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You Come Back Now 5-6-12

mike — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:22:45 +0000

Sam is a great kid, but Sam is the only kid he knows that goes to church. But Mom insists.
Mom is a writer. In Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith, Mom explains why she wants her poor little Presbyterian church to be part of her son’s life:
“I want to give him what I found in the world, a path and a little light to see by. Most of the people I know who have what I want—which is to say, purpose, heart, balance, gratitude, joy—are people with a deep sense of spirituality. They are people in community, who pray, or practice their faith…They follow a brighter light than the glimmer of their own candle.”
“When I was at the end of my rope, the people of St. Andrew tied a knot in it for me and helped me to hold on. The church became my home. They let me in. They even said: You come back now.”
Sam was welcomed and prayed for at St. Andrew’s seven months before he was born. When I announced during worship that I was pregnant, people cheered. All these old people, raised in Bible-thumping homes in the Deep South, clapped. Even the women whose grown-up boys had been or were doing time in jails or prisons rejoiced for me…Women [who] live pretty close to the bone financially on small Social Security checks…routinely came up to me and stuffed bills in my pockets—tens and twenties…And then, almost immediately they set about providing for us. They bought clothes. They brought me casseroles to keep in the freezer. They brought me assurance that this baby was going to be part of the family.
“I was usually filled with a sense of something like shame, until I’d remember that wonderful line of Blake’s—that we are here to learn to endure the beams of love—and I would take a long breath and force these words out of my strangled throat: Thank you.”
Today’s Gospel calls us to realize the connections between Christ and us and between us and one another. On the night before he died (the setting of today’s Gospel) Jesus reminds his disciples of every time and place that, in his love, we are “grafted” to one another in ways we do not completely realize or understand. As branches of Christ the vine, we are part of something greater than ourselves, something which transforms and transcends the fragileness of our lives. May our families, communities and parishes become extended branches for all of us who struggle to realize our own harvests of joy and discovery, of grace and faithfulness.
I close – “When I was at the end of my rope, the people of St. Andrew/the people of Resurrection tied a knot in it for me and helped me to hold on. The church became my home. They let me in. They even said: You come back now.”

The Teens Who Knew Where To Stand 4-22-2012

mike — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:31:13 +0000

In a local church community, some of the teens complained that the only time it seemed that they were needed or noticed was when there was cleanup after social events. Their wise youth ministry coordinator challenged them to come up with a solution. Their solution changed their community.
For five weeks in a row, at the same time and same door, the same pair of teens would gather at the three entrances of the church. As some of the “regulars” and others would arrive, the teens would extend their hands with a smile and announce, “Welcome to our church”. After dismissal, the faithful would leave by the same route, being greeted again by the same teens, who thanked them for their attendance.
By the third week, smiles appeared on the faces of the adults and families who were greeted by these teens with their familiar chant. This continued for two more weeks, with pats on the back, more smiles, and much feedback to the pastor.

The sixth week, the teens did not show up at their assigned spots. They were still at church, but in the pews with their own families. What do you think the question was in the pews that morning? Where are those teens?
Parishioners soon found out as they walked to their cars in the parking lot after Mass. They discovered printed invitations on their car windshields that simply read, “Did you miss us? Come to the hall?” Curious now, many parishioners went back into the building, where they passed between two rows of teens giving them a standing ovation.
That church community hasn’t been the same since. Many creative ministries are happening there now, all kick-started by the teens who knew where to stand.

Easter: “God Alive” 4-8-2012

mike — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:34:30 +0000

We have all seen images from all around the world: the death and devastation in the wake of earthquakes, floods, tsunami’s, and tornadoes. We shake our heads in disbelief: How could God let such a thing happen? Where was God for these people?
But in the darkness of such tragedy, listen to the angel of Easter morning: Look beyond the stone; God is not entombed but very much alive here. See the doctor who leaves his practice to travel half way around the world to help care for the survivors? See the relief workers who work night and day setting up clinics and camps, drilling fresh water wells and rebuilding roads? See the churches and schools and communities around the world who mobilize to collect money and clothing and food and medicine? God is not buried in the rubble – God is raised up in such compassion and generosity.
As the temperature hovers around zero, a fire destroys a city block. Several people are killed, many are seriously hurt; scores of families are suddenly homeless, everything they own lost in the blaze. We feel for their plight: How could God let this happen? Where was God for them this night?
But in the ashes, the angel at the entrance of the tomb asks: Why do you see God in the ruins? Didn’t you see the firefighter who risked his life to save that five-year-old trapped on the sixth floor? Didn’t you see the EMTs work miracles in treating the victims of burns and smoke inhalation and rush to get them to hospitals? Didn’t you see the volunteers who came with food and blankets, helping the homeless take the first difficult steps in rebuilding their lives? God is not among the ashes – God is alive in the selflessness and sacrifice exhibited this horrible night.
War takes many forms and is waged in many places. Wars are fought globally, nationally, and locally; wars are waged not only in jungles and ravaged cities, on the streets of Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz—yes, even in Aptos and Vatican City, but also in offices and school yards, in kitchens and bedrooms. We cry: How can God let us keep destroying one another? Where is God in the midst of such hatred and violence, such greed and deceit?
But the angel of the empty tomb assures us: Don’t be afraid. God walks among you in those who have dedicated their lives to the work of peace, who empty themselves of their own wants and needs in order to bring consolation and hope to others, who work tirelessly to tear down walls of bigotry and build bridges across the divides of race and culture and class, who find their joy seeking joy for another.
God lives, the angel assures us. God goes to meet you. Look – and you will see God.
I close. Overwhelmed by the tragedies and devastation that surround us, we can become mired in a Good Friday mindset: We shake our heads and wonder how God the almighty Creator of all things can let such evil befall this world. But Easter calls us to realize a much different vision: God is not to be found in the tragedies that befall us or the evil that entraps us; God is found in the love, compassion and forgiveness God raises up in the hearts of those men and women whose lives reflect God’s presence in our midst. God has raised up his crucified Son, who walks among us in all that is good and right and giving, in everyone and everything that transforms our world from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from death to life. On this Easter morning, may the stones of hurt and cynicism be rolled back from our hearts and spirits, enabling us all to behold the Risen God before us.
Let us stand and profess our faith in God – alive and among us.