Off the Clock

I'm on holidays for the week, returning to work June 30. In the meantime, for any pastoral care emergencies, contact the Rev. Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen. Sunday worship on the 29th is at Melbourne United Church, 10:30 a.m.

See you when I get back,
Kenji

sermon excerpts: "Young Wisdom"

(Job 32: 1-22)
Three of Job’s friends spend entire chapters with no one convincing anyone of anything. Job thinks he is innocent and undeserving of such pain and loss, but will not curse God’s name. His friends think God is obviously punishing him for a terrible misdeed or moral crime.

Into this stalemate comes a new, fresh voice. Elihu expresses his anger with everyone: to Job, for being so self-centred, “poor me” and justifying himself instead of God; and with his 3 friends for being so inflexible and judgmental, presuming Job to be wrong even though they had no proof.

When it comes to public forums or debates, we may defer speaking our own piece until someone more qualified or educated speaks. But what happens when this person we’ve been waiting for doesn’t really say anything that amounts to anything? We can nod politely and go about the business at hand, or speak up and offer an opinion.

This is what Elihu does. Youngest of Job’s friends, he’s well-versed in the social order and permits his elders to speak first. When they miss the point, he is like a wine skin about to burst and has to pipe up. ... Elihu suggests wisdom comes from the spirit not from experience. We find wisdom in many places and many forms, not just a university degree or a mountain-top guru.

If we go by today’s numbers: 18-30 is the definition of youth, according to the World Council of Churches. At the end of this summer, I’m going to be one of the chaplains at Kairos 2008 which is a national youth and young adult conference held every 3 years for people in that age range. The Emerging Spirit ad campaign of The United Church of Canada attempts to connect with people 30-45.
Yet, if we consider the baby boomer generation, the focus of the population is going to be on the so-called “silver tsunami” as this sector retires from the work force with great effect on pension funds, the health care system and real estate. I’ve heard it described as a “rectangle shoved up the age pyramid”.

I’ve heard arguments and questions about why the church doesn’t throw all its resources at this renewable resource of retiring and aging people who have far more disposable income and discretionary time to the church than children, youth and young families. (I’m just repeating what I’ve heard).

But we value the fragility of youth and children – 3 years is an entire generation for a young person. When we consider how deeply the formative influences impact the rest of their lives from these early years, it is little wonder why the church devotes so much time and attention to nurturing these developing souls. Unless we reach them as youngsters, it’s going to tougher to find them as baby-booming retirees.

Based on the popularity of YouTube videos on the Internet, any number of on-line discussion forums and news comment features, kids have the ability and inclination to participate and get involved. Much like Elihu, they’re bursting to offer their ideas. From a lecture by Princeton Theological Seminary’s Kenda Creasy Dean: “Kids want to produce culture, they want to consume it, they want to respond to it. They are partners in creating their own experiences of culture. Which means, if they are not partners in creating their own experiences of church, the church doesn’t register.”

...Sure, we can fiddle with the order of hymns or style of prayers, but until we make stronger connections across the generations and pews, kids won’t want to partner in creating their own experiences of church.

... No church community is ever going to get it right, it’s never going to be perfect. There will be conflicts, personality clashes, differences of opinion, and outright mistakes made. But if we can include and engage people, younger or older, who are seeking a safe haven from the criticisms of the world, a place to ask questions, to wonder about God, to feel included, we can be the church as it was meant to be: the hands and feet of Christ, bringing the power of the spirit to all in need.

Sunday School Sunday

This Sunday will feature potluck lunches after worship as we celebrate the ministries of the respective Sunday School programs at Appin and Trinity United.

At Appin, 9:45 a.m. worship service reflecting on Job's young friend, Elihu, (Job 32: 1-22) and Jesus as a boy in the Temple (Luke 2: 41-52). Picnic and lunch follow - bring salad and dessert!

At Trinity, we will welcome our neighbours from St. John's Anglican Church to an outdoor (weather permitting!) worship service led by the Sunday School; bring lawn chairs for seating. Special guests Dora the Explorer, Boots the Monkey and Dr. Indiana Jones will undertake a search for God. Potluck picnic lunch follows the conclusion of their quest.

sermon excerpts: "Faith as a Legacy"

(Genesis 18: 1-15; Matthew 9:35-10:8)
Abraham and Sarah had no children. This was the ultimate insult for a successful family who obeyed God, uprooting their lives on a divine say-so. There was no one to pass the torch to, if you don’t count Ishmael, Abraham’s son that he had with Sarah’s maid, Hagar.
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The spotlight shifts to Sarah; yes, even on Father’s Day, we need to acknowledge the mothers. If anyone felt the stigma of being childless, it was her. After all, it was her body that was barren, she was the one to blame. She’d already lived a full life and settled firmly into her golden years. It is outrageous to think that now, finally, she would have a child. Presuming she and her baby would survive the ordeal, because birth was a literal life and death situation, but you don’t question the Lord about these things.

God had promised them this truth and three chapters of Genesis later, Isaac was born. From this family came the Jewish faith and relationship to God, YHWH, and its great people. Fast forward a few centuries and Jesus, as one born into this identity, seeks out the lost people of his faith.

Jesus sends out the twelve to the lost people of Israel, those who claim Jewish faith but were not part of the community – because of illness or hardship or social exclusion. This was Christ bringing faith to the people where they were, not waiting for the people to come to him.

It’s a good lesson for our church. We need to take the good work that we do to those who are in need and go out beyond ourselves, instead of waiting for them to come to our building and fit into our set routine of praying and singing, sitting and standing.

Compare and contrast the approaches of Abraham and Jesus: do we sit and wait for God to come us, or do we get out into the world and find the divine by doing God’s work? Both methods work to a degree, but is there a way to combine them?

One of the measures of church success is to see what people unconnected to the church think of or know about your ministry. The mark that Christ made is the legacy that we follow and that we ourselves leave. Just as we have to recognize that the memory of fathers may include abuse and neglect and more harm that good, we also have to admit that the work of our faith has not always been good or pleasant.

This past week, the apology to the First Nations for the racist philosophy and abusive reality of residential schools serves as another reminder of this unfortunate fact. ... Just because we were not directly involved with the residential schools, as teachers or administrators, doesn’t mean that we are exempt. Just like people used to grumble, and still do, in the United Church around the time we made our apology about the residential schools. I’ve heard many debates about why they, as individual members, have to apologize for something the United Church did as a policy.

It is individual members and supporters of the local United Church congregations that bearing the brunt of criticism and questions from neighbours and friends and other churches in town when it’s reported that the moderator said he doesn’t believe in that Jesus is God, when same sex marriages are permitted by the United Church. We are the ones who live with the reality and consequences of such statements.

But these are part of our legacy as a denomination; this is the work of our ancestors, mothers and fathers of faith who wanted to leave an honest and justice-seeking church for their children, biological or spiritual. It is not for lack of effort or vision that our churches are suffering – maybe we’re trying too hard, or not delivering what people want, or not recognizing that the world has changed too much for our way of being a faith community. Like many parents, the church is scratching its collective head, trying to figure out what it is with kids and young people these days.

... So yes, we know that something has to change or be different. As a church we wonder what the future holds, what the particular legacy of our involvement in the congregation might be. This past week, I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to my own mortality, wondering how a young and healthy father can suddenly die. But in the end, what we have is not going to last. What we teach and share with those around us, who we are, will persist and live on.

As Christians who came from the Jewish tradition that owes its birth to Abraham, the story of faith continues in us. That same spirit is what calls us to want better things for the world. Even if the expression of how that might happen has been locked up into pulpits and pews for the past few centuries. We go forth from this moment as people of hope, possibility and faith.

The Meaning of Death

Recently at Trinity, we grieved (and still do) the loss of a veritable pillar of the congregation. Her rapid, cancer-related death raised the question of why good people have to suffer.

As if this wasn't tragic enough, I'm still reeling from the news of the very unexpected death of a young father from Appin. He leaves behind two young children the day before his 26th birthday - and Father's Day is this Sunday. How does one make sense of this? I have no answers and don't pretend that our belief in God's love or the hope of resurrection are any real comfort at a time like this.

I'm thankful that a colleague from his family's church will be assisting with the memorial service; the situation hits a little too close to home for me and I'm not sure how I'd be able to hold it together. Sorry if this post is too self-indulgent or therapy-seeking, but I needed to put something out there.

for June 15: Genesis 18.1-15

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’

So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’

The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

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What feelings, questions, thoughts and prompts to personal action arise from this scripture? What about hymn suggestions or ideas for Children's Time? Share them as Comments below or in an email, and help shape Sunday's worship service.

sermon excerpts: "Relating to Hosea" - Trinity Anniversary Sunday

... Hosea was attributed as the first person to use the metaphor of marriage between God and Israel. All around him he saw the people of God as the unfaithful partner in the relationship, worshipping other gods, treating each other unfairly and unjustly. To further make his point, Hosea himself married a prostitute in an act of social symbolism.

Cheery stuff, isn’t it? Is it appropriate for an anniversary? After all, this is a time of remembering history through rose-coloured glasses, lauding the church’s achievements and praising its people. Which I may still do, once I figure out why Hosea’s message is so compelling to me.

Hosea imagines God is speaking to the northern kingdom, mockingly confessing repentance and renewed faithfulness, knowing full well that nothing was going to change. Here the people of Israel were caught in that not-so-unique place between knowing what the right thing to do is and actually doing it.

It’s a common theme in the Bible but consider in our own lives all the times we say the right things but actions or inactions speak louder. Our intent may be pure but the result is as permanent and lasting as morning dew. I do not offer this as a personal accusation aimed at anyone of us individually, but as a challenge to the wider church. How often do we initiate a program or attempt to make a change but revert to old ways at the first sign of resistance or setback?

In 1925, three denominations came together to form The United Church of Canada (although the many times I’ve typed “Untied” instead might mean more subconsciously than a simple slip of the fingers). A lot of political maneuvering had to be done for such a feat to occur with graciousness and cooperation from all parties needed to make this denominational marriage work.

Eighty-three years later, we’re facing declines in membership, energy and effectiveness. We’re trying to imagine our way to viability as an institution again by adopting the latest innovative strategies (like computer projection technology!) or public awareness campaigns when instead Hosea pinpoints the genuine plea of God: “I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know me than burn offerings to me.” It is who we are that matters more than what we give or do.

I know of a minister in a big city church who unashamedly proclaims: “I don’t care if you ever come to church, just send your money.” Well, at least he’s honest. I would offer the exact opposite message, “I don’t care how much money you have to give to the church, just show up.” There is greater richness to be found in people gathering, if only for the fact that it offers hope and encouragement to everyone involved.
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So as we remember and pay tribute to 116 years of the God’s mission at work as Trinity United Church in Glencoe, we honour the relationships that link us together through our history and tradition. We look around us in the moment of right now to see what the future might bear, how we might better know ourselves and be the church.

It is not our sacrifices and offerings that God desires, it is our commitment to love, honour and cherish; yes, like marriage. As Hosea alludes to, being the community of faith requires dedication, patience, forgiveness, stubbornness, love and delight. May it be so.

for June 8 - Hosea 5:15-6:6

I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favour:

‘Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.’

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.

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What feelings, questions, thoughts and prompts to personal action arise from this scripture? What about hymn suggestions or ideas for Children's Time? Share them as Comments below or in an email, and help shape Sunday's worship service.

sermon excerpts: "The Church Is Sinking"

I ask the question, is our church built on a solid foundation? It seems that a great deal of energy and effort goes into maintaining the systems of governance and bureaucracy. We have a great commotion over the move to a new mandatory payroll service or the keeping of our church archives or who the President-Elect will be, while overlooking earthquakes in China, cyclones in Burma, the crystal meth drug crisis in Perth County, not to mention the increasing pressure put on decreasing numbers of church-goers in our communities.

Sometimes, often, as an organized religion we spend too much time worrying about ourselves rather than the world around us. Is our house built on the sands of self-preservation or the rock of service and action to which Christ calls us?

This is the point Christ is making when he challenges us with the notion that not everyone that calls on his name is known as a faithful follower. The core of our actions, the motivation needs to be rooted in humility and service, out of genuine concern for others and not for gloryseeking.

Again, what is the foundation of our faith? There have been times when swinging at my golfball stuck in a sandtrap, the ground seems quite hard and solid. So how do we know what we are standing on? It all comes to bear when we find ourselves in a time of storm and turmoil.

When life is raging all about us, what do we find under our feet? Is it sand, like God’s conditional favour, suddenly shifting, resettling, slipping away? Or are we planted firmly on a belief system of God’s eternal love that withstands the whims and fancies of the world?

The ritual of communion is built upon the ageless tradition of breaking bread with family and friends. Sharing a common meal is the foundation of our time together. It has been reduced to a single wafer or cube of bread and a shot of grape juice, but at its heart is a remembrance of a feast that Jesus shared with those closest to him.

I have a friend who once offered a communion service with pop and Doritos, which unnerved many people, including the youth for whom it was designed. But the intent was there – sharing a common meal with common food with common people. It was something that was special in the ordinariness of it. You’re likely relieved that this morning we celebrate the sacrament with traditional bread and grape juice. Regardless, it is in moments such as this, we find unchanging foundation of God’s love. For this we give thanks and praise. Amen.