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Mike's Memo (Sept., 2010) Not long ago I came across a quote I saved from Ellen Guder's book, God, But I'm Bored. She said, "you can live on bland food so as to avoid an ulcer; drink no tea or coffee or other stimulatns in the name of health; go to bed early and stay away from night life; avoid all controversial subjects so as to never give offense; mind your own business and avoid involvement in other people's problems; spend money only on necessities and save all you can; and you can still break your neck in the bathtub, and it will serve you right!" It got me to thinking how we can easily put our lives on hold. We can become so safe that we can literally make life (our own and others) to be a meaningless bore. This is particularly true whenever we have experienced some sort of relational loss. We can literally allow ourselves to become so self protective that we avoid any risk or chance of further disappointment or pain. The hurt and pain are too real. And rightly so. But at some point in our adjustment to transition, we must risk again if we are to grow and overcome. If not, it isn't long before we start complaining that we're bored. But maybe that cry is the first step we need to take. We have to see where we now are. To move on, to risk again, involves coming to grips with the past and learning to let it go once and for all. Not easy, but necessary. I've heard it said, "you can't expect to get to second base as long as your foot is still on first." We move on toward second when we begin to accept who we are in the state that we are. We move toward second when we begin developing and enhancing our own potential and giftedness. We move toward second when we act on that child-like impulse to explore new worlds and adventures. We move toward second when we ask God to help us begin again. I trust you will conclude that whether as individuals or as a congregation risking again is worth it and that it is not as difficult as we may think. Even though there will always be the possibility of future hurts, disappointments, and yes, even failures, risking again still holds the capacity to deepen our lives. Anytime our horizons are enlarged, life is anything but boring. Looking for a good motto? Try this: "if I always do what I have always done, I'll always get what I've always gotten." See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (August, 2010) From a very early age we have grown up in a culture that extols the "virtues" of self-reliance, independence, and autonomy. We also figured out that to ask for help is tantamount to admitting weakness, failure, or inadequacy. At the same time, we also picked up on the notion that to receive help is to confess that we really can't do whatever on our own. In our society we applaud those who have "made it." We idolize them as being "self made." Perhaps that is why it is so difficult for many of us to give and receive help. Our culture instills within us a subtle prejudice against the giving and receiving of help. On the one hand, to offer help runs the risk of offending people by implying that they are weak and inadequate. On the other, to receive help is difficult because it implies that we can't handle things on our own. I find it ironic that we are often quite willing to admit our dependence on certain kinds of technologies and conveniences ("I simply can't live without my....."), but then be reluctant to admit that we need one another. Most of us do not see ourselves as being dependent upon or responsible to our fellow human beings. Rather, most of us regard ourselves as autonomous individuals and as members of one another only in a contrived sense. The thinking goes something like this: "Your life is your life and mine is mine. There is no need for you, or anyone else for that matter, to believe that I will ever need any help. I can take care of myself quite nicely, thank you very much." How then do we learn that we really do need help and, subsequently, be willing to receive help graciously, when we live in a culture that teaches us that all such requests are signs of weakness, failure, and incompetence? One of the many benefits of coming to worship is to be reminded that we are all dependent upon God, our Creator and Sustainer, a fact that should, in itself, convince us that none of us got here on our own. What's more, as we listen to the stories of Scripture we come to understand, unlike what our culture insists, that our collective history is not one of impressive accomplishments achieved by our own ingenuity, talents, abilities, and hard work, but rather by receiving what we did not deserve, what we in no way earned, or what we could not secure for ourselves. In worship we are reminded that we are all the recipients of God's good grace. What sets us apart from others is not that we have been blessed and others not, but rather that we know Who to thank and they don't. Staying connected with the church also aids us in the giving and receiving of help. The New Testament image of the church as the Body of Christ radically challenges our learned notions of self-sufficiency and autonomy. Becoming a Christian and being grafted into the body are one and the same. It is simply an oxymoron to say that one can be Christian without being connected to the church. God has so created the Body that each member needs the others. It is a mistake to assume you can have one without the other. You cannot have a functioning body without having body parts, and you cannot have a functioning body part without belonging to a body. God has so arranged the Christian experience that none of us can secure our own well being. We need each other. Finally, the ability to give and receive help is learned more by imitation than by ingestion. Learning to live the Christian life requires more than simply learning the right words. It calls for embodying a way of life. What is required is more than simply reading a manual and following directions. Its like learning how to golf. Sure, one may be able to pick it up from reading and watching, but most of us learn it by having someone who is willing to stand behind us and go through the awkward yet necessary movement of the swing. Confidence is built, even though it doesn't "feel" right, because someone is there who is better than us working with us and guiding our movements. In the same way, many of us could learn a great deal more about helping and being helped if we were willing to call upon the saints we know who have learned to do things better than we. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (July, 2010) What keeps you from bouncing off one exteme to another? What characterizes those athletes who make it to the Hall of Fame? What builds respect more than anything else? What keeps relationships secure? What brings you back to the same restaurant, business, church, or store time and time again? What do you want most out of government, education, health care, and finance? What authenticates your witness for Christ? Faithfulness. Dependability. Consistency. I'm talking about staying power. The attitude that hangs in there and doesn't quit--regardless of momentary moods, sudden changes, silly setbacks, fickle fads, and annoying disappointments. Faithfulness doesn't buckle whenever pain jabs and hardship crosses. While others look to bail out, the faithful rebound and make a come back. Faithfulness is the stuff that keeps you loving when those around you give good reason to leave. Faithfulness reveals itself in the shop as employees punch in on time, tackle the line, and commit themselves to more than just receiving a paycheck; in the church as clergy and laity lose themselves in their respective ministries; in the classroom where the concern for nurture is more important than the need to entertain; and in the home where the needs of spouse and children are valued more than self. Faithfulness knows the meaning of the word steadfastness. It doesn't set limits, qualifications, conditions, or boundaries. It hangs in there regardless of the highs and lows, ups and downs, sentiment and scorn, success or failure, a pat on the back or a kick in the butt. In biblical terms, faithfulness is the hallmark of virtues. It is what turns common sinners into saints. To weave faithfulness into the fabric of your life is to prevent life from unraveling you. "That I may be found faithful".....the prayer/life that says it all. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (June, 2010) With graduations upon us many couples are now facing the one element of parenthood that is dreaded on the one hand and welcomed on the other: letting go. Whether it is the first child or the last, this rite of passage has now arrived and with it comes a certain uneasiness. It takes a tremendous amount of faith and trust in the Almighty to calmly let go of our children's lives when they reach maturity. And yet only in such an action can we hope to have the assurance that we will retain their love and friendship as they now move on into adulthood. Still, for both young adults and parents, embarking on this exciting and nervous time, comes a haunting question: how do I let go? Letting go is a major turning point for both parents and young adults and it can oftentimes lead to a quagmire of relational issues--in particular, independence, identity, and intimacy. Attending college can, in some measure, prolong the process of separation. But even then, depending on the persons involved, it can either soften the blow or fan the flames. As parents, we shift gears constantly as we watch our kids grow and change. One minute we're retracing old relational patterns and discovering new ones the next. How compelling is the temptation to just tell our kids what we think they ought to do. But we know, deep down, that this is not good. Maturity comes only from one's own doing. Some families have apparently less difficulty making the transition from parentally-discipline, dependent children to self-responsible, independent young adults. Others struggle greatly to raise offspring into self-reliant young adults and resist fiercely letting go. Their need for personal security is greater than the child's need to develop. I do have a hunch, though, that most parents and their children fall somewhere in between. We realize that in a state of transition the parent/young adult relationship ebbs and flows, with times of growth on the one hand, and retreats into former parent/child ways on the other. We understand that for all of us, the need to allow space to grow, patience in the process, faith in each other, and grace to forgive can enable such transitions to ultimately become rewarding for both. Thinking back, my own young adult years were an exciting and rich time where I came to understand myself, the world, and the loving God who weaves all three into a life that gives purpose and meaning. As maturing Disciples, we know that this weaving is an on-going process that lasts throughout life. In preparing to say goodbye to this year's graduates, it is reassuring to know that in order for them to catch the significance of their adult journey with God, they will need other maturing adults to come alongside them, not to over-protect them, but rather to accompany them as friends in the faith. To that end I pray. If Dylan and McKenzie, along with all the rest of this year's graduates, can make this transition, along with their parents, then I dare say there will be no greater reward in both home and life. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (May, 2010) It is time for us to fess up to something. For much too long, we in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have either ignored or downplayed the person and work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, ever since the days of Stone and Campbell, the Holy Spirit has been looked upon as one of those "nonessentials" with which we are free to form our own opinions. I, for one, believe this is one of the reasons why we continue to struggle as a denomination and wrestle with such issues as declining memberships, ineffective Christian education, and the general lack of accountability among the general, regional, and local expressions of the church. With the advent of the 21st century, we entered into what many call a "post modern" environment where human reason (a hallmark for us Disciples) is now seen to have limits and that truth can no longer be reduced to simple verbal formulas. Seekers of the divine now proceed within relational contexts and thinking about the Christian faith requires the supplements of both actual life transformation and personal discipleship in the world. What, then, does it mean for Disciples today to be spiritual? For one thing, I believe it means moving beyond what far too long has been accepted as being religious. In too many venues people still view God as some sort of logical inference, not a reality. God is envisioned as a moral ideal; just another name for goodness, beauty, love, and compassion. The possibility of having an intimate acquaintance, let alone a life changing relationship with God, has been and still is feared as being too emotional. As such, many of us have grown up with a sort of mechanical, second-hand, self-serving, ritualistic approach to God. We go to church, hear a message, give an offering, take communion, and go home until next Sunday. Consequently, our congregations, for the most part, have either become the custodians of positive cultural values or the humanitarian centers of social harmony. Rarely, however, have we been respected as being faith communities of spiritual development. We affirm that Jesus is the Christ but after that you are pretty well on your own has been our prevailing mantra. Of course, much of our religious related reality involves the outward factors of organization, custom, structure, liturgy, and traditional practice. But I am not talking about being religious. I am talking about becoming spiritual. And spirituality is something that is inward. It is coming to understand that beyond the mere knowing and affirming the church's teachings and traditions, the Christian life is a journey with the Spirit along Christ's path and into Christ's mind--a journey that leads to personal transformation and serious discipleship. Admittedly, among we Disciples today, too much of what is considered a "reasonable faith" has been heavily influenced by alliances between church and societal structures. For us to "restore the ancient order of things" and to reverse our declining trend, our primary influences must focus on an intentional alliance with Jesus Christ and a genuine openness to the person and power of the Holy Spirit. Our vision and vitality as a "movement for wholenesss in a fragmented world" does not rest on technical readjustments that lead to little or no adaptive behavior, but rather on the power of the Holy Spirit working graciously within and among us. Can we reclaim our vision, our vitality, our fervor, our passion, and our giving? Yes we can. But not because we trust our structure, our Design, our general or regional offices, or even our own programs, but rather because we trust the Holy Spirit. Only be reacquainting ourselves with the third person of the Trinity can we move beyond the mere religion of a one day observance to moving out with a spiritual fervor than can literally "turn a world upside down." See you Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (April, 2010) With Spring fully upon us, its time to talk baseball or, for us in church circles, softball. When I was a youngster I played for a time in Little League. It wasn't easy. Being left- handed didn't help much either. Sure, like other boys my age, we all had visions for being the next Mickey Mantle or Al Kaline, but somehow we never quite pulled it off. As a ballplayer, I usually avoided those situations that could have helped my progress into the big leagues. For example, whenever there were two outs in the bottom of the seventh (a complete game in Little League), with the bases loaded, and in right field (that's where they put all the lefties), I would feverishly pray, "Lord, I don't care how you do it, but please, don't let that ball be hit to me." In other words, I would willingly give up all my baseball pursuits for the certainty of avoiding the embarrassment of failure. Now, there may be a few persons who can stand up to failure, but for most of us, the fear of flopping panics us beyond belief. Its a though we think that one minor foul up will forever deem us as disappointing duds. Although it appears somewhat illogical, the road to success is often littered with recurrent failure. Graph all the "thrills of victory" of any highly successful person and you will also see that there are enough "agonies of defeat" to make you wonder how he or she ever did what they did. Getting back to baseball, do you realize that it is one of the few sports where you can literally fail up to 70% of the time and still be lauded and applauded as a superstar? That's right! A batter who hits .300 is considered the franchise. But what this really means is that he hits only 30% of the time. In other words, this superstar will ground out, fly out, or strike out more than two-thirds as often as he will safely reach base. I wish we could put aside this idiotic notion that the absence of failure is the same thing as success. Anyone who attempts anything of real consequence will have to come to grips with failure more often than what is anticipated. How else will we learn? So don't be too hard on failure, your own or someone else's. Although its no picnic to fail, there is certainly no reason to schedule a wake either. Like catching fly balls, the thought of an occasional drop may not make us tingle with anticipation, but then again, its not the end of the world. There is always next game. See you Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (March, 2010) In 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 the apostle Paul writes, "As God's fellow workers, we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." This was Paul's way of saying all was now ready. Hope had arrived. Rebirth was now possible. New life was attainable. A new age of reconciliation and peace had dawned. This became the basis of Christianity's proclamation of hope, renewal, and promise. Salvation had been achieved. No longer did we humans have to be enslaved to the tryranny of sin and death. Victory had been won in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. And so, the season of Lent developed to share this message with the faith that persons would respond affirmatively and be thus welcomed into the fold of the church by Easter. The days following Ash Wednesday and leading up to Easter Sunday were days set aside to prepare persons for baptism. Easter then became a day of baptizing and receiving into the church those who had claimed their new life in Christ. Consequently, Lent also became a time for those who had already been baptized to "remember" their baptism and the vows and commitments made by recommiting themselves to Christ and his church. Is it possible for such an experience to happen this Lenten season? Are there some of you who have yet to make a personal decision to affirm Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Are there others who have yet to know the joy of baptism? Are there more who may be contemplating moving your membership with a former congregation to this one? Are there still others who are seeking to grow deeper in your spiritual walk and feel the need to rededicate yourself? If so, then now is indeed the "acceptable time." During this season of Lent there are many opportunities afforded for us to examine ourselves more closely and be rewarded more deeply. Let me encourage you to take advantage of them. If I or the elders may be of some help, we would be more than happy to assist you. To feel the tug of the Spirit's urging is an act of grace. Be sensitive to it. Be transformed by it. God is reaching out to you in love. It's a precious moment. As each of us finds ourselves being more reflective on where we are and desirous to be what we can become, let us allow this sacred season to be a time of healing, a time of hope, a time of change, a time of renewal. In other words, a time of salvation. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo, (February, 2010) In this season of "hearts and flowers," we would do well to define what is meant by the word "love." Far too often we have belabored love's definition by trying to get at the root. We have veered into the Greek when all people wanted to know was how the word was being used and the intent ofthe speaker. Love, it is true, has been manipulated and exploited until, for many, it means simply "getting what I want." If I "love" something, it is to fulfill my own needs. If I "love" someone it is to satisfy my own desires. If I "love" God, it is to achieve my own ends. That some would abuse love in this way is tragic. True love, however, is evidenced more by total giving than personal receiving. Love, the kind described by the apostle Paul, is neither selfish nor conditional. God loves us because it is God's nature to love, not because God expects something in return. "God so loved...that he gave..." (John 3:16) is still a helpful insight into what love really means. There is a completeness about God's love that fills every area of life and meets every need. To exemplify this quality in human relationships implies that while we recognize our individual differences, strengths, and weaknesses, our love for one another nonetheless remains steadfast and sure. This is the love that makes for harmony in the home, in the church, and in society. Such love, of course, is not always understood nor received. To love others as God loves us leaves us open to hurt and vulnerable, at times, to pain. Such love, however, goes beyond mere infatuation. It is the kind that gives one's self in sacrifice, bears a cross without rancor, and seeks to remain reliable in spite of how foolish it may appear. As Christians, as Disciples, each of us has that gift of love to express. The more we open ourselves to God's love and work to express that love, the more love is understood and experienced. It becomes the "pearl of great price" for which you and I would be wise to give up all in order to enjoy its value. Blessed indeed are those who are tied together by the bonds of love; you have found the way of excellence (1 Corinthians 13). See you Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (January 2010) The last decade is now history. It may or may not have one in which you felt your expectations were fulfilled. It was certainly challenging. But now that 2010 is here and the outlook of a new decade upon us, are there some things you and I can do to help us realize goals and dreams and thus find satisfaction? What changes would we like to make? What would we like to become more aware of, learn about, appreciate more, gather information on, develop a feeling for, participate in, design or organize, witness about, aspire to, deepen a concern for, determine or fulfill? Perhaps a poem written by Garnett A. Schultz could aid us in our thinking and relfecting on this new opportunity given to us. Perhaps a bit wiser, A bit kinder, too, A little bit braver, A heart that's more true, A touch of believing I've not known before, In joys I'm receiving A little bit more. A little more anxious To reach out my hand, Despite hurt or problems To still understand, Accepting the heartache That life often brings, A littel more beauty In life's simple things. A prayer when I'm weary As onward I trod. A little more trusting, Believing in God, "Tis this I would wish for Within moments dear, Not a lot--just a little, This wondrous new year. Whatever the new year or the new decade may bring, it is my wish that we all find ourselves coming closer to heaven by coming closer to Christ and closer to one another. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
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