Rocks Cry Out

2009-07-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

In July, we began a Wednesday Night Worship Service for teens. I was advised not to because lots of kids couldn't be there. (Families are on vacation, teens are helping with Vacation Bible School, on mission trips and other such stuff…) Nevertheless, it was on the heart of some church leaders to do it anyway.

The first Wednesday night we expected low attendance. But we had almost 40 people. Las night, we were certain there would be more teens. Unfortunately, we had half the amount of the previous week. The kids were disappointed with the low turn-out. It was a let-down.
This morning, I wondered if it would be better just to give up this crazy idea. Maybe folks were right, our timing is off. Maybe we ought to let it go?

I arrived to church this morning and headed to the sanctuary to prepare the worship space for Sunday. Wednesday night worship looks different than Sunday mornings. First, Julie and I had “turned” the pulpit into a rock pile and had covered the altar with candles and rocks. Second, Kit and Kyle had placed another rock pile in the back of the church for one of the prayer stations. During worship, we selected a rock to symbolize our burden and prayerfully wrote our troubles upon the rock.. For me, it was a moving experience. All of us took our burdens to the altar, prayed, lit a candle – and left it there for Jesus.

When I came in this morning to clear up the space, I saw the rocks. Exposed to the light of day, sitting out in an empty sanctuary, void of music, void of kids. I felt bad that I had considered canceling our teen worship nights. These rocks seem to shout to me “Don’t silence us!”

This brought to mind that story from scripture where Jesus tells us if everyone stopped praising him, then rocks would cry out. This morning, the rocks were doing just that.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to joyfully praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop!" He replied, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (Luke 19:37-40)

I smiled as I turned to Bible and re-read that passage from Luke. For us at Olivet, we fondly consider that biblical place known as the "Mount of Olives" to be our namesake - Olivet.

As I continued to read and place myself in the story, I could hear my own voice in the voice of the Pharisees: ordering an end to worship. Hmmm.. like a typical religious authority, I too had seriously considered putting an end to Wednesday night worship Wow, I had become like the Pharisees, trying to silence praise and judging praise as worthy or unworthy. Through reading this scripture, I was reminded that no one can stop the movement of God’s mighty acts of praise.

Funny - the stones cried out, just like Jesus said they would.

Yes, store-bought gravel rocks that people use in their gardens or driveways, covered with writing and scribbles, revealed to me God’s heart for worship. Twenty-four hours ago, I thought they were a clever tool for a prayer station. But an ordinary object can become an extraordinary tool for God’s message.

I decided to leave those rocks on the altar for Sunday morning– not just because they taught me today.. but also because each of those rocks points to a burdened soul. And each of those rocks can remind us that no matter the time, the place, or our age, all of us can lift our voices in prayer and praise.

On Wednesday nights at Olivet there is a place for where teens can hand it over to God – Whatever it is… and young people will continue to have a voice.

Gonna Lay My Birdies Down

2009-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

In the last post, I showed photos from the baptism outside the church. The four girls took the lead, dressed in white robes, ready to baptised and singing "I'm gonna lay down my burdens, down by the riverside." They had spent the earlier part of the week pondering the mystery of the waters of baptism, of how Christians are raised to new life in Christ. We had journeyed together through theological concepts of sin and grace. Each of these girls came to the water that morning aware of their own burdens which would be brought to the grace of the moment.
After the baptism, I was driving home with my three year old daughter who began singing the song she heard at church -"I'm gonna lay down my burdens, down by the riverside." Except that she has misunderstood the words of the song and was singing "I'm gonna lay down my birdies.
Hearing this made me smile as I pictured what it would be like to have a sack of birdies and try to get them all to lay down. That would be next to impossible. It made me laugh to picture attempting this while the birds flap wildly, feathers flying. This humorous picture lingered with me for days.
Then one morning, it occured to me that as silly as it seems, sometimes laying a burden before God can be a bit like laying down "birdies." Sometimes we lay a concern before the Lord and rather than find peace, our concern just flaps more fervently, refusing to be tamed.
As difficult as it can be, our spiritual lives are dependant upon our daily faithful insistence that "those birdies" lay down.
If you find your burdens are more like Julianna's birdies, untamable, don't be discouraged. Keep at it and eventually the restless bird-ens will find rest in God.

We went down to the river...

2009-06-21T18:35:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the Youngers for allowing us to gather on their dock.

The prayer of sanctification over the water - there is something very profound about saying those words of God's awesome power while standing in a cold river. Just days before, we had been to the same spot to look it over, when a snake appeared. This morning, the snake was sleeping but the jelly fish were visiting.

Our robes, in this photo, seem to depict us floating. However, our feet are being slowly swallowed by the mud. Only 1 flip-flop was lost.

Photos from the baptism at Olivet on Father's day 2009 by a very proud father.

Additional Photos from Pentecost Picnic

2009-06-07T17:07:00.001-07:00

When the Holy Spirit Rains...

2009-06-01T19:25:00.001-07:00

There is a saying
that a long-time
Olivet person just told me,
"Rain before 7, clear by 11".
I had never heard that before.
And if I had, then when I awoke to thunderstorms at 5am on Pentecost Sunday, I wouldn't have thought we needed to cancel the picnic.
Well, you can see by the pictures that the old saying was right - and that I was of little faith. The weather was clear, sunny and gorgeous by the time we celebrated on Mary and Ray's lawn next to the church.
Earlier in the week, I ran into Mary (whose lawn we enjoyed) at the store and she told me that Olivet's picnic was listed in the county newspaper. That's great! I thought.. until I heard that it also included the location as being at her house. Fortunately, no one who arrived welcomed themselves to her refridgerator.

Bob's twin grandbabies were the youngest people present - and in the picture above, you see three generations! I think that in the photo below, Kelly may be taking scripture literally and is concerned about a tongue of fire that has appeared above Ron's head - and she is trying to extinguish it. I don't know. These photos are all by Dave Jones. Keep sending em!

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

2009-05-29T06:40:00.001-07:00

This last weekend, you likely heard the roar of the Blue Angels overhead, as the jets performed their aerobatic maneuvers celebrating Memorial Day Weekend. Since then, many of you shared with me your stories about where you had the thrill (or sometimes surprise!) of seeing them. First, I got a sense of the speed while driving back from Lexington Park, crossing the bridge and they flew above our car! Several of you told me how you planned to watch them from your boat, which sounded spectacular because they soar directly above all the boats in the river. Others didn’t have to leave land at all - you simply walked outside and watched from the comfort of your home. Interestingly, the funniest stories I heard both involved haircuts. One lady caught the performance from the chair of the beauty parlor while getting her hair cut on Solomons! Another lady told me that she was standing on her back deck, cutting her husbands hair, when the Blue Angels surprised them both, zooming above their house. (Don’t worry, she had a steady hand on the razor.)

Seeing the Blue Angels caused me to wonder about the skill and focus of the pilots. They must have such precision to do such complicated formations at such high speeds. I learned recently that for some of the maneuvers, the lead pilot in the formation has the primary responsibility of direction. The lead pilot charts the course for the whole group. All the other pilots look to his wing, or the wing or tail of the neighboring jet rather than looking straight ahead at where they are heading. Can you imagine driving your car at full speed – and rather than looking at the road ahead, you have to look out your side window at the car traveling beside you? I certainly can’t. It would take an incredible amount of trust the lead pilot. I would certainly want him to have excellent skills and ability!

For us who follow Jesus, Jesus Christ is our “lead pilot” as we perform the acrobatic maneuvers required to take the formation of “church”. Church, after all, is people working together with Christ as their Head to accomplish great things that could never be done by any one person “flying solo”. Being “church” means at times we take our eyes off of the road ahead – and instead trust the leadership of Christ our pilot, and rely on one another to stay on course.

This Spring, I have seen Olivet “soar in formation” through our collaboration on the Rummage Sale, the Pentecost Picnic, our Music Ministries, and the UM Men and UM women. Whenever you work together in Jesus name and lay aside your personal interests for the mission of serving others, you “fly in formation” for Christ’s glory!

I give thanks for the way that Olivet has collaborated with area churches for events like The Passion of the Christ Outdoor Theatre and the Evening Worship Services for Teens, which will continue this summer. None of us can do it alone. The greatest achievements occur when we care less about getting personal credit – and simply bond together for the glory of God.

This month, four young people will be added to the Church through the waters of Baptism. These four girls – Molly, Natalie, Emilee and Jess, have accepted Christ as their Pilot, so to speak, and will be baptized on Father’s Day June 21. I invite you to begin praying for each of them as they prepare for baptism. All of them chose to be baptized by immersion in the river, so following the 11am worship service, everyone will walk down the road to the creek, where they will receive the sacrament of baptism.
Praise the one who we follow, Jesus Christ our Savior, our redeemer and our Pilot!

Antsy for Grace

2009-05-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

This last few weeks, I have come to a new level of awareness that I am a control freak. My teacher? Ants.

They have declared my casa is their casa... and I am battling these uninvited guests.

I have tried to be more vigilant about cleaning the kitchen, about emptying the cat bowl, about every splish, splash crumb and morsel that falls to the floor... But as I watch Sophia hobble about living room- chewing on an ear of corn, kernels dropping as she bounces - I realize, “The ants have found their shangrila."

Their path goes from the front of the house to the back. From the sticky floor in the kitchen to the lush, crumb encrusted carpet of the living room.

When I spotted a bright, orange Pepperidge Farm Goldfish cracker make it’s way across the dark living room carpet, I realized they are winning the battle.

Dr. Phil, of television fame, has written advise to those who are seeking to control the uncontrollable. He says, whenever people seek to control their environment they place a strain on their relationships and they become exhausted. None of us can control people or the world, so we need to simply let go of this kind of perfectionism. To make his point, he adds “The world is not going to fall off its axis if you let go. “

Dr. Phil is right – the world won’t fall off it’s axis if I let go of my obsession with crumbs and cleaning.. He is right that it strains my relationships because I am constantly nagging or brooding. And he is right: in seeking to control I become more and more exhausted. For me, it is not a physical exhaustion, as much as being discouraged that I can’t do better or work harder or make others around me do better or work harder.

A friend recently shared with me a word of encouragement that she got from a book she was reading, Tools Matter for Practicing the Spiritual Life by Mary Margaret Funk. for In it, she pictured the image of a gardener, and pointed out how most of us think we are he gardener of our lives.. we plant, we harvest, we design the layout of our lives. And when nothing grows, or something grows unexpectedly, we become frustrated. But, she explains that our task is not to be the gardener who does the planting, but to be the one instead who does the weeding. We should allow God to be the planter that he is.
What a different approach this would be, to accept the life I am in. Can I let go, and let God be the planter? Can I let go and take up tender task of weeding? For me, it is all about “letting go” of control?

Since God is the one planting the seeds within me and you, shouldn't that be enough assurance that things are in control?

After sharing this reflection on my ant problem, many people had suggestions on how I could tackle it. Numerous ideas ...Corn starch was a suggestion I had never heard.. along with cinnamon.... oh, and boric acid. Someone today told me to slide copper pennies into the baseboards of my house. Any other suggestions?

Overboard - Fishers of Men

2009-04-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Last evening while we enjoyed dinner with friends, I looked out the window toward the marina. Usually, I see boats moving at regular speeds in and out of the dock areas. This time, I saw a boat, not moving, sitting in the middle of "traffic." It caught my eye and as I looked closer I could hardly believe what I saw. There was a man being pulled up from the water! Immediately, I ran to the deck for a better view. Everyone left their dinner plate to watch the remainder of the rescue unfold.

While we stood there, we tried to guess what happened. We saw rescuers pull out a couple of people along with coolers, a backpack, an oar. There was no sign of a boat. Were they were coming back from a fishing trip, were so drunk that they jumped off, or fell off? We had no answers because we came in to the rescue scene "at the end" of the story.

This morning, when I walked out to the deck again with my morning coffee, I looked out at the same water which was now calm, quiet, void of excitement. I wondered again about the identity of those who had fallen in. While drinking my coffee, I decided, quite smugly, that those people weren't helpless - they were stupid. They shouldn't have needed rescued. They probably were drunk or rowdy or something. Oddly, my cynical assesment satisfied me. . For a moment..

A few sips of my coffee later, and the words "fisher of men" came to mind.

AH! Jesus said we are to be "fisher of men." Isn't that funny how an early Bible lesson comes to you at 5:30 in the morning when it's just you and your coffee mug?

Jesus said we are to be fishers of people, be he wasn't talking about saving drowning people.. literally.

But metaphorically, Jesus saves us who drown in sin. To follow him is to extend his saving grace to all.

Last nights rescuers didn't judge the persons like I did. When they found them, they fished them out of the 60 degree water. They didn't ask why they were in trouble before extending them a hand. They probably even wrapped a warm blanket around them.

To extend grace to the world, we must be as indiscriminating in our grace as those rescuers. After all, God's saving grace is extended to all of us, for all are in need of it.

We are all overboard.. and yet, by God's grace we are all , also, fishers of people.

The Search is Over

2009-04-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Search is Over is a love song from the 80’s by Survivor about a guy who spends his life searching for true love, only to discover it was “with him” in his longtime female friend. He sings that she was just a girl he knew that he took for granted. Until one day, he looks in her eyes, their hands touch, and they realize that love was with them all the while. He describes his life as a highway that led him, no matter which path he took, straight back to her. The passion of the song, for me, is in the story of searching and searching, making mistakes and being forgiven when all along, the person you love (and who loves you unfailingly) is right there by your side. All that effort and worry when love was “right before your eyes.”
In the Gospel of Luke, we find a similar story of known as The Road to Emmaus. Two friends are walking the long road back from Jerusalem after the Passover. They are discussing the unexpected brutal crucifixion of their leader, Jesus of Nazareth. They are still emotional, upset, confused because some have said that Jesus is missing, some have said that he is alive. They are discussing this when a stranger appears and walks with them. This stranger is none other than Jesus – but the Bible says that their “eyes were kept from recognizing him” Luke 24:16.

The two disciples get a bit snippy, in my opinion, with this stranger who hasn’t heard the news. “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” asks Cleopas. He fills him in on the details – but the stranger (Jesus) has a completely different take on the events. In fact, he says they are foolish for not viewing all that occured through the lenses of scripture. He reminds of what the prophets declared. Then, for many miles, he walks with them, interpreting scripture from Moses to Isaiah.
They reach their home and urge the stranger to stay a bit longer. This man was making sense. They wanted to hear more. His knowledge, his sincerity, his wisdom, his peace..

They sit down to dinner with this stranger… who takes bread, blesses it, breaks it and gives it to them. Aha! Their eyes are suddenly opened! This stranger is Jesus the Christ. Their search is over, love was with them all along.

The dramatic ending of the story is really it’s beginning.

The dramatic ending of the Passion, the angels at the tomb, the Risen Christ who appears alongside the disciples - that may be the literal end of the story - but for us who discover the love of Jesus, it is the begining of our story.

Once our eyes are opened, we see all of life differently. Where once we were asking, "Why did this have to happen?" We now look back on the past with a sense of awe at how everything "worked together for good" (Romans 8:28) Where once we were impatient with our present turmoil asking "How long do I have to wait?" We now have this thing called hope - a grace from God which imparts patience in the midst of problems.(Romans 12:12) And finally, where once we needed to know all the answers in order to face the future, now we have the assurance of faith. (Hebrews 11:1).
Love always changes us. When we think that the search is over, that is when our life just gets started.

Little Lamb of God

2009-04-14T19:08:00.001-07:00

Ok. I don't spend so much time in the cemetery - although judging by the last 2 blog entries this may be hard to believe.

I took this photo of Sophia, when she discovered the small lamb atop one of the headstones at Olivet's cemetery. Unlike the other grave markers, this one was at her level - and it has that cute little lamb that seemed to be placed there for her to pet and adore lovingly. She talked to the lamb for awhile.. babbled at it, smiled and then...uh, put her mouth around it's snout.

Headstones like this were common in the late 1800's to designate the death of a baby or child. I have seen these same headstones in other cemeteries in Washington, DC. Sometimes the marker for a child will have an embossed lamb, to symbolize the innocence of a child - but other times, the lamb will sit atop the marker like a sculpture.

While Sophia enjoyed this little lamb of God, I pictured the parents and family gathering 100 years ago at that spot covered in grief. As a mother, seeing the headstone causes my heart to ache as if was there that dark day. For Sophia, seeing the headstone was like meeting a friend.

On Easter, we celebrate that death is conquered through Jesus' resurrection. Our greatest foe, death, doesn't have the last word. Instead, something completely mysterious awaits us: Eternal Life. We don't know exactly what it will be like, but we are sure that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us and knows our every need.

That said, try as I might, whenever I see the headstones of those little lambs, I feel sadness, loss, confusion at the brevity of life. To trust that eternal life awaits me perhaps requires me to return to childlike wonder and appreciation for all that is around me.

The Geocache'd Tomb

2009-04-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

When I first learned of geocaching, the outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to navigate to their way, I thought it an odd way to spend time and energy. I wondered what fun could there be in driving a distance to hike through a field and locate a Tupperware container? All of this effort for a trinket? Friends told me it was actually a fun game for all ages. And I eventually warmed up to the idea. After all, the search is the best part of a good hunt.

Yesterday at church, a car pulled up and two ladies hopped out and walked quite purposely, into Olivet’s cemetery. As is my clergy custom, I approached them and introduced myself. I noticed they had a paper in hand, which I assumed showed information about their ancestors. I said, “Do you have family here at Olivet?” She told me, “No” she was geocaching.

Evidently, Olivet is part of this geocaching treasure-hunting phenomenon. Afterwards, I logged on to the website (www.geocaching.com) to find out more. I found our church cemetery. It is a part of two hunts. Both of them refer to the ghosts you can find. This was unsettling to me. And then I read the comment, posted yesterday, by the woman I met. She wrote that she was muggled by the pastor. Muggled means that a non-geocacher “finds” the spot.

In reading her comment, I became troubled. From her perspective I had interfered with her hunt. Although, she was a visitor on our churches property – I was an interruption. Yet, from my perspective, to enter a cemetery with out intention to pay respect to the dead is an interruption. The cemetery is not a play yard. And it is not a setting for staging ghost hunts.
I walked through the cemetery this afternoon, during my time of prayer and reflection, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how upset I am that people are walking across the gravesites peering into their handheld GPS –in search of a trinket. It seems they don’t enter as I do, in humility that my time will come when I, too, will return to the earth. And they don’t enter it in reverence – that someone has been laid there to rest. As I walked, I became more and more upset because I felt like our cemetery is being treated like a sightseeing marker – not a place of holy ground.

I thought about the gospel story for Easter morning, when Mary arrives at the tomb and finds Jesus’ body missing. (John 20:1-10) She thought robbers had taken him. Her sorrow must have been mixed with a similar feeling of violation on behalf of the deceased. Can’t they just leave Jesus alone? Why must they treat him like public property that can be handled or dragged off in any manner they chose?

The days leading up to Easter are always, for me, a time when death, the tomb, the grave all become more real. They feel closer. Certainly, others around may be getting ready for Easter without attending mid-week services. For some, Easter has nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection. Nothing to do with the cross.

Living the Holy Week experience in a world where Easter is about Bunnies, can be like standing next to someone who seeks direction from a GPS. Both are in the same spot. But each see it quite differently.

Mary at the tomb, perhaps can model for us the best response to a world that "misses the point" so to speak.

She cries.

She cries and through her tears - says that she is willing to do whatever it takes
(Tell me where you laid him, and I will go get him).
Jesus meets her - and us - in that place of sorrow.

Photos from Palm Sunday by Doug Hood

2009-04-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Palm Sunday at Olivet

The Olivet Choir led us in song -as we followed the children's band and waved the branches of palm trees!
The church website won't let me post these, or anything for that matter.. so I am posting them on the blog. Enjoy.

All that Matters

2009-04-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

"You'll find a colt. Untie and bring it."
"A woman will pour out expensive perfume. Let her be."
"You'll see a guy with a jug of water. Follow him home."

In the fourteenth chapter of Mark, Jesus gives the above directions to his disciples on the road to Jerusalem. It all must have been surreal - these disjointed, random strangers and events that occur right in line with Jesus' prediction.

I imaging that following Jesus on his entry (palms waving, people shouting) was both exciting and exhausting for the disciples. When they finally reached the upper room, they probably reclined, poured some wine and settled in for a good night of conversation about the days events.
But not Jesus.
His heart was heavy.
He'd already been handed over by Judas - and he knew it. (Mark 14:10-11) As he looked around the table, his heart must have ached as he pictured each of his beloved friends scattering like sheep. (Mark 14:27-31)

"A rooster will crow twice - and you will betray me.. but don't worry, I won't betray you, " he tells them.

When I was in elementary Sunday School, I remember distinctly reading Jesus' words to Peter (above) and actually feeling a chill come over me. I knew that if I was in that situation, I would be just Peter. I'd run. It gave me a chill to think that Jesus "saw through" Peter ... and despite this still loved him.

Since then, I have certainly psychoanylzed my "chill" response to this scripture and, in fact, I have never told anyone of how deeply it effected me.. for fear of being labeled an emotional child with anxiety related to blah, blah, blah.

But I believe now that that chill I felt was conviction. The truth of human nature as relayed in the Gospel is powerful. No matter our age, it can convict us.

The story of Holy Week convicts my daughter who asked me yesterday to tell her again about Jesus and the cross. She popped her head up from the pillow and interupted, asking, "Was the Holy Spirit there?" When I assured her, yes, the Holy Spirit was there - she was relieved. She put her head back down. "Good," she said.

If the Gospel doesn't convict us, if we don't see ourselves in this drama of Christ dying for us, than we are missing the grace it offers.

So here I publicly and openly "blog" that, as a third grader, the sound of the cock crowing haunted me.. and still haunts me.

Can I stick by Jesus on this road that leads to a hellish place known as the skull?

Holy Week is almost here.

Will I deny him this year?

On Palm Sunday, I am pretty confident I can make the steps. I am pretty sure I am strong enough to go with my Lord.

But when I clean up the palms from the pews this Sunday afternoon, I know the truth. I am no different than Peter.
By Good Friday, I will be weeping in the church pew.
Because I can't go with him.
I run.
I hide.
My love fails.
But it's okay. His love remains steadfast. And that is all that matters.

Freaking Me Out

2009-03-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

One of the junior high students pointed out to me last Sunday night, that she just realized that our church has two identical paintings.
“Did you ever notice that, Pastor Faith?” she asked, as she pointed to the portrait of Jesus Christ hanging above the sound booth in our sanctuary.
“Yeah,” I replied, “We like Jesus around here.”
“But it’s the same picture. Twice. That’s freaking me out,” she said and walked away.
I disregarded her comment as dramatic for the sake of being dramatic. But then I thought about it some more. She is right that there are two identical pictures in the church.

At the front of the sanctuary hangs an oval framed copy of Warner Sallman’s “Head of Christ.” In the back of the church, hangs the same 1940’s Sallman painting except this one framed in a smaller, simpler, square frame. A person could be a bit freaked out, I suppose, especially if they never saw any other depictions of Christ besides the body-less, blonde man.
I appreciate Sallman’s “Head of Christ” as an American Icon. I know it is the most popular depiction of Jesus. When I travelled to Korea, I saw it hanging on the walls of a Sunday school classroom. It doesn’t freak me out, so to speak, because I have since learned that Sallman’s Head of Christ has been reproduced over 500 million times.
Like the “Head of Christ,” the scripture for this weeks lectionary (John 3:14-21) holds a particularly famous passage which is overly familiar to many of us. The words of John 3:16 have been reproduced in greeting cards, coffee mugs and neck ties.. even lifted up on cardboard behind the goal post at football games. It is a great scripture – it is worth repeating.. but, I wonder has it lost it's impact from being overly used?

The truth of the verse, that God loved us so much that he sent us his only Son.. Does it continue to speak deeply to your soul when you see it again and again.... or does it become commonplance... and "hang" in your life like a painting you see everywhere and take for granted? I just wonder…

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

2009-02-18T12:34:00.004-08:00

Cleaning the house is always a challenge for me. Before I left to come to Florida, I attempted to conduct some minimal spring cleaning. You would think that since we haven’t even lived in this house a year, that this would be easy. Not to mention that in the 7 months we have lived here, I have had folks help me get a jumpstart on cleaning. For instance, my sister visited last month and reorganized my linen closet and kitchen pantry. This had not already been done once by my best friend who visited last November. (Hmmm.. wait a minute.. so much for the theory that guests are “like fish” after three days. Mine don’t smell - they scrub!)
The season of Lent is an opportunity to do some spiritual house cleaning. Through intentional disciplines and self-sacrifice, we hope to clear away distractions and open ourselves to God’s grace. This can be just as much of a challenge as housework. How will I find the time? Will I be able to keep it up? Why vacuum cookie crumbs that just reappear in 24 hours?
I was pondering the concept of spiritual spring cleaning, while vacuuming up cookie, cracker and who knows what. I had slipped into that “vacuuming zone” – you know the one? Where the world is blocked out by the hummm of the Hoover? I admit I enjoy the inner quiet that I find in the “vacuuming zone.” For an opposite reason. my older daughter Julianna loves the loud vacuum because it is the perfect time to sing at the top of her lungs.
While in this “zone,” I stopped paying attention to our 15-month old daughter Sophia. She had been toddling around the living room as I was cleaning. When I turned to check her whereabouts, I was shocked to discover her innocently sitting in the “wake” of my cleaning path, shredding up tissue with vigor.
My first reaction was, “AAAH! Futility!” I remembered the Greek myth of Sisyphus. How his punishment was to push a boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll down again. Repeating this again and again through eternity. I lamented. Would I ever have a clean house? Would someone always undo my effort? Then, my hardened heart of self-pity was softened as I saw her innocent delight in shredding tissue.
She possessed as much determination and focus in shredding Kleenex as I had in vacuuming. Like mother, like daughter. It seemed she was cleaning in her own way. She was, in her mind, playing house. I turned off the vacuum and grabbed a camera, which upset her because I jolted her out of her own “vacuum zone”.. and the party was over. . The photo is that precise moment.
Lent is a fine time to get absorbed in our relationship with God. But it also can become a time of getting absorbed in the dirt, dust and the clutter of our human nature. That is not the point of taking on a spiritual discipline. Our focus ought to be on spending time with God in a new way. A way that changes us and makes us more like Jesus.The grace of Lent is that we can set aside time to draw closer to God who enjoys us. Maybe God, like Sophia, cares less about the cookie crumbs that we strive to get rid of – but more about being with us for the journey.

Betcha Can't Eat Just One

2009-02-18T12:34:00.003-08:00

Remember the advertising slogan "Betcha Can't Eat Just One"? It was in reference to potato chips. It was saying that the snack was so good, you would not be able to stop. As I enjoy these last hours of Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras) I wonder: Will I have the self-discipline to keep my Lenten promise? There is that voice that vexes me, like the slogan, telling me to bet against myself.

Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday is the night when each of us indulge in our guilty pleasure before the 40 day season of Lent begins. The logic being, perhaps, that we get it out of our system? Or more practically, we rid our house of the sweets (or other temptations) so that we don't have to face them when we open the pantry. Clear out the cookie jars, the wine racks, the ice cream in the freezer. No wonder this holiday has wide appeal. At Olivet Church tonight, people gather for a Pancake Supper which falls right in line with this Christian tradition of purging before Lent.

However, I am not in Lusby pigging out on pancakes.

I am visiting my mom who is battling a disease which leaves her with no appetite. She sat tonight picking at her pasta. It's fine, she tells me, I just have no appetite. I ask her if there is anything she craves. No, everyone asks that, she tells me. What about chocolate? What about a potato chip? Betcha can't eat just one of those! But alas, she has no appetite for any of these things that most of us would give up for Lent.

In this moment, I realize the irony. Like many of us, my mom has sought to control her desire for those "sinful sweets" her whole life. My earliest memory of her is when she would run from our house, cutting through the backyard, to reach the Goshen Dairy ice cream shop before it closed. I have her same sweet tooth. Wouldn't a loss of appetite be a welcomed change? It certainly would be an easy way to "get through" Lent.

But today, as I watched her, I began to see that our appetite is a gift. Sure it can lead to temptation. It could result in poor choices. But our appetite is what gives us life. It provides an entry point for God to meet us in our human desire. We have the potential to have appetites for all sorts of things, God's grace included.

My mom's appetite for food has been dulled. She won't be joining in any pancake suppers tonight. But her appetite for God's grace is just as huge. She hungers His peace. She takes second and third helpings of the fellowship of Christian believers. She would, figuratively speaking, sneak out the back door tonight and run toward His sweet spirit!

Lent doesn't have to be about suppressing our desire - in fact, trouble arises when we try to deny our desires. Instead, Lent can be a time of deepening our desire – our desire simply needs a holy focus. Lent can be a time of letting ourselves go in our Holy desires. How great to indulge in these! There is no shame in pigging out on God’s love, peace, hope, joy.
The depths of our spirituality does not depend upon changing the things we do, but in doing for God what we ordinarily do for ourselves. --Brother Lawrence

Mountain Top Experiences

2009-02-18T12:34:00.001-08:00

When I lived in Los Angeles, my favorite place to relax and be with my thoughts was up in the Canyons above Pepperdine University. (The picture here is of one those winding paths.) In the clear air, looking out over the sparkling Pacific Ocean, the sun was close and God's presence felt even closer.

In the Bible, whenever someone heads up a mountain, God shows up. Mountains, in ancient times, were the geographical places where God descended to meet those who ascended. Climbing a mountain, like seeking the Lord, takes effort and willpower.

Elijiah fled up the mountain when life looked like failure after failure. He set out on a forty day journey up Mt Horeb (or Sinai) the same mountain where Moses received the 10 Commandments. On this tiresome journey, he ate the food God prepared (cakes, yum) and when he reached the place, God asked him "What are you doing here?" (That interrogation always puzzled me.) But anyway, on that mountain God spoke a sweet, still voice of encouragement and Elijiah was able to go back down the mountain and face his foes and failures. (1 Kings 19:1-12)

This week in our scripture reading, Jesus heads up a mountain with three of his disciples. (Mark 9: 2-10 ) and there a strange, dazzling change takes place in Jesus. He is transfigured, his clothes turn bright white and two strangers appear beside him. The Bible tells us it was Elijah and Moses, hanging out talking to Jesus. But I wonder how anyone knew it was Moses (did he look like Charlton Heston? Cause Moses to me will always be the Moses in Cecile DeMille's classic film) Somehow, the disciples knew who Jesus was with and they were terrified. Peter freaks out and blurts something out about how nice it would be to put a plaque here, or build a monument to remember this by. That's when God's voice resounds - and tells them to listen to Jesus, because he is the Son of God.

(Poor peter, he always is quick to act and then ends up getting shut down, put back in his place or even called Satan. )

They descend the mountain and Jesus tells them to be quiet about what they saw and heard.

Likewise, when we have up-close experiences of God - perhaps on a retreat, in our private devotion, or at an arena where thousands worship and the Holy Spirit is really kicking.. there is still a need for us to "come down" the mountain, not build a shrine, and maybe not even talk a lot about what we saw. Because we see in the Gospel, that the work of God was incomplete on that mountain. God's command is for the disciples to listen - and Jesus follows up with a reminder them that listening means keeping your mouth shut. (I think of school teachers that would say, keep your ears open and your mouths shut!)

Perhaps, like St. Francis of Assisi advised, we witness to God more loudly, when use less words. (He said Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.)

Have you ever loved something only to find that the effect was missing for those you sought to share it with? Maybe a book that “changed” your life? Or a movie? Or a favorite hiking spot? What about a revival or retreat?

I ask all of this aware that I am more like Peter, quick to do respond, start something whenever I have a glimpse of God’s glory.. and the scripture reminds me to value a silent witness.

For me a take-home truth is sometimes mountain top experiences call us to “be” – not “do”. Doing can cheapen the grace of the event, turn the experience into an idol, not drag others up our Great God Moment Mountain. but just let those moments resonate in our soul. In hiking the Malibu Canyon paths, I would try to convince others of it’s value.. but I found no one seemed to enjoy it the way I did. What was for me a profound God Moment was for them just another dusty trail through a canyon.

Tree by the River

2009-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Imagine a tree planted firmly alongside a rough, raging river. Next, imagine standing alongside the tree. There, to your shock, you look down and see a person in distress - caught in the turbulent water, holding on to a piece of their broken raft which is lodged in useen rocks below the surface.

What do you do? How do you rescue the person in trouble?
You certainly could jump in with both feet -but you would likely be carried away by the water, placing yourself in need of rescue. You could stand on the side and shout words of instruction or comfort. This would assure your safety.. but might not save the victim. Finally, you could use the firm stability of the tree to anchor yourself as you extend help.

This image descibes the "ministry moment" - the moment when we meet someone in crisis and we begin to strategize on how to respond.

In my life, there are times when I've applied each of the techniques. I have stood on the side and offered suggestions, I have also jumped in without recognizing how I was placing myself in danger.

For me, the tree planted firmly by the raging water represents the solid resources that are available whenever we help people in crisis. None of us are expected to do it on our own. The tree also symbolizes our faith in Jesus Christ who is always present as a source of strength in crisis. We must remain tethered to him - and tethered to good resources that keep us from being pulled down stream.

I share this because in the last 6 weeks, I haven't written because I was (going with this imagery) in rescue mode with my family. Sometimes holding on to the tree, other times clinging to a broken raft. Always catching my breath and trying to find solid footing.

I have found the solid footing of Jesus Christ in everything from my morning devotional (the upper room), bible study with other pastors, listening to Christian music, conversations with Christian friends.. and suprisingly, even from the recent movie we showed at church, FIREPROOF.

If anything has changed since I last wrote, it is that I can testify even more strongly that the only way to weather the storms of life is to be tethered to the unshakable love of Christ.

Beneath the Stars

2009-01-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

The star of Epiphany has me thinking and looking upward to the heavens This last month, there has been a bright star at sunset, it is Venus I guess. It must have been spectacular to see the star above Bethlehem. But the story of Epiphany isn’t just about the star – it is about finding Christ around us.. and identifying the signs that point us to Him.

This New Years Eve, I was asleep by 10pm and startled awake at midnight by the sound of fireworks and the neighbor boys jumping up and down and screaming on their porch outside my bedroom window. As I tried to return to sleep, I began to recall New Year’s Past.
For instance, when I was in junior hight, I too went out on my porch at midnight to blast my french horn in a very loud Auld Lange Sine. I certainly awoke my share of sleeping neighbors.

But there was New Years Eve, when I was not on my front porch, but at a party.. and right before the stroke of midnight, I ran outside to be alone and look up at the stars. Outside in the cold, it was just me and the bareness of the field, the hollow sounds of celebration from houses in the distance. That New Year’s Eve, I stood looking up at the stars and felt my heart ache for something greater. It was there that I I had an epiphany, as they say. It was that my true self was not to be found back at that party, or even out alone in the field.. That my true identity rested in God. I felt that there must be a purpose for my life, and I desperately wanted to know it. The peace I felt that night, was a sense that I just needed to keep on the path. Under the stars, I felt deep peace that God was setting the direction if I could just keep following His star.

All of us have a star we must follow – Following stars is not easy, even the wisemen stopped and asked for directions. But all of us have a course that God has charted, and the star always leads us closer to the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

Polar Bear Swim at North Beach

2009-01-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

Nothing profound. Just my husband entertaining me with his latest display of nuttiness. So...today is the first day of a new year and he took the polar bear plunge at North Beach. I tried out my new video camera - and captured it on tape. Enjoy. And see you at North Beach next year at 2pm on January 1, 2010.

Boxing Day

2008-12-26T08:13:00.001-08:00

The day after Christmas (Dec. 26) is called by some cultures, "Boxing Day."

If you were, like me, battling shoppers at the Hallmark Store this morning for the 50% mark-down on holiday items, you may think that "boxing day" is in reference to the pushing and shoving of crazed shoppers. Actually, Boxing Day has nothing to do with slugging it out. It DOES have to do with actual boxes.

My mother is the only person I know who, if you call her on the phone today, will answer "Happy Boxing Day." She is a first-generation American from Scotland/Ireland and says that when she was a girl, her family packed up boxes, gifts, to share with others less fortunate.

Boxing Day in Great Britain, was a time of joyful, intentional gift giving to the poor or the shut-in. I thought about this lost holiday when I boxed up a gift my husband gave me.. and head out to return it to Target this morning. I felt sad and guilty, that on this day, once set aside for charitable acts, I continue to be concerned about myself. I stand in line at customer service to be "served" rather than to go "serve" someone else. The more time I spent anonymously a part of the shopping crowds, the more lonely I felt.

It occured to me that the wisdom of boxing day is that it allows our soul to recallibrate. To return to our original design, which is that we are created to love and share love with others.

Happy Boxing Day!

Angels in the Outfield

2008-12-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

The Washington Times, published the results of a survey in September, that reported HALF OF AMERICANS BELIEVE in ANGELS.Even the researchers were surprised at that!

Jesus himself said that evey child has an angel on their behalf, the Creation story describes how God created the angels at the time of creating heaven. Angels show up all through out the bible. And they show up, I've noticed, thoughout our lives.
My angel story happened after a worship service a few years ago, on Christmas Day. That particula Christmas, we didn’t have snow, but instead it rained. I was suprised that as many came to church for on such a cold, rainy morning, but there were maybe 20 or 30 of us in the church. While we worshipped, the temperature dropped outside. By the time we left to go home, the parking lot and sidewalks were covered in ice.

I was standing in the sanctuary, when someone ran in from outside to tell me there was an accident. A woman had fallen on the ice. Quickly, I ran out and found her laying on the cold wet cement, with sleet pouring down on her. I took off my robe, and held it above her like an umbrella. She was writhing in pain. Her family gathered around her, and it was then that I learned that her knee had been replacement within the year.. and so we don't know if her knee gave out or if she simply slipped. Either way, everyone was anxious for the ambulance to arrive.

The woman and I began to pray, and I held her hand as we waited.

Suddenly, a young man walked out of the church and came over to us. I had never seen him before. I didn't recognize him from the morning worship service. And he came up and said that he was a doctor. He told her to remain as still as she could. and he stabilized her legs. Rain poured down on him, and we offered to cover him with choir robes - as some folks had just ran in to grab choir robes to keep her warm and dry. He didn't seem to care about himself. He was focused on her.

You know how in that type of situation, how you don't even question certain things? I never asked him his name, as he squatted alongside with me. The ambulance came, they moved her into it carefuly... and I never saw him after that. I never saw him leave. I never asked his name. He was there and gone before we knew it.

In the movie, Angels in the Outfield, there is a classic line which echos my belief in angels, "The footprints of an angel are love, and where there is love, miraculous things can happen. I've seen it."

Pray while you wait

2008-12-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

Advent could be summed up as a season of waiting. But the only waiting I really run into during the month of December is waiting in lines.. so what is the spirit of Advent? What does it mean to wait for Christmas? My awareness of the many types of waiting deepened while I was a hospital Chaplain and one of my “regular rounds” were the waiting rooms.

During rounds, I'd introduce myself to people waiting… and inquire about their wait.. and ask if maybe they'd like to pray while they waited.

There were all sorts of responses to my offer. Some refused my offer assuming that I wouldn’t pray with a Catholic, or a Jew, or a Muslim. But since I'll pray with anyone, no matter their faith.

One particular guy said he didn’t believe in God and so he didn’t see the need for prayer.. But when I offered to pray to God on his behalf, he appreciated that. I never met anyone who objected to me praying for them.

I discovered that time in waiting rooms isn’t marked by minutes and hours - but rather it is marked by cups of coffee, the number of exits and entrances of others.. the conversations that get going across the aisles regarding something that happens on TV.. or something that is announced across a loudspeaker.
Time also gets marked by worries, unanswerable questions… and a strange punchi-ness that comes when tension turns to laughter. .
The advent season can be like a waiting room.. siting with others, yet strangely alone. None of us wait alike. Some of us are tapping our fingers anxiously, while others are tapping along to the Christmas music playing across the loudspeaker.

Looking around, I see some people are caught up in the excitement of Christmas, while others are overwhelmed by it. Personally, I fluctuate between a bit of each.

Maybe that is why the church chooses to mark time in Advent with candles..

just a simple, single, light slowly brought into darkness.

The glow can calm our anxious spirits.. and the simple image of four candles might just keep us from feeling frenzied.

My head is in Lent

2008-12-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

It's the first Sunday of Advent - do you know where your pastor is?

I am in the gospel of Mark.. not Chapter 1 which is our scripture for this Sunday:"The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ." Nope, I'm in Chapter 8, reading, praying and dreaming about the season of Lent. Yes, you read that right. My head is in Lent. Which may seem, to some, as difficult as whistling jingle bells while decorating Easter Eggs.

During the cheery holiday season of bright red sales catalogs and Christmas lights, it is somewhat of a stretch to turn my eyes toward Lent. In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus tells the disciples that he must undergo great suffering, he must be rejected, and he will be killed.

However, I see that the Advent season carries the reality of death even as we await new birth, new life.

I am reminded of when my cousin held her newborn baby boy in her arms and cried, and cried, and cried. Perplexed, someon asked "Why are you crying?"
"Because" she said, "Someday, someone is gonna break his heart." As a parent, we hold this new life in our arms and don't want to see it get hurt. Yet, babies to grow up to be teenager who have their hearts broken at a highschool dance (true event)... or undergo embaressing moments of throwing up on athird grade teacher. (true event).

To hold a newborn and imagine the humliation and suffering of the cross is too much. Yet, this is the depth of grief that Mary might of pondered in her heart (Luke 2:19).

Today, I pray for all of those who are grieving the loss of precious loved ones and those who are facing death. This season may not (commercially) have room for the full depth of our human experience, the Gospel does.

Rats - and the women who adopt them

2008-12-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

In every United Methodist Church there is a special, organized unit of women in ministry called the UMW. However, I doubt that many churches can say with pride, "Our UMWomen love rats."

The first Tuesday of the month is the regular meeting time for the United Methodist Women. And being that today was the last meeting of the year, this was their time for deciding which charities and causes they would like to support financially with money they have raised over 2008.
It was an exciting discussion that took an unusual turn. While listening to Alma Rita give details about the many important charities.. she suprised us all when she held up a small newspaper clipping and said,

"And then there are the rats..."
"Did you say RATS?" someone asked.
"I'm all for paying them - if it keeps them away," I replied.

Then my words fell shallow as Alma Rita explained that rats are being trained to detect landmines and disease. Rats are able to detect metal and plastic encased landmines, without setting them off. Once trained, 30 rats can work together and cover 200 sqm per day! Rats also are being trained to detect disease. A single rat can evaluate 40 TB samples in 7 minutes, equal to what a skilled lab technician, will do in two days!
All of us sort of fell in love with the rats this afternoon - and began to appreciate these creatures of God.

The good news from Olivet today, is that along with supporting local, national, and international missions, the women of Olivet agreed that we also should support rats in mission.

I invite you to look at Hero Rat, the organization which trains and deploys these invaluable vermin. http://www.herorat.org/

Perhaps you feel like the anonymous post from yesterday, that Christmas needs to get back to the real meaning - in which case, I think an alternative gift like a Hero Rat might just be perfect for getting out of "the rat race" of holiday shopping.

Free Grace - all year 'round

2008-12-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

Just this weekend, people lined up at 4am to begin the frenzy of Christmas shopping. The excitement of getting a bargain ended in tragedy, as the shoppers stampeded the store and trampled to death a young man who was hired just for the holiday season. When I heard this news, it made me even more aware that the world needs to know the meaning of Christmas. The real meaning. That God's free grace is available all year round. The Christmas Spirit is not the frenzy of purchasing something at a discount – but is about sharing in what has been given to us freely in the birth of his Son: the grace of God with us.

This December, I invite you to come to the Lusby Giant Café for a special discussion about The Purpose of Christmas, by Rick Warren. This is a chance to welcome a stranger into the grace of God’s love at Christmas. Also, I invite you to consider serving “the least” through one of the opportunities of our church, listed below.
Homemade Christmas Stocking Stuffers One of our Wednesday Crafty Ladies has made Christmas stockings that are to be given to folks in nursing centers. We invite you to fill these with items such as hand lotion, word searches, pens, paper, or such items. Maybe you would like to purchase items to fill the stockings or be a part of the delivering them with Pastor Faith? Stockings will be completed after December 21. Delivery date not yet se. See Pastor Faith for details.
Adopt-a-Family Christmas Gifts Purchase an item for children through the “giving tree” which is in the church hall. Take an ornament from the tree with instructions on ages, etc.
I invite you to pick something that can be your “worship, your “gift” to the Christ child. Jesus promises that when you do these things for “the least”, he is made manifest in that moment.

No Ordinary King

2008-11-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

I caught up with a clergy friend who serves a United Methodist church which has a food pantry. The pastor said that right before she was to send around a list of items needed to restock their shelves (peanut butter, can goods, etc) a church member asked if she could included the list in her daughters' birthday invitation.
Would you believe that for this girl's party, she requested not to have any gifts?
The birthday girl instead wanted kids to replenish her churches churches food pantry.
It gives me a deep sense of awe when a child exhibits such a heart of giving.. I give thanks to God for children who can teach us simple truths.

A few weeks later, the mom and little girl showed up at the churches food pantry with 50 bags of groceries! 50 bags! A decision by one girl to use the opportunity of her own birthday party .. not as a chance to be lavished with gifts.. but instead to lavish the poor. She turned the notion of "birthday parties" upside down - seeing it not as a time to be blessed, but to be a blessing.

Today is Christ the King Sunday - A day when the notion of kingship is turned upside down. Our King Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46) tells us that to love him, we must love "the least."

In church today, some incredible musicians sang "How Many Kings" which really helped all of us understand how Christ is in the midst of the poor, the suffering, the sick, the imprisoned. For those of you who like to read the story behind the song and listen to online - visit the artist's blog at link.http://jeremythiessen.typepad.com/weblog/2007/12/new-christmas-s.html

Elijah's Rain Clouds

2008-11-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

The Upper Room devotional from yesterday was based on 1 Kings, when Elijah expects God to bring the rain and he is so confident even as things look grim. The writer suggested that sometimes we need to rejoice in the small acts of God, just as Elijah noticed the small puff of a cloud on the horizon.

The odds are stacked against Olivet Church - our location is less than ideal, there are lots of appealling, effective churches people can choose from in Lusby and just look at the financial market.. the future is grim for everyone, it seems... How can we have hope now?

And yet, I have never felt so sure and anchored in hope than I do right now, as your Pastor. Jesus promised to abide with us as we abide in Him, and to keep us nourished with his Living Presence, the Holy Spirit. We have all things in Christ, after all.

I can relate to Elijah - standing in dry times and getting excited about the signs of percipitation.

I wonder if Elijah jumped up and down when he saw that cloud?

When I see signs of God, I certainly do.

Before typing this blog, I got a voice mail from Doug Hood regarding some new equipment for our worship together that had me jumping up and down like a kid at a birthday party when they finally cut the cake. I could hardly hit re-dial. Then, on Monday, I was jumping up and down when Alma Rita told me there were over 100 persons counted on Sunday for worship! Last night, I was too tired to actually jump up and down, but I wanted to when Julie Blair and I found the most perfect graphic for the youth music video.

For Olivet, we just need to keep declaring that Jesus is the one for whom we live, and He will keep caring for us, providing for us. He is responsible for all these "small things," stuff that a skeptic would say were nothing..For me, these are Elijah's rain clouds.

Practically Free Gasoline

2008-11-19T17:56:00.001-08:00

After church on Sunday, I went up the road to the gas station in Lusby to fill up my tank. I stood there listening to the sound of the gasoline pour into my hollow, cavernous tank and gave thanks that gas prices are going down.

When I looked up at the pump, I noticed that the price hadn't moved. Was I in a time warp? I had been standing there for the usual amount of time it takes to fill my tank.. and yet, the pump was telling me I only had put in three dollars worth of gasoline. I was totally confused.

The digital numbers "per gallon" were flashing along quickly - but the dollar amount was moving at snail's pace.

The hose clicked and my tank was full. And the price was just around $3.45.

In that moment, I realized I had only been charged 22 cents per gallon. Part of me truly wanted to drive off with my amazingly cheap gas.. and maybe even bring another vehicle in for a fill up! But I couldn't do that. I would have to go into the cashier and tell them.

Author and pastor, Bill Hybels describes character and integrity as who you are when no one is looking. When no one is looking, the temptation is the strongest to cheat, steal, or dabble with sin.

I told the gas station manager and she couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe the mistake had been made.. or that anyone would come in and tell. (So although I didn't commit the sin of stealing, I now have to deal with the sin of pride for being honest. ) It's always something.

Emergency Room Visit

2008-11-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

Every parent, I suppose, will have the unfortunate occasion of taking that first trip to the emergency room with a child. Ours finally came on Sunday night when JuliAnna rocked backwards on her chair and split open the back of her head. Thanks be to God it was not a life-threatening accident. After a shot of Novocain and a dozen staples, she was back home, safe and sound.
My husband is quite familiar with the process of cleaning out and preparing a wound for stitches. The shot of Novocain, he explained to me, is the problem. It hurt the most. He wanted to prepare her for what would come next.
‘The doctor is going to clean out the boo-boo. It will hurt a lot. But he has to do this to fix it.” he summarized.
“Fix it?”
“Yeah, you have a big boo-boo back there and they gotta fix it with the medicine. It will hurt really bad.. but you can squeeze my hand. Ok?” She nods. I wonder if she understands what we are saying.
I decide to chime in. I explain that when he fixes it, it will hurt but it is important to be very, very still. As I explain this, I can see the fear growing in her eyes so I offer some comedy relief
“When it hurts, you can cry “wahhh” or you can go ‘grrrrr’ whatever sound you wanna make.. but you got to be real still. Do you want to lay down with me while they do this or sit on Daddy?” I asked.
She decided that she would lay down on top of Mommy, with her head facing Daddy and squeezing his hand. The doctor said this would work, but warned me that I would get Novocain on my shirt. I said, “that’s okay with me.” After all the t-shirt was the least of my worries. I wondered if any parent, being told this, jumped up from the bed with objection saying “In that case, kid, you’re on your own, nobody’s staining this brand new shirt.”
As the preparations were being made, time seemed to slow down. I saw her grow more and more afraid. Her face flushed and her eyes were fearful.
She said, “I’m just sad ‘cause I wanna go home.”
We assured her we would go home, but that they had to fix the boo-boo.
“But why it gotta hurt?” she asked. Good question.
Doug explained that to fix it, it would have to hurt but then it would feel better.
“The doctor has to fix it by putting medicine on it,” he explained again.
“Put it on mommy,” she cried softly.
“Mommy doesn’t have the boo-boo, honey,” he replied.
Oh, how I wished I could not only wear a stained shirt for her, but also take on the painful medicine. But all of us in the room knew there was only one path through this situation.
In our lives, sometimes the only way through a situation is the most difficult route. Worse, it’s a route that no one can walk for you.
However, JuliAnna articulated the heavenly solution. What if someone else could walk it for us? What if we could benefit from the “fix” without having to endure the suffering in the process?
God demonstrates his love for us in that he took on our stains and our pains…he even died our death so that we can ‘be fixed’ – have eternal life! Jesus takes our painful medicine, but passes along to us the benefits. May we see anew, each day, the grace of the one who loves us and abides with us always.

Too Much to Remember

2008-07-10T13:05:00.001-07:00

I decided to keep a blog because there is just too many wonderful things happening - and I don't want to forget any of them

I just moved to Calvert County from Washington, DC and it is amazing to me how this area is so peaceful, compared to NE DC - where sitting out on the front porch of my house meant watching the ambulances speed toward the Hospital Center. My daughter used to get such joy out of pointing up toward the life-flight helicopters overhead. Now that we have moved to Calvert County, we spend our outdoor time together in relative silence.

This morning we discovered a few blue crabs have a hiding place under the boardwalk by our house. They were wiggling around and that delighted both of us.

Living on the Chesapeake Bay, I get to teach this pre-schooler so many things besides "Don't Touch The Crack Bag" which was our usual lesson in DC. Today, we sat down on the dock and sang to the morning sky. Oh, we could have sang Dock of the Bay, I suppose, but we sang He's Got the Whole World in His Hands. We used to sing it in DC - and I just don't want to forget that even though God feels closer here (surrounded by his majestic beautiful creation).. he really does have the whole world in his hands..