...all of it. The 16 going on 17 straight years of losing. The horrible circus at PNC Park that's occasionally interrupted by baseball. The awful logos. The ridicule by other fans and un-funny late night hosts. The half-cooked trades of idiots-masquerading-as-GMs Cam Bonifay and Dave Littlefield. The embarrassing moments, including, but not limited to: Operation Shutdown, Lloyd stealing first, the Matt Morris trade, the Jimmy Anderson Experience, and the Kendall contract.
I've tried to take all of that in stride, but I've reached the breaking point. I've had it up to here with the media and fan criticism. We finally have a general manager who uses statistical analysis to evaluate talent. He's finally shipped away our mediocre at best major leaguers to create organizational depth and talent levels we haven't had since the 80's. Management has cut dead weight on the field and on the payroll. I know it looks like same old, same old rebuilding, but it's not. This is different. This is a plan of sustained success. This is a GM who doesn't let emotions or fan reactions get in the way of making personnel moves. This is a GM who understands the business of Major League Baseball better than the fans who think they could do better. This is progress toward the future.
Yes, the Pirates still stink. And they will stink next year too. But all I am saying is, give Neal a chance. Any GM deserves at least 4 years to rebuild a franchise, especially one so royally screwed up as the Pirates were when he arrived. Don't judge the trades by what we gave up, or by how much you loved the player(s) that left. GMs don't make trades based on emotion. Judge the trades based on what we acquired -- which admittedly, cannot be judged for a few years. And remember that all Huntington did was dis-assemble a team that had gone no better than 75-87 and finished no better than 4th place in the 8 previous years to his arrival. There was no hope in sight when he arrived. There is now hope, even if that's all there is right now. So get off Neal's back.
And finally, if you insist on criticizing Huntington and bad-mouthing these "worthless" prospects, be sure to put it in writing. That way, in 3 years when you start praising Huntington and jumping on the bandwagon as the Buccos are competing for a division title, you'll be able to literally eat your words.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Program or Mission
Here's a little breakdown of program vs. mission churches that I came up with. A faithful church has a balance between programs and missions, and a balance between each of the sub-sets listed. See the "FLAME" post for more explanation on why I created this.
Program-oriented church – Ministry within the congregation and church building is emphasized
1. Fellowship – primary goal is building relationships with each other.
2. Discipleship – primary goal is growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ
Mission-oriented church – Ministry outside of congregation and church building is emphasized
1. Supporting mission – primary goal is support, financial and otherwise, to mission opportunities that are being carried out
2. Hands-on mission – primary goal is engagement as the hands and feet of Christ.
Program-oriented church – Ministry within the congregation and church building is emphasized
1. Fellowship – primary goal is building relationships with each other.
2. Discipleship – primary goal is growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ
Mission-oriented church – Ministry outside of congregation and church building is emphasized
1. Supporting mission – primary goal is support, financial and otherwise, to mission opportunities that are being carried out
2. Hands-on mission – primary goal is engagement as the hands and feet of Christ.
FLAME: Igniting God's Vision
At West Newton UMC, we’re in the middle of a visioning/planning process called FLAME: Igniting God’s Vision. Like good Methodists, we created and acronym -- FLAME stands for “Fostering Love and Ministry Everywhere.” We’re meeting Saturday mornings at 8:30 for breakfast, with conversations beginning at 9 am. The intent is to reflect on ourselves and our context, then moving into conversation, prayer, and discernment about how God is calling us to use our gifts and talents to be in ministry with the world around us. Since the church already has pretty good mission and vision statements developed several years ago, we are not developing new ones. Instead, we are trying to determine how best to live out these statements, which are:
Mission Statement: The mission of First UMC of West Newton is to become faithful disciples of Christ so we may effectively minister with others.
Vision Statement: Our church is so spiritually alive that God’s love overflows into our community and the world.
Week 1: We talked about the state of our church. We shared past and present programs and ministries – some that went well, others that didn’t quite turn out as we’d hoped. We shared insights about who we are, what gifts and talents God has given us, and how we see ourselves. It became quickly apparent that all was not lost. Despite the “doom and gloom” atmosphere that has prevailed here in recent years, we have been doing ministry. We have been experiencing God. There are still positive ways in which the Holy Spirit is moving through our congregation, even in the midst of painful situations, lack of clergy and lay leadership, mistakes and poor decisions, and the prevailing attitude of “surviving” rather than “living abundantly.”
Week 2: we tried to look at ourselves from an outside perspective. We shared reflections on how we might better serve each other, how we might better serve the West Newton community, and how we might better serve all of God’s creation. We learned about the Four Areas of Ministry Focus developed by the denomination. We also learned the differences between a program-oriented church and a mission-oriented church. For that, I developed my own explanation, which you will find in a subsequent post. Finally, we talked about the difference between serving others with the goal of “increasing attendance, membership, and tithing” as opposed to serving others simply because it’s what Jesus would do. We talked about the difference between being a “successful” church as opposed to being a “faithful” church. After all, we are not seeking to ignite our own vision. No, we are seeking to let God ignite His vision in our congregation and community.
This Saturday, we will begin to harmonize the gifts of the congregation with the desperate cries of need that surround us. We will lay the groundwork for programs and service opportunities that will help us “become more faithful disciples of Christ so we may effectively minister with others.” If you are a part of our congregation, I invite you to join us if you haven’t already. In addition to attending meetings, we ask you to pray. Pray for FLAME. Pray for God to ignite that vision to which He is calling us. Pray for God to “rekindle the gift of God that is among [us],” not with “a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:6-7)
If you are not part of our congregation, please join us in prayer. Pray that God may illumine our hearts and minds so that we may grow into deeper discipleship, leading to loving, humble service of our neighbors. As we go forth, we will trust in the words of 1 Peter 5:10-11: “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To God be the power forever and ever. Amen.”
Mission Statement: The mission of First UMC of West Newton is to become faithful disciples of Christ so we may effectively minister with others.
Vision Statement: Our church is so spiritually alive that God’s love overflows into our community and the world.
Week 1: We talked about the state of our church. We shared past and present programs and ministries – some that went well, others that didn’t quite turn out as we’d hoped. We shared insights about who we are, what gifts and talents God has given us, and how we see ourselves. It became quickly apparent that all was not lost. Despite the “doom and gloom” atmosphere that has prevailed here in recent years, we have been doing ministry. We have been experiencing God. There are still positive ways in which the Holy Spirit is moving through our congregation, even in the midst of painful situations, lack of clergy and lay leadership, mistakes and poor decisions, and the prevailing attitude of “surviving” rather than “living abundantly.”
Week 2: we tried to look at ourselves from an outside perspective. We shared reflections on how we might better serve each other, how we might better serve the West Newton community, and how we might better serve all of God’s creation. We learned about the Four Areas of Ministry Focus developed by the denomination. We also learned the differences between a program-oriented church and a mission-oriented church. For that, I developed my own explanation, which you will find in a subsequent post. Finally, we talked about the difference between serving others with the goal of “increasing attendance, membership, and tithing” as opposed to serving others simply because it’s what Jesus would do. We talked about the difference between being a “successful” church as opposed to being a “faithful” church. After all, we are not seeking to ignite our own vision. No, we are seeking to let God ignite His vision in our congregation and community.
This Saturday, we will begin to harmonize the gifts of the congregation with the desperate cries of need that surround us. We will lay the groundwork for programs and service opportunities that will help us “become more faithful disciples of Christ so we may effectively minister with others.” If you are a part of our congregation, I invite you to join us if you haven’t already. In addition to attending meetings, we ask you to pray. Pray for FLAME. Pray for God to ignite that vision to which He is calling us. Pray for God to “rekindle the gift of God that is among [us],” not with “a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:6-7)
If you are not part of our congregation, please join us in prayer. Pray that God may illumine our hearts and minds so that we may grow into deeper discipleship, leading to loving, humble service of our neighbors. As we go forth, we will trust in the words of 1 Peter 5:10-11: “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To God be the power forever and ever. Amen.”
Monday, July 27, 2009
God SUPPORTS
Sermon for Sunday, July 26
Scripture: John 6:1-15
(Part 2 of a 4-part Sermon Series on Igniting God's Vision at West Newton UMC)
Each Gospel writer tells this story of the feeding the 5000 a little differently. For instance, consider how it begins. Matthew has Jesus healing the sick, and Mark and Luke have Jesus teaching the crowds. John however, has no healing or teaching by Jesus. In the Gospel of John, the feeding of the 5000 is the only thing Jesus does. So here is Jesus, welcomed ashore by an impromptu crowd, and he gets an idea. Let’s break bread together. Let’s have a meal. For John, it seems, there is no purpose for Jesus feeding the 5000 other than having one huge picnic. If Jesus had landed on the shore of New England, they’d have an all-day clam bake. If he had landed in North Carolina, it would be a barbecue. And if he came to Chicago, they’d share some deep-dish pizzas. In the region of Galilee, it’s a picnic of bread and fish. The point is, John wants us to notice that Jesus is simply suggesting a shared meal, a big dinner party at the beach.
The feeding of the 5000 is the only story found in all four gospels. So naturally, it has come to be one of the most well known. We’ve taken a cue from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, holding it up as one of the essential stories of our faith. If they all insist in telling it, then it must be important. And it is important. It is well known. So well known, in fact, that this story plays out often in the life of congregations near and far.
A crowd has gathered. They’ve come to experience the work of Jesus Christ in their lives. They’re all locals, and they rushed to make sure they were here on time. And now, this man they call Jesus has entered into their presence. Now, the all-important administrative council meeting may begin.
The story begins with the crowd gathering around a common goal – to experience Jesus. And Jesus suggests this picnic ministry – let’s feed everyone! How nice would that be? Whaddya say?
“Okay, administrative council, help me out,” Jesus says. “Let’s figure out how we’re going to do this.”
Philip, the finance committee representative, speaks up. “JESUS CHRIST! We don’t have the money to do that! We’re barely able to pay the bills as it is!” He’s not alone in doubting the church’s ability to perform Christ’s ministry.
After some discussion, the shy, pimply-faced, teenager finally musters up the courage to speak up. “Uh, excuse me, but, um, well, I was just wondering…is there some way I can help? It sounds like a neat idea – having a big picnic for everyone. I work at Giant Eagle, and I can get us a discount on some fish sandwiches.”
“Calm down over there, Junior,” says Andrew, representing the missions and evangelism committee. “Philip’s right. We’re going to need more disciples showing up on Sundays, and a whole lot more tithing, if we want to feed ALL those people! We can’t possibly afford such a big picnic. Maybe we could just have a small one, you know? I like the idea, but we need to be realistic here.”
Haley Neumiller is a five year old girl from Washington state. One day, Haley caught her parents watching a documentary that was talking about health concerns in Kenya, one of which is the disease of malaria. Haley told her parents she wanted to do something to help in the fight against malaria, and asked them to help her start a business making bracelets to “raise money for malaria.” Almost every night, she makes homemade bracelets and sells them to support Nothing But Nets. Her business, “Haley Fights Malaria,” has already raised over $1000 – 100 bed nets!
John is the only Gospel writer who has the loaves and fishes offered up by a boy. Perhaps he knows just as well as we do that children have a tendency to dream bigger than the rest of us. Haley Neumiller is a kindergartener that dreamed of making an impact halfway around the world. What would’ve happened if her parents had said, “C’mon Haley, be realistic. Maybe someday, when you’re all grown up, you can help. But not now – you’re just a kid.” Had Haley not had parents willing to dream big with her, there would be 100 less people with bed nets in Africa right now.
Sometimes, we treat our church like a child. Maybe once the church gets to the right age, starts making money, and has enough saved up, then she can do the ministry to which she’s been called. Maybe someday – but not now. I mean, who ever heard of such a thing? Who ever heard of 5,000 people being fed by 5 loaves and 2 fish? Let’s be realistic – we don’t have the resources!
I wish I could tell you that I’m a big dreamer, but I’m not. I’ve always been a bit of a realist myself, using money or lack of resources as an excuse to not be in ministry:
“Man, I’d love to get involved with that campus outreach, but I just don’t have the time.”
“You know, it’d be nice to go on that international mission trip, but I’m in high school. I don’t have the money to do that!”
The disciples in this story are motivated by doubt and fear. They doubt that there are enough resources for ministry to occur, and they fear that Jesus’ picnic plan might fail. But as the text tells us, Jesus “himself knew what he was going to do.”
Jesus was not concerned about whether or not the ministry event would take place. He was only interested in HOW it would take place. And while the disciples are looking at their own resources, Jesus points to the resources of the father. He takes what little bread they have, looks up to his Father in heaven, and before you know it, everyone’s fed and satisfied – by a very small amount of food!
The disciples are busy looking at their own limited resources, but Jesus knows that there are resources in abundance. God the Father has resources beyond our wildest dreams! God has placed the disciples in this setting for a purpose, and he’s just waiting to bless them with extravagant, abundant, copious amounts of food! This is the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. God took what scarce resources there were, and turned them into abundant resources that made extravagant ministry possible. The disciples were motivated by doubt and fear, which prevented them from being in ministry with the crowd. They had what Paul would call a “spirit of cowardice.” But Jesus was motivated by love and compassion. He had a “spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” Jesus knew that God had enough power, resources, and love, to make all things possible.
If we can just get our heads clear of human doubts and fears, and look up toward heaven, we might find the abundant resources we’ve been seeking all along. If we stop thinking about our plans for ministry and start thinking of God’s plans for ministry, then we will have the chance to experience the glory of the Risen Christ, who can equip even a poor, 12 member church to do what seems impossible. “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.” Will we live in doubt and fear, stubbornly insisting on being realistic about what we can do for the glory of God? Or will we trust that God can do more extraordinary things through us than we could do ourselves? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Scripture: John 6:1-15
(Part 2 of a 4-part Sermon Series on Igniting God's Vision at West Newton UMC)
Each Gospel writer tells this story of the feeding the 5000 a little differently. For instance, consider how it begins. Matthew has Jesus healing the sick, and Mark and Luke have Jesus teaching the crowds. John however, has no healing or teaching by Jesus. In the Gospel of John, the feeding of the 5000 is the only thing Jesus does. So here is Jesus, welcomed ashore by an impromptu crowd, and he gets an idea. Let’s break bread together. Let’s have a meal. For John, it seems, there is no purpose for Jesus feeding the 5000 other than having one huge picnic. If Jesus had landed on the shore of New England, they’d have an all-day clam bake. If he had landed in North Carolina, it would be a barbecue. And if he came to Chicago, they’d share some deep-dish pizzas. In the region of Galilee, it’s a picnic of bread and fish. The point is, John wants us to notice that Jesus is simply suggesting a shared meal, a big dinner party at the beach.
The feeding of the 5000 is the only story found in all four gospels. So naturally, it has come to be one of the most well known. We’ve taken a cue from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, holding it up as one of the essential stories of our faith. If they all insist in telling it, then it must be important. And it is important. It is well known. So well known, in fact, that this story plays out often in the life of congregations near and far.
A crowd has gathered. They’ve come to experience the work of Jesus Christ in their lives. They’re all locals, and they rushed to make sure they were here on time. And now, this man they call Jesus has entered into their presence. Now, the all-important administrative council meeting may begin.
The story begins with the crowd gathering around a common goal – to experience Jesus. And Jesus suggests this picnic ministry – let’s feed everyone! How nice would that be? Whaddya say?
“Okay, administrative council, help me out,” Jesus says. “Let’s figure out how we’re going to do this.”
Philip, the finance committee representative, speaks up. “JESUS CHRIST! We don’t have the money to do that! We’re barely able to pay the bills as it is!” He’s not alone in doubting the church’s ability to perform Christ’s ministry.
After some discussion, the shy, pimply-faced, teenager finally musters up the courage to speak up. “Uh, excuse me, but, um, well, I was just wondering…is there some way I can help? It sounds like a neat idea – having a big picnic for everyone. I work at Giant Eagle, and I can get us a discount on some fish sandwiches.”
“Calm down over there, Junior,” says Andrew, representing the missions and evangelism committee. “Philip’s right. We’re going to need more disciples showing up on Sundays, and a whole lot more tithing, if we want to feed ALL those people! We can’t possibly afford such a big picnic. Maybe we could just have a small one, you know? I like the idea, but we need to be realistic here.”
Haley Neumiller is a five year old girl from Washington state. One day, Haley caught her parents watching a documentary that was talking about health concerns in Kenya, one of which is the disease of malaria. Haley told her parents she wanted to do something to help in the fight against malaria, and asked them to help her start a business making bracelets to “raise money for malaria.” Almost every night, she makes homemade bracelets and sells them to support Nothing But Nets. Her business, “Haley Fights Malaria,” has already raised over $1000 – 100 bed nets!
John is the only Gospel writer who has the loaves and fishes offered up by a boy. Perhaps he knows just as well as we do that children have a tendency to dream bigger than the rest of us. Haley Neumiller is a kindergartener that dreamed of making an impact halfway around the world. What would’ve happened if her parents had said, “C’mon Haley, be realistic. Maybe someday, when you’re all grown up, you can help. But not now – you’re just a kid.” Had Haley not had parents willing to dream big with her, there would be 100 less people with bed nets in Africa right now.
Sometimes, we treat our church like a child. Maybe once the church gets to the right age, starts making money, and has enough saved up, then she can do the ministry to which she’s been called. Maybe someday – but not now. I mean, who ever heard of such a thing? Who ever heard of 5,000 people being fed by 5 loaves and 2 fish? Let’s be realistic – we don’t have the resources!
I wish I could tell you that I’m a big dreamer, but I’m not. I’ve always been a bit of a realist myself, using money or lack of resources as an excuse to not be in ministry:
“Man, I’d love to get involved with that campus outreach, but I just don’t have the time.”
“You know, it’d be nice to go on that international mission trip, but I’m in high school. I don’t have the money to do that!”
The disciples in this story are motivated by doubt and fear. They doubt that there are enough resources for ministry to occur, and they fear that Jesus’ picnic plan might fail. But as the text tells us, Jesus “himself knew what he was going to do.”
Jesus was not concerned about whether or not the ministry event would take place. He was only interested in HOW it would take place. And while the disciples are looking at their own resources, Jesus points to the resources of the father. He takes what little bread they have, looks up to his Father in heaven, and before you know it, everyone’s fed and satisfied – by a very small amount of food!
The disciples are busy looking at their own limited resources, but Jesus knows that there are resources in abundance. God the Father has resources beyond our wildest dreams! God has placed the disciples in this setting for a purpose, and he’s just waiting to bless them with extravagant, abundant, copious amounts of food! This is the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. God took what scarce resources there were, and turned them into abundant resources that made extravagant ministry possible. The disciples were motivated by doubt and fear, which prevented them from being in ministry with the crowd. They had what Paul would call a “spirit of cowardice.” But Jesus was motivated by love and compassion. He had a “spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” Jesus knew that God had enough power, resources, and love, to make all things possible.
If we can just get our heads clear of human doubts and fears, and look up toward heaven, we might find the abundant resources we’ve been seeking all along. If we stop thinking about our plans for ministry and start thinking of God’s plans for ministry, then we will have the chance to experience the glory of the Risen Christ, who can equip even a poor, 12 member church to do what seems impossible. “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.” Will we live in doubt and fear, stubbornly insisting on being realistic about what we can do for the glory of God? Or will we trust that God can do more extraordinary things through us than we could do ourselves? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
I Pray Allegiance
Sermon for Sunday, July 5, 2009
Scripture: Psalm 48
I’m always enamored with the way we show allegiance to things. Yesterday, perhaps you got a chance to say the pledge of allegiance to our nation. Or maybe you sang along with the Star Spangled Banner. In doing so, you declared allegiance to the United States of America.
Do you have a special ringtone on your phone that declares allegiance? Perhaps it’s the theme song to your favorite TV show, one that you are very loyal to – you never miss an episode.
And we all know how to pledge our allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers. You simply wave your Terrible Towel and chant, “Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go!” The Penguins have their own chant – “Let’s Go Pens” – and the Pirates have one too – “Let’s Go Bucs!”
Perhaps you’re loyal as well to your alma maters. I’m loyal to my high school (Upper St. Clair), my college (Ohio Northern University), and my seminary (Candler School of Theology). And do you know that I can still sing my college hymn?
Ohio Northern, we love thy name,
Ohio Northern, long live thy fame.
We sing thy glories, sound forth thy praise,
For all that gladdens our dear college days.
Ohio Northern, we will be true,
Loyal forever to dear ONU.
“Loyal forever to dear ONU.” We admire this kind of passionate allegiance to something. We celebrate those who are dedicated to the well-being of this nation. We praise those who would step in front of a bullet for a friend. And maybe we take pride in our own allegiance, declaring that no matter what happens, we will always be a fan of our favorite sports team.
We are loyal to many things: our country, our favorite sports teams, our schools, our family and friends, political parties or causes, professional organizations, and civic organizations like Rotary or Lion’s Club. But loyalties are a funny thing. They can unite and they can divide. Our loyalty for the Steelers may unite us around these parts, but spend a few years in Ohio and you’ll realize how divisive that loyalty can become. Singing God Bless America may seem innocent at an Independence Day celebration in America, but sing it in the middle of Baghdad and it would probably sound rude, arrogant, and offensive, whether you meant it that way or not. And I would bet that even here in this relatively homogenous body there are loyalties that could be divisive – if we began publicly declaring our allegiances to political parties or causes right here, right now, I would imagine there is some division that would occur.
So what, then, can unite us? What loyalty can we find this morning that may reach across the proverbial political aisle? What common cause could we possibly share with a wretched Detroit Red Wings fan? What allegiance could we declare that might unite us with an Iraqi citizen?
Psalm 48 was, like many Psalms, probably sung as a hymn in worship. This one in particular was likely used as a hymn upon approaching and entering the holy city of Jerusalem, the city on a hill, Mt. Zion. Zion is often used as another name for Jerusalem, but the Hebrew root of the word “Zion” literally means “guiding monument” or “permanent capital.” Jerusalem was considered the permanent capital for God, the everlasting capital city for the kingdom of God that will one day come. Israelites in the Old Testament made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and this psalm sings praise to the presence of God in this holy capital city. So as the pilgrims approached the holy city, they would sing this Psalm: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.”
What a hymn of praise this is. As the pilgrims sing, they praise God’s greatness: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.” They celebrate God’s protection: “Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.” They proclaim God’s steadfast love, protection, and justice: “We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.” And in closing, the pilgrims declare their eternal loyalty to God: “That you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.”
What a beautiful hymn of praise. What a wonderful prayer of allegiance to the Lord our God. There are other mountains – for the Israelites, there is the nearby mountain of Zaphon, where the gods of the Canaanite religion live. For us, there is the mountain where the Super Bowl Champion Steelers live and the mountain where the Stanley Cup sits. There is the mountain where our nation’s government is established – Washington, D.C. And we have other mountains in our lives as well, specific to our own passions, interests, and allegiances. What are the mountains in your lives that you declare loyalty to? And what god or gods live there?
Most of us can probably think of a lot of mountains, and that’s alright. There’s nothing wrong with allegiance to nation, school, team, cause, or organization. Thankfully, we don’t always have to choose between our loyalties. But sometimes we do. Sometimes, we must choose whether to go to Rotary or whether to spend time with the grandchildren. Other times, we may have to choose between going to school or doing community service. Or, in the rarest of circumstances, as happened this year, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals is at the same time as a scheduled worship service at Annual Conference, and we must choose between worshiping Lord Stanley or the Lord our God.
If we do have to choose just one mountain, which one will we choose? As for myself, I’m going to choose God’s holy mountain. By that I don’t mean that I will worship Jerusalem – this psalm does not worship Jerusalem, although it may appear on the surface that it does. When it really comes down to it, all my other allegiances – to country, team, school, whatever – are fleeting compared to my everlasting allegiance to God. This is God! “This is God, our God, forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.”
And so Jerusalem, Mount Zion, becomes symbolic for the kingdom of God that we will one day enter into. Biblical scholar J. Clinton McCann puts it this way: “For believers, Jerusalem becomes a spatial, temporal symbol for the reality of God’s rule in all times and in places.” These pilgrims came from all over the world to visit Jerusalem. And I suspect they all had loyalties to their hometown, to their families of origin, to their tribes, and so on. But they united in song to declare full allegiance to God.
None of our loyalties in this world will last forever. Teams will fold, schools will close, organizations will die, and nations will fall – even the mighty United States of America will one day fall. But God is greater than all those things. God’s mountain reaches higher than all other mountains. God makes all the kings of the other mountains run away trembling and doubled over in pain.
A couple weeks ago, the Brazilian national soccer team beat the United States in the finals of the Confederations Cup. After the match ended, the Brazilians celebrated, many by taking off their jerseys and running around like crazy – I think that’s become the standard post-game soccer celebration. One of the stars, Kaka, took off his jersey to reveal a T-shirt underneath with a simple message. That message was: “I belong to Jesus.” He wore the uniform of his country, and celebrated with his teammates, but when Kaka revealed his undershirt, there was no question where his ultimate loyalty lies. Kaka may be a soccer player, he may be a Brazilian, but first and foremost, he is a follower of Jesus Christ. His undershirt is a modern-day Psalm 48 – a prayer of ultimate allegiance to the Lord, who is great and greatly to be praised, and who will be Kaka’s God forever and ever.
Here’s a question you’ve probably been asked before: if you were stranded on a desert island, and you could only take one thing with you, what would it be? This morning, I ask you a similar question: if you were stranded on a desert island, and you could only take one thing that symbolized your greatest allegiance, what would you take? Would you take a terrible towel? An American flag? Your Bible? If you had to choose whether to pledge allegiance to our nation’s flag or to pray allegiance to God, which would you choose? Kaka has chosen that despite his nationality and his identity as a soccer player, his ultimate allegiance is to the Lord, the one thing that will last forever: our God, forever and ever; he will be our guide forever. Where is your ultimate allegiance? Can we allow our ultimate allegiance to the Lord our God unite us this morning? Great is our Lord and greatly to be praised. He will be our God and our guide forever and ever. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Scripture: Psalm 48
I’m always enamored with the way we show allegiance to things. Yesterday, perhaps you got a chance to say the pledge of allegiance to our nation. Or maybe you sang along with the Star Spangled Banner. In doing so, you declared allegiance to the United States of America.
Do you have a special ringtone on your phone that declares allegiance? Perhaps it’s the theme song to your favorite TV show, one that you are very loyal to – you never miss an episode.
And we all know how to pledge our allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers. You simply wave your Terrible Towel and chant, “Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go!” The Penguins have their own chant – “Let’s Go Pens” – and the Pirates have one too – “Let’s Go Bucs!”
Perhaps you’re loyal as well to your alma maters. I’m loyal to my high school (Upper St. Clair), my college (Ohio Northern University), and my seminary (Candler School of Theology). And do you know that I can still sing my college hymn?
Ohio Northern, we love thy name,
Ohio Northern, long live thy fame.
We sing thy glories, sound forth thy praise,
For all that gladdens our dear college days.
Ohio Northern, we will be true,
Loyal forever to dear ONU.
“Loyal forever to dear ONU.” We admire this kind of passionate allegiance to something. We celebrate those who are dedicated to the well-being of this nation. We praise those who would step in front of a bullet for a friend. And maybe we take pride in our own allegiance, declaring that no matter what happens, we will always be a fan of our favorite sports team.
We are loyal to many things: our country, our favorite sports teams, our schools, our family and friends, political parties or causes, professional organizations, and civic organizations like Rotary or Lion’s Club. But loyalties are a funny thing. They can unite and they can divide. Our loyalty for the Steelers may unite us around these parts, but spend a few years in Ohio and you’ll realize how divisive that loyalty can become. Singing God Bless America may seem innocent at an Independence Day celebration in America, but sing it in the middle of Baghdad and it would probably sound rude, arrogant, and offensive, whether you meant it that way or not. And I would bet that even here in this relatively homogenous body there are loyalties that could be divisive – if we began publicly declaring our allegiances to political parties or causes right here, right now, I would imagine there is some division that would occur.
So what, then, can unite us? What loyalty can we find this morning that may reach across the proverbial political aisle? What common cause could we possibly share with a wretched Detroit Red Wings fan? What allegiance could we declare that might unite us with an Iraqi citizen?
Psalm 48 was, like many Psalms, probably sung as a hymn in worship. This one in particular was likely used as a hymn upon approaching and entering the holy city of Jerusalem, the city on a hill, Mt. Zion. Zion is often used as another name for Jerusalem, but the Hebrew root of the word “Zion” literally means “guiding monument” or “permanent capital.” Jerusalem was considered the permanent capital for God, the everlasting capital city for the kingdom of God that will one day come. Israelites in the Old Testament made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and this psalm sings praise to the presence of God in this holy capital city. So as the pilgrims approached the holy city, they would sing this Psalm: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.”
What a hymn of praise this is. As the pilgrims sing, they praise God’s greatness: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.” They celebrate God’s protection: “Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.” They proclaim God’s steadfast love, protection, and justice: “We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.” And in closing, the pilgrims declare their eternal loyalty to God: “That you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.”
What a beautiful hymn of praise. What a wonderful prayer of allegiance to the Lord our God. There are other mountains – for the Israelites, there is the nearby mountain of Zaphon, where the gods of the Canaanite religion live. For us, there is the mountain where the Super Bowl Champion Steelers live and the mountain where the Stanley Cup sits. There is the mountain where our nation’s government is established – Washington, D.C. And we have other mountains in our lives as well, specific to our own passions, interests, and allegiances. What are the mountains in your lives that you declare loyalty to? And what god or gods live there?
Most of us can probably think of a lot of mountains, and that’s alright. There’s nothing wrong with allegiance to nation, school, team, cause, or organization. Thankfully, we don’t always have to choose between our loyalties. But sometimes we do. Sometimes, we must choose whether to go to Rotary or whether to spend time with the grandchildren. Other times, we may have to choose between going to school or doing community service. Or, in the rarest of circumstances, as happened this year, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals is at the same time as a scheduled worship service at Annual Conference, and we must choose between worshiping Lord Stanley or the Lord our God.
If we do have to choose just one mountain, which one will we choose? As for myself, I’m going to choose God’s holy mountain. By that I don’t mean that I will worship Jerusalem – this psalm does not worship Jerusalem, although it may appear on the surface that it does. When it really comes down to it, all my other allegiances – to country, team, school, whatever – are fleeting compared to my everlasting allegiance to God. This is God! “This is God, our God, forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.”
And so Jerusalem, Mount Zion, becomes symbolic for the kingdom of God that we will one day enter into. Biblical scholar J. Clinton McCann puts it this way: “For believers, Jerusalem becomes a spatial, temporal symbol for the reality of God’s rule in all times and in places.” These pilgrims came from all over the world to visit Jerusalem. And I suspect they all had loyalties to their hometown, to their families of origin, to their tribes, and so on. But they united in song to declare full allegiance to God.
None of our loyalties in this world will last forever. Teams will fold, schools will close, organizations will die, and nations will fall – even the mighty United States of America will one day fall. But God is greater than all those things. God’s mountain reaches higher than all other mountains. God makes all the kings of the other mountains run away trembling and doubled over in pain.
A couple weeks ago, the Brazilian national soccer team beat the United States in the finals of the Confederations Cup. After the match ended, the Brazilians celebrated, many by taking off their jerseys and running around like crazy – I think that’s become the standard post-game soccer celebration. One of the stars, Kaka, took off his jersey to reveal a T-shirt underneath with a simple message. That message was: “I belong to Jesus.” He wore the uniform of his country, and celebrated with his teammates, but when Kaka revealed his undershirt, there was no question where his ultimate loyalty lies. Kaka may be a soccer player, he may be a Brazilian, but first and foremost, he is a follower of Jesus Christ. His undershirt is a modern-day Psalm 48 – a prayer of ultimate allegiance to the Lord, who is great and greatly to be praised, and who will be Kaka’s God forever and ever.
Here’s a question you’ve probably been asked before: if you were stranded on a desert island, and you could only take one thing with you, what would it be? This morning, I ask you a similar question: if you were stranded on a desert island, and you could only take one thing that symbolized your greatest allegiance, what would you take? Would you take a terrible towel? An American flag? Your Bible? If you had to choose whether to pledge allegiance to our nation’s flag or to pray allegiance to God, which would you choose? Kaka has chosen that despite his nationality and his identity as a soccer player, his ultimate allegiance is to the Lord, the one thing that will last forever: our God, forever and ever; he will be our guide forever. Where is your ultimate allegiance? Can we allow our ultimate allegiance to the Lord our God unite us this morning? Great is our Lord and greatly to be praised. He will be our God and our guide forever and ever. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Jesus Would've Carried an iPod
It happened again.
Today, as I was walking through town, a police officer pulled up beside me. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked.
"Just walking," I said.
"Are you soliciting?"
"Um, no. I'm Erik Hoeke, the pastor of the Methodist Church. I'm just walking back to the office." I offered my hand for a greeting.
"Oh, my bad. I am so sorry. We just got reports of a guy soliciting on 5th St., so I thought maybe you were one of them. I apologize. Have a good day."
And then, as he began to pull away from me, he said these final parting words, "You know, you're too young to be a pastor."
Darn. I had a good streak going. It had been at least 2, maybe 3 weeks since I'd heard that. But once again, as happens regularly, I was reminded that there is an unwritten rule out there that pastors are supposed to be middle-aged or older. Most of the time, these comments come from people outside our congregation.
Now, don't get me wrong -- I have no problem with anyone significantly older than me being a pastor. The church needs leaders from all age groups if it wants to call itself the body of Christ. But why is it that our society has such a difficult time accepting a pastor who also happens to be a young adult?
I know another pastor who began his ministry as a young adult: Jesus. I wonder if that was part of the issue his hometown had when he went back to teach. "Look at him, he's just a boy. What does he know about life?" Perhaps the Pharisees didn't appreciate his age either. "Look at this young guy, with all these fresh ideas...he hasn't been around long enough to learn how things really work around here."
Timothy was probably a young adult, maybe even younger. So was Jeremiah. So why again am I too young? Last month, at our Annual Conference, Bishop Will Willimon made a point in one of his sermons that made a lot of sense. He said the average age of United Methodists is 59, and it's no wonder we have a hard time attracting younger pastors and young adult members. We've made church something you do when you're older. It's safe, practical, comfortable, careful, predictable, reliable, and logical -- everything young adults usually despise. No wonder people think I'm too young to be a pastor. Church is something you do when you're older, so obviously a young adult doesn't belong -- especially not in a leadership role. And by believing this, we either implicitly or explicitly turn away young adults from our doors. Jesus was a young adult. Would he feel welcome in our churches?
My congregation is still coming to grips with the unusual circumstance of having a young adult pastor. But they have been very supportive and filled with grace thus far. They have embraced me, age and all, and desperately seek to embrace young adults into their congregation. But we're not quite there yet as the Christian church universal. In fact, the church is not much different from young adults or adults of any age...we all still have some growing up to do.
Today, as I was walking through town, a police officer pulled up beside me. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked.
"Just walking," I said.
"Are you soliciting?"
"Um, no. I'm Erik Hoeke, the pastor of the Methodist Church. I'm just walking back to the office." I offered my hand for a greeting.
"Oh, my bad. I am so sorry. We just got reports of a guy soliciting on 5th St., so I thought maybe you were one of them. I apologize. Have a good day."
And then, as he began to pull away from me, he said these final parting words, "You know, you're too young to be a pastor."
Darn. I had a good streak going. It had been at least 2, maybe 3 weeks since I'd heard that. But once again, as happens regularly, I was reminded that there is an unwritten rule out there that pastors are supposed to be middle-aged or older. Most of the time, these comments come from people outside our congregation.
Now, don't get me wrong -- I have no problem with anyone significantly older than me being a pastor. The church needs leaders from all age groups if it wants to call itself the body of Christ. But why is it that our society has such a difficult time accepting a pastor who also happens to be a young adult?
I know another pastor who began his ministry as a young adult: Jesus. I wonder if that was part of the issue his hometown had when he went back to teach. "Look at him, he's just a boy. What does he know about life?" Perhaps the Pharisees didn't appreciate his age either. "Look at this young guy, with all these fresh ideas...he hasn't been around long enough to learn how things really work around here."
Timothy was probably a young adult, maybe even younger. So was Jeremiah. So why again am I too young? Last month, at our Annual Conference, Bishop Will Willimon made a point in one of his sermons that made a lot of sense. He said the average age of United Methodists is 59, and it's no wonder we have a hard time attracting younger pastors and young adult members. We've made church something you do when you're older. It's safe, practical, comfortable, careful, predictable, reliable, and logical -- everything young adults usually despise. No wonder people think I'm too young to be a pastor. Church is something you do when you're older, so obviously a young adult doesn't belong -- especially not in a leadership role. And by believing this, we either implicitly or explicitly turn away young adults from our doors. Jesus was a young adult. Would he feel welcome in our churches?
My congregation is still coming to grips with the unusual circumstance of having a young adult pastor. But they have been very supportive and filled with grace thus far. They have embraced me, age and all, and desperately seek to embrace young adults into their congregation. But we're not quite there yet as the Christian church universal. In fact, the church is not much different from young adults or adults of any age...we all still have some growing up to do.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
First Year Reflections
One year ago today, I walked into the pastor's study at First UMC of West Newton, PA, and began my journey as a United Methodist minister. I've learned a lot of things in my first year. Here are some of them:
1. Most weeks, it is possible to take a day off.
2. Sometimes the sermons you think are terrible are the ones that really speak to people. Sometimes the sermons you think are great are the ones that fall on deaf ears.
3. It is true: the work of a pastor never ends.
4. No one fully understands how to handle having a pastor younger than their children.
5. The people of West Newton are hospitable and honest.
6. The pastor-DS relationship is the most complicated relationship in the UMC.
7. Christmas Eve at West Newton UMC is the most beautiful fire code violation I have ever seen.
8. Administering the Lord’s Supper is one of the greatest joys of this vocation.
9. It’s not as difficult as I thought to come up with a new sermon every week.
10. I miss eating lunch in Brooks Commons with my seminary friends.
11. I would be lost, confused, and always busy without a secretary. I am blessed to have Terry.
12. Walking to work every day is AWESOME.
13. I’m balding. Quickly.
14. If I haven’t taken the time to read scripture as well as a variety of religious writing, I’ve turned my brain off and have rendered myself useless to my congregation.
15. There’s no sense calling ourselves Christians if we focus on the FEAR and CONFUSION of the world rather than the HOPE found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
16. I love the town of West Newton, as well as the people of our congregation.
17. I'm up for another year here, and according to the SPRC, the DS, and the bishop, everyone else is on board too. Let's go!
1. Most weeks, it is possible to take a day off.
2. Sometimes the sermons you think are terrible are the ones that really speak to people. Sometimes the sermons you think are great are the ones that fall on deaf ears.
3. It is true: the work of a pastor never ends.
4. No one fully understands how to handle having a pastor younger than their children.
5. The people of West Newton are hospitable and honest.
6. The pastor-DS relationship is the most complicated relationship in the UMC.
7. Christmas Eve at West Newton UMC is the most beautiful fire code violation I have ever seen.
8. Administering the Lord’s Supper is one of the greatest joys of this vocation.
9. It’s not as difficult as I thought to come up with a new sermon every week.
10. I miss eating lunch in Brooks Commons with my seminary friends.
11. I would be lost, confused, and always busy without a secretary. I am blessed to have Terry.
12. Walking to work every day is AWESOME.
13. I’m balding. Quickly.
14. If I haven’t taken the time to read scripture as well as a variety of religious writing, I’ve turned my brain off and have rendered myself useless to my congregation.
15. There’s no sense calling ourselves Christians if we focus on the FEAR and CONFUSION of the world rather than the HOPE found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
16. I love the town of West Newton, as well as the people of our congregation.
17. I'm up for another year here, and according to the SPRC, the DS, and the bishop, everyone else is on board too. Let's go!
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