Voila, the latest newsletter article for our church newsletter. I process through talking especially during difficult or challenging times. Aren't these rather difficult times politically, economically, even ecclesiastically? It's good to know, at least for me, that God isn't just a Prozac pill that makes us happy and joyful all the time - because I am not always in a good humor! God, instead, meets us in the midst of everything and promises to be with us in the reality of struggle. There's something powerful in that promise for me. If we are all honest, we all struggle and those are good news words for all of us! Anyway, read on...

Arise! Your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you!

The Prophet Isaiah 60.1

Light; darkness: that’s what this time of year is about isn’t it? Since the beginning of November, when we changed our clocks back to Eastern Standard Time, evening seems much darker. As we approach 21 December, the morning sun even rises later – making our mornings dark as well, and our days shorter.  When I first lived in Northwest Ohio, back in 2000, a parishioner at Salem said something that I have never forgotten. It’s good to share our stories so that we can, as a community, deepen our faith in God and our love for one another.

I remember that I had commented to Gene that the days in Toledo seemed shorter than in South Carolina – where I had just lived for almost 5 years. He got a smile on his face and said, “Easter will have a new significance for you here in Toledo.” I did not, at first, understand what he was saying. Of course, every day was filled with new events and much significance. Every day, I met new people, learned something new about ministry; why such an odd statement?

Well, needless to say, when Easter Sunday rolled around, I had forgotten Gene’s words. The “busyness” of planning and implementing Lenten services, extra classes, funerals, emergencies, extra choir rehearsals, preparation of final exams for my final months of internship, all of it kept me too busy to notice the simpler things – like God’s presence.

When I awoke on Easter morning, I went, as usual to worship and then a meal afterwards. It wasn’t until the meal that I was able to relax and take in what had happened in the past few weeks and months. And then, Gene walked up to me, hugged me and said, “Happy Easter!” I remembered his words so many months before and I remember feeling a sense of regret, because I had let so much opportunity go by me – opportunity to stop and listen to “God with us”.  Easter did hold a special significance for me that year and it still does – especially since I have moved back to NW Ohio.

Truly this is a darker time of year. It’s darker in many ways, not just in the amount of sunlight that we receive during the day. It’s also a darker season because so much clouds our vision from the reality of life – from the “reason for the season” as someone once said. It’s no wonder to me that there is such a let down, almost like a depression that sets in on our culture on 25 December: we have seen trees since 1 November and heard Christmas music played all around us since the same time. Everywhere, everyone is grasping for every straw she or he can in order to find meaning in life; and yet, no one wants to struggle with life itself – we want “comfort and joy” and we want it right now.

In holy wisdom, the Church has given us a season of struggling with the challenges of life in a meaningful way – a way that gives impetus to our hope and gives us courage to go on. In Advent Season, the time of waiting for the Light of the World to come to us, we proclaim to the world that struggle is real, that suffering is hard and that there is hope in the God who makes promises to us – even promises like becoming one of us, living with us, suffering for us and rising for our salvation. The difficult part for us who now live in a time after Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection, is to hold off until the 12 days of Christmas and to allow ourselves, body, soul and spirit, to slow down and listen to the struggles within us as God deals with each one and overcomes the evil in our lives.

In a culture that increasingly seeks distractions to keep from seeing reality and confronting struggle, Advent is the season for the Church to proclaim, prophetically that there is another way to life. In a book I read recently, Can You Drink the Cup?  by Henri J M Nouwen, I read the following words that help to sum up what I have said:   “Entertainment is everything that gets and keeps our mind away from things that are hard to face.” (p. 94)  I wonder, if I had just read those words while in Toledo, OH, if I could have slowed down and listened to God speaking to me? I wonder if I could have allowed myself to face the difficulties of life if I could have understood more fully the depth of the joy of the prophet’s words, “Arise! Your light has come and the glory of the LORD has shone upon you!”  Too much water under the bridge now, but I intend to allow this Advent to be different. I hope you do, too.

God’s peace and light guide you to the Light of the World during this Advent Season,

A young woman, a journalist, walking along the street in a big city, notices a church that is open. She hears the music and is drawn into the worship. As she hears the words spoken, the music sung and, finally, is invited to receive Holy Communion, her life is transformed. She realizes in the taking of the bread that she receives something bigger than herself. She realizes in that moment that what she receives is nothing less than God's own self! What a powerful story this young woman carries within herself. Almost as immediately as she was transformed at the Eucharist, she goes back out into the street to share Jesus with others. No, literally, she goes out and begins to share food. Today, that food ministry has grown into something greater than herself. Because of her faithfulness, many on the streets of that same big city in the US are fed today. Oh, did I mention that she is a lesbian and a progressive? Why would that make a difference? So she doesn't fit the moralistic mold into which many well-meaning followers of Jesus fit; she responds to Jesus call to her every day. Through her faithful and faith-filled example all of the followers of Jesus could learn how completely Jesus grabs our lives and transforms us. Too often we allow labels to get in the way of what we think of others. What do you think, is the validity of a ministry based upon whether morality of the person doing the ministry?

Peace,
Tim

"He's looking at me! Mom, make him stop!"

Today, Jesus continues his journey with his disciples. If they were traveling today, it would be, no doubt, by car. Jesus would be driving and the disciples would be in the back seat (ok, it's a big back seat that can hold 12! Use your imagination a little). The disciples take things so literally from Jesus that they start acting like the children he told them to welcome last week: "Jesus, somebody who isn't following you prayed for someone and that's not fair! By the way, Jesus, Peter is on my side of the seat; make him scoot over!"

Poor Jesus, to be yoked with such losers. The vulnerability to which Jesus referred when he said to "welcome the child" was lost on them. These students just cannot seem to understand anything Jesus teaches them. Not even at the end of Mark's Gospel does anyone seem to have understood! Somehow Jesus' words have to sink in at some point. I guess I could say the same thing for me...

Take a look around today. I wonder if I have a tendency to take Jesus' words too literally? Welcome a child so much that you start to act childlike and you and I could take Jesus' words too far. To welcome a child is to welcome the vulnerability, the dependence upon God as a new way of life for all of humanity. When we don't welcome a child, we look past all of that vulnerability of our neighbor. That road leads us to nothing less than the hell that Jesus shows us in today's Gospel in Mark 10. The hell that we find ourselves in today is really a hell that we help to create. God is not the creator of such destructive behavior; it can only be found in the hearts of humanity that refuses to welcome.

What would our world look like if all the followers of Jesus made every decision with her or his neighbor in mind? What if the debate about, for example, pro-life or pro-abortion were not based on whether a baby were allowed to be born, but how the world into which that child were born was a welcoming one? That would mean considering how the vulnerable child would be cared for, educated, fed, loved. Who will welcome the child?

What do you think?

Peace,
Tim

I read somewhere recently from a theologian (whom I can not now recount, but do like to read I am sure) that, when Jesus uses the term "Son of Man" in Mark's Gospel, one should translate it, "fully human one". Also recently, I was part of a conversation that led in that same direction of comprehending Jesus as one who knew himself fully and completely and acted out of his perfect humanity.

In that aforementioned conversation, one of the participants recounted his new understanding of John's passion narrative. He had somehow overlooked, or missed in some way, the fact that the people who came to take Jesus by force in the garden fell backward when Jesus said, "I am he." To be sure, John is doing theology in a different way than Mark, but there is something to learn from both. Through our conversation, we ran the gamut of ideas about Jesus' identity and finally settled on the one that recognized Jesus' full humanity.

I know that this is a deep subject to consider, but let's think about this for a moment. How often have you or I acted in ways that were less than human - ways that showed our disconnect with God? How often has humanity itself acted in ways that betrayed our God-created existence? From the beginning of Judeo-Christian scriptures, everything was created to exist in harmony with itself, one another and with God. That "red thread" continues throughout the biblical narrative. Jesus came along in the Gospels and showed how humanity just couldn't reach God on our own - indeed, we kept messing up all of creation. So, what if Jesus' great power over sin and death is tied inextricably to his humanity as well as his deity? I mean, what if Jesus' perfection of humanity comes through his perfectly led human life? I tend to believe that only a human incarnation of God who could live perfectly is the only way out of the human tendency toward sinfulness. While John's Gospel accentuates the more "Almighty God" side of Jesus, Mark understands Jesus' perfect humanity in a way that frees humanity to live as God has created us to live.

This whole discussion, then, led me to question, "What if, because of Jesus, you and I are now empowered by God to live that same power?" Psychologists call this living a "fully-actualized" life - knowing who you are without any doubt. Living in this way does not preclude humility, it effects a deep understanding of how one "lives, moves and has being".

If you think that this is heretical and far off the mark of Christian understanding, I urge you to read the Eastern Orthodox mystics. There, you will find great emphasis on Jesus' humanity as well as humanity's ability to overcome sinfulness because of Jesus.

What do you think?

Peace,
Tim

Renew 52: An Idea a Week to Revitalize Your Congregation

Like that idea? Doesn't it sound exciting to know that there could be 52 different ways to revitalize your faith community? Luther Seminary in Minnesota offers a free e-book to anyone who desires it. All you need to do is copy and paste this link into your browser:  http://www.luthersem.edu/vcp/renew52/default.aspx. You need also a free app from Barnes and Noble for the Nook, or Amazon for the Kindle. If you don't already have one on your laptop or computer, you can download it for free from the website. If you need help, contact me and I will do my best to point you in the right direction.

Now, on to other things...

On Sunday, 23 September, I had the opportunity to preach in a different church for their mission festival. It was good to reminisce about a time in my family's life that is so easily put on a shelf and forgotten about. I got to share some stories from my own life as I wove together a homily that included God's story, as told to us by Mark 9.30-37. As you may remember, the disciples followed Jesus to Capernaum, and along the way they argued about who might be the greatest among them. In only a way that Jesus could, he showed them how God saw them by using a child as an example. That example stayed with me.

The child of Jesus' time resembles very much the child of today in Africa, specifically Cameroon, in my experience. You see, children have no ability to make any decisions; they have no power except what is forced upon them; they are susceptible to every disease that comes along - AIDS, malaria, TB, diabetes, and a plethora of others; the high mortality rate of a child before the age of one prohibits celebration until at least the first birthday. If there is a hospital in the local village, so many of the villagers cannot afford to go for something as simple as a packet of pills that could save a child from dying of malaria. The life of a child, in a word, is vulnerable.

We, in the US seem to have lost sight of that vulnerability - at least on some level - and yet, the US has one of the highest infant mortality rates among the "developed" countries of the world. That's difficult to imagine, but true. Many church communities from the US and other countries send missionaries to other countries, and do help with many of these life and death situations; but, the need is so great in the "under-developed" world that the needs often outweigh the resources. What if Jesus is saying to those of us who have that we are vulnerable to the attacks of our own desire to help ourselves to the detriment of others' lives? It seems to me a viable vulnerability on, at least, for the US.

So, what is the take-away from Jesus words? Where is the good news? Is it good news that you and I are vulnerable children, dependent upon the whims of God? I feel we must expand the picture past the idea that God could be the author of whims such as infant mortality or disease. Jesus' words echo within each of us a deep yearning for a God who cares for us, tenderly and completely. When the death comes, you and I can be assured that God is with us in the mix. The difficult for me, personally, is to remain focused on God's goodness and care for me. Once I trust, and I am speaking of Tim here, that God really does intend the best for me, I just might be convinced enough to share the news with others. There are others, after all, who need to hear that our vulnerability doesn't have to lead to death and destruction. Just maybe, in losing ourselves to the other, you and I may find who we really are.

What do you think?

Peace,
Tim 

Just under my computer screen sits a quote in French:

"In the beginning, when they believed that the illness was like all the others, religion felt in its place. But when they saw that the illness was serious, they were joyful...death is nothing to men like me. It's an event that gives reason to their lives."

Albert Camus wrote those words many years ago in his existentialist work, The Plague. For me the book spoke to my basic concern for the search for the "meaning of life". Do our lives make a difference, or would we never be missed if death came and took us from this world? I know, that's a deep question to ask; perhaps too deep for many to answer about themselves. But, I keep the quote on my desk to remind me to enjoy every moment of every day.

Is it misguided to ask yourself if your life has meaning? Is it wrong to ponder whether the direction you have personally chosen for your life is leading you in a positive direction? What do you think?

Just today I wrote my newsletter article for our congregational newsletter. I want to share it with you here:

I read a story recently about a man’s encounter with himself. Sounds odd, huh? I’ll retell the story so you can understand what I mean.

As a man sat in a mall, drinking his coffee, minding his own business, a homeless man walked up to him and asked for some money. At first glance at this unkempt homeless person standing before him, the idea popped into the man’s head to dismiss the man as a “bum”. The man didn’t, however; he, instead, was drawn to notice the man more closely. Lean face, dirty clothes and body, and a smell that could not go unnoticed from a few feet away seemed to be crying out, “I need help!” Though the homeless man only said, “Could you spare some change?” the man began to wonder, “I wonder if it’s ok to give money to this guy? If I do, I don’t get anything out of it but the fact that I have helped some poor guy.”

Against his better judgment, the man searched in his pocket and found a dollar coin. He gave the coin to this nameless man as he watched him run off with his treasure. He returned to his newspaper and began to think, “I wonder what he will do with the money?”

All night the man had wondered about the homeless one. He pondered his own feelings and actions; he pondered the actions of the other, to whom he had given; “What if I had done the wrong thing? What if he spends the money on drugs or alcohol? What if…what if…” The next day, this man could not get the homeless man out of his mind, when he realized: “It’s not about me and my feelings. It’s not about helping someone else and feeling good about doing that; it’s not even about whether I did the right thing! This whole encounter was God calling out to me, ‘How invested are you to the outsider?’”

In these past few weeks, as summer has wound down and fall has broken into our mornings with cooler, damper weather, I have wanted a little rest from responsibility to God’s call, haven’t you? When the air gets a little crisper and the days grow shorter, don’t you want to hibernate with the rest of nature? Well, God doesn’t seem to want to let go of us and let us just fall asleep to the rest of the world.

On Saturday nights, we have started the Narrative Lectionary and we have heard through scripture that God intends to participate in every aspect of life. If God is there in life, why shouldn’t we have the same desire?

On Sunday mornings, with the Revised Common Lectionary, Jesus has spoken through the parabolic gospel of Mark, pointing us in the direction of reaching out to the “other” – without regard of reward, without regard of self-aggrandizing, without regard to how the “other” may react to the reaching out.

No matter how we slice the good news from God, God always intends to respond faithfully to us with grace and compassion. Thanks be to God that God didn’t think, “I wonder what she will do if I give her grace? I wonder how he is going to react to my compassion? Should I really do this?” No, God reached out to the world without regard to economic status or ethnicity, or any other barrier that you or I want to place on one another. God reached out to you and me and gave the fullness of divine compassion and grace – Jesus. Just imagine what the world would look like if we didn’t have to second guess how we share that good news with one another.

What do you think?

I had an interesting lunch meeting with Lori Strang and Annie on Friday. Annie and I went to Toledo to meet with the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran and talk about a project that she wants to present to Zion's. We arrived at one of our favorite restos - Calvino's (if you've never been, you have to try it! It's the best pizza in Toledo) - and immediately after small talk and catching up, Lori began to present her "evangelism" idea. I was so impressed, I thought I would present it to the Council this month. I also talked with Lenore about it on Sunday and she thinks it's a good idea as well. So what's the plan?

Basically, the plan systematically looks at how Zion's functions within this community. This is a question I have had at every step of my life: What do I have to offer that might, in some way, present Jesus to others in a way that would help them to hear Jesus? It's basically the same question for Zion's. In a community of so many churches, of so many different flavors, why does Zion's exist? It seems to me a pertinent question as we discern together how God might be calling us to go forth in mission together.

To return to Lori's proposal, she attended with some people from Zoar, a seminar that has opened their small, redevelopment congregation to many options for ministry. Redeemer feels freed to move in any direction where God calls them; they almost feel completely unrestrained. Lori did not use these words exactly, but from her description, I saw freedom to be God's instrument written all over her words. An important part of her learning in the seminar is the need for input from outside the community in order to help us define who we are. If we decide to go into this process with her, she will ask us to hand pick 4-5 people from our church community and 4-5 people from our larger community. In this way, we can gain a larger perspective on God's mission here in Defiance.

To delve a little deeper, and since we are reading the little book, Emerging Ministry: Being Church Today, maybe it would be important for us to answer the second question at the end of chapter one: "What is the 'mission history' of your church community? Discuss the manner in which your church came into being - when, where, who, how and why?" Why would this be important?

Additionally, how could we answer the 4th question: "What does it mean to be the church as we live? Where are the new wilderness roads that are emerging around us? Where are the new wilderness roads to which you are being called, along which perhaps you are already walking?"

So, what do you think?

Peace,
Tim

Last evening as we met together to discuss Nouwen's book, Can You Drink the Cup?, a very important question came up. Rather, I should say that an important point that has brought up caused many questions for me, to wit: What does it mean in Genesis 1.27 that humanity is made in God's image? If all of humanity, indeed all of creation, was made good, how does sin enter into the equation? How does Jesus factor into said equation of life? Let's look at Gen 1.27...

So God created humankind in his image;
in the image of God, he created them;
male and female he created them.

First, this says something about God and how God is with/for us. In order to understand the fullness of this, we need to look at these phrases as the Hebrew poetry they are: three lines of parallel thought, in ABCD form.

A         B             C                    D
God   created   humankind    in his image;

D                                  A               B                      C 
in the image of God,  he            created              them

D                                  A              B             C
male and female         he             created     them.

So, what is the image of God according to this short poetical rendition? God's image is both male and female together in some kind of unbroken relationship. According to the Hebrew author's understanding of God, God is somehow beyond human gender and yet bound up tightly in all that it means to be both male and female at once. The author seems to convey an equality in God that transcends any limits you or I desire to place on the divine - even limits that would somehow give humanity the ability to achieve power over other creatures. Here in these few words, the author masterfully has shown a view of God that does not allow human power to usurp God's place in the universe. These words place humanity in God in such a way as to reveal that, in an intimate way, humanity participates fully in the divine life.

What does that mean? In chapter 3 of Genesis, we go on to hear the story of humanity's interaction with the serpent and the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. St Paul read this and interpreted it to mean that humanity fell from God, into a sinful state. St Augustine after him took the theological implications further and even said that human sin passes from one generation to the next. Later theologians, Luther and them Calvin and many others after them, narrowed the sense of the Genesis text and developed a whole theology of sin around it. Today, the Church almost exclusively starts from the point of sinfulness of humanity in order to justify the need for the death of Jesus on the cross.

What if we have missed the point? What if Jesus' death on the cross, as Rene Girard (a modern theologian) says, reveals to humanity the full extent of its violent tendencies? What if the death of Jesus were only necessary in that it was inevitable, given those evil, violent tendencies? In addition, what if Jesus willingness to "lay down his life" reveals not only his obedience to a God who is Love, but also reveals how far God's love would go in order to have the kind of relationship God wants?

This all still leaves us with the unanswered question: "What is Genesis 3 about?" Is every human born on this planet considered by God to be a child of God? To fully grasp and adhere to that idea would mean a great transformation in the world's thinking. It would change how we live, how we do commerce, how do/do not go to war.

So, children of God, what do you think?

Peace,
Tim  

In their book, Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality makes Societies Stronger, authors Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson make the following statement about the comparison between the level of satisfaction/happiness in a developing country and that of an "affluent" one:

"...As you get more and more of anything, each addition to what you have - whether loaves of bread or cars - contributes less and less to your well-being. If you are hungry, a loaf of bread is everything, but when your hunger is satisfied, many more loaves don't particularly help you and might become a nuisance as they go stale." (p.25)

Those words, in light of John 6 (Jesus feeding the multitude and ensuing conversations), seemed to speak loudly to me today. The consummate bibliophile in me wants to rebel against such a statement, but the more I protest, the more it seems those words have seen right through me. How often do I pursue the perceived need to have more! I am only starting this book, but I can see it will offer challenge to me.

Feel free to comment...

Peace,
Tim

Nothing like losing your computer for a few days to make you reassess life! Due to "operator error" (read, "Tim really messed up when he tried to add a new wifi router to the office computer"). All is well now: a parish member came and put everything back in working order. All he had to do was pull a few plugs and switch them to the right places and voila! Everything was back to normal in a short time.

Needless to say, I had a little time this week to look through my saved documents on the office computer. Lots of stuff needed to be thrown out, but I did find a few useful items; like the one from The Practical Visionary by Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson:


 Eight Keys to Spiritual Growth and Social Change:

1. Shift from what's dying to what's being born: discover the new world of practical visionaries all around you;

2. Understand the big picture and the higher evolutionary plan: find your part and get engaged;

3. Make your livelihood a social change strategy: be a spiritual warrior, an innovator, a reformer and/or an exemplar;

4. Invoke the magic of your soul: explore the new world within you and make friends with your subconscious;

5. Turn within to find a source of spiritual strength: develop a regular meditative practice to receive clear guidance;

6. Clarify your higher purpose and vision: create a mission, practical strategy and right timing;

7. See money as a spiritual asset: trust in the abundance of the universe - and be practical and wise;

8. Transform duality and conflict into a higher synthesis: find common ground personally and politically to change the world.  

What do you think? I wonder what the world would look like if everyone alive followed this or a similar plan for life? Is this plan possible? Does it ask too much? In another direction, in light of Judeo-Christian scripture what can you say about these eight keys? Does it matter to change the question by asking in light of Christian theology? Think about it...

Who knew that doing some office cleaning would lead to finding these eight keys? I had totally forgotten about them. Maybe I should clean office a little more often...

God's peace and blessings,

Tim

Greetings and salutations to all who may have joined us from the Deepening Faith Group. We are reading one of Henri Nouwen's delicious little books, Can you Drink the Cup?  If you are not in the group, and would like to be, we will meet on 28 August, 7pm in the Hofer room at Zion's. Read the Prologue and the Introduction for that evening and all of us will supply the conversation.

The group's intent is to "deepen our faith in God and our love toward one another" (to quote a common post communion prayer from the Lutheran liturgy). As the group evolves, we may discuss personal and communal challenges in daily life; we may read other books that will help us to live as followers of the Christ.

I may from time to time offer on this blog some general thoughts for consideration from the Faith Group (keeping in mind not to share anything confidential without permission). In the meantime, come read the book with us and enjoy! Those who have newly joined us on this blog, welcome; feel free to comment at your leisure.

Peace,
Tim

"Parables - give God room. They are stories, which shatter the deep structures of our accepted world and thereby render clear and evident to us the relativity of story itself. They remove our defenses and make us vulnerable to God. it is only in such experiences that God can touch us, and only in such moments does the Kingdom of God arrive." (p. 15, Emerging Ministry: Being Church Today)

After telling a wonderfully touching story of how he touched a young man's life just by taking time to talk with him, author Nate Frambach offers the quote above from John Dominic Crossan. Nate's story had become a parable of his own life - a way that he came to understand how modernity encounters God. I guess you could say that Nate understands that you and I learn that God needs room in order to open us to the Kingdom. When that room is not available, how do you and I open ourselves to divine energy to work in and through us? How do those of us who follow Jesus afford such "room" for others to experience that same roominess of the Kingdom that we have experienced? What happens if the followers of Jesus lose sight of making room for anyone who wants to enter into God's presence?

All of these questions lead to and understanding in the Emerging Church: God is much bigger than we had previously understood - that's scary. Augustine once said, "If you understand it, it isn't God" (si comprehendis non est deus). That notion then opens modernity to a roominess that can be uncomfortable: Where do we go from here? Does this mean that all one has learned from Mother Church in the past is wrong? What does one have to hold onto if past understandings were inadequate?

I realize these are deep questions. However, in order for us to get to the bottom of this seemingly bottomless pit, the Church must make room for difficult questions. Let's allow these questions to lead our discussion this week. And remember, if you haven't yet gotten the book, Emerging Ministry: Being Church Today, get it asap so we can have a common base from which to pull.

Peace,
Tim

I read the Hunger Games during one of my vacations. Annie had been urging me to read the young adult trilogy for months - I finally gave in. While the books were written on a level that made them a simple and fast read, the author still gave a lot of food for thought. I recommend the books for anyone who might be "hungering" (i.e., searching) for some meaning in personal life. Set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic earth, the books offer one the possibility to step outside of modern life and evaluate/re-evaluate what is most important.

In the first book, The Hunger Games, the most intriguing part for me was the practice of making "tributes" of the community's children for a game that involved life and death. It made me think, "How do we today practice giving our children to our own causes - causes that often involve life and death.

In the second book, Catching Fire, a major symbol appears that I call the center of the book. During a victory feast, people cannot eat enough of the party spread - there is simply too much food. The guests cannot fathom not eating, they want to sate their hunger. In a scene reminiscent of infamous Roman vomitoria, the people drink a clear liquid that makes them throw up so they can eat more and more. The crowd no doubt follows this cycle over and over until all of the food is consumed. How does modern society do the same thing? Modern people do have insatiable appetites in many ways; how do we sate our voracious desires?

Finally, in the third book, Mockingjay, all seems to be in motion to be put aright in the world. However, a new entity comes to power and seems to follow the same cycle of greed and insatiable hunger. Covered as it is in what seems to be aid for the masses, this new entity may be as evil as the first - or maybe even more so. It begs the question, "How does modern society learn from its past? Do we learn that its ok to allow hunger to some level in our lives - or do we seek all means to satisfy every hunger within?

It seems to me that this trilogy has something to teach all of us, but in light of our conversations in discipleship, it seems especially important in our focus of desires. Where does unbridled desire lead - to bigger and better things, or to death and destruction? Is there an either/or answer, or are the lines grayed in our lives so that you nor I could answer in such a clear cut either/or way?

What are you hungering for? What is the congregation hungering for? To answer these questions would allow us at least a glimpse into the vision God has for us at Zion's, don't you think? I say that because God does deal in desires. God puts desires within us that move us to compassion and discipleship in the name of Jesus. What hungers do you think God has put within us? How could we be better disciples by focusing more intently on those desires?

Peace,
Tim

I never know what surprises are in store for me when I go to Ft Wayne, to the HalfPrice Bookstore. What am I saying, I rarely know what is in store for me from day to day - that's why this blog is called "Expecting the Unexpected". That's how I've experienced God in daily life. Needless to say, yesterday's trip to the bookstore was just as fulfilling as expected - or unexpected whichsoever is appropriate.

When I arrived, I migrated to my favorite section - the clearance! Lo and Behold! I found a wonderful book on the Emerging church for $3! Whether you are familiar, the term "emerging" or "emergent" church is used today for what our congregation is going through. It seems to me, however, that the Church is always emerging from something; and so, my questions for today: Do you like the term "emerging" or "emergent"? What do they say to you - good or bad? Do they help or hinder our understanding of God? Let's make this our discussion topic. Talk amongst yourselves...

[Finally, I have reread (for the 3rd or 4th time) an e-book on my Kindle app for computer: "A Better Atonement: Beyond the Depraved Doctrine of Original Sin". I read it again because it's author - an Emerging Church leader and theologian - intrigues me with the way he thinks. Before you start to think that your pastor is a heretic, the author does believe in sinfulness and sin, but thinks about it in a creative way by using ancient and modern theologians. If you are up for a captivating, theological read, download it - it's cheap. If you don't have a Kindle or don't have the app on your computer, it's free as well - Amazon wants you to buy books!]

Peace,
Tim

Interesting video

Good morning!

This morning Annie and I divided and conquered: Luke came to the office with me and Sophie went with her. When Luke and Sophie are together, no matter the parent, they always find lots of interesting things to do. More often than not, they end up asking lots of questions or finding new explorations - either way, their caregiver is taken off the task at hand. Luke went to visit a parishioner with me - one who has a pond, with lots of frogs. I don't really need to tell you that when we left he came to the car with one of the slimy creatures! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not fearful of amphibians; I just don't think it would be appropriate to go back to the church with one in the pocket. After little resistance, he returned the animal to its watery habitat and we were off. On the way back, he couldn't stop talking about how much he learned from them - how slimy they were, how many of them were in the water, how quickly they move when they spot a grasshopper...Maybe we have something to learn from frogs? Maybe we could learn from an eight year old how to observe and respond?

On Saturday and Sunday, we heard again from John 6 (this time, vv.35, 41-51). I know it may seem boring to us adults who have heard enough of Jesus, "I am the bread of life", but I wonder how much of our child's curiosity we have lost because of our need to fulfill personal desires? As my son observed and learned from the frog he caught, he willingly shared all he could with me. Of course, he has a deep desire to know his world, but he doesn't see himself merely individually - he shares all he learns (whether anyone really wants to know how slimy a frog is!). It's almost like he cannot help himself - that info just spills out as quickly as it goes in!

Today it occurred to me that perhaps we adults want too much control over our "environment" whereas children are content to reflect and share. I wonder what life would look like if you and I acted in the same way? Well, what do you think?

Peace,
Tim

Greetings and salutations!
After summer vacation, it's time for us to get back to work through the blog. I had asked you to purchase the small book, Emerging Ministry: Being Church Today, by Nathan C.P. Frambach. The author is a professor at an ELCA seminary and I had the opportunity to meet him at the Northwest Ohio Synod Assembly in May 2012. He's a great guy, very personable and down to earth. I have read his book and was impressed at its simplicity and depth. I hope it generates much conversation among us as we read and digest it.

For 1 Sept, let's read the preface and chapter one ("Living God's mission today: an emerging landscape") and be ready to discuss by the 1st.

I am also suggesting two other books just as personal enjoyment/edification: (1) Brian McLaren's new book (due out on 11 Sept) Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed cross the road: Christian identity in a multi-faith world, and (2) Peter Rollins' new book (due in January 2013) The idolatry of God: Breaking the Addiction to Certainty and Satisfaction. The first one dares to lead the church into meditation and reflection about what it means to be a Christian today. According to reviews and updates, he weaves a conversation of the 4 religious leaders into modern day struggles. Rollins, on the other hand, dares to make one think about the need for answers in a world that seems more bent on delivering more questions.

I, for one, will be downloading both books to my nook!

If you're into scifi, try David Brin's latest, Existence. I have one review from a friend and have read many others. All seem to think that this is a must read.

In the meantime, happy reading!

Peace,
Tim

I am constantly amazed at how quickly life changes today. When I first bought a computer years ago, I intended to have it for at least 10 years. Today, if we get 5 years out of a laptop, that's a great deal. I don't have to mention all the changes is software and hardware, either! Religion is not immune from the quick changes of modernity (or "post modernity" as the experts call it).  Not only is religion changing quickly, but the old, traditional ways of doing religion don't seem to compute for people today. The Church finds herself changing almost daily in order to remain relevant, in order to speak God's good news in Christ in the vernacular.  Again, almost everyday, a new book or article shows up that has the answers to all of our challenges for ministry. I would like for us to look at one of those books, read it together and disect it together. Where it makes sense, we can help to implement some changes in our congregation; where it makes no sense, we can wrestle with how God may be pushing us to grow.

Rev. Dr. Nathan C.P. Frambach, professor at Wartburg Seminary (ELCA) and also a recent keynote speaker at the Northwest Ohio Synod Assembly, wrote a book entitled, "Emerging Ministry: Being Church Today". It's a short book that you can order from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or your other favorite bookstore. If you have Nook or Kindle, check to see if you can get it there. I like the book for a couple of reasons: it's short and easy to read! The second reason, it's separated into small chunks that we can talk about and learn together in short sessions.

Which brings me to my final suggestion: We have not met for over a month now and we need to remain connected. Could everyone get the book in the next few weeks? I know that the summer shall be a time that's increasingly difficult to meet. We could read and comment online until we meet again in, say, September, after vacations are over - and everyone is back from "the lake".

As a teaser to buy the book, let's make the topic for our first posting: "The emerging landscape of spirituality".

Peace and good reading,
Tim

"Caring conversations" are a hallmark of a community that is growing. When we care enough to sit and listen to one another as well as struggle and challenge one another, the whole community benefits. Caring conversations among the church community happen between adults and youth as well as among fellow adults or fellow youth. In a very real sense, conversation - defined as dialoguing with one another - is vital to our life together. Without conversation, we will die. How do we foster places of caring conversations?
Peace,
Tim

I have heard all my life, "...love your neighbor as yourself..." What does that mean? Does it imply some unwritten understanding that you have to love self before loving others? Are we to infer that love of self takes a back seat, or even no seat at all, so that the "other" (whoever the other may be) feels loved?

I struggle further with this "love of neighbor" idea that some intinerant rabbi 2000 years ago taught. What if loving the "other" means never questioning how that "other" perceives or accepts the love? Are followers of Jesus called to love and not count the cost, or do we "shake the dust off our feet" when no one accepts it? Frankly, I feel that I want to clean my feet too quickly with some people and that I don't mind walking around with dirty feet around others. This love of other stuff is really complicated.

In telling us to love the other (whether God or neighbor), is Jesus calling his followers to something that we don't yet understand? What is going on? What does God's love of you and me tell us about my action toward another?  Sounds like we have enough for a good discussion here...

peace,
Tim

Imagine...
You're sitting in a coffee shop or favorite resaurant and someone, a stranger walks up to you. She sees that you are reading the Bible or some related "churchy" book. She makes a snide comment, "Looks like you're one of those Jesus believers," and stomps off to her seat near yours. What do you do? Do you respond to her off-putting comment or let it go, ignoring her? Do you hope to finish quickly your coffee and get out of there? Or, do you look forward to such an encounter so you can squash her "in the name of Jesus"?

How you respond tells not only her but, also you and every other person who heard the conversation, to understand how a follower of Jesus acts in public. What do you do?

I know you've been in a similar moment in your life. Perhaps the person was not so much a stranger; maybe it was the neighbor you never took time to notice. The truth is, modern people want less lip service from religious folks and more action. How you and I "are" in daily life really makes a difference. Let's discuss how to "be" Jesus' followers today.

Peace,
Tim

Acts 10. It's a turning point in some ways for Peter, the outspoken, forthright disciple. In a "trance", as the NRSV of the Bible says, Peter saw something like a sheet coming down from heaven. On the sheet were different animals, insects and "creepy-crawly things"; in other words, "unclean" things. Things that true, devout followers of Jesus would never be caught dead around. Then the voice from heaven says to Peter, "Kill and eat." In only the manner that Peter could act, he says, "No way! I have never touched anything unclean!" "What I have made clean is clean!" responds the voice.

"No way! I have never..."  "We don't do things that way..."  "I don't think that will work; we have never done that before." It took Peter letting down his guard before he could fully understand what the "voice" - read 'God' - was saying. Of course it takes any one of us some time before we, too, can hear what God is saying. I recently heard Brian McLaren say, "What we focus on determines what we miss." It's a creative way of helping us understand the ramifications of saying, "No way!..."

"What we focus on determines what we miss." Think about it. If I focus on the left, I miss out on what's going on to the right. If I focus on what's going on in front of me, I miss out on what's going on behind me. Where do we focus our attention to the detriment of other places? What are we missing? What could ministry look like if several people decided to focus on different places simultaneously? It would mean we would have to listen to one another. We'd have to trust one another's experiences. How hard would it be to adopt a new way of being?

Think about it...

Peter Rollins - an Irish author, theologian whom I got to meet in person in February, is writing a new book, The Idolatry of God. It's a thought-provoking title, but I wonder how many ideas we have about God that we need to let go of in order to truly experience the freeing, life-giving God? Today in text study with my colleagues, we wrestled with the word "joy". What does it mean? Can we explain it, or is it rather something to be experienced - something beyond words? How does one experience true joy? When? To what extent can you or I experience true joy in this life?

All of these seem like trick questions, meant to stump; or, they sound like depressing questions that lead to despair and hopelessness. It seems, however that true joy, whatever that means, can be experienced in this life and that can happen multiple times throughout one's life. What factors are important in order for someone to experience it?

Just some things to make you go, "Hmmm..."

Peace,
Tim

Today was a great worship service. Everyone seemed freed by God's Spirit to permit ourselves to laugh, cry, sing, pray and be God's people! The anointing and prayer at communion was especially powerful. What especially touched you? Was it the permission to talk with one another during the sermon? Was it the felt permission to clap our hands during the hymn of the day? Was it the levity after the children's sermon? Was it something deeper?

Worship is just one of the places we are given permission to touch Christ. Every day there are many opportunities that pass by us and we never notice. Why do we not notice God's presence? Why do we put so much emphasis on our own abilities and actions when we know that God may be moving us to places of action?

Peace,
Tim

Last Sunday, we heard from Acts 4, "...there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." For the second time, Peter makes his case for healing a crippled man who had lain at the Beautiful Gate. This time, he confronts the authorities who have obviously sensed a loss of power and influence among the people. The man was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, "whom [you] crucified, whom God raised from the dead..."

It would be easy for Peter to fall into the same trap of power and influence as his detractors; he doesn't, after all, follow a leader who wields a sword, but who calls his followers to love their enemies, to forgive even the most sinful individuals.  My question, then: How does a faithful follower of Jesus hear and understand Peter's words that there is salvation in no other than Jesus of Nazareth? Are these words of exclusion, or is something more meant by Peter? It would be easy to use Peter's sermon in a way to incite violent reaction to anyone who didn't believe exactly like "I" do; how can "I" faithfully follow this Jesus in whose name is salvation?

PT

"The Practice of the Presence of God" is the name of a little book written by Brother Lawrence, three centuries ago. Apparently he lived in a French monastery and was an "uneducated cook". Despite his lack of education, he "discovered the secret to a life of joy. In the midst o f the ordinary bustle of pots and pans, [he] - a servant of the servants of God, as he called himself - cultivated a profound and continual awareness of God." (from the back cover of my copy)

It's a quick read, yet the depth of the book allows for many good readings and rereadings over a lifetime. Imagine what life would look like if we all lived in full awareness that God was present at every moment - right there beside us! Remember Jesus is also called "Immanu-El" = God with us.

Isn't that what the circle from the LifeShapes reminds us, that God is present in every moment? It's we who have the difficulty of sensing God's activity and presence in daily life. I know it's difficult thinking that the moment you have said for the thousandth time, "Go to bed!" to your children, that God might be there in the moment. Maybe it's just then that I need to sense God with me.

Let's practice the presence of God every day - not just when we feel like it or when it comes to mind, but every moment of every day.What do you think could happen?

Peace,
Tim

Today, at the Synod's Pre-Assembly meeting, the participants were introduced (re-introduced for some of us who have already been through this kind of meeting) to the new way of doing business at the Synod Assembly. For all of us, this is a significant paradigm shift from business as usual - which means a "top-down" approach - to what I like to call a more "Spirit-led" approach. In this new approach, instead of having workshops, we will enter into "affinity groups". These are groups of like-minded individuals who may not know exactly how God wants to lead, but are willing to be part of a process that allows for more push and pull from all involved. This new approach allows much latitude, and that increaases the stress level for some - especially people who need to have everything in order before entering into conversation. Some people have commented that they need in the groups: facilitators, catalysts, topics, direction, goals. It seems to me the goal of these affinity groups is to open us up to new, perhaps unchartered ways of being God's people.

My questions: Why is there so much need for answers in every facet of life? Does one really need to know everything? Does one really want to know "everything"? How does the Holy Spirit's role enter into the discussion? Are we fearful of allowing God's Spirit to take hold of our lives? Imagine what would happen if we didn't hinder God's Spirit...

Peace,
Tim

Greetings to all!
It has been some time for me to enter into this new medium but I think it may be worth it. The reason it took me so long could be blamed on my penchant for the traditional; it could just as likely be blamed upon my inability to understand how one could be infinitely disconnected and yet feel connected through virtual reality. How can I, for example, send emails or blog comments to someone and feel I am connected, while sitting miles away with little or no chance of meeting? How can people who do meet periodically benefit from such virtual reality? How we wrestle with these basic questions will, no doubt, form how we use this blog.

I have named it "Expect the Unexpected" because it seems throughout the Christian scriptures God comes through in such unexpected ways. I could ask, "Why do we not expect God to act in such ways as God does?" What do you think - about the blog, about this idea of a public forum, about these questions?

God's peace,
Tim

first post

OK, all
This is my first attempt at blogging. I have just enabled the account and will be working with it in the next few days and weeks to change the background and such. I guess I have finally entered into the 21st Century!
Peace,
Tim