Through Stained Glass: Celebrating With a Smile

 Friends,

My heart is full.

As I took my morning run on this fabulous Monday, I found myself smiling a lot.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in the life of our church. Not only because we received seven new friends into the fold but also because we saw so many familiar faces back in our sanctuary.

I was smiling because the CE Building was set up for a celebration for the first time in a long time. We were breaking bread [okay, it was cake], sharing cup [our Ministry of the Heart team filled our cups with a pleasing punch], and being present to one another by way of our fellowship.

I’m still smiling as I reflect on the beauty of yesterday. Indeed, grace is amazing, and so is the love of God flowing in and through each of you.

I’m smiling because as we conversed over pastries and punch, a handful of kiddos played upstairs. And they made a holy mess with their creations—a name tag that’ll hang on a door, a necklace for their dad on Father’s Day, and a clay figurine from their latest favorite video game. The laughter of children will make the Grinch smile on a Sunday in June.

Y’all, the smile won’t go away. And I’m okay with that because yesterday was beautiful! It was like a veil was pulled back, and we saw the reign of Love, even if for a moment. We prayed, we celebrated, and we played!

Thank you, church, for the ways you are leaning into this new season. Thank you, church, for bearing witness to the love of God in Christ by the way you are letting the Spirit lead you deeper into a relationship with one another. You all are a gift! And for you, I’m thankful!

Below is a poem by the late Irish poet and mystic John O’Donohue. It is titled “For Celebration.”

Now is the time to free the heart,

 Let all intentions and worries stop,

 Free the joy inside the self,

 Awaken to the wonder of your life.

Open your eyes and see the friends,

 Whose hearts recognize your face as kin,

 Those whose kindness watchful and near,

 Encouraging you to live everything here.

See the gifts the years have given,

 Things your effort could never earn,

 The health to enjoy who you want to be

 And the mind to mirror mystery.

I also include photos from last week’s challenge to celebrate! (Not all photos are included here. Some were selfies of church friends celebrating anniversaries, as well as personal accomplishments and overcoming fears!)

Through Stained Glass: Abiding as a Vital Congregation

“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated.
We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tired into a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Abiding.

Sometimes the profundity of the Triune God overwhelms me.

Maybe overwhelm isn't the best or right word. 

Astounds me?

No, that doesn't quite capture what I feel either. 

Let me come at it this way. 

Sunday, we read these words from the Gospel of John:

[Jesus says] "Abide in me as I abide in you."

God the Parent abides in the Son who abides in God the Parent. We abide in the Son by the Spirit who abides in the Parent and Son. The Spirit draws us into the Trinity—in the Holy Community, we have our being.

We make our home in the heart of the Triune God. 

Abide means to be at home—a rough translation. 

We are at home in the Trinity's vineyard. God, the Vine Grower, wants to tend to us. God attends to us so that we may bear fruit. Growth is not the desired outcome. Plants can grow wild, but the fruit might suffer. Thoughtful and intimate attention to the plants is how growth and fruit-bearing occur. 

The church is a human community. The Spirit brings us to life as Christ's body, and we become the new Incarnation—a new Creation. To abide in Christ is to let Christ's words reside in us—make a dwelling in us. We are inseparable from Christ. We are a living, dynamic community.

Words like the ones we will hear this Sunday:

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love."

Sunday, my sermon will touch base on what it means to be a Matthew 25 church in the PCUSA. A church committed to being a Matthew 25 community seeks to be a vital congregation. 

What is a vital congregation? 

It takes the reality of its abiding in Christ seriously. It is a church that contemplates the intertwining relationship of the Trinity to bear the fruit of Love and give it freely, without restrictions or conditions, to the world. It is a church that openly discusses topics that challenge the status quo—and moves towards the liberating love of God already bearing fruit in and through the people and places in our neighborhoods, without pretense or prejudice. A vital congregation welcomes the disruptive and reforming movement of the Spirit. A vital congregation seeks to prune as God does and endeavors to cultivate the hidden life in all people!

The hidden life is Christ in us. The emerging fruit is Love.

A vital congregation who abides in Christ the branch, which is cared for by God the Vine grower, is a church that makes their home in the Trinity. We are a vital congregation—one that has "already been cleansed by the word that [Christ] [has] spoken to [us]." We abide in God's love, Christ's words abide in us, and the Spirit draws us into the life of God.

Our life is in God. 

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

If that doesn't astound you, I'm not sure what will!

Abide—make your home in God. 

Through Stained Glass: The Praying Community: Joys & Concerns

“Prayer does not blind us to the world, but it transforms our vision of the world, and makes us see it, all [people], and all the history of [hu]mankind, in the light of God. To pray 'in spirit and in truth' enables us to enter into contact with that infinite love, that inscrutable freedom which is at work behind the complexities and the intricacies of human existence." ~Thomas Merton

 As a people of faith, we pray. We respond to God's grace through the gift of prayer. Recently I was asked why I pray. My response was simple, "I pray as a way of opening myself to God." I pray, and I suspect you do, too, because we long to be in communion with the Triune God. We connect with the Holy Community through personal prayer and communal prayer. Personal prayer may take a variety of forms, such as conscious conversation with God; attentive and expectant silence; meditating on Scripture; the use of prayer books, devotional aids, and visual arts; and singing, dancing, or other movements. 

 Communal prayer can take a variety of forms, too. For the sake of this post, I'm specifically speaking of prayer in worship. In response to the word, we pray for the world God so loves—joining Christ's ministry of intercession and the sighs of the Spirit, too deep for words. Or, to put it another way, we pray to embody our faith. These prayers are not the work of a single leader but an act of the whole congregation as Christ's royal priesthood. We affirm our participation in the prayer through our "amen" and other responses. 

 One of my favorite practices of our church is the way we communicate our joys and concerns. Before the pandemic, we would pass the microphone through the pews, and we would share those graces that gift us with joy, as well as those burdens that concern our hearts. In our current season, we are suspending this practice until we can be together without restrictions. Our new approach for in-person worship is to invite those in attendance to fill out the green prayer cards [photo above] and place them in the offering plate. During the doxology, the usher will bring the offering and the prayer request forward, which will allow me to have them as I lead us through the people's prayers. The prayer card indicates whether your request is a joy or a concern and if you'd like to add it to the bulletin. It isn't the same as we used to do it, but it'll be a good way of keeping us connected in our prayers for where we are now. 

 Another challenge we face is getting the joys and concerns from social media to me during the worship hour. Our associate of technological ministry, Zack, will compile those he sees online and get them to me during service. If you would like to assist Zack in this endeavor on Sundays, let me know, and we will connect you all! 

 Prayer is what brings us into the life of the Trinity. The Spirit brings us into the Holy Community, where we are invited to the table to rest, listen, share, and receive hope. We pray for ourselves, yes, and those in need—especially the weak and vulnerable. Through prayer for the world, the church, creation, country and community, and First Presbyterian Church, we enter into solidarity with our neighbors, especially those suffering. We pray because it leads to action. For prayer to be prayer, we must embody what it is we pray for and what God hopes for us as a people. 

 Honestly, that's reason enough to pray and share my joys and concerns with you!

Through Stained Glass: Mental Health Month

 

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day.
It's about the choice to show up and be real.
The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”
― Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. is committed to pruning back the stigma around mental health. As a way to do this, all PCUSA congregations are eligible to apply for one-time 'seed' grants to initiate projects that will help educate, equip, and empower churches to reach out to people with mental health concerns and their loved ones. Our denomination is committed to seeing that we live a healthy, integrated life as children of God. 

 At First Presbyterian Church, we are committed to doing our part in normalizing mental health and wellbeing. A few years ago, the Hoffert family gifted First Presbyterian Church in becoming an advocate for mental health with financial resources to establish the FPC Wellness Fund. The fund is set aside for members of First Presbyterian Church seeking assistance with regards to their mental health. Thus far, the funds have been used for parishioners to visit with a licensed therapist, pastoral counselors, and spiritual directors. The Wellness Fund is available for all First Presbyterian Church members. 

 Throughout Jesus's ministry, he confronted the tendency to rank and sort people into systems that elevate some and diminish others as if all were not equally loved and precious in the eyes of God. At FPC we want to prevent this from happening around mental health. We do so by encouraging open dialogue about our mental health and equating it with our physical wellbeing. We also provide educational resources and opportunities to erase the stigma of mental illness in our community. The best way to destigmatize mental health is to share stories about how we care for our personal mental health. Finally, as a community of faith, we encourage each other to lean into the love God has for us in our journey towards wholeness and wellbeing. 

 Scripture calls us to love God with our heart, mind, soul, and strength. In the Incarnation of Jesus, we see God affirming all of creation—but especially our bodies, and all that comes with being human. Our goal is to be a place where people can come be themselves. Mental health ministry happens in communities that nurture authenticity, know how to respond when someone is in crisis or pain, and develop the capacity to 'walk alongside' with healthy boundaries, recognizing our shared human frailty and individual gifts, whatever our mental health status. Our Wellness Fund and the opportunities that flow from it is one more way we live into genuinely being a place where "all are welcome!" 

The Session, our Ministry Teams, and Adam are wanting to apply for the PCUSA grant. If you are interested in working with Adam, let him know. Also, if you would like to contribute to the FPC Wellness Fund, let Chris know, and she can make it happen. Finally, if you need someone to talk to or have questions about mental health, do not hesitate to reach out to Adam. He's more than happy to listen and learn from your questions and stories.

Through Stained Glass: A Flower Follow Up

“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily
do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm.
If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”
― St. Therese of Lisieux

 You all.

I made a goof.

 

If you noticed, there were no seeds in your Lent-In-a-Bag!

 

I'm sorry!

 

Here's what happened—not that any excuse is a good excuse.

 

When I was putting together our bags, I wanted to put in a seed of some sort we could enjoy by easter. One of the flowers that kept coming up in my searches were—crocuses. I then would search where to buy them and ran into the same answer—anywhere on the internets, but they wouldn't arrive in time for when we were to distribute our Lent-in-a-bag. At that point, I said, "Bummer! Oh well, I'll find something else."

 

And I didn't. I got busy, forgot about our flowers, and handed the bags out without seeds.

 

This happens when you try to do all the things and don't take time to double-check your work.

 

Yet, after my sermon yesterday [3/21], I had a few of you comment or send me messages about how you could relate to the squirrel story I told. In fact, one of you told me how you are anticipating the emergence of your flowers this spring … but the squirrel activity this last winter in your yard makes you a little skeptical.

 

I love hearing these stories. I know you love hearing stories from me, too. This is why I have this idea:

 

I want you to write me a story about your garden or what seeds you'll plant this spring or your favorite flower or the time when you were sure you planted the tulips by the fence, but they came up over near the garage.

 

If you don't want to write about your garden, flowers, or tell a story, please feel free to use the watercolor paints to create a picture of them! When you complete your art or story—send it to us at the church to share them on the bulletin board in the parlor. We've created a beautiful collage of our Lenten journey thus far, and I hope you make time to see it.

 

It is wild to think we are nearing the end of Lent. For five weeks now, we have read about God's covenant with God's people and the extremes God goes to save us! We've journeyed with Jesus as he proclaims the reign of God drawing near and that we can know the fullness of life with God here and now with each other. 

 

It is true, we are entering Lent's final days. Yet, we are still a resurrection people, which means we are Christ in the world now. Where we are – there Chris is, too. In and through us the glory—the heart of God—is revealed whenever we do justice, love kindness, and welcome the Risen Christ in everyone we meet!  

 

The good news is that the seed of Love has been planted already—and new life is soon to emerge! 

Through Stained Glass: Creating What's Happening

Salvation comes first, from God, for God's people. 

The Commandments are not God's way of controlling the people. Instead, they are gifts—instructions or teachings—that give birth to life in its fullest. The foundation of the commandments is God's grace. 

God is the God of all the things. In the Ancient Near East, the different levels of the universe and Earth were controlled by other gods. The God of the Hebrew people is the God of all. 

Remember, the Old Testament texts for Lent remind us of God's covenant. The covenant is a promise—and God promises the people of God to be their God, and they will be God's people. From the creation story, the flood story, and now Abraham's story, emerges the foundation of God's relationship to nature, to the people of God then, and to us today. Despite all the obstacles that stand in the way of God's covenant, promises to God's people are fulfilled. 

The giving of the Ten Commandments is an important moment in the life of the Hebrew people. It is known as "the time when our Torah was given," or zeman matan toratenus. The liberation of God's people out of Egypt and the giving of the Torah sets the God of the Hebrews apart from the other gods. These gods were involved only in nature, whereas the Hebrew people's God acts in history. These two events are essential in the development of the identity as God's people in that these acts display God's manifestation as Israel's redeemer—a God who is concerned with the redemption of the oppressed. 

What happens on Sinai is an important moment in the development of the identity of our Jewish siblings. The momentous encounter with God at Sinai is, for Judaism, the defining moment in Jewish history, the moment when God came down on earth and spoke to all the Jewish people, present and future, given them God's rules of life, which they embraced enthusiastically. 

The Ten Commandments are about life. The covenant God made to the Hebrew people leads them to a place of promise where they will know life abundant. Thus, we mustn't relegate the Ten Words to a 'set of rules' put forth by God to control us. Instead, we must see them in the context of covenant—God enunciates the terms for an enduring relationship with Israel. The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 is one more example—one more layer to the covenant relationship between God and God's people. The Hebrew people's God is wanting a covenantal community—which is quite unlike every conventional community of abuse, leverage, and exploitation. 

God wants to save God's people. Salvation is from God for God's people. God does this through covenant—in giving the Ten Commandments, teachings, or instructions of laws that enliven and enlighten humanity. The commandments [all 600+ of them] are gifts from God—sorry to be so redundant. They are a part of the Torah—together as a whole, they form patterns of respect and relationship that can shape all of life! 

And the Decalogue begins this way, "I am the Holy One your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Remember, God moves towards us. God creates, then liberates! God alone can do this for us. God is God—I AM who I AM—I AM WHAT'S HAPPENING!

And what's happening is God restoring us to God, creation, one another—and to ourselves. 

The Ten Commandments are to remind us of God's saving work in history! God took sides and responded to the cries of the oppressed by liberating them. As God's creative agents in the world now—this is our call! 

As you create your painting for the Ten Commandments, what images come to mind when you see them less as a means by which God controls and more as gifts that deepen relationships with God, creation, others, and yourselves? 

Through Stained Glass: Covenant Creation--Living Love

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”
― Brene Brown

God loves you. 

Read that again.

God loves you. 

Not only that, but God keeps the oath God made to you. We may turn away from God, but God never turns away from us. 

Why? That's the mystery—especially to the text above. We don't get an answer—except that God loves God's people. 

Throughout Lent, the Old Testament lessons will focus on covenant. The God of our faith is not concerned with God's self—like the other gods. No, the God of our faith is concerned with creation—including us. God embraces all—wraps us in hugs of mercy and love. God moves towards us, not from a place of anger—which so many insist is the case. When we turn away from God, it grieves God. From this grief, God moves towards us to restore us to our relationship with God and all that is good and beautiful in life. 

We are transformed by God, and God is transformed through our embrace. The other gods are only interested in their own triumph. But the God in Scripture hears the cries of God's people and responds with their liberation. God wants us to live—to know God's glory and enjoy God forever. We do this—we are fully alive—when we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

Or, to paraphrase Jesus, we are to love God and neighbor as ourselves. 

In living to love, we know God. We see God, experience God. In the songs we sing and the prayers we pray, we breathe God. In each note, we write or care we send or poem we pen—we write God. 

Take time now to listen. 

No, really. Listen. Turn off your TV. Put down the phone—mute all electronics. Listen. Do you hear it? Silence. Wind. Sunshine. Birds. Your breath. God. 

Are you sitting? Good. The covenant God makes with us—with you—is to never forsake or abandon us. 

Remember that flood story from the first week of Lent? What is it about? It isn't about the water or the animals or whether or not the unicorn was too stubborn to get on board—it is about something else. Something deeper. 

It discloses the nature of God—a God who chooses compassion…who sees us for what we really are and moves us towards renewal. In the Noah story, we see what pain and isolation, and separation do to humanity, creation, and God. 

Here is my take away from the flood: I can resist God all I want; I can ignore the invitation to co-create with God as long as I want; I can pursue all the small 'g' gods I want—but nothing will change the truth that God will still move towards me in mercy and love. 

Because the thing about the flood story is this—it is a narrative rooted not in anger but in grief. The crisis is not the water, but the grief we cause each other—and God. The narrative is centered on the grief of God, whose heart knows about our hearts. 

Our pain, our suffering, our grief impacts God. The theological significance of this is—the Holy One is not

static. 

Rather, the Holy One is Dynamic. God enters into our story because God loves us so much. 

How does order come from chaos? Not by some tyrannical, angry god who is a puppet master. It comes by way of the anguish and grief of God, who enters into the world's pain and fracture. God gifts us with creative love but does not force us to live into it. God longs for us to turn toward God, but God does not commandeer it. 

We mess up. When we do, we have to name how we mess up, address it, confess it even, and then return to God--this is what repentance means. We can recognize how we miss the mark while also embracing the new creation we are in God through Christ. Or, as Walter Brueggemann says, "The [flood] narrative concerns the grief of God and the emergence of new humanity amid the old, judged humanity." 

The story isn't about all that water, how all them animals got into that boat, or the scientific data surrounding this story. To focus on such things will miss the point of this covenant story.

Which is what?

Where we expect destruction by the hands of an angry God, we get new life from the heart of a tender God. In the end, we know this from the flood—God resolves that God will stay with, endure, and sustain God's world, notwithstanding the sorry state of humanity. We can do our best to anger God—but not even our worst attempts will sway God from God's grand dream for creation. 

Here's why I want us to paint rainbows—because it makes us deal with the truth that God loves us. In that first stroke of the paintbrush, we bear witness to the Creator's compassion and love for us. 

In the simple act of creating—dipping our brush in water and then dabbing it in the paint—we are taking our first step towards our own liberation. We become who we are at our core—creators! The invitation to paint is an invitation to embrace our wildness—to embrace the movement of the Spirit—to allow the Divine Creativity to intersect with our imagination. 

The essence of the flood story is that of vulnerability and possibility.

The essence of our story is that of creativity and hope. 

God is about goodness and creation, and love. 

At our core—in our image and likeness of the Wild—we are, too.