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