Fresh Wineskins: A Challenge for Continuing Education

It has been about a month since my last blog post, which saddens me greatly.  But, it does mean that I have been busy fulfilling this great calling to ministry in other ways! What I have been thinking about a great deal, and recommitting my efforts to, is that of Continuing Education.

³⁶ Jesus also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹” ’
^* --Luke 5:36-38

In the passage referenced above, Jesus declares that the kingdom he is ushering in is greater than any other before it.  What Christ was teaching was brand new, it was radical.  Jesus' ministry and teachings are built upon the foundations created by the prophets that came before him but his teachings cannot, and will not, conform to the traditional patterns of the law and piety that have previously occurred. 

In Jesus' time, goatskins were used to hold wine.  As fresh grape juice was fermented within the skins, the wine would expand and thus the new wineskin, which was pliable, would stretch.  However, a used wineskin, that had already been stretched would break.  A challenge for us as Christians, particularly when it comes to congregational life, is to be ready for new skins and new wine.  We love our traditions, familiarity and comfort are paramount.  Thus, we often fight to preserve our old wineskins.  You might argue that aged wines are more delectable than new wines.  Fair enough.  But, what happens when you've used up all of your portion?  What happens when the supply from which you draw becomes soured over time?  You cannot simply begin to pour all of your new wine into the vessels as they currently sit.  No, you must be at the ready with new skins to accommodate the new wine. 

An important commitment for leaders in ministry--whether for pastors, educators, youth directors, chaplains, elders, deacons-- is continuing education.  In the same way that you would want your physician to be up to date on the most current medical procedures, you want your spiritual leaders to be open to deeper study of the Scriptures and learning new ways to engage in ministry.   I like to think that as church leaders, our time spent in Continuing Education--whether away at a conference, or reading the books in our libraries--helps us to let go of the old and be remolded into new wineskins.  It renews our spirits and refreshes us that we might be vessels of Christ's good news! The education that we receive is then fermented into nourishment for those around us who thirst in their lives. 

I can certainly do a better job of engaging in continuing education.  It is difficult for me to travel very far for a long period of time and leave my young family behind. But I can certainly continue to read and share in thoughtful dialogue with my peers.   Because you see, I find that we can never know all there is to know about God.  So, lifelong learning is a really important part of being a Christian.  I desire for my congregation to embrace this truth.  I hope each of them will engage learning more about our faith in a way that is meaningful to their spiritual journey.  As I ask this of them, I commit to doing the same.    I don't want to become old and stale.  The present culture in which we reside demands that we open ourselves up to new experiences. I don't want to break under the pressures of a changing world, I want to be strong enough to stretch and grow with it. I want that for my faith. I want that for my Church.  I want to take every opportunity presented to me to experience the new things God is doing in my life, my community, and the world.  What about you?

Mary's Jar

Mary's Jar

 

 

His shadow fell across the doorway; calmness seemed to settle on the air. As the men took their seats around the table and began to converse, I wiped my sweaty palms on my shroud and retrieved from a dusty corner the jar I had been saving.  I knelt beneath the table without words.  Though his feet were covered with flecks of golden soil, his skin had been smoothed by the coarse sand.  There in the dusk light I opened the jar of nard and its bittersweet scent filled the stifling air.  I poured the contents over my Lord's feet; wiping the grime from between his toes; scouring the sand from his heels; rubbing his toenails to shine.  Bowing before him I let down my auburn hair and wiped clean the dampness on his skin.  Then, never looking into his eyes, ashamed for the tears in my own, I arose. 

 

 

 

 

Loren Tate Mitchell

2/3/08

From Volunteer to Disciple

Today the staff members of Covenant prepared and hosted a luncheon in honor of our volunteers who aid us in major weekly and seasonal functions of the church.  We had representation from the counters of the offering, the holy-days decorating leadership, folks who maintain the music library, and front desk volunteers who answer phones, greet guests, and get caught doing all sorts of odd jobs for us! Without these individuals many things that seemingly "just happen" would fall into chaos or simply not be done.  We are so very blessed to have them. 

Having an interim minister brings a very different dynamic into the church.  In both staff and congregational responsibilities there is much work to be done. Having an interim pastor means that we have another person who is able to help us step back and reflect on who we are.   That is not to say we are unhealthy or completely dysfunctional as a church, but rather it is to say, we can strive to improve in many ways.  We can breathe new life into this Body of Christ. 

One of the things we have begun to talk about as a staff and also in conversations with elders and deacons is how we empower our congregation to take ownership of the ministries of the church.  Again, we already have a lot of involvement from membership in so many aspects of Covenant's life. But how can we strengthen our efforts?  How can we become a more cohesive, vital, reflection of Christ to one another and to the community?  It may help us if we can shift our thought processes and our language about ministry from volunteer to disciple.  

 

vol·un·teer

ˌvälənˈtir/

noun

noun: volunteer; plural noun: volunteers

1. a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.

I do not wish to diminish the spirit of volunteerism.  To freely offer oneself in an effort to aid another individual or group when work is to be done or help is needed is a wonderful thing.  A volunteer donates of their own time, talents, and resources to the benefit of others. With that basic definition, it works.  However, I wonder if our language has not become so saturated with the idea of volunteerism that it somehow falls flat? It is a term used secularly for all manner of organizations. It runs the gamut of volunteering to be the carpool parent for a week to being a volunteer firefighter (two very different tasks might I add).  Our children are encouraged to volunteer as part of their extra-curricular activities, sometimes ad-nauseam because it will look so good on their college applications! Ah, we've stumbled upon something.  How fine is the line between volunteering for the sheer benefit of another person and doing it for your own self-benefit or even self-worth?  Does it matter?   Or, when does volunteerism become  an obligation? Are you pressed into service because you think it is what you ought to do, or because you wonder how others might perceive you if you don't volunteer?  When your time is already so limited, does the church become a burden on you because you are often encouraged (hopefully not badgered) to do something? 

 

I am wondering if, in the church, perhaps the idea of being a volunteer needs to be taken a bit further.  We aren't called upon to be volunteers for Christ.  No, we are followers of Christ, we are disciples.  

 

 dis·ci·ple

dəˈsīpəl/

noun

noun: disciple; plural noun: disciples

1.      a personal follower of Jesus during his life, especially one of the twelve Apostles.

 

 

In the gospel of Luke Chapter 9, we have the well known story of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  It is the end of a long day of teaching and a crowd of people have gathered in the countryside to hear Jesus.  The disciples approach him and say, "Rabbi, let's wrap this day up and send these folks on their way."  Jesus says, "You feed them."  In astonishment they reply, "Lord, we have only five little loaves of bread and two pitiful fish, what shall we do, walk into the nearest village and shop for this mob in the marketplace?" Jesus tells them, "You make the people sit down." And so they gathered the crowd into groups of about 50.  Let us be reminded here that the gospel tells us there were 5,000 men. It does not count the number of women and children also likely in attendance.   Jesus took the bread and the fish, blessed and divided it and said to the disciples, "You, distribute the food." Everyone ate their fill.  In fact, 12 baskets of extra food were collected when all was said and done.  Twelve, the number for fulfillment.  Jesus Christ had completely fulfilled, in the sight of thousands of witnesses, the very message that he was preaching.  And he did so using the hands, the feet, the bodies of his disciples.

 

 

 

Jesus' disciples were honored to follow in his footsteps.  He was their beloved teacher and by being invited to be his students they were truly in training to be teachers just like him.  In all things they were learning to serve with a Christ-like heart.  Today, as Christians, we are also disciples. We are called as well.  Jesus said, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people."  In the story from Luke we see that Jesus empowers his disciples to minister to the people gathered there.  It may have been easier for Jesus to simply do all the work himself, to make food simply appear in the hands of the people gathered, rather than argue with the disciples. (Sometimes Pastors, and DCE's, and Youth Directors, think it is easier to do it all themselves too, but nothing just appears, it takes a lot of work and forethought).   But, Jesus knows that he has to teach his followers by empowering them to serve. He directs them, "You feed them. You settle the people down and give instruction. You deliver the needed goods to them."  Jesus relied on God to provide the necessary provisions. But Jesus relied on the disciples to carry out the mission. 

 When calling the disciples, Jesus didn't say, "This will be so easy, you barely have to do anything, just come and give me two hours of your time."  Jesus didn't say, "Hey, this will look really good the next time you go in for an interview."  In fact he says, "drop everything, take up the cross, and follow me." Discipleship is, to my mind, a response to an invitation of Jesus.  To utilize the gifts given to me in an authentic way to further the gospel message in a broken world.  It is a change of mindset to consider that opportunities --not obligations-- for service arise in the church (and community). There are special tasks to which an individual or group of people will feel led by the Holy Spirit to engage in to keep the congregation active and evolving.  Instead of dreading the phone call from a fellow church member to serve on a committee or tune out an announcement for a mission opportunity to sign up for, prayerfully consider how you can best be of service to the Lord through the ministries of your church. What are you being called to do as a disciple?

 

An honor to be called by Christ. And a joy to follow in The Way.

What's The Deal With Natural Disasters?

Wow, we've had some really bizarre weather patterns as of late!  In the last 24 hours I've seen torrential rain and thunderstorms, sunshine and double rainbows, violent wind gusts, tornadoes, and snow flurries.  Sometimes you have to wonder just what God is doing up there! I think his weather machine is out of whack. ;)

In all seriousness though, when I heard that a tornado had touched down in Appomattox County yesterday afternoon, my heart immediately sank as I reached out to my beloved friends in that community to find out if folks were safe.  I am thankful that they have met no bodily harm and that for those whom I know personally, damage can be repaired.  But not everyone faired so well, life was lost, homes destroyed, tangible memories ripped from people's possession forever.  It is good today to hear of the clean up work that is taking place. It is good to hear of people coming together as a community to support one another (as the people of Appomattox have always done in times of heartbreak) with water and supplies, with makeshift shelters, with the support of prayers.  The power may be out, the town may be literally sitting in the dark, but a great light shines in their collective spirit. 

We often beg the question: Why do bad things happen to good people?  Or to phrase the question as Donald McKim does in his book Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, "Does God will evil and suffering in the world and in our lives?" 

As Presbyterians we believe (or are taught theologically) that God is Good and that all which God creates is good.  In Genesis 1:31 we are told "God saw everything that God had made and indeed, it was all very good."  1 Timothy 4:4 says, "For everything created by God is good."  

In simple terms "evil" is what opposes God.  We use the term evil in multiple ways, to describe groups or individuals that are in opposition of God's purposes.  For an example of what God's purposes are we can look to Christ, who is described as the "image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation" in Colossians 1:15.  What we are questioning today is "natural evil".  Natural evil are those things that occur in creation which bring tragedy and devastation to the human experience.   

We do not believe that God's wills evil or that God wills suffering to happen in the world.  We do believe, however, that God can use such situations for the ultimate good.  That is to say, God did not send a tornado through Evergreen, Virginia yesterday to bring a small community to their knees in repentance for a sinful life.  Such a tragedy is not the result of any immorality on the part of humankind.  It was not God working through nature to create a tool of punishment in any way shape or form.  Nor is any other natural disaster used for that purpose in any other place in the world (remember Haiti...Katrina...Joplin). It is just what we are calling it... a natural occurrence in creation. However, God is already using it for the good, as is being witnessed by organizations and individuals who are coming forward to show love and compassion to their neighbors in a time of great need. 

As Don McKim writes, "We do not know reasons for evil or suffering.  What we do believe by faith is that God will be with us in the midst of our sufferings and that God's grace and power of love will enable us to endure, even in the 'darkest valley' (Ps. 23:4). So we are sustained.  We believe God can use the evil and sufferings we encounter and do within us, 'far more than all we can ask or imagine' (Eph. 3:20).  This is our comfort and our hope."

I hope you will join me in prayer for this little community in the heart of Virginia that has in the past few years had far more than its share of tragedy and grief.  But do not feel pity or sorrow for them, they would not want that.  From my few years living within the community I feel that the citizens that make up Appomattox and Evergreen, they would welcome your prayers, they would appreciate your assistance, but they would foremost want you to know their strength.  Not only their physical strength as a community, but their spiritual strength as well.  

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, ⁴who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God."
--2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Coming Home

Last night I had the privilege of participating in the imposition of ashes at Covenant's Ash Wednesday Service.   It is a humbling thing to receive the sign of the cross and hear the words, "You are dust and to dust you shall return."  It is equally humbling to be the individual who is speaking those words to congregants and friends.  I was honored to impart ashes for several of our staff members--my colleagues who I spend time with day in and day out.  It was a powerful thing for me to be reminded in that moment that we are not only working together to provide a place for people to call "home" but also to find that we are also worshiping together in a place that we have come to call "home" ourselves. 

Ash Wednesday is a reminder of our mortality.  An important moment where we have to pause and confess that this home (both body and church) is in fact temporary, preparing us for home eternal.  Lent requires of us to let some things go, to stop and take stock of our spiritual lives, and to turn --time and time again-- to God. 

Joel 2:13 reminds us of this.
"Return to the Lord, your God,
   for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
   and relents from punishing."

What an amazing gift we are given in the promise of God's steadfast love! It is so easy for us to get wrapped up in the mundane moments of life that we forget the grace that allows us to continue taking breath each day.  I think Lent is an opportunity to be reminded of that.  And to be intentional in slowing down enough to take stock of who we are. Yes, we are sinners.  We are mortals, fallen and broken humanity.  And yet.... At the root of it all, we are God's.  At the root of it all, we are brothers and sisters in Christ.  At the root of it all, the Holy Spirit is at work continuously nudging us to make space for God to fill us.  That is what God desires most--to be in relationship with us.    We all know (and have probably learned the hard way) that what relationships need most to flourish is time. 

Since David LaMotte is coming tomorrow, his music has been in my mind, and this song in particular seems to fit the times.  Let's make the time friends, we're called upon to return home.

Listen To "Dark and Deep"

Dark and Deep

Words & Music by David LaMotte

© 1996 Lower Dryad Music/ASCAP

 

from Hard Earned Smile (1996), Good Tar (2001) and Best Of David LaMotte (2013)

On a two lane road through the mountains

I am taking the corners too fast

My head is spinning as fast as my wheels

Shifting from future to past

So many things to attend to

So many places to be

The mountains roll right past my window

Like a half-watched bar room TV

 

       If I could die just for a moment

       Let these worries work themselves out

       If it would all go on without me

      Tell me what's all this worry about?

      A promise is not like a moment

      A moment's not something you keep

      I've made too many promises lately

      And the woods are lovely, dark and deep

 

I remember this friend down in Florida

She used to get lost just for fun

She'd take any turn that presented itself

Just to see where the road might run

It's amazing the places they'd take her

The people and things that she'd find

I've been meaning to look her up again

But I can't seem to find the time

(repeat chorus)

 

Trying to make all the ends meet

It's like I'm skating the edge of a knife

I'm so busy making a living

I've got no time for a life

(repeat chorus)
 

 

  

The Power of an Invitation

I keep this photo in my office.  It is a picture of a trip to Montreat.  My mom and I were hanging out with one of our favorite families, the Buchanan's.  We were playing by the creek, you see, and I am pretty sure Elli and Taylor (who are now of college and high school age) were peeking into a bucket of tadpoles.  They'd also made friends with another boy who you see photographed, whom we didn't know.  You see my mom leaning in to ask the kids about what they have found while Bill and Aimee look on.  I managed to capture this perfect little moment of people so dear to me.

You also see a postcard, handwritten, by Aimee, inviting me to the Girl's Youth Bible Study in her home when I was just a freshman in high school. I was new to the community, very new to the church at the time.   I kept it in my Bible for years.   Bill was the Associate Pastor and in charge of the youth program at my church.  But he and Aimee were very much a team and our program would not have been complete without the two of them teaching us, guiding us, and the most important step, inviting us.  They invited youth to church.  They invited youth into their homes.  They invited youth into their lives.  They became part of my family and they changed me and inspired the course of my life.

Aimee passed away three years ago today.  On that day I wrote another post about her, "She Changed The World," which you can read if you want to hear more about the impact this beautiful individual had on my life.  But for today, I am thinking about the invitation.  All the invitations she extended to me while she was a part of my life.  The first was the postcard pictured above.  

Do you know why I went to that Bible Study group?  It wasn't because my friends were going.  It was because a personal invitation was extended to me by an adult.  An adult who had shown an interest in me.  I had many questions about the Bible and at the time this postcard was presented to me, I felt perhaps this could be the person to help me explore for the answers I was seeking.  Aimee cared about me and knew me by name after the first time she met me.  And she made me feel welcomed from the instant she greeted me and opened the door to her home.

Another invitation came the day she and Bill asked if I would babysit their daughter Elli, who was a toddler at the time.  Oh my goodness, they trusted me with this precious little girl! I loved her to death, still do.  We would play outside in the sunshine with sidewalk chalk.  We would play dress up and read stories for hours.  Now Elli is in college and watching her grow up from a distance, even as I see her express herself in blogs or on social media, she is teaching me about balancing strength and grace as a woman in today's world.  Just as her mother once did.  

So today I am encouraging all of us to consider the depth and breadth of what we think is a simple invitation to a friend, a neighbor, a young family, a teenager, to attend church.  To you it may just be a kindness.  For you it may be your job as minister, director, elder, or deacon, to welcome strangers and bring people into your midst.   It can be so much more than opening a door to a building or a community.  It could influence and inspire them for the rest of their spiritual life.  You may be the person who introduces them to the love and grace of the Triune God. 

This picture reminds me of the value of finding a church home.  It reminds me of the people who model living their faith.   It inspires me to be a servant for God, who called me into the ministry.  Each day, but especially this day, I am thankful. 

Even Pastors Have Road Rage

I was driving to a committee meeting the other night.  If you are a Presbyterian reading this you know just how frequent those 6:45 PM treks to the church can be.  I wasn't running late and I wasn't in a particular hurry to reach my final destination.  At least I didn't think that I was until I got to a stoplight and c r e p t through the green light to make a right turn.  And then c r e p t through another green arrow, left turn.... then wound my way around a two lane road at a glacial pace behind a driver whose need for speed did not exceed the 15 mile per hour mark.  I found myself saying, "MOOOOVE!" or "GO" with multiple syllables like my son.  He wasn't in the car with me, so I should get points for not being ugly with my kiddo in the car.   Anyway, I had a thought: maybe a good book would be "How To Be Pastoral While Driving."  I'd read it.  And I said as much when I got to my committee meeting.  We had a good chuckle and then another woman said something to the effect of, "Yeah, that is the book you'd read but maybe you need one we all could read; "Even Pastors Get Road Rage!"

You heard that right.  Even pastors get road rage.  We are just as human as you are.  And we are just as impatient as you are.  And we are just as snarky as you are after a long day of work.  We get road rage.  We get exasperated in the grocery store.  We get toe-tapping irritated waiting at the doctor's office.  If you don't know us as ministers, if we aren't wearing a clerical collar; chances are that we can fly under the radar and be seen as "just another person" in these instances.

I share this because at the end of the day, we don't want to be put on a pedestal by everyone and expected to be model citizens every day or the most pious, patient, practical people in every moment.  I hope this doesn't make us less credible as your spiritual leaders.  I actually hope that it gives us a little more credibility.  I hope that it allows you to feel that you can come to us, confide in us, be your true self around us.  Because we find ourselves in the same life experiences day in and day out as you.  And we long to help you connect those mundane moments, whether good or bad, to the good news that we find in Christ. 

How would you be pastoral while driving?  Use your turn signal.  Let someone merge into traffic.  Give a friendly wave to your neighbor.  Give yourself an extra five minutes travel time so that those individuals who do not have a lead foot like you don't have to see your exasperation in their rearview.    I'll try to do better too.