FEVER

I’ve got a fever!  No, not a 100 degree plus temperature but rather I’ve got World Cup Fever!  Recently my emotions and mood have been tied to the roller coaster that is USA soccer!  One of the biggest challenges is that the games come on at either 10 am or 2:30 pm EST.  What’s with that?  Aren’t most people working or am I the only one who can’t figure out how to cleverly sneak away and catch the match?  So I DVR the games and then tell family and friends not to spoil it for me!  So far so good but I do find that I have to avoid all social media and news broadcasts until I can see the game for myself.  This has proven somewhat challenging!

On a positive note, The World Cup has reinvigorated my prayer life!  Last night my wife came home from a night out with friends and found me on the floor, on my knees, with my hands folded in prayer mere inches away from the television!  As she crossed the threshold, she exclaimed, “What are you doing?”  “PRAYING for a miracle,” I exclaimed!  “There is only 4 minutes of stoppage time left and the U.S. has to score a goal to stay alive!”

Then my wife offered an observation that is still stinging this morning.  She stated, “Wow!  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you pray like that before!”  Seven years of marriage, 2 kids, in excess of 300 worship services, and she’s never seen me pray like that!  What does that say about my prayer life?  Granted, I do a lot of praying in private – in my prayer closet – but still shouldn’tmy outward daily behavior at home and in the church bear witness to a life more visibly rooted in prayer? 

So like the U.S. Soccer Team – who clearly has some work to do on the fundamentals of the game, I too have some work to do on the fundamentals of the faith.  Maybe it is a good thing that goals, referee calls, and winning hasn’t come easy for the USA.  Why?  Perhaps because if the USA had just easily won their group and advanced without any problems, I might not have been on my knees in front of the T.V. last night and my wife might not have said, “I’ve never seen you pray like that.”  Which in turn might not have convicted me to start today to get even more serious about my prayer life! 

What about you?  What fundamentals of the faith do you need to work on this summer?  Is it prayer, service, Bible Study, and or worship?  Here’s to hoping that you too catch The Fever!  No, not a real fever and no, not World Cup Fever but a Fever for falling more in love with Christ every day!

ACTING OUT: Telling Your Story

From now until Pentecost on May 23rd, St. Mark’s UMC will be engaged in a Sermon Series entitled Acting OUT. Easter calls us to live differently.  We can’t experience The Resurrection and then just go home.  No, like the apostles, the early followers of Christ, we too must go Act OUT our faith.  Throughout this series we will chronicle the Acts of the Apostles.  We will learn how they shared their faith and draw inspiration and courage from them to tell our own story of faith.  But before we can share our story with others, before we can point others to faith, we need to first get our own story straight!  Start by answering the following questions…

1. Who first shared with you about Christ?

2. How did you come to have faith in Jesus Christ?

3. What difference does your relationship with Jesus Make in your life?

As you work to answer these questions begin to think about who you might share your story with in the days ahead.  Ask God to help you see opportunities all around you.  Then like Peter and John in Acts 5 , have the courage and conviction to bear witness to your faith.  Remember your story has value.  It is inherently good because it contains the Good News of how Christ has encountered and transformed your life.  So go and ACT OUT in a big way for God!  That’s your Ben-e-diction and that’s an order! 

Love Them Anyway

It has been kindly (well not really) pointed out to me that I have not written a blog post in months now.  I apologize to my fan base for being otherwise occupied.  (I didn’t know you cared!)In thinking about the blog I had all but decided to make it a New Year’s Resolution to write a weekly post.  I was all set to start in January but then I came across this great quote that I want to share. 

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered.  Forgive them anyway.  If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.  If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.  Be honest and frank anyway.  What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.  Build anyway.  The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.  Do good anyway.  Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.  Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.  You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.” (Love Them Anyway - Mother Teresa) 

It is true.  It is between you and God.  What a great Ben-e-diction.  What a great way to go forth into the world.  What a great way to live.  May we seek to live this truth today and everyday.  Amen

Faded Glory

This past Sunday night, St. Mark’s hosted the second annual Staff versus Youth Basketball Game.  The proceeds from the game are used to help fund the youth group’s annual Appalachia Service Project mission work.  For those who may have forgotten like I tried to, the youth won last year’s game in convincing fashion.  So this year’s game provided a chance at redemption for the staff. 

Eric Hagman, our Director of Youth Minitries, organized and attempted to ‘coach’ the staff team.  He scheduled two practices and a film session.  While that may sound like a lot, in reality it was little more than a chance for most of the staff to touch a basketball for the first time since last year and the only film that was shown was a recap of some really bad line dancing we did for the introductory videos that were shown right before the game started Sunday night. 

During practice last Tuesday, Eric passed out our ‘jerseys’.  Okay so ‘jersey’ may be a little bit of an overstatement.  In actuality the so called ‘jersey’ was little more than a green crew t-shirt with navy sleeves.  The ‘jerseys’ had no numbers and no names on the back.  I did however happen to notice as I went to pull on my so called ‘jersey’ that the tag in the back of the shirt read FADED GLORY.  How appropriate for a bunch of middle to slightly older aged, desk-jockey, out-of-shape, has-been church staff members!  Faded Glory is not only a great brand name for shirts from Wal-Mart… it is also perfectly describes the staff team. 

Even a casual observer of warm-ups the night of the game would have been able to tell you that the youth were going to crush the staff.  The youth were bigger, taller, faster, and actually making shots.  One youth even dunked a few times.  Not intimidating at all…

The game started and the youth quickly raced ahead.  But thanks to a spot on the floor – behind half court – that was labeled 10 pts. and Eric’s sharp shooting, the staff stayed in the game.  At the half the youth were ahead but not so much that a comeback by the staff seemed impossible or improbable!  Yea, right!  Seriously!  The second half was full of runs and at one point the game did look out of reach.  The youth were something like 24 plus points ahead.  But Eric hit 2 key 10 pointers and with 2 minutes left we were down by only 4 points.  I quickly called a time out and we huddled up.  Once play resumed we quickly cut the youth lead to 2 pts.  On a subsequent drive down the court I got fouled and went to the line.

The score was 90 to 88.  Seven seconds remained on the game clock.  The ball was in my hands.  It is the moment every kid who ever picks up a ball in his driveway dreams about.  I dribbled twice, caught the ball, eyed the net, and then released the ball…swoosh…nothing but net.  A second time I dribbled twice, caught the ball, eyed the net and then released the ball…only this time the ball rimmed out.  A youth grabbed the rebound, threw the ball down court to a teammate who proceed to score on a layup as the buzzer sounded.  Another year…another loss for the staff.  So far we are 0-2. 

I told the seniors on the youth team after that game that I missed the second foul shot intentionally.  I told them it was my “gift to the seniors”.  The truth is I wanted to win so bad.  I hate losing.  I didn’t try to miss that shot.  I wanted it to fall.  I wanted to be the hero.  I wanted the glory.  But alas it wasn’t meant to be!  As the ball rimmed out so did my chance at glory…it faded away right there before my very eyes.  So I guess the label in the back of the ‘jersey’ was prophetic in a sense…Sunday night my basket ball skills were little more than Faded Glory

My years as a youth are long gone (the aches and pains I felt the next day are testimony to that reality).  My dreams of playing in the NBA have faded. But my love of Christ is stronger than ever.  He truly deserves the glory and praise not me.  What a joy just to get to play and what a joy to know that the proceeds will go the help fix homes in the mountains of Appalachia in the name of Christ.  For that cause I’ll suit up and play anytime anywhere…Glory be to God!  Amen.

Imitate This!

So I ate dinner with my shirt off tonight…

Lest you fear, it is not a frequent occurrence at my house.  In fact I don’t think I have ever eaten dinner at the kitchen table without my shirt on before tonight. However in this case it kept the peace and allowed my son to believe that he too could eat his dinner with his shirt off.  My wife had prepared lasagna.  We have learned the hard way that lasagna stains do not come out of light colored clothes no matter what product or technique you may try.  After ruining several outfits we made a rule that no kid shoud eat “red sauce” based foods in light colored clothing.  As we sat down to dinner I noticed Stuart, my son, was wearing a bright, white collared polo shirt.  I reminded him that he would have to take it off before he could eat the lasagna.  In response, loud screams and shouts of protest broke out. 

As he hemmed and hawwed my mind flashed to scenes from earlier in the day.  Stuart had imitated to a “t” everything and anything I did.  I came home early from work to mow the lawn.  I went inside to change clothes.  Stuart inisited that he had to change clothes.  I put on my Crocs.  Stuart put on his Crocs.  I changed out of my Crocs and into my “yard shoes”.  Stuart pleaded to put on his “yard shoes”.  He of course didn’t have “yard shoes”. So I relented and grabbed a pair of his school shoes – his blue Keds.  Well let’s just say he has “yard shoes” now.  But don’t tell his mother.  She doesn’t know it yet!  I put on a hat.  Stuart had to wear a hat.  The same was true with regards to wearing sunglasses.  I think I made something like 28 trips in and out of the house before I ever even cranked the mower…all because Stuart wanted to be, look, and act just like his dad!  He was in fact, “The Great Imitator”! 

So as I listened to him plead with his mother not to take his shirt off before eating his dinner – the lasagna – I quickly tore off my shirt and sat down beside him.  I didn’t say a word.  Neither did Stuart.  He simply picked up his fork and began to feast.  Like father…like son!

Reflecting back on the events of today, I feel extremely blessed to have a son who so desires to imitate my every move, action, and form of dress…even down to my choice of socks.  It is flattering and humbling all at the same time.  It is a fun new stage of life to experience with my child.  It is nice think that someone…another person…thinks enough of you to imitate what you are doing and being…

But the more I think about it I keep hearing the words of Christ in this week’s Gospel passage ringing in my ears, “love one another as I have loved you.”  Christ so loved the world he laid down his life.  He lived a life of sacrificial love and he calls us to do the same.  How willing am I…are you…are we…to imitate that kind of love?  What would it look like for us to daily, hourly, minute by minute…seek to imitate Christ in every way.  May we begin to the work of imitating the One, Christ, who modeled perfectly how to love one another…

The Ben-e-diction: So please, keep your shirt on but starting now let’s be about a life of imitating Christ!

Next Steps:Stretching Out Our Hands Initiative

Wow!  What a response!  Some 80 plus people packed into Anderson Hall last Wednesday night to help figure out how St. Mark’s might respond to those in our community being impacted by our current economic reality.  Our worshipful work agenda invited us to a time of individual reflection and then into small groups.  In the small group setting each individual was invited to share what he or she thought God was calling St. Mark’s to pursue.  Then each small group was instructed to identify the one or two ideas that emerged that generated the most energy and enthusiasm.  Near the close of our time together all 80 plus of us reconvened in Anderson Hall and attentively listened as each group shared. 

As we went around the room and heard from each group some common themes began to emerge.  First it was clear that further research needed to be done concerning the precise needs of folks in our community.  It was also pointed out that one of the greatest gifts we could offer would be to construct a consice, clear directory of resources already available in our community. 

Second there was a lot of energy around the idea of creating a “fund the need” protocol.  The idea is that when someone comes to the church or contacts the church regarding a need or needs the information would be carefully recorded.  The need or needs would then be passed on to a discernment team.  This team would work to help match the need or needs with available resources.  One wonderful option would be to communicate the need to a listserv of generous folks in the congregation who self-identified as people who wanted to help.  People receiving word of the need could then reply and offer to cover a certain portion.  For example if someone came in with a $120 utility bill the need could be posted and folks on the “fund the need” list could then reply with their offer of $10 or $25 dollars until it added up to $120. 

Third there was a clear desire to help feed folk.  The idea of pre-packaged food baskets, a food pantry, and monthly and or weekly meals bubbled up.  For sure there are many more details to be worked out on this front but the sentiment was to be sure folks in need did not leave the church empty handed. 

Fourth, thanks to the inspiration of one among us who actually has been out of work for over a year, ideas about job skills, support groups, resume help, interview skills training, and more emerged.  Folks present Wednesday night were eager to help on this front and many began reeling off their various areas of expertise and or skills training that they could offer. 

Finally, we had lots of discussion about how to share our desire to help with the community.  We will want to carefully and in very intentional ways let the Midtown community know what God is calling us to offer.  We don’t want to over promise and under deliver but at the same time I certainly don’t want to underestimate what the faithful of St. Mark’s can… through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit… make happen. 

In the days ahead, I will be meeting with folks who have been identified as co-cordinators of each major initiative.  These co-cordinators in turn will be assembling teams to help carry out the work.  They will draw up the “yellow” data sheet folks filled out at the meeting last Wednesday night.  So stay tuned.  Listen for your name to be called.  Continue to be in prayer.  As Pastor Lib stated this morning, “We cannot build a tent and stay on the mountain…no we must carry the light of Christ…the glory of Christ… into a dark world.” 

Again, I stand in awe of how the faithful of St. Mark’s is answering the call.  God is clearly moving among us.  I am both excited and terrified…but based on the disciples’ response to much of Jesus’ ministry…I think these feeling are normal…

Let’s continue the conversation.  Do you have other ideas or tweaks to what is offered here?  What is God saying to your heart?  What above mentioned area sounds like the best place for you to offer assistance?  Let me hear from you…

P.S. If you have ideas about how we can best assess the needs of our community and or where to go to get information about what other resources/ministries/services are already available please reply to this blog post.  Thanks!

Stretching Out Our Hands Initiative

In our text for the morning, Mark 1:40-45, we witnessed Jesus’ direct and immediate response to terrible suffering.  By law…by custom…Jesus should not have touched the leper and yet in the face of such terrible suffering Jesus dared to stretch out his hand.  Jesus said, “I do choose, Be made clean.”  It was daring!  It was fraught with risk.  He clearly broke the rules…the norms.  Bottom line he faced down suffering and proclaimed it unacceptable…unconscionable.  Then he did something about it. 

I would argue the same must be true for those of us who seek to follow after Christ.  In the face of terrible suffering and hardship like the kind folks in our own neighborhoods and communities are experiencing this very day in light of the economic crisis, we must choose to act.  We must choose to respond.  It is the call of Christ.

Too often we say, “Well that is a problem, I sure hope somebody somewhere does something about it!”  The simple fact is God has done something about it.  What has God done?  God has planted a church called St. Mark’s UMC right in the midst of a hurting community.  Is it a coincidence?  Heaven’s no!  God expects and is calling us to action?  Will we choose to respond?  Will we play it safe?  Or are we willing to reach out a hand and help?

As I said in worship, I don’t pretend as pastor to know it all!  Okay you can stop laughing now!  Seriously, I can admit it!  I don’t know the answer.  I just see the pain and suffering and feel compelled to tell you God is calling us to respond.  So this is my plea.  Help me!  Help St. Mark’s think about how we can be the church in these troubled times?  How can we make use of our facilities, people, and resources to respond? 

Any creative idea is welcome?  Any obvious but straightforward response is welcome.  I just know we can’t sit idly by.  Respond to this blog with your God-given ideas and visions for how St. Mark’s can stretch out a hand.  Then come join us this Wednesday night, Feb. 18th, in Anderson hall at 7:30 pm as we wrestle with these issues and seek a way to respond in our community.  Its risky business for sure but it is the call of Christ.  A call we cannot ignore. 

To be honest, I am more than a little bit scared.  This invitation to give me/the church your God-given ideas was not a part of the typed sermon for today.  It is truly the movement of God’s Spirit.  It just welled up within me.  Finally as we pray and work to respond may we never forget that old line from one of the great spirituals, “He never failed me yet!”  Nor will God ever fail us!  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Don’t forget!  I am anxious to hear from God via you! 

Ben-e-diction: May we go not to play it safe or to be let off the hook but rather committed to saying, “We do choose to stretch out a hand in response to the suffering of our community!”

Is Worship Good for Your Health?

In a resource I occasionally draw upon for preaching inspiration – Pulpit Resource, I recently came across part of an article from The Wall Street Journal entitled “So it’s come to this? Religion is good for your health?  Body and Spirit: Why Attending Religious Services May Benefit Health,” by Kevin Helliker. 

The article reads, “A growing body of scientific evidence shows that Americans who attend religious services at least once a week enjoy better-than-average health and lower rates of illness, including depression.  Perhaps most important, the studies show that weekly attendance confers a significant reduction in mortality risk over a given period of time. 

These studies have received almost no attention, in part because there is skepticism among many medical scientists about the validity of the studies.  But [a new] panel’s examination of studies showing the effect of church attendance on health reached an altogether different conclusion.  The panel reported that the studies showed a 25% lower mortality rate for those who attend religious services at least weekly.  Religious services at churches, temples, and mosques boost various features that can be beneficial to health – meditation, a social network, a set of values that discourage smoking, infidelity, and other unhealthy behaviors.  Many of hte studies have found that the health benefits of weekly attendance accrue more heavily to women than to men, perhaps because women make great use of religious social networks.

When  compared with non-weekly attendance, “weekly attendance was associated with a statistically significant improvement in quitting smoking, becoming often physically active, becoming not depressed, increasing the number of individual personal relationships and getting married,” said one of the examined articles, which was published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine in 2001.  That study gathered health and mortality data over a period of 30 years on 2676 Californians, 26% of whom attended religious services weekly.  “Being religiously involved can confer certain health benefits, and I don’t think there’s any divine intervention involved,” says Robert A. Hummer, a non-church going University of Texas sociology professor whose studies have shown a health benefit for regular religious-service attendance.” 

Fascinating is it not?  What do you think?  Do you think the studies are right?  Is there a correlation between improved health and regular weekly attendance?  Maybe so…maybe not.  Of course we know seeking improved health is not the primary reason for going to worship.  We worship because God commands/invites us to and because truthfully it is what we were created to do.  However how great if it turns out to be true that attendance in worship WEEKLY does improve our health!  Let’s test the theory.  Commit to weekly attendance.  See you there!

Agents of Invitation

In chapter one of his book, 5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Robert Schnase writes in great detail about the practice of Radical Hospitality.  He explains, “Churches characterized by Radical Hospitality are not just friendly and courteous, passively receiving visitors warmly.  Instead, they exhibit a restlessness because they realize that so many people do not have relationship to a faith community.  They sense a calling and responsibility to pray, plan, and work to invite others and to help them feel welcome and to support them in their faith journeys.  They desire to learn about inviting and welcoming more people and younger people and more diverse people into their congregation.  Churches practicing Radical Hospitality offer a surprising and unexpected quality of depth and authenticity in their caring for the stranger.” 

It is one thing to be hospitable.  But what about being radically hospitable?  It is one thing to get your house/church in order and to be ready to welcome those who visit.  But what about leaving the campus and going out to invite others to “come and see”?  That I would argue is taking it to a whole new level.  Evangelism can seem scary and or the responsibility of the staff or a few key leaders.  But it is neither.  All of us by our baptism are called to a mission from God…to be agents/ambassadors of invitation. 

Our text for Sunday morning, January 18th, is John 1:43-49.  It is the story of Jesus finding Philip and then Philip finding Nathanal.  None of these waited around for folks to show up on their doorstep.  No they went out to find folk and once they found the individual issued the invitation to “come and see.” 

Who is the last person you invited to church?  Who is the last person you brought to Christ?  No, I don’t mean who is the last person you helped get saved!  No, who is the last person you simply invited to church to “come and see” what a life of discipleship is really all about? 

Do you understand your unique, non-transferable role to be an agent of invitation?  Or like me do you shy away from this central and primary calling?  What are we afraid of?  Why do we not do it?  What needs to change? 

Schnase asks, “How do you feel about talking to other people about your church?  How and when have you invited someone to attend or participate in a ministry of the church? 

Chime in…tell me your story…

The 5 Practices

This Sunday, January 18th, we will embark on a an exciting 5-part sermon series based on the book  Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase.  The 5 practices are Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-Taking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity.  Bishop Schnase suggests that churches that seek to excel at these 5 practices not only thrive but more importantly faithfully fulfill the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the trasformation of the world.

I am inviting all leaders and staff in the life of St. Mark’s church to read the book.  A copy has been bought for you and can be picked up in the church office.  I pray that reading and reflecting together on these 5 practices will inspire as well as give shape to our work in 2009.  Please note that we will be reading the chapters in order except for Passionate Worship and Intentional Faith Development.  These two will be reversed. 

I will also be blogging about the 5 practices.  Mostly I will be asking questions about how we are doing with regards to each practice.  I covet (even though technically we are not supposed to covet) your (everyone’s…not just the leader’s) responses and your engagement with me on this journey.  Each of one of us has a unique perspective.  I believe we are on the right trajectory and are attempting to try and live out each practice at some level.  But I also know we have not yet arrived, no church has, and that we much keep honning each of the 5 practices in order to be faithful to the call God has given us.  I look forward to hearing from you. 

Ben-e-diction: As we read and study may God show us were we are doing well, where we have failed, and where we need to keep working.  Amen.