Last week I spent in Nome working with the Community United Methodist Church. Attending our meetings was a couple who was new to the Nome community in the last year. They gave a wonderful testimony about why they chose to attend the UMC. When they got to town they talked to people about what was happening around town. They kept hearing about the UMC. They heard a lot of "buzz" about the UMC - the UMC does this and that, they all go to the UMC, you should meet the UMC pastors...
I thought that was a wonderful witness to the vitality of the church. Does your church have "buzz" in the community? When a new person comes to town what do people say about your church? Do people even know you exist?
Often we get caught up in all the good works we are about and forget to develop relationships in the community - to let people know what we are doing - to work connections outside the church. I pray that our churches all have a positive "buzz" around town for what is happening through them for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Intentional and passionate.
One thing that has always been true about me is that I am passionate. Often my passion gets me in trouble because often passion carries me away and I speak or act before thinking. So, because of all that, my spiritual practice this Lent is to be intentional in all aspects of my life.
In my work with churches and the class I am taking this semester on the church of the future I am coming to a solid conclusion: Churches that are "successful" are churches that have married a passion for Christ with living out their faith intentionally. It isn't about being a perfect church with all the whistles and bells, but about falling in love with Jesus and being intentional in all that we do especially what we do as a church.
Perhaps you have attended this church: beautiful building, excellent preacher, choir director and other staff, all the right programs and yet something isn't quite right. There is no spark or excitement. They appear to be people who are dead in their faith who have learned how to play the part. Versus an offbeat church in an unlikely location who may not have it all together but they are chasing after living like Jesus as if they were in a race for their lives.
Intentionality and passion. Key ingredients in my mind for being what God has called me and the church to be. Give me that offbeat church any day.
In my work with churches and the class I am taking this semester on the church of the future I am coming to a solid conclusion: Churches that are "successful" are churches that have married a passion for Christ with living out their faith intentionally. It isn't about being a perfect church with all the whistles and bells, but about falling in love with Jesus and being intentional in all that we do especially what we do as a church.
Perhaps you have attended this church: beautiful building, excellent preacher, choir director and other staff, all the right programs and yet something isn't quite right. There is no spark or excitement. They appear to be people who are dead in their faith who have learned how to play the part. Versus an offbeat church in an unlikely location who may not have it all together but they are chasing after living like Jesus as if they were in a race for their lives.
Intentionality and passion. Key ingredients in my mind for being what God has called me and the church to be. Give me that offbeat church any day.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Why the Church Community is so Important!!!!!
Today for the first time in over a month, I got to worship at my husband's churches - East Anchorage and Anchor Park UMCes. I have been traveling and attending meetings. Many of the meetings have been discussing the future of the UMC and much of the conversation is depressing. At the same time I have been taking classes online through Drew and our conversations there have been about preaching and church models for this new time. I have to admit I have been feeling a bit discouraged..
Today I was at two churches where I once served. They know me well and I am vividly reminded of why the church community is so important. People are happy to see me and hear about my adventures and to tell me about their lives. After Anchor Park there was a potluck and I sat and talked to a lot of people and even held a month old baby. I felt as if I was basking in God's love.
I was reminded by my church communities that I am a child of God who is valued and loved. I felt that I had a safe place to come to worship and fellowship. I have to tell you I am revived and ready to chase after revitalizing our churches and making new places for new people. My passion is stirring again because I got to be with God's people who know me, accept me for who I am and encourage me to embrace the person God wants me to become.
The church community is God with skin on and I am sad to think there are some who do not know that community. We need to change that. I am alive again to God's calling. Thank you to my church communities.
Today I was at two churches where I once served. They know me well and I am vividly reminded of why the church community is so important. People are happy to see me and hear about my adventures and to tell me about their lives. After Anchor Park there was a potluck and I sat and talked to a lot of people and even held a month old baby. I felt as if I was basking in God's love.
I was reminded by my church communities that I am a child of God who is valued and loved. I felt that I had a safe place to come to worship and fellowship. I have to tell you I am revived and ready to chase after revitalizing our churches and making new places for new people. My passion is stirring again because I got to be with God's people who know me, accept me for who I am and encourage me to embrace the person God wants me to become.
The church community is God with skin on and I am sad to think there are some who do not know that community. We need to change that. I am alive again to God's calling. Thank you to my church communities.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Finding the Light in Unexpected Places
This is written by a seminary friend and colleague in Iowa, Rev. Dr. Denny Coon. I copied this from an e-publication called: Thursday Memo for Preachers put out by the Iowa Annual Conference. Awesome witness to thinking we are bringing light to the world and we find the light already there.
Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven
Rev. Dr. Denny Coon, Director of the Bidwell-Riverside Center"
"It’s still Epiphany. We’re looking for light references. There’s a plethora in the texts for this week: Psalm 112: 4, Isaiah 58: 8 & 10, and Matthew 5: 14-16. The Isaiah 58 passages offer cause and effect. If you loose the bonds of injustice, undo the yoke, let the oppressed go free, share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into your house, cover the naked, and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light breaks forth like the dawn and your light shall rise in the darkness.
Knowing one of the areas of focus for the United Methodist Church is to engage in ministries with the poor and wanting to put these Isaiah expectations into practice, the St. Mark’s UMC in Iowa City decided to engage in a Christmas Carol Conspiracy. A member had read about a suburban church in Philadelphia bringing gifts to inner city families. The suburban church sang carols and gave gifts of currency buried under the cookies.
St. Mark’s duplicated the conspiracy at the Regency Mobile Home Court written about in the local and state newspapers frequently during 2010. The renters were living under deplorable conditions in run down mobile homes with impure water. After receiving the names of families in need of assistance from a social worker the church went with cookies, currency, and carols.
At one home, with a picture of the Last Supper hanging on a wall, a Hispanic mother unexpectedly invited all the caroling strangers into her mobile home. When she realized the carolers would not all fit, she swept up a box of apples from her table and walked among the surprised middle class congregation offering gifts. Her hospitality was a light to the congregation and helped melt away any prejudices that may have existed.
The congregation thought they went bearing the light. What they received was a surprising beacon from a poor immigrant renter who knows the love of Christ. The church realizes the charity they offered begins the journey of relationship building leading to a better understanding of the systemic issues of poverty.
Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven
Rev. Dr. Denny Coon, Director of the Bidwell-Riverside Center"
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Models of the Church
A long time ago Avery Dulles wrote a book: Models of the Church. In more recent years Aubrey Malphurs wrote a book: A New Kind of Church: Understanding Models of Ministry for the 21st Century.
Do you see the difference in the two titles? Models of the church versus models of ministry. When I first read Dulles' book it was intriguing and helped me to figure out if I approached the church as institution, mystical communion, sacrament, herald or servant. What I appreciate now about Malphurs' book is his use of models for ministry. It sounds so much more active and relevant. When I think about model of the church I can't help but think about a building.
Even more important is when you actually read Malphurs book he lays it all out for the church in this day and age. The world does not understand what the church is about and has a host of negative images of us. We are dying and unless we make some dramatic changes in how we do ministry the end is near.
I highly recommend this book as a good read for those who are struggling to be in ministry in 2011 when the church is stuck in the modern world and the rest of the world has moved on to postmodern. The beginning is a bit of a downer with all the statistics but he has some good things to think about.
Do you see the difference in the two titles? Models of the church versus models of ministry. When I first read Dulles' book it was intriguing and helped me to figure out if I approached the church as institution, mystical communion, sacrament, herald or servant. What I appreciate now about Malphurs' book is his use of models for ministry. It sounds so much more active and relevant. When I think about model of the church I can't help but think about a building.
Even more important is when you actually read Malphurs book he lays it all out for the church in this day and age. The world does not understand what the church is about and has a host of negative images of us. We are dying and unless we make some dramatic changes in how we do ministry the end is near.
I highly recommend this book as a good read for those who are struggling to be in ministry in 2011 when the church is stuck in the modern world and the rest of the world has moved on to postmodern. The beginning is a bit of a downer with all the statistics but he has some good things to think about.
Friday, January 21, 2011
How do we find the truth?
I have been reading and talking on line to my classmates about a book we read called: Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. It has been an interesting read about the metaphors we live by. Success is up and failure is down are directional metaphors. We often speak about our mind as a machine metaphor: My mind isn't operating..., I'm a little rusty today...
By the time you are well in to the book you realize how often we use metaphors when we speak. Chapter 24 is titled "Truth". "Truth is relative to understanding" pg 162. Think about that. If I say what I believe to be the truth and I use some kind of a metaphor as I speak - you will find truth in what I say if you have the same understanding of the metaphor I have used. Even a simple sentence like: "John fired the gun at Harry" depends on us understanding who John and Harry are, what it means to fire a gun and what a gun is.
Even in my family there are many truthful versions of the story of our family. They are each one different. And each one of them is the truth from their perspective.
Think about the church. How do the leaders of the church determine the truth of where the church has been in the past? Where the church is currently? and where the church should go in the future? Communicating and determining truth can be difficult at best.
If there is a conflict in the church it is easy to understand how many different versions there are of the truth and how difficult it can be to resolve conflict.
This book causes me to be very careful when I think I know the truth and when I listen to others share their version of the truth. Good luck finding the ultimate truth.
By the time you are well in to the book you realize how often we use metaphors when we speak. Chapter 24 is titled "Truth". "Truth is relative to understanding" pg 162. Think about that. If I say what I believe to be the truth and I use some kind of a metaphor as I speak - you will find truth in what I say if you have the same understanding of the metaphor I have used. Even a simple sentence like: "John fired the gun at Harry" depends on us understanding who John and Harry are, what it means to fire a gun and what a gun is.
Even in my family there are many truthful versions of the story of our family. They are each one different. And each one of them is the truth from their perspective.
Think about the church. How do the leaders of the church determine the truth of where the church has been in the past? Where the church is currently? and where the church should go in the future? Communicating and determining truth can be difficult at best.
If there is a conflict in the church it is easy to understand how many different versions there are of the truth and how difficult it can be to resolve conflict.
This book causes me to be very careful when I think I know the truth and when I listen to others share their version of the truth. Good luck finding the ultimate truth.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Do we hold the light or is the light already there?
I just read Leonard Sweet's book, Nudge. In that book he has challenged me to rethink a number of things. I want to know what you think.
As Christians we say, we take the light of Christ out to the world. This of course implies that we hold the light and are going to enlighten the rest of the world.
Sweet challenges us to understand that God is already present in the world and active in people's lives. They are not aware of it. Our work as Christians is to develop relationships in the world and nudge people to realize the light of Christ that already exists in them.
What do you think? Old evangelism: we have it and the world needs it. New evangelism: it exists everywhere we need to help people realize it.
As Christians we say, we take the light of Christ out to the world. This of course implies that we hold the light and are going to enlighten the rest of the world.
Sweet challenges us to understand that God is already present in the world and active in people's lives. They are not aware of it. Our work as Christians is to develop relationships in the world and nudge people to realize the light of Christ that already exists in them.
What do you think? Old evangelism: we have it and the world needs it. New evangelism: it exists everywhere we need to help people realize it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)