A PLEA FOR GRACE

A PLEA FOR GRACE
         One of the great truths of this life is that we can only really see the world through own eyes and by the contours of our own experience.     It is as though we all scuttle through existence living in the one celled prison of our own viewpoint and experience.     The difficult thing in all this is the quick and easy assumption that what we see, feel, or believe must absolutely be what someone sees, feels or believes.      How often I have heard someone proclaim a doctrine or an ideology as an inalterable truth.   How often have I sat among a gaggle of people where judgment is rolled out like a carpet and then thrown on top of a community or a person.      And, when our myopic worldview is mingled with anger or resentment,  or worse - self-righteousness, it's time for those around us to duck or get out of the way.    
          The unfortunate result of this is that there is a great deal of resentment, anger and judgment out there.    A lot of it is based on this assumption that we actually know something, when all we really know is what we ourselves think or see.   I'm reminded of the time when I was canvassing my community about how we might change or do something different.   One person came into my office, sat down and said, "I'm going to tell you what I think because if I think it, then everyone else must think it also....."     I remember this because I was so taken aback that I quickly wrote down the quote as the person was saying it.
          We all come from different perspectives and are taught by different experiences.    We all feel the light of the sun and wetness of the rain, it's true.   But we all experience it differently. 
          This is why grace is so important.    Grace is love that is unearned and even at times undeserved.   Grace is the eloquent and holy acknowledgement that everyone needs to be cut some slack.     We extend grace to someone who screws up badly.   We offer grace to someone with whom we disagree.   We receive grace when someone smiles in the face of a terrible mistake and shrugs.     And grace comes, too, when we have done our worst.    Here, grace gets called forgiveness.    
         So, because we don't see through someone else's eyes, maybe we can cut them a little slack now and then.   Because we don't carry with us the catalogue of another person's experiences, perhaps we back off and give folks a little space.....a little grace.
         It's not only a good idea for us to offer this grace to others.   If we're honest, we will admit that need grace ourselves.     Who, after all, doesn't need to be cut some slack once in a while?   Who doesn't need love....especially when they don't deserve it.
         It's my own belief that God loves us this way.     I also believe that God dares us to give it a try ourselves.   Grace.  Unearned, undeserved, unlimited love.     It's the thing that just might pull us through.   sr

Well, I am officially upset. I mean, I've been opposed to it; I've been nominally against it; I've even gotten myself arrested a couple of times in demonstrations that take a stand saying it's wrong. But now I am upset. Actually, I'm more than upset. I'm ticked off. I'm angry.

Sitting at table with community members the other night, we learned that four of the nine folk sitting there were unemployed. I hurt for them as they struggle, not only with finding work, but with all the accompanying feelings that come when you lose your job. It is not, to say the least, a pleasant And my prayers and thoughts are with them and with all the people whose jobs have evaporated in this economic morass we call a "recession."

But there's the thing.

This recession drags painfully on while we prosecute two wars on the other side of the world. And if wikileaks is to be believed, we're actually engaged in far more than that! Add to that the Pentagon budget of something over 500 billion dollars a year - and remember - the amount for the Pentagon in the federal budget does NOT inlcude our current wars! But consider this. There's a huge chunk of change going to kill people. It amounts to nearly sixty cents of every tax dollar.

And then, dear sisters and brothers, consider this. A dollar spent in the domestic economy goes something like thirty times further than it does when it's spent on the military.

Not only are these wars morally repugnant, wrong, and otherwise misguided. They are also strangling our economy as we go ever deeper into debt (mostly to China) to pay for them while our friends, neighbors, sisters, brothers, fellow church members are losing their means of supporting themselves and their families.

It's time to bring the boys and the girls home from Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever else they causing death and mayhem. It's time to cut the federal military budget in half, and it's long past time we began to invest in the things that create jobs and community.

So, I'm just sayin.' But the truth is that I'm really upset

SR

It's Thanksgiving. Well, actually it's a few days after Thanksgiving. At this point in time many of us are sliding into the Christmas season with vague memories of Turkey, family, long naps, and leftovers fading quickly from view.

I know I'm already gearing up for the season ahead with just a quick glimpse over my shoulder...an appreciative glimpse to be sure...but nonetheless a fleeting glimpse at several days of precious time with my family. It was wonderful. Simple, unhurried time. Stacking wood at the cabin, cooking time honored family recipes and going for long walks in the woods; all of it is a gift so welcome.

With friends out of work, people losing homes, and tough times everywhere I feel a little foolish lifting all this up just now. I think to myself that people don't want to hear about my thankfulness. And yet, maybe this is precisely the time to stop and be grateful.

No matter what's going on for us, there is cause for gratefulness. Those of us struggling with unemployment may pause to receive some well earned love and support. Grateful. Some of us wrestling with our own issues of worthiness and self-esteem may stop to take note of the fact that "God don't make junk," and there is talent, heart, soul and wonder buried beneath the folds of depression. Some folks are dealing with ruptured relationships this Thanksgiving. 'Hard to be grateful in the face of abandonment or betrayal, and yet....and yet....there is a whisper of healing in the wind. A relationship may be in ruins and life might seem beyond difficult. But love still presides over this life. Love of children, friends and family; love of community and love - yes - of God. Grateful.

No matter what our current location in life, everyone of us would benefit - and in turn those around us would benefit if we could all adopt what some slick preacher once called "an attitude of gratitude." Well, let's skip the inane rhyme and pause together to reflect with a grateful hearts.

For life, for love, for simple moments of sharing, for laughter and silliness, for bad jokes and for inspired sonnets, let us open our hearts in grateful thanksgiving.

Tomorrow, as we begin this Christmas season - getting ready for the Christ Child - let's do so with hearts renewed and fueled with prayers and shouts of Thanksgiving.

For as the old hymn says..."whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well...it is well with my soul." Indeed.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and welcome to this blessed Christmas-time, as we await the powerful possibilities that come with new life.

Peace,
SR

PENTECOST MUSINGS...

Well, it's just a few days away from Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost. I love it.

It's a day of joy and celebration; a time of unleashed power that is beyond our ability to control. This day celebrates the coming of God's Spirit upon the Christian community and it's truly marvelous.

But mark this. It's not a one time thing. We don't read Scripture and get down in the dust with the scholars to imagine what it must have been like way back when. No. Pentecost is current. It's contemporary. It's now.

The Holy Spirit is fire up and getting ready to roar into our Church this Sunday. This Spirit won't just come politely in the door. It's a mighty, rushing wind that will knock over the flowers, blow down all the carefully placed altar decorations, and disturb our neatly ordered status quo.

Get ready friends. God's Spirit is coming, and it does not heed our sense of order or propriety. The Holy Spirit is roiling around us, and it's not concerned with our religiosity.

I love Pentecost because it shakes us up....or at least it should. I also love Pentecost because
it's the one Christian celebration that Hallmark and the consumer gift industry hasn't gotten hold of yet. No last minute Pentecost gift shopping here. No carefully lettered Pentecost cards, and no media created images of the Spirit draped over displays at Macy's or Target.

We still own this holiday, sisters and brothers!

So let's get ready.
Get your praise on come to worship.
Get your Spirit prepared to be tossed and tumbled.

God's Spirit is coming....can you feel it?

Are we ready for where the Spirit might lead?
Can we release our perceptions and our tightly held agendas?
Can we step out of the tyranny of our own desires?

I think we can.
I know we can.

And I look forward to the fire coming; I look forward to that rushing wind.
I look forward to the joy of being with you all in worship on Pentecost Sunday!

See you there! And don't forget to bring thirty-two of your closest friends.


In Christ,
Pastor Schuyler

RAISING THE BAR

For years many churches lowered the bar of expectations for their members. “Oh don’t worry. You won’t have to do much! Just join the church and show up once in a while!” “It’s OK. You don’t have to make a pledge. We just want you to be with us.” “Really, there’s not much to it. Just serve on a committee and you’ll be fine.” You’ve heard this, or something like it before, haven’t you? In some cases this was done out of a genuine desire to be welcoming and to take down barriers that might repulse or keep people away. In other cases it was done out of a sense of quiet desperation as numbers dwindled gradually over the last fifty years. “We don’t care what you do! Just come to Church!”

Well, of course, we do care. In fact, we care a great deal. Whatever the reason for this tyranny of lowered expectations, the truth is that we have ended up with a situation where we simply don’t ask much of people. It's almost like we don't want to inconvenience anyone with the process of practicing their faith.

We follow a Savior who went to the cross for us. What is it that we do beyond showing up on Sundays and maybe staffing a church committee. No. We really don’t ask a whole lot of our community. We claim to live out a Gospel that is rooted in self-giving love and self-sacrifice, but how much of ourselves do we really give? What do we sacrifice for the sake of others?

No. This isn’t a guilt trip. Really.

I am not trying to go there. But I do want to re-examine our Christian commitment. I do want raise the bar a bit and articulate some expectations about what it means to be a practicing Christian in this community of Christians.

For starters, maybe we could suggest that a practicing Christian gets involved with practicing the spiritual disciplines. How often do you pray? Do you pray every day? Do you spend time with the Bible every day? Do you give time to serving the poor every day? Is there a group of people with whom you share your faith? If so, will this group hold you lovingly accountable for living out this faith we share? Would you give an hour a week to a group like that?

At Temple UMC we are beginning the process of establishing Covenant Groups. The purpose of these groups is to provide support and mutual accountability for people who want to raise the bar. We begin training leaders for these groups in June, and we look forward to seeing groups emerge this fall.

A Covenant group writes a faith covenant together. Then they meet weekly for an hour to support one another in keeping that covenant. A typical covenant might go something like this.

1) I will attend worship every week.

2) I will spend thirty minutes in prayer every day.

3) I will participate in studying Holy Scripture on a regular basis.

4) I will give a minimum of three hours a week to serving the poor.

5) I will tithe (that means give 10% of your earnings) to my Church.

6) I will not remain silent in the face of injustice.

7) I will cease all complaining.

Maybe these seven things would be something to start with as we approach these summer months? Perhaps there's someone in the faith community with whom you could have coffee and see how you're doing with keeping these seven items going in your life. What parts are difficult? What things are rewarding? How does this covenant take you deeper in faith?

Then this fall when the Covenant groups start meeting you'll be practiced and ready!

I'm always happy to bounce these things around with you and hear your input and ideas! Toss me an email if you like. pastor@tumcpeace.org.

Dear Friends,
I am sitting down to write this morning because I reached a tipping point. Yesterday I heard, again, that someone was "spiritual," but not "religious." The same person went on in stunning predictability to say that they didn't like "organized religion."

Now I know that it's possible to ride this horse one too many times. So, those of you who have heard this rant before will find me asking for grace and forgiveness. But really, friends. Let's clear the air here. Rote ramblings like this don't come from people who are intentionally spiritual. They come from slackers who like the idea of spirituality, but are too lazy to actually practice a spiritual discipline.

And not liking "organized religion?" What's that mean? Clearly the person who says this has no experience with so called "organized religion." Go to any meeting at any level of the United Methodist Church and you'll learn quickly.....we're not all that organized. Would that it were so!

If someone makes a conscious choice to be without a specific faith, that's fine with me. I think they're losing out in the long run, but hey, I'm good with it. But we need to be up front with the truth that it's not possible to be vaguely spiritual.

Spirituality requires discipline. It needs a particular practice and form to take shape. Now this can be Ignatian spirituality or Franciscan Spirituality. It can be Zen or Zoarastrian, but it can't be simply......spiritual.

It's like being musical. Everyone has music within them. But unless you pick up an instrument and practice, your musicality.....and $3.50 will get you a Mochachino at Starbucks.

So to all of you who trumpet your spirituality without the discipline of practice or the focus of intention, I say this. Pick something. Anything. Choose Greek Orthodoxy or Quaker Spirituality. Select Kabalistic Judaism or Trappist silence. I might even be so immodest as to suggest Wesleyan spirituality, but for God's sake, choose something.

Let your spirituality be authentic and focused. Let it be at the center of your being rather than an item on some life buffet.

Or, if you prefer, have the courage to live out of touch with Spirit and faith, and do THAT with intention.

OK. I'll stop now.

This posting, by the way, represents my own intentional return to the blogosphere. My hope is to post something here every week - or possibly more often.

Looking forward to connecting, to sharing, and to daring great things with you all.

SR

I just returned from a week of continuing education where I was treated to a huge variety of lectures, sermons, and workshops. It was a great time for new ideas and renewal, and I can't thank my Church community enough for making this possible.

One of the people who spoke was Brian McLaren. This author/pastor had a wonderful, gentle way about him and I was moved by the many things he had to share. I highly recommend his books and encourage you to google him after you finish this posting!

As I write this afternoon, one of the things he said to us comes into my mind. That is, that Buddhism has never been seen as a religion, but rather as a way of life. Christianity, on the other hand is seen by most as a system of belief.

McLaren called on the clergy gathered at this workshop to turn away from the "system" that we have created and to work on returning our churches to communities who practice Christianity as a way of life. Indeed, the early church called itself, "The Way."

What a wonderful idea. What would it look like if we were able to shed the straight jacket of our belief system and embrace the way of Jesus Christ together? How might our churches be different if we stressed faithful community rather than doctrine and process?

Indeed, it's something to consider.

The theme we will be following during the coming Lenten season is, "Contemplating Our Call." As we worship, pray and prepare together, perhaps we could contemplate our call as a church. What would need to change for us to adopt Christianity as a total way of life? How might we go about this?

Could God be calling us to abandon the system of belief we call Chrsistianity? Could God be calling us to embrace the way of life that Christ came to show us?

What do you think?

Well, it's time for me to close up the laptop and head home.

Until next time, I remain yours in the "The Way."

Pastor Schuyler