She Changed The World

Today I will do something Aimee Wallis Buchanan taught me to do, to use my words for healing instead of hatred.  Today through my tears and my grief I will remember a woman who embodied to me the Holy Spirit with her entire being.  

Throughout the day I have been amazed at the number of people who, through various social media outlets, have shared their love of Aimee and the entire Buchanan Family.  As my friend Katie Stetson expressed so simply and perfectly, "she changed the world."  This is no doubt true, as I speak from my own experience in saying that Aimee's presence in my life shifted my entire worldview in a matter of just a few encounters. 

The one word I keep coming back to when I think of my mentor, my friend, Aimee:  VIBRANT!  There are a lot of other adjectives bound up in that word such as witty, passionate, joyful, radiant.  I picture her eyes dancing with anticipation as she prepared to share... well anything... a story, a joke, a sermon, a witty zinger which she used to throw at us teenagers in youth group every now and then. When Aimee walked into a room I think it expanded, to encompass her spirit.  She would literally set the tone and temperature of the space she was in, always warm and inviting.  Her deep laughter would echo down corridors and hallways and settle in your soul.  Her heart was as big as her beloved state of Texas and I never doubted the sincerity with which she shared her love with me and with everyone she knew.  For fifteen years of my life she has rejoiced at all of my triumphs, listened and given counsel in all of my fears. 

 I can remember many times watching her walk determinedly in one direction, clearly on a mission, only to turn on a dime and walk with just as much vigor in the opposite direction, for a purpose just as important.  She was always busy living, busy parenting, busy creating, busy ministering. I suppose that it might be from Aimee that I learned that faith is about living.  Church is a verb, not a noun, your faith leads you to active verbs... being, doing, caring, loving, listening, welcoming. 

Aimee and Bill opened my eyes and my heart to my God given gifts at a very young age.  I say both Bill and Aimee because the two are always coupled in my mind, like Bob and Jo (Carson) or Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Knowing that Aimee studied English and loved creative writing and theater only made me look up to her more. The first time I saw her walk out on stage at Montreat and do a keynote I think my life shifted. I think, on some level, I knew I wanted to do that. I wanted to use creative expressions in worship.  I wanted to have an impact on someone else's life the way she and Bill and countless others in my new church family were having on me.   Aimee and Bill both showed me that my love of creative writing could be channeled into expressing my love for God.  They encouraged me to write skits and poems and prayers for worship.  

One of my brightest memories of Aimee is ten or twelve of us teens, gathered around her in the sanctuary at Bedford Pres, Elli no doubt toddling about somewhere in the background.  Before we got ready to practice any youth Sunday or Christmas Eve she would make us do these vocal exercises.  We would have to say things like "red leather, yellow leather" and "rubber baby buggy bumpers" over and over, faster and faster until we all exploded into a fit of laughter.  She also did this thing where we had to stretch our faces and make our eyes as wide as possible "big face" and then pinch our eyes and lips together, "little face".  "Big Face!"..."AHHHHH"  "Little Face"...."mewmewmewmew".  I have no doubt that she has used the techniques with hundreds of worship teams at conferences, youth groups, and Many Voices. 

The truth is that Aimee recognized that God was at work in my life, calling me to some form of ministry long before I ever did.  And she wasn't afraid to tell me that, even though the thought terrified me.  But from that point on, the first time she showed that confidence in me, the first time she encouraged me in that way, I was in awe of her.  So much of her ministry has been an inspiration to me.  She had this deep dedication and drive in her work.  I could tell that she really loved what she did, much more than a job, a vocation.  It made me grow into a woman knowing two things: One: I could do and be anything I wanted to be in this world, including a minister.  Two: Whatever I did in life, I needed to love it, I would need to utilize my gifts, otherwise I would never be happy. When I told them I felt called to ministry, it was like telling them I like french fries.  They already knew.  They had helped raise me in the faith, they knew me, they knew God was at work in me.   When nothing else in this crazy world makes sense today, I know this: that she was happy and blessed.   

Aimee's compassion is something that I strive to match (I am nowhere close).  When I think of Micah 6:8 Aimee comes to mind as a shinning example of what it means to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God."   Aside from my own mother, Aimee has been the single most influential woman in my life, mostly in the example she set for me of how she lived.  I am amazed by her work with Asheville Youth Mission, and of course Bill's too.  That they, as partners in all things, took this leap of faith to start a ministry from the ground up, one that was deeply important to them, being hands on in the community...it was brave, it was inspiring. It was, as I think Bill would say, "a God thang."   She taught me about compassion.  She taught me about justice. She taught me about hope. 

So today, as I am submersed in sadness; I try to think about the way she lived, rather than the fact that she is gone.  I continue to wait for the pastoral voice in my head to turn on and remind me of all the things I've been taught, all of the things I know to say to others in their time of grief.  I remember Aimee's voice telling me, "It is okay to ask God tough questions, it is okay to wail against God because you are angry or you are sad." But mostly I try to fill the hole in my heart, like this blank page, with thoughts of someone amazing, someone I am honored to know and love. 

Boldly Ask

"You do not have, because do not ask."--James 4:2

McKenzie and Miller beg the question in Climb Higher, "If you truly believe in your clear and compelling vision, why would you not invite others to join you in fulfilling it?  If you truly believe you are being called by God to accomplish your ministry objectives, how could you not encourage others to get on board?"

I think we all know why... finances is a touchy subject.  There is a fine line between encouraging and bullying or guilting someone into giving financially to the church.  I agree with many in my own congregation who have said that if the church is made aware of a particular need or cause, they give generously.  But what about the common, everyday cause of building maintenance, paying the part-time staff, creating a cushion for future needs that are unforeseen?  Churches are in a precarious spot because when the the economy tanks oftentimes families have to cut back and tithing is one place where we can feel less guilty about it because God will understand, times are tough.  Believe me, I understand and sympathize with this line of thinking.  But, the cost of living, food, utilities, etc is going up for the church just as it is everywhere else!  There is an internal struggle in me between encouraging people to be thrifty in their lives, good stewards of their finances and also recognizing the need to 'boldly ask' folks to consider increasing their giving.

Because I do believe that we as a church are working toward a clear and compelling vision.  I do believe that we have wonderful ministries that we would be remiss to let go of in order to cut corners on our spending.  It is not as if we are hoarding money away, we want to use it to spread God's grace throughout the community.  

There is a fear in our lives today of giving away too much and not having enough for our own families... I resonate with that very much.  There is also a fear in churches I think that everyone will know how much we give and judge us for not giving enough.  What a horrible atmosphere to be in if we all looked over each others' shoulder to see how many bills we were putting in the plate... but I know that happens in some congregations (I hope not here).  Generosity should bring joy, not burden. This is not like giving dues to a club so that you can participate.  But it is about taking ownership for your church. It should not be about keeping up with the Jones' in the pew across the aisle. But it should be about investing in something that is important to you, if it is in fact a valued part of your life.  Give as you feel the Spirit leading you, because you too believe in the vision of the church, in the ministries that are happening!  

What you give is between you and God.  The Lord knows  your heart. I can't help but think of the parable of the widow's mite.  She gave such a small amount of money to the collection, but hers was the most valuable because she gave as much as she possibly could with a generous heart.  Stewardship is about more than giving of  your money, it is also about praying for the financial well being of the church.   Pray for our ministries, pray for our elders who make decisions, pray for our treasurers who work hard to keep our books in good order.  I have come to realize that it is not just me boldly asking church members to reconsider their giving.  It is also not the elders alone who are encouraging you to increase your tithe.  It is a conversation between you and God, one in which God is boldly asking you to consider the role that Christ's church plays in your life and how you will commit to it.  

I take this opportunity to praise God for the many ways in which our congregation does support the church financially.  We are able to do wonderful things!  I thank God every day that our congregation has put a roof over our heads and food on our table.  We are fortunate to be able to work together, there are so many churches who are struggling to stay alive, to keep their doors open.  I am thankful for the thoughtful conversations we have had and will continue to have as we envision a future for our church.  I am thankful for the ways in which the congregation has and will commit to our ministries through giving of their time, their finances, and their prayers.  May you be blessed and be a blessing.  

What's My Motivation?

What motivates you in life? For me often times it is writing a list so that I can then experience the satisfaction of checking things off of it.  A friend of mine said a few weeks ago that his mom is the kind of person who sits down at the kitchen table with her morning coffee and at the top of her "to do" list writes, "make coffee" just so that she can mark it off.  Kindred spirits, she and I.  Other times it is a deadline fast approaching that motivates me, paying bills for example.  The best motivation comes when you are inspired to do something!  When sheer joy or love drives you to finish that book, write that article or finish that project. One of the most important and exciting things for me to do in the past few weeks has been to prepare for my besties' wedding.  There has been nothing too great or too small that I would not do to help her.  After all, this is part of a bridesmaids' job!  Buying a fancy dress, showering her with gifts, and taking her with friends to the beach for a weekend before the wedding has been such a blast.  Indeed, our continued friendship has motivated me to try and be the very best bridesmaid that I can be!  

I'm sure you know where I am going with this: what is our motivation when it comes to the life of the church? We know that when it comes to the task of giving of our time, talents, and treasures, there are many times when climbing that particular mountain appears to be too steep!  How can we motivate each other to pack up our gear and begin the arduous climb? How do we motivate one another to join us in the journey to become as generous to our church as perhaps we are in other areas of our lives? "What", you might ask, "is my motivation?"

I love this statement from McKenzie and Miller in "Climb Higher."  They write, "God continues to express generosity and give to us in ways we can hardly imagine--not because of what we do, but because of grace.  God's gifts come to us without strings attached.  Our gifts to God should be returned in the same way." Grace, the ultimate motivation! 

I could talk about generosity in the church being budget driven, but if you are like me, reading a bunch of numbers and line items can be intimidating and your eyes begin to glaze over.  Fiscal responsibility is very important and all of us should be aware of the church's expenses and the need to fund our various ministries, pleading with members to help out when times are tough isn't necessarily the best approach. Another option is to merely plea for help in a crisis situation.  This might lead a congregation into a panic or to believe that the church is no longer viable.  While a congregation should always be told if a financial crisis has emerged, it should be a vision for ministry that inspires the congregation to resolve it.    Some churches attempt to divide the amount of funding needed to sustain ministries equally among its members.Families are told what is needed and their portion and are called to respond accordingly.  Wow, um...insulting (in my opinion). This sounds a lot more like being guilted into paying dues rather than out of being lead through prayer to give as they are able.  We also have to be careful not to encourage a "giving to get" mentality.  Have you ever heard a testimony from someone who said that after they increased their tithes to the church they recieved a promotion or a raise? Our tithing should not be based on a bartering relationship with God.  Remember, God blesses us by grace alone and those blessings preceded and exceeded any gift-giving on our own part. 

I have shared this quote with our congregation before: "We don't pay the utility companies because we love paying utilities.  We budget for utilities because of the many different ways in which the building is used for ministry."  So, what is our motivation? Instead of talking about money lets talk about ministries.  

One of our best kept secrets at ACHPC is probably our music program.  When visitors come to our church they are blown away by the amount of talent we have in our small congregation.  It reminds me of a song Martina McBride used to sing, "I'm little but I'm loud."  I hope that for as many folks that come to me on Sunday morning to tell me they enjoyed my sermon, they tell our pianist, choir director, guitarist and choir members how fantastic they are.  While I do not like the notion that worship is a performance, I do on occasion encourage church members to clap after an anthem because the choir deserves to know that they have helped that congregation come closer to God in that moment.  That the Holy Spirit's presence was felt due to their inspiring music.  It isn't just about praising them, it is about glorifying God and in those moments thanking God for the talents they share with us each week! I look forward to occasions such as Joy Gift and Palm Sunday when they are able to breathe new life into our worship.  Having laity participate in worship each Sunday by leading the liturgy is crucial to our continued vitality, it helps members to take ownership of their worship and spiritual health.

I think we are also strong in our Christian Education at ACHPC.  We may not boast multiple Sunday school classes, but why should we?  What is the benefit of being fragmented when such wonderful, thoughtful discussion happens in one room?  The curriculum for the upcoming year for both adults and youth strives to connect real life, newsworthy events and personal narratives with the scriptures.  How do the scriptures help us to respond to what is happening in the world?  The Men's Fellowship Group and the Girls' Day Out study does the same thing, although with a different context.  We know that thoughtful study is an important key to our inspiration, it is what helps us to flesh out our theology and apply our faith to daily living.  

In addition to our study and worship, we fellowship with one another each and every week!  It is a delight for us to have luncheons and dinners together, to sit down and spend that quality time just being in relationship.  But, it is amazing what 10 minutes after worship can do to lift one's spirits, energize them for the coming week, share in a smile that can spread, one to another.  Make no mistake, the stories of the Bible are encounters with neighbors, relationships are at the core of  each one!  

There are churches that are twice the size of ours in number but can't seem to find the time to take care of one another.   Our family ministry is by far one of the most wonderful things we do.  While I try my very best to visit with our members when they are ill or struggling, I simply cannot do all that I would like.  I could never do enough in all honesty, but with help from congregation members, we are able to show our love and support to members. The cards, the flowers, the food, mean so much to people.  I would encourage everyone that you do not have to wait until you are the person signed up to do family ministry to reach out to folks.  Our prayer list is in the bulletin each week for a reason.  After you've prayed for our members, call them, visit them, and pray with them!

The amount of work we do in the community is also phenomenal. When people call us and ask for help with groceries, we can direct them to the local food bank because we are always collecting food for their shelves.  When people need help with their rent or their electric bills, we are able to provide for them because of the congregations generosity with funds as well as the time our members spend working to raise money at the Railroad Festival.  We assist with Habitat, we do an angel tree, 2-cents-a-meal, the list goes on and on.  In fact, we may have too many irons in the fire.  But, they are each so very good.  

Make no mistake, the success of these ministries is directly linked to our congregations generosity. Generosity of tithes, generosity of time, generosity of talents. I ask my congregation to think about the impression these ministries have had on your life. When it comes to generous giving, what is your motivation?

An Attitude Of Gratitude

When I was a little girl my mother trained me to say, "Thank you Momma, you're a good woman."    It's true she is a good woman. She is like a fine wine or a product that has become more valuable with inflation over time, she is an incredible, extraordinary woman!  She taught me to have an attitude of gratitude.  In fact, not only should I show her my thanks and gratitude for the ways in which she cares for me, but I should also give her a compliment to remind her (and me) of just how fantastic she is.  It probably wasn't long after that when I began to say, "you're the best momma in the whole wide world!" If I haven't said it enough recently Mom, I am saying it now! 

McKenzie and Miller write in their book "Climb Higher" that nurturing generosity calls for a clear vision and committed leadership.  They go on to say, "But more than anything else, to attain the summit of enduring and effective stewardship requires inspiration! We are inspired to give, meant to give, and in the giving we are inspired or animated with new life.  In our giving we become like God." For the authors inspiration is crucial to stewardship.  They point to the most well known verse of Scripture to make their point, John 3:16.  What did God do because of his love for us?  He gave. He gave of himself out of great love for his creation.  

God is the giver of all things in our lives and when we seek God's guidance on how to use the gifts he has given us, we can find ourselves in a closer relationship with God.  Winston Churchill is quoted as saying, "we make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give." For the authors of "Climb Higher" Christian stewardship is grounded in gratitude, revealed in prayer, and lived in faith. If we are to be serious about enduring and effective stewardship, we need to create an attitude of gratitude!  A few weeks ago in worship we filled out gratitude cards and placed them in the offering plates.  It was wonderful to see the outpouring of thanksgiving from members, for family, friends, a a happy home and good health. 

We have a church member who has been diagnosed with cancer this summer.  He is a pillar in our congregation, he is an inspiration for all of us and we all feel the void ,see the empty seat in Sunday School and Worship since he has not felt well enough to be with us on Sunday mornings.  I went to visit him last week after he discovered that the cancer had spread and surgery was not going to be an option for him.  When he and his children who had all gathered there in the doctor's office heard this news his children were upset, understandably so.  But ever upbeat he said, "Don't be sad, look at what God has done, he has brought us all together today."   In all things, he gives thanks. 

When we can begin to reflect on our lives based on the sheer multitude of blessings we have received rather than the difficulties we face; life can become more bearable, in fact it becomes deeply enriched because suddenly we can name the ways in which God is working in our lives! Out of gratitude we turn to the Lord and say, "thank you Lord, you are a good God." We then ask God, based on all that he has given to us, what would God have us do?  How does God desire that we use our wealth, our health, our time and our talents to build up God's kingdom?  It is about being open to listening for God's call and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in living out that call. 

 Last week at our session meeting as we had the inevitable crunching of numbers and pouring over the church's finances, our Clerk of Session said, "I have decided to increase my giving by an additional 10%."  In doing this he showed his dedication to the church's ministry.  He also demonstrated his dedication to being a leader in the congregation.  This was not a moment of patting himself on the back, this was an honest moment of generosity by which he followed up his words with actions.  He had encouraged church members in the newsletter to increase their giving if they felt so moved and in then did so himself.  

I do hope that we have created and are continuing to nurture a culture in our church that is based on gratitude, prayer, and a willingness to answer God's call, whatever that call may be.  I pray that we might be strong enough to step out of our comfort zones, to go beyond what has always been done, and move to whatever we feel touched or called by the Lord to do. 

  Recall a time when you were nearly overcome with a profound sense of gratitude. What were the circumstances?  Did you feel inspired to do something, say something, or change something? 

Try to remember a time when you were intentional about listening for God's will in your life. What happened?

Following The Leader, The Leader, The Leader

John Quincy Adams once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

Some days I have to remind myself that leader does not mean idea generator, which I love to do, almost as much as organizing!  Nothing excites me more than thinking up new worship experiences, fun sermon illustrations, worthwhile church programs or activities.  But I believe that being a leader does not mean that I do all of these things by myself, but rather that I empower other people to be not only hearers, but doers of the Word.  I am called to inspire new ways of thinking but also to equip members of the congregation to actively participate in the life of the church.   

As I prepare to begin a visioning process with our session members and hopefully inspire our congregation to also think about what God is calling us to do, I am reminded by authors' Scott McKenzie and Kristine Miller in Climb Higher that "simply knowing where God is leading you in your ministry will not propel you to the top."  Our leadership must be committed to the task.  Miller and McKenzie argue that if one were planning an expedition to scale the heights of Mount Everest, one would desire to have the most skilled of climbers leading the charge.  In the same way, you want to recruit the very best of your membership to lead the way in effective ministries.  In this book, the main topic is stewardship, so the example is that you would want your best stewards in charge of the stewardship campaign.  I believe the theory holds for any committee in the church, you would want your members who are the most hospitable to be a part of your fellowship team or greeters on Sunday morning.  You would want to ask your most compassionate and perhaps prayerful members to help you with visiting the ill or shut-ins.  

This is not even a matter of selecting the person who does the most hosting or gives the largest contributions.  Rather, it is the person who represents the most meaningful commitment.  Miller and McKenzie argue for example, "a person in a leadership role who has not made a financial commitment to support the ministries of your church will derail your vision and be a stumbling block at every turn."   The point is that your leadership should be 100% behind the vision of the church and supporting it with their time, talents, and tithing in whatever way they can.  I must give kudos to our session members here as they try very hard to do whatever needs to be done to ensure the success of any project.  They also make a commitment to stand behind decisions that the session votes on, even if all don't agree, once the vote has been made, all members support one another and present a united front.  I don't know if the rest of the congregation realizes this, but I tell you, they set a wonderful example and I hope to highlight it!  The session should be enthusiastic ambassadors for our ministries within the church not just 'chair committees.'  And they cannot do any of this work alone, they need the help of the entire membership to not only volunteer to be lay readers or man the hot dog stand (which we absolutely do need), they also need people to Show Up.  I don't mean just be a warm body filling a space, I mean be physically, mentally, and spiritually present in all our various ministries!  If you don't feel like church is fulfilling your spiritual needs as it should, ask yourself why you think that is and what you/we can do about it. 

The leadership of the congregation plays a crucial role in assisting the congregation to fulfill its God-given vision for ministry.  I know that God is calling us to do something quite special, even though we have yet to discern precisely what this looks like.  In truth, all the members of a congregation are leaders in some way, everyone has their gift and their place in ministry, we are all members of the priesthood of believers.  This may require each of us to shift our way of thinking.  For example, instead of viewing stewardship as a way to convince people to give more money, imagine it as a way to inspire people to become more generous in all aspects of life.  Instead of viewing fellowship events as a meal, what if it inspires us to become more hospitable to one another. Instead of coffee hour being about snacks to tide us over until lunch, it helps us reconnect and minister to one another as we take a genuine interest in each others' lives.  

I was taught in any number of scenarios throughout my life that the world needs both leaders and followers.  Sometimes the situation necessitates that the one who is usually the boss steps back and lets someone else take the lead.  I was reminded of this quite clearly last weekend at our youth council planning retreat when I had to say to some of our returning council members, "Hey, you are really good at this...let someone else give it a try."  I think that I am naturally a leader but that does not mean that always have to lead. I can still be a leader and allow myself to follow the direction of someone else from time to time, especially if they have more experience or expertise than I do.  I guess my point is, if you are a leader in the church, own it, become an inspirational ambassador for your church's vision. If you cannot commit to this crucial role, ask yourself, "why am I in a leadership position?"  If you are a follower, think about why it is that you are in that position. Is it because you don't think you have the chops to be a leader? Is it because the opportunity hasn't presented itself?  Is it because you have been burnt out in a leadership position before?  

As we begin to envision the future of our church, I pray that you would be inspired to dream, equipped to participate, and affirmed in prayer that God is calling you and us together to do something amazing.  Amen.

 

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!

One of the most under-rated television shows in recent years, in my humble opinion, was Friday Night Lights.  The series followed the lives of a Texas high school football coach, his family, and players on his team.  Coach Taylor is known for his rousing pep-talks both on and off the field in the series.  One of the lines that has become well-known from the show is "Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose!"  

I don't say things like this very often, but I feel that God continues put the notion of a church visioning process in front of me.  In order for a church to do more than simply survive but to thrive, it needs a clear and compelling vision.  In the book Climb Higher: Reaching New Heights in Giving and Discipleship, authors Scott McKenzie and Kristine Miller highlight the truth that pastors, sessions, and even Presbyteries try to deny: that often times a church's vision is merely to pay the bills and keep the doors open.  For many of the smaller churches out there, this is a gargantuan task in it's own right.    These days there are so many organizations out there asking for people to donate their hard-earned money to this cause or that charity, the voice of one crying out, "In the wilderness,prepare ye the way of the Lord" is lost in a cacophony of other voices, other needs.  

Maybe, just maybe, the reason that our cries are muffled is because we aren't asking the right questions!  Anyone can ask for money, anyone can say, "this is the budget, help us meet it."  Anyone can pull off a stewardship campaign and perhaps get back a small percentage of pledge cards.  In truth, we aren't saying in our churches, "we are preparing a way for the Lord" or "we are making disciples of all nations" we are saying, "here are the numbers, help us keep the lights on."  The questions are not "How much do we need? How much do I give?" The questions are, "Why should I part with my money to give to the church? What will be the effect of my giving to the church rather than say, the American Cancer Society or Children's Miracle Network?"  Friends, do not hear me saying that these are not worthy causes, they certainly are!  My point is, people want to see their money, time, and talents transforming lives!  

Our mission is given to us in the scriptures, it is the great commission.  It is the vision portion that is difficult.  We have to put in sufficient time and effort, in work, study and prayer to discern where our strengths intersect with the needs of the community.  What is it that God is calling us to do in this place and at this time?  

It is time for our church to ponder the difficult questions:
Who are we?
What is our context or community for ministry?
What does God want?

Then, and only then, will we find the inspiration and the motivation to support the ministries of the church, the activities and the people, rather than simply paying the bills.  Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.  Can't Lose!  

Rules For A New Life

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours,
 for we are members of one another. ²⁶Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun 
go down on your anger, ²⁷and do not make room for the devil. ²⁸Thieves must give 
up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to
 have something to share with the needy. ²⁹Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, 
but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give 
grace to those who hear. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you 
were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.³¹Put away from you all bitterness
 and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 
³²and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, 
as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 
²and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering 
and sacrifice to God.

Rules For A New Life

For several weeks Michael has been saying to me, “You should watch this new show The Newsroom, its awesome!”  And for several weeks I continued to tell him that I would get around to it eventually.  Finally, one evening I felt motivated to watch the show and so I began to watch the six aired episodes in a marathon fashion.  I am absolutely hooked!  The premise of the series is that a jaded and slightly arrogant news anchor, his executive producer, and the rest of the staff for the cable news show begin a serious mission to report the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles.  Within the fictitious plot of The Newsroom, its breaking news stories for News Night are based on real reported events in America’s recent history.  Last week’s episode revolved around the staff breaking the story of the death of Osama Bin Laden.  Throughout the episode three of the characters are stuck on a plane in LaGuardia airport, unable to get to the news station to participate in breaking the story.  One character in particular, a hotheaded producer named Don continues to rage to the stewardess on the plane that the plane is stopped on the runway, that there is no reason that he should not be allowed to get out of his seat, and even more so that he absolutely must get off the plane!  As the trio begins to piece together what the monumental news from the President will be, Don becomes more enraged and he jumps out of his seat and begins to get the attention of the entire plane, as whispers from the cabin begin to erupt about a possible terrorist attack, threat of war etc.  The stewardess calls for the pilots to come out and as Don wheels around to continue his tirade about the ridiculousness of his circumstances he suddenly realizes just why the stewardess and the pilots would be nervous, why these rules have to be implemented on flights.  It is then that Don reports the news.  He tells the pilots that he is proud to announce to them that on that very night Osama Bin Laden had been killed. [1]

It was a very powerful moment for me in the show, especially to see that a character that I tend to despise does have some redeeming qualities.  It reminded me that we are all human and we all have flaws.  We are all prone to sins of anger, greed, and malice.  But, as Christians, we must let the image of God in us shine through the mire.  This passage from Ephesians today encourages us to live a new life.  Our reading this morning gives us an occasion to think about what it means not to be just a name on the rolls of a church, but a living, breathing, follower of Jesus, with our hearts and minds transformed by giving our lives over to God in Jesus Christ.  Last week we read about Jesus’ second encounter with the crowds after he served the multitudes.  When asked how they should do the work of God, Jesus simply responded that they must believe in him.  This passage teaches us what comes out of living that faith.  The letter of James tells us that faith without works is dead.  We need not do works for salvation, we need only believe as Christ tells us.  But our faith should naturally compel us to lead lives in which good works are done.  Our faith should compel us to follow these rules laid out in Ephesians.  If we are truly given over to Christ, truly transformed, people will be able to see it. 

We are called in this passage to speak the truth to our neighbors.  It seems to me that in our world today ‘speaking the truth’ and ‘first amendment rights’ have become more and more a battle of sensationalism and extreme confrontations.  The questions of civil rights and freedom of speech come down to the slogan of “to eat or not to eat more chicken!”  We argue over gun laws in circles incessantly because we are afraid to face the truth that our systems for treating the mentally ill are not working!  We are afraid to admit some civic responsibility when innocents are killed while watching a movie or worshipping in their own faith tradition.  And the sad truth is that I saw a lot more of my fellow Christians posting articles and pictures online about a chicken sandwich than I have seen regarding the shooting at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin.  Is this what being members of one another looks like?  I don’t see any media coverage of Christians on either the  so-called liberal or conservative side protesting at gun shops or rallying for better care of our mentally ill civilians because the commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” has been broken in horrific ways in the past month, not to mention multiple times each and every day. 

Could it be that we in the church spend so much time talking about sexuality, property, and authoritative interpretations in order to avoid telling the truth in love? Rev. Katherine Huey challenges that,  “perhaps we also want to avoid talking about the even larger questions of generosity: the forgiveness for example, that comes with a gentle and generous spirit that lets go of resentment, anger, and old grudges, not to mention the death-grip that we often have on our own self-righteousness! Even more paralyzing,” Huey says, “is our fear of the truth, of telling and hearing the truth.  And yet, a faith community that is both truthful and loving is an immeasurable gift in our lives.  This passage begins with an exhortation to tell the truth, but that command is tempered by love, and later by kindness.”[2] 

The author of this letter goes on to write: “Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.”  Have you ever had something stolen from you?  I have, and I have friends who have, and it is such a disheartening and frustrating experience.  And if it is an object that is stolen from your home, your car, your office, it makes you feel unsafe, violated, and exploited.  It seems strange to me to have this portion of the rules plopped down in the middle of language about angry, harsh words.  But then I think about how thieves have made me feel in the past and it begins to make sense.  As I continued to read through this passage I was also struck by the encouragement to forgive.  Being wronged is hurtful but in not forgiving, you only hurt yourself.  And, in a situation of being stolen from, I have to remind myself that hopefully the person needed that which was lost more than I did, that I was able in that moment to provide for someone in need. Being a Christian means living a life that you are proud of, one that is rooted in decency. One in which you use your gifts and talents not only to provide for your own life but to also share in the lives of others.

  “Do not make room for the devil and do not let evil come from your mouth, but only what is useful for building up,” verses 27 and 29 tell us.  Don’t let anger rule your life.  As a Christian we are called in this passage to let our words give grace to those who hear it.  In the midst of the debates about Chick-Fil-A last week, I heard far more anger and resentment coming from people on both sides of the issue rather than words that give grace to those who hear it. Perhaps we don’t understand that every time we speak it is an occasion for building up, an occasion for grace…perhaps we forget the power of words since we sling them about so freely. 

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Rev. Huey begs the question, “If we know ourselves as members of a body, how can we be at war with one another, outwardly or underneath the surface and behind one another’s back?  If we truly belong to one another and to the Body of Christ, how can we hurt one another with angry words and actions? When we act out of anger, we hurt ourselves, in a very real sense, as the members of a body should not and would not hurt each other.”[3]   It is true that we are humans and humans have emotions and those should be accepted and validated.  We also are called to take ownership of our emotions.  But the scriptures tell us that the emotion we must let go of is anger, it is poisonous to us if we do not. ?”   The author of this letter urges us to resist acting out of anger.    We have all seen anger simmering within congregation members from time to time.  Quiet angers simmer within us individually, in our homes or our workplace and yes, though we would rather not admit it, here in this church.  When this happens, when we hold on to anger, when we become passive-aggressive in our behavior, or when we chose to walk away from our Christian brothers and sisters rather than bother with the difficult work of forgiveness, we grieve the Holy Spirit.  We feed bitterness, a disposition that cherishes resentment.  We cling to former grievances, real or imaginary.  Our fury can build until we have violent outbursts or shouting matches.  All of these are harmful to the Christian community.    The church, whether it is a local congregation or a denomination at large, is always beset by conflict and anger.  The players and the problems vary, but the sins persist.   Today, we are called instead to forgive, to speak the truth in love and build one another up with our words!

Perhaps we have to ask ourselves if those people beyond our doors encounter us each day as gentle spirits and tender hearts.  Would our conduct and manner betray us as followers of Jesus?  Is our faithfulness authentic or is it more like a bumper-sticker band-aid that hides the dings and dent in the paint?  I can’t help but think of those lovely stickers we see so often in these parts that read, “not I but Christ.”  Oh I see, was that Christ that just cut me off in traffic?  Was that Christ who parked illegally in that handicapped spot?  Was that Christ who just shook his fist out the window at a stoplight?  Our faith should be revealed in actions, not just stickers and slogans.  Today we are reminded we are made in an image of God that is to be reflected as much as possible.

“If God has been generous and forgiving of us, how can we who belong to God be anything but forgiving, anything but kind to one another?”   The author of this letter urges us to resist acting out of anger.   We are called to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us.  Do you remember when we took those health surveys months ago?  There were some questions on there about our spiritual health.  Guess what, the struggle that stood out the most from our results was that of forgiveness!   Each day, difficult as it is, we must try to forgive those who have wronged us, those who have angered us.  And we must remember that we have probably angered or hurt someone in the past and we would desire that they forgive us as well.  This may be an ongoing process for us, but thanks be that God is the ultimate judge not us, and thanks be that our God is a God of grace!

http://babblingflow.blogspot.com/2012/06/kindness-in-forgiveness.html

We are told here to be imitators of God.  Larry Patten wonders, “How can anyone claim to mimic God?” The truth is that rather than mimicking God we often end up limiting God.  Patten confesses that even though he as one person matters so little and that he will likely oftentimes fail, he will strive to imitate God by trying to “widen the circle of love.”[4] 

In truth, a passage as short as this one can make us feel very unworthy of God’s love.  How can we ever measure up to this, how can we think of imitating God?  We can look to Paul and other people in the Scriptures as examples.  Paul never hesitated to confess his own short-comings but he always strove towards perfection.  As he wrote in Philippians 3:14, “press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” If the world does not look upon us and see the One we claim to follow, then we have a problem.  I daresay with the way many Christians have been carrying themselves through the world these days, this is the case.  Ephesians urges us to avoid empty gestures and the sins of anger, greed, and malice, and to focus instead on the practices of kindness that faithfully reflect our belief in Christ Jesus.  Let us leave here today and seek to follow these rules for a new life. Amen.

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[1] www.hbo.com/thenewsroom internet accessed 8/7/12

[2] Rev. Katherine Huey, www.ucc.org internet accessed 8/7/12

[3] Rev. Katherine Huey

[4] Larry Patten, www.larrypatten.com internet accessed 8/7/12