Archive - February, 2009

Monday "Morning" Church

February 24, 2009 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I have started a weekly email for the people of my church.  About 45 people have signed up to recieve it.  I think it is a great way to bring Sunday morning into the everyday lives of the people who come to the church on 370.  I have gotten positive feedback on it so far and I would like to also share it here!

Ahhh what a busy week in the life of the church.  Busy in a good way!!

As we approach Lent I am reminded about how wonderful of a season this is….many times I think that Lent is such as downer — there is talk about sacrifice and we always have to “give up” stuff we like.  It can really bring someone down!!

But then I start to think about Lent as a time of self reflection – a time of self renewal and when I think of things in those terms I really have a different view of Lent and a different appreciation for the forty day journey.

As you start your Lenten journey I challenge you to push yourself this year, if you are someone who gives up something as you walk with Jesus in the wilderness really think about what you are doing and why – take the time to pray, take the time to listen to God’s Word in your life.  I love the idea of silence during Lent, silence to reflect as we renew ourselves.

During the season of Lent my reflections for the emails will be related to the Psalms and something else in current day life.  The first Psalm is number 25

Psalm 25

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.  Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.  Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.  Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.  Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.  Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!  Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.  He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Pastor’s Reflection

When I read this psalm words and music from the band Creed flow through my head.  Here they are

HIGHER

When dreaming I’m guided through another world  — Time and time again-  –At sunrise I fight to stay asleep— Cause I don’t want to
leave the comfort of this place— Cause there’s a hunger, a longing to escape — From the life I live when I’m awake  — So let’s go there
Let’s make our escape — Come on, let’s go there — Let’s ask can we stay ?

Can you take me higher ?
To the place where blind men see
Can you take me higher ?
To the place with golden streets

Although I would like our world to change — It helps me to appreciate — Those nights and those dreams — But, my friend, — I’d sacrifice all those nights — If I could make the Earth — and my dreams the same— The only difference is  — To let love replace all our hate — So let’s go there — Let’s make our escape — Come on, let’s go there  — Let’s ask can we stay ?

Up high I feel like  — I’m alive for the very first time — Up high I’m strong  — enough to take these dreams —And make them mine

Can you take me higher lord?  can you lift me up to the sky — too many times are we here on Earth trying to get “higher”  if that means more money, more time, or even to separate ourselves from reality by drinking or drugs — there are too many people looking to escape.  But instead of escaping to the one who can lift us up and who brings us in we look for other places to escape.

Prayer

Oh Lord, as we put our trust in you may we be lifted to new levels.  Watch over us Lord as we begin our Lenten journey.  Be with us and let us know of your presence in our lives in all that we do.  Help us to connect with you in ways we have never imagined before.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

Biggest Loser Clergy update

February 23, 2009 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

It has been a week and I have been doing real well on our challenge.  Everyone has lost at least one pound and I am excited for the support we are able to give to one another.

I have been doing really well with my diet and exercise.  I have been drinking my Cinch Shakes for breakfast and lunch.  I don’t know why but we got the strawberry and I actually like it a lot.  So far I have been making it to the gym 3 times a week.  I would like to go one more day a week and get some swimming in.

I got an email today from Beth Lewis from Augsburg Fortress and she is going to give us some rewards for the Biggest Loser

“This is a great idea.  Augsburg Fortress will be happy to award the people in your group (up to 10 participants) who work together to complete this “436 mile walk” with a copy of Richard Hasler’s book,Surprises Around the Bend:  50 Adventurous Walkers. You can see the description here– I would like to coordinate this through you for simplicity.  In addition, for the person who loses the most weight and wins the money and the Bishop’s preaching, we will also give a complete 7-volume set ofPeople’s History of Christianity, a gift worth $245. 

Is that good news or what?

Biggest Loser: Clergy Edition

February 15, 2009 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I have come to admit to myself that I need to lose weight.  I think I am in a position in my life where I can really dedicate time and energy to do it, the right way.

I have looked around and I have not seen any “Biggest Loser” type competitions.  For those who know me I am very competitive, even at the simplest card game.  I don’t lose it or anything but I do enjoy winning.

One of my goals this year is to get healthy but I can’t do it alone.  I need something to motivate me — some sort of competition. Well I have a great opportunity to get together with some of the other clergy in the area (or even beyond the area) to ban together to lose weight and get healthy.   I think this would be fun and helpful for so many people!

So using an outline from a friend of mine (thanks Lindsey) created a document (and I borrowed her document) and I handed out at the last Conference meeting.  Each person participating puts in $25.00 and the “winner” gets the pot of money and loses a pot of belly.  The winner also has the opportunity to have the Bishop come and preach at their congregation (don’t worry she agreed).

We started today and we are going to go until our (Upstate NY) Synod Assembly in May.  If you want to participate let me know as soon as you can!

FYI – Tipping is good

February 11, 2009 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I found this on Prayer Pilgrimage

I promise I am not making this up…

My daughter, taking a break from her pursuit of a graduate degree, is a server at the Chili’s a few miles down from our house. Like many others her age she is already pretty critical of the church and its obvious hypocrisies. Her cynicism, that to say, is neither atypcial nor incomprehensible. Nor does this kind of thing help–her or others.

A group of six church-goers came in last night after their evening services and sat down, not in her area but in another server’s. When the girl came to greet them and take their drink order, one of them said, “We want to tell you up front that we will not be tipping you tonight because…”

Are you ready?

“…we do not believe in people working on Sunday.”

The girl was taken full-aback, stammered out something that sounded like “I wouldn’t have to work on Sunday if so many church people didn’t come in,” or some such. She was furious. So was the manager of the restaurant whom she summoned to deal with them. I think he should have tossed the people out on their…uh…Bibles. To his credit, and demonstrating something like agape all around, he did say to them, “Well, we don’t believe in making our people work for nothing, so I will be serving you tonight.” And he did. God bless him.

It is a wonder why anyone would want to be Christian with people like that around.  I just hope that one day those people find a church that will preach to them the Gospel of Jesus – and if they do not believe working is good on a Sunday then my advice would be to not go into any store or resturant where people do work.

I have worked in a variety of restaurants since I was 16 years old.  Granted I worked in the kitchen but when talking with servers I can boldly say that “Christians” are the worst offenders of restaurant staff.  For some reason some Christians believe that they have some sort of “get out of jail free” card when they feel like not doing something.  It reminds me of the Pharisees and Sadducees in Jesus’ time.  They are so worried about what the “rules” say that they are unable to show or experience the love of Christ in their lives.

I hope and pray for people like the ones mentioned above.  I pray that God will turn their hearts away from the law and turn them toward the gospel.

Baby Pastor School

February 1, 2009 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Last week I participated in the Institute for Congregational Ministry Retreat.  ICM is the major component of First Call Theological Education for ELCA rostered leaders in the Northeast. It is required of all rostered leaders in their first three years of ministry. This is also known for those of us who went to the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia as “Baby Pastor School.”

I honestly did not hear too many good things about this retreat – I heard that one of the things that participators really enjoyed was the night time activities.  However, I enjoyed the retreat much more than I thought I would.  I was able to see seminary classmates that I have not seen since graduation.  I was also able to hang out with one of my favorite people in the whole world – who also happens to be my daughters Godmother (or baptismal sponsor).

I really enjoyed the speaker Mark Allen Powell.  He talked about the Book Christ and Culture.  This was a book we read in seminary and I can’t say that I really enjoyed the book when we read it.  It is a tough read and it was one of those books that we had to read quickly and then talked about it in very vague terms.  This time as a pastor in a church trying to identify itself, I really took in what Dr. Powell was saying about how churches relate to the world.  I think as a church it would be good to talk how we as the church relate to the world.  I wonder how people in the church on 370 see themselves and if it is not something that is consistent with our theology as ELCA Lutherans then can we change that? What do we do to change that?

The work shops that I really enjoyed were about money.  The first was one that dealt with Clergy Taxes — now this is a very confusing thing but I think I am starting to understand it some.  However, with that being said I am going to find myself a good accountant that deals with clergy taxes.  Especially this year since I worked three different jobs in three different states and one job (my current one) is in ordained ministry.

The other workshop that i really enjoyed was about personal and church stewardship.  We looked at our financial history (including childhood) where we as pastors are financially and where we want to be.  When you talk about money as a pastor you think about your congregation as well.  How do we encourage those who are sitting in the pews to think of their personal stewardship as giving thanks to God for what God has blessed us with instead of thinking it as giving to meet the budget, or thinking that whatever I have in my pocket after a busy weekend I will give to the church. I think for Lutheran’s it is difficult to talk about money and the church, because it is not a should or should not question  — our theology does not ask that question, that is a question the mega church down the road asks.  Our theology is talking more about our response to what God has given us, but it is not a guilt type thing.  For Lutherans it is always a yea…..but. type thing.

I am not sure what the next two years will bring me as I attend this event but I know next year I will not be dreading it as much as I did this year and I will be excited to see what happens.