Tracy Fitzgerald puts a lot of prep work into leading a class at First Lutheran Community Church. He probably puts me to shame for his level of preparation. He was called away to a family emergency, so I will be stepping into his class on Bible history tonight. Our prayers are with him and his family.
I have a host of topics I could address in 75 minutes for the growth of the multitudes that will attend hoping to see Tracy--but I'm going to be a little selfish. The ideal outcome of this class is that I will gain some insights for my sermon, while also giving the class some background on what goes into sermon preparation (at least my sermon preparation). My goal is that Christ is preached and that the hearer and preacher are connected to God and one another through that preaching. I believe in making a connection--it was a big reason why I began blogging and also abandoned manuscripts in my preparation. Here is an outline of my process, though in no particular order--and each sermon doesn't follow each step.
1. Prayer
2. Read the text (we're going to be reading from Jeremiah 3)
3. Read the context of the Bible passage
4. Consult original languages
5. Thematic considerations
6. What's going on in the world/country/state/community
7. What's going on in the congregation
8. Consult Biblical commentaries
9. Consult social sciences
10. Get together with other preachers
11. Blog
12. Pray
13. Get at least 5 hours of sleep on Saturday night
14. Don't eat too close to preaching time
15. Consult theological writings
16. Share ideas with my wife
17. Is a children's sermon possible?
18. Use of props, images, photos, dramas, movie clips
19. Use of stories (have I previously used that story?)
20. Pray
21. Create a very brief outline
22. Consult different Bible translations.
23. Workingpreacher.org
24. Textweek.com
25. Twitter
26. Pray
27. Bible software
28. Gospel parallel
29. Bible dictionary
30. Music
31. Exercise
32. Google reader/blogs
33. Create Power Point slides
34. Consult with staff
35. Preach the Word of God
36. Make between service adjustments if necessary
37. Create a single sentence answering the question: "what do you want people to know?"
38. Recall past preaching experiences
39. After I get home from preaching--nap and/or television
40. Debrief with Melanie
The process of preparing a sermon amounts to anywhere from 5-15 hours per week, but I feel comfortable around 10-12 hours. My most recent season of preaching has involved the use of blogs and twitter--both my own posts and the posts of others. The process of blogging has given me a platform to clarify my thoughts about a particular text and theme early in the week. I suppose I could have done this in my earlier days of preaching, but blogging has been extremely helpful in this respect. I'm looking forward to the discussion tonight--and if you aren't involved in The Buzz--please feel free to leave your questions or feedback here.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
AA meetings
I am thankful that FLCC hosts three AA meetings per week. In ten years of ordained ministry, Melanie or I had never attended an AA meeting to see its ministry. I saw a powerful outreach, basic hospitality and friendship and I am thankful I have an invitation. The folks there can teach pastors a few things about listening and caring for others.
South Kitsap Family Kitchen
Since I don't have committee meetings to attend (yay!), I had an opportunity to share a meal with the folks who come to the South Kitsap Family Kitchen. I think this is ministry at its best--I was humbled by what was shared tonight, because our situations can change in an instant and need the grace and hospitality of strangers. We hope we don't end up in that kind of place--but it's possible.
Tonight the folks from Port Orchard United Methodist served One Pan Lasagna, garlic bread, green salad, potato salad, fruit cocktail and frosted brownies for dessert to approximately 60 people (my estimate). The POUMC folks were a grace-filled group and showed great admiration and respect for the people of FLCC. I am thankful FLCC has the facilities to host the meal. I met people who were just getting by. I also met a couple where it was just like looking in the mirror--a combination rewind of past experiences and wondering a few months ago whether I would get a congregation to serve. I saw another couple I've seen walking around Port Orchard, trying to maneuver their way through public assistance services.
What distinguished this meal from other food ministries in which I have participated is the family-style setting. The circular tables and passing the food around encourages relationship building and basic social graces. To have to look someone in the eye to receive your bread emphasizes our shared humanity. We passed our food along, sat in silence for a few minutes, then chatted about the weather--the change in seasons foretold by the prophetic wind, the various severity of rain showers, and what weather we might face in the weeks and months to come. Then we moved on to various hardships, then thankfulness for the meal and the conversation. Four of the people at my table were regulars since the summer, and they have become familiar acquaintances--sitting together each meal and reconnecting--coming from different homes. The entire table seemed glad I was there--but they were definitely checking me out. It takes awhile to ascertain people's motivations. I'm not exactly sure what motivated me to go to the South Kitsap Family Kitchen tonight--or maybe my motivation was simple. I believe in what God can do through people, and many people have come together to make this meal possible for others in need. It was a basic and blessed evening, doing simple things we all need to do--eat and talk.
Tonight the folks from Port Orchard United Methodist served One Pan Lasagna, garlic bread, green salad, potato salad, fruit cocktail and frosted brownies for dessert to approximately 60 people (my estimate). The POUMC folks were a grace-filled group and showed great admiration and respect for the people of FLCC. I am thankful FLCC has the facilities to host the meal. I met people who were just getting by. I also met a couple where it was just like looking in the mirror--a combination rewind of past experiences and wondering a few months ago whether I would get a congregation to serve. I saw another couple I've seen walking around Port Orchard, trying to maneuver their way through public assistance services.
What distinguished this meal from other food ministries in which I have participated is the family-style setting. The circular tables and passing the food around encourages relationship building and basic social graces. To have to look someone in the eye to receive your bread emphasizes our shared humanity. We passed our food along, sat in silence for a few minutes, then chatted about the weather--the change in seasons foretold by the prophetic wind, the various severity of rain showers, and what weather we might face in the weeks and months to come. Then we moved on to various hardships, then thankfulness for the meal and the conversation. Four of the people at my table were regulars since the summer, and they have become familiar acquaintances--sitting together each meal and reconnecting--coming from different homes. The entire table seemed glad I was there--but they were definitely checking me out. It takes awhile to ascertain people's motivations. I'm not exactly sure what motivated me to go to the South Kitsap Family Kitchen tonight--or maybe my motivation was simple. I believe in what God can do through people, and many people have come together to make this meal possible for others in need. It was a basic and blessed evening, doing simple things we all need to do--eat and talk.
An activity shift for Tuesday
One of the many great things about being a pastor is that I have a flexible schedule. My 2-year-old has been rather ill recently, and Melanie and I have done our best to maintain some normal patterns while we also care for Ashling. We've had family help, for which we are thankful--this allowed Melanie and I to be able to preach without worrying about our children too much.
Today I needed to stay home to work and care for Ashling. This offered me an opportunity to work in Port Orchard during the late afternoon and evening hours after Melanie comes home. I looked at attending a local school sporting event, but I didn't see any available. Therefore I am taking an opportunity to observe/participate in ministries to which I have been invited (invitations aren't required, but it's nice to know I can be included). I will be coming to the Family Kitchen food ministry and later attending an AA meeting to support that ongoing ministry through FLCC. Sometimes it is very easy for a pastor to hang around in their office. Office work is not inherently bad, but it is very important to get out into the community and connect. If I as a preacher expect you to connect with and serve others, I need to do the same.
Today I needed to stay home to work and care for Ashling. This offered me an opportunity to work in Port Orchard during the late afternoon and evening hours after Melanie comes home. I looked at attending a local school sporting event, but I didn't see any available. Therefore I am taking an opportunity to observe/participate in ministries to which I have been invited (invitations aren't required, but it's nice to know I can be included). I will be coming to the Family Kitchen food ministry and later attending an AA meeting to support that ongoing ministry through FLCC. Sometimes it is very easy for a pastor to hang around in their office. Office work is not inherently bad, but it is very important to get out into the community and connect. If I as a preacher expect you to connect with and serve others, I need to do the same.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Worship and sermon happenings in the month of October
I wanted to pass on some worship highlights for the month of October--since we're almost there:
October 4:
Final sermon of the "Sound Transitions" series: "What You Discover In The End."
Focus text: Jeremiah 3: 15-18
October 11:
Hear personal stories--experiences with God and one another-- from the high school youth from their summer trip to Montana.
October 18:
Pastor Orv Jacobson preaches
October 25:
Reformation Sunday & Confirmation Sunday
New Sermon Series Begins and continues through November 22 (theme pending)
November 25-December 27
Sermon Series (theme pending)
October 4:
Final sermon of the "Sound Transitions" series: "What You Discover In The End."
Focus text: Jeremiah 3: 15-18
October 11:
Hear personal stories--experiences with God and one another-- from the high school youth from their summer trip to Montana.
October 18:
Pastor Orv Jacobson preaches
October 25:
Reformation Sunday & Confirmation Sunday
New Sermon Series Begins and continues through November 22 (theme pending)
November 25-December 27
Sermon Series (theme pending)
Another search for friends of First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard
This year's fall stewardship campaign will give people the opportunity to both share and hear stories about how the ministries of FLCC have affected and changed people's lives. Dave Lester and I are working on dates for video production--but at this point we are looking for people who will be willing to tell their stories on camera (or if you know someone willing to do so). These story tellers can be members, people who work for a particular assistance program in the area, or a member in the community who can speak about a ministry of FLCC. I look forward to receiving your nominations!
Still looking for interviewees
I have had three interviews with members of FLCC, and I would like to schedule at least 7 more, but would love to schedule 12 more. The interviews will take approximately 30 minutes, though it could take more if you would like to talk more. The interviews will be confidential. I am looking to learn more about FLCC from perspectives other than staff and current Church Council members. This is one of my practices as an interim pastor, and I have found them very valuable for ministry. Please drop me a message if you are interested and we can set up a time. I have a fairly flexible schedule and will make time to hear from you. Thanks for considering investing your time.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Many thanks
Thank you for all the feedback I have received on the blog and twitter pages (twitter.com/youravgpastor). It's at least this writer's dream that I can inspire thought (and sometimes prayerful thought) on the presence of God in people's lives and how we can encourage one another to do so.
Prayers and thoughts on sermon: "Celebrate!"
Note: After I preached this sermon, I noticed that this was probably the furthest departure from what I wrote to what was actually preached during the services. For those of you who reference my sermon blog posts, you might find a bit of a disconnect. Things didn't sound quite right during the 8am service--and I was deeply affected by the story of Lucy and the "Backpack" food program in local schools--so I hit a better stride during the later services. I hope the message of God's grace comes through celebrating the stories of God's action in our lives.
1 Kings 8
This story from 1 Kings 8: 1-8 is the beginning of the story of the dedication of the Temple. This passage has specifically chosen because it mentions the Ark of the Covenant carrying the Law and promises of God as Israel moves from slavery to freedom. As Fretheim and Walter Brueggemann share, the Ark and the Temple reveal an interesting and complex contrast about the presence of God. In the Temple, the Ark will rest in the Holy of Holies, a place where God is enthroned--a final resting place for God and the place to which all followers of Yahweh direct their prayers. Yet, the Ark is a symbol of the transient and portable nature of God.
The dedication takes place in the midst of a huge celebration--postponed 11 months after the completion of the temple, because of the desire to celebrate during the most grand celebration of the year. Famous people from all over the region are invited, and there is lots of feasting and celebration.
I think it's interesting that the dedication of the Temple is postponed so that the best possible celebration can be had for the Temple. This celebration speaks to the power of God, the transience and mystery of God, but that also this power of God is lived through God's people in the midst of a huge celebration. Celebrations are not frivolous, they are an important part of what it means to be human. Celebrations are an opportunity to give witness to the goodness and generosity of God. It gives us an opportunity to give thanks to God and for one another.
Sometimes in the midst of a congregational transition, the celebrations are not as grand, or even skipped. This sometimes happens in our personal lives if we lose a loved one or we move to a new place. Christmas or Thanksgiving become muted when the loved one is not there. People suffer from raw grief or even "survivor guilt. In congregations experiencing a transition, sometimes people don't know how to celebrate because the beloved former pastor has left--or they are so focused on the goals of the future that they forget to celebrate, or they are so desperate to get the new pastor involved they forget to celebrate.
We don't necessarily celebrate the presence or departure of the pastor, but we celebrate the goodness of God.
For the time of the transition between slavery and freedom for Israel, the Ark served as a deep part of the worship life. It served as a reminder of the presence of God. The Ark was paraded as part of worship processionals and/or recessionals. In the Ark contained the promises of God, the order of their lives, and an object lesson for the power, presence and deliverance of God.
These stories of presence, deliverance and promises carry great power.
This week during The Buzz--I shared part of my own faith story. One part in particular regarding being a drop off Sunday School kid and how drop off Sunday School kids can frustrate congregational life. Someone in this congregation encountered drop off Sunday school kids and said her perspective was affected by my story of how God was active in my life.
My wife, Melanie, came to Church Council this summer and the first thing she shared was about the personal faith stories that are part of Council meetings each month--an testimony to the living God.
A testimony also occurred during the Animal Fair and Blessing this week when at least 50 people came to witness to God's activity in their lives through their pets.
Give people numerous opportunities to witness to the activity of God in their lives, and you will gain clarity on what it means to be a community of faith as FLCC moves forward in its transition--as well as in the path of your life.
1 Kings 8
This story from 1 Kings 8: 1-8 is the beginning of the story of the dedication of the Temple. This passage has specifically chosen because it mentions the Ark of the Covenant carrying the Law and promises of God as Israel moves from slavery to freedom. As Fretheim and Walter Brueggemann share, the Ark and the Temple reveal an interesting and complex contrast about the presence of God. In the Temple, the Ark will rest in the Holy of Holies, a place where God is enthroned--a final resting place for God and the place to which all followers of Yahweh direct their prayers. Yet, the Ark is a symbol of the transient and portable nature of God.
The dedication takes place in the midst of a huge celebration--postponed 11 months after the completion of the temple, because of the desire to celebrate during the most grand celebration of the year. Famous people from all over the region are invited, and there is lots of feasting and celebration.
I think it's interesting that the dedication of the Temple is postponed so that the best possible celebration can be had for the Temple. This celebration speaks to the power of God, the transience and mystery of God, but that also this power of God is lived through God's people in the midst of a huge celebration. Celebrations are not frivolous, they are an important part of what it means to be human. Celebrations are an opportunity to give witness to the goodness and generosity of God. It gives us an opportunity to give thanks to God and for one another.
Sometimes in the midst of a congregational transition, the celebrations are not as grand, or even skipped. This sometimes happens in our personal lives if we lose a loved one or we move to a new place. Christmas or Thanksgiving become muted when the loved one is not there. People suffer from raw grief or even "survivor guilt. In congregations experiencing a transition, sometimes people don't know how to celebrate because the beloved former pastor has left--or they are so focused on the goals of the future that they forget to celebrate, or they are so desperate to get the new pastor involved they forget to celebrate.
We don't necessarily celebrate the presence or departure of the pastor, but we celebrate the goodness of God.
For the time of the transition between slavery and freedom for Israel, the Ark served as a deep part of the worship life. It served as a reminder of the presence of God. The Ark was paraded as part of worship processionals and/or recessionals. In the Ark contained the promises of God, the order of their lives, and an object lesson for the power, presence and deliverance of God.
These stories of presence, deliverance and promises carry great power.
This week during The Buzz--I shared part of my own faith story. One part in particular regarding being a drop off Sunday School kid and how drop off Sunday School kids can frustrate congregational life. Someone in this congregation encountered drop off Sunday school kids and said her perspective was affected by my story of how God was active in my life.
My wife, Melanie, came to Church Council this summer and the first thing she shared was about the personal faith stories that are part of Council meetings each month--an testimony to the living God.
A testimony also occurred during the Animal Fair and Blessing this week when at least 50 people came to witness to God's activity in their lives through their pets.
Give people numerous opportunities to witness to the activity of God in their lives, and you will gain clarity on what it means to be a community of faith as FLCC moves forward in its transition--as well as in the path of your life.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
A Ministry Saturday
My Sabbath configuration last week afforded me the opportunity to attend both the Seattle Mariners' Friday night thriller and the Washington Huskies' upset for the ages. I was blessed to have that opportunity for some fun and connection with family and friends--it was also about one of the best sports weekends in my life.
This weekend offers a different kind of connection--one that involves more work, yet still blessed. To offer encouragement to a new ministry at FLCC is part of why I serve. People at FLCC have tapped into their interests and passions and used their gifts to reach others in the Animal Fair and Blessing this morning at FLCC (930 am-1230pm). I appreciate that the ministry of this congregation still moves forward without a long standing senior pastor. FLCC will be a congregation looking for a partner in ministry, not merely a starter of ministry.
This weekend offers a different kind of connection--one that involves more work, yet still blessed. To offer encouragement to a new ministry at FLCC is part of why I serve. People at FLCC have tapped into their interests and passions and used their gifts to reach others in the Animal Fair and Blessing this morning at FLCC (930 am-1230pm). I appreciate that the ministry of this congregation still moves forward without a long standing senior pastor. FLCC will be a congregation looking for a partner in ministry, not merely a starter of ministry.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Connections are challenging, how does FLCC reach new people to Port Orchard?
Yesterday and today, my daughter Ashling has been ill. Melanie and I scrambled to arrange our schedules to arrange child care. These are the little things that can be taken for granted--we had a definite pattern while we lived in Sioux Falls. Usually one of us could easily stay home from work, especially with Melanie's congregation about 3 blocks away from our home. We had a tried and true contingency plan that worked well.
Three weeks into serving full-time in a new area, the contingency plan was tested. Melanie and I are traveling 25 minutes plus in differing directions, Kendall attends school for the full day, and Ashling comes with me to Port Orchard 3 days per week. I stayed home in the morning, my aunt was able to come over and sit with Ashling while I attended my meeting at the Synod Office, and Melanie will stay home with the girls tonight while I attend another meeting. It worked out today, mostly because my aunt was available. I am thankful that we now live in a place where we have family helping us, but in Sioux Falls, we didn't have that.
Think of all the people in Port Orchard who don't have family support nearby. How can FLCC reach out to them? Our society today is both hyper-connected and disconnected simultaneously, and the disconnected life calls for community that bears Christ's face. How is that happening at FLCC? How CAN it happen at FLCC? God is with you in your thoughts. I look forward to your responses.
Three weeks into serving full-time in a new area, the contingency plan was tested. Melanie and I are traveling 25 minutes plus in differing directions, Kendall attends school for the full day, and Ashling comes with me to Port Orchard 3 days per week. I stayed home in the morning, my aunt was able to come over and sit with Ashling while I attended my meeting at the Synod Office, and Melanie will stay home with the girls tonight while I attend another meeting. It worked out today, mostly because my aunt was available. I am thankful that we now live in a place where we have family helping us, but in Sioux Falls, we didn't have that.
Think of all the people in Port Orchard who don't have family support nearby. How can FLCC reach out to them? Our society today is both hyper-connected and disconnected simultaneously, and the disconnected life calls for community that bears Christ's face. How is that happening at FLCC? How CAN it happen at FLCC? God is with you in your thoughts. I look forward to your responses.
Connecting with the wider church
One of the benefits of being a part of the ELCA is the connections that offer different perspectives on ministry. Serving in a congregation like FLCC with several people on staff and in the congregation can move a pastor toward isolation. Today I met with interim pastors from around the synod at the synod office. We shared our progress and experiences from our contexts and offered insights to one another.
I learned that some congregations have struggled with the ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the decisions that resulted from that gathering. I have yet to hear of any struggles related to the Human Sexuality Statement (that doesn't mean they don't exist, but none have been brought to my attention).
I also learned a grander perspective on the unique nature of ministry at FLCC and that it will take a little longer for me to see relational patterns and congregational dynamics. In all of my other congregations it was easy to see centers of authority because each congregation organized themselves essentially the same. Not true with FLCC. I'm looking forward to learning more from the people and ministries of FLCC and during my debriefing sessions from my colleagues. Many talented pastors serve the Gospel in the Southwestern Washington Synod, and I am blessed by their wisdom and encouragement. I think the FLCC could also benefit from connections to the wider church, both teaching and learning. How that takes shape remains to be seen.
I learned that some congregations have struggled with the ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the decisions that resulted from that gathering. I have yet to hear of any struggles related to the Human Sexuality Statement (that doesn't mean they don't exist, but none have been brought to my attention).
I also learned a grander perspective on the unique nature of ministry at FLCC and that it will take a little longer for me to see relational patterns and congregational dynamics. In all of my other congregations it was easy to see centers of authority because each congregation organized themselves essentially the same. Not true with FLCC. I'm looking forward to learning more from the people and ministries of FLCC and during my debriefing sessions from my colleagues. Many talented pastors serve the Gospel in the Southwestern Washington Synod, and I am blessed by their wisdom and encouragement. I think the FLCC could also benefit from connections to the wider church, both teaching and learning. How that takes shape remains to be seen.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sunday mornings
Sunday mornings are an adrenaline rush for me. I don't know whether to look forward to them or run and hide (for anyone who hasn't guessed--I am an introvert). I love the energy and possibilities for Sunday morning, but I also think about how drained I am when I get into my car and go home at about 12:30pm. For any congregation, Sunday mornings are foundational for community life--Christ is proclaimed, people connect, wisdom is shared, opportunities are realized, needs are met. I don't know how you feel on Sunday morning, but this has been my life about 85 percent of Sundays since I was ordained in 1998.
I remember in my first year of ministry that I was particularly anxious about Sunday mornings and all that goes on. A mentor told me that for many people, this is their only time to connect for the entire week, and that I can look at Sunday with dread and have it affect the entire day, or see it as an opportunity to connect. Hmmm.
I have learned to see Sunday as an opportunity to connect. What enabled me to do that was to not attempt to remember all the details that are shared with me before and after worship services. If people make a request, share with me a detail, or give me some information, I thank people for connecting with me, but let them know, "I can't be responsible for any detail that is shared with me on Sunday morning. Please leave me an email, a voice mail, a note in my mailbox, stop by the office this week." That has seemed to work well--and I can communicate that what is being shared with me is valuable and important--and my Sundays have become just peaceful enough that I can look forward to sharing a laugh or a prayer concern on Sunday morning.
I remember in my first year of ministry that I was particularly anxious about Sunday mornings and all that goes on. A mentor told me that for many people, this is their only time to connect for the entire week, and that I can look at Sunday with dread and have it affect the entire day, or see it as an opportunity to connect. Hmmm.
I have learned to see Sunday as an opportunity to connect. What enabled me to do that was to not attempt to remember all the details that are shared with me before and after worship services. If people make a request, share with me a detail, or give me some information, I thank people for connecting with me, but let them know, "I can't be responsible for any detail that is shared with me on Sunday morning. Please leave me an email, a voice mail, a note in my mailbox, stop by the office this week." That has seemed to work well--and I can communicate that what is being shared with me is valuable and important--and my Sundays have become just peaceful enough that I can look forward to sharing a laugh or a prayer concern on Sunday morning.
My Twitter gadget is malfunctioning
The Twitter feeds you once saw on my blog are temporarily not working--I had some weird stuff showing up that I did not publish. Some stuff was inappropriate, so I took it down. If you don't have a connection to my tweets, check here.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Twitter, but I've been able to clarify a few more theological ruminations and make a few decent connections without going into the full blown reunion kind of stuff that Facebook has to offer. I think I can stay away from Facebook for now.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Twitter, but I've been able to clarify a few more theological ruminations and make a few decent connections without going into the full blown reunion kind of stuff that Facebook has to offer. I think I can stay away from Facebook for now.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Preview of Sunday's sermon: "Celebrate!"
Some questions for you to consider in preparation for our time together on Sunday:
What is important to you about a celebration?
How are your celebrations organized? Are they intricately planned? Or do you throw caution to the wind and hope for spontaneous fun?
What are your most treasured celebrations in your life and why?
What are the treasured celebrations in the life of First Lutheran Community Church and why?
In our Bible reading from 1 Kings 8: 1-8, we encounter a big celebration where the Ark of the Covenant has reached a long time resting place in a brand new Solomon's Temple. The celebration is BIG. What can this celebration teach us about our transitions, both personal and at First Lutheran Community Church? Maybe you have an answer for that already, but our exploration of God's Word will hopefully help our thinking, prayers and actions.
What is important to you about a celebration?
How are your celebrations organized? Are they intricately planned? Or do you throw caution to the wind and hope for spontaneous fun?
What are your most treasured celebrations in your life and why?
What are the treasured celebrations in the life of First Lutheran Community Church and why?
In our Bible reading from 1 Kings 8: 1-8, we encounter a big celebration where the Ark of the Covenant has reached a long time resting place in a brand new Solomon's Temple. The celebration is BIG. What can this celebration teach us about our transitions, both personal and at First Lutheran Community Church? Maybe you have an answer for that already, but our exploration of God's Word will hopefully help our thinking, prayers and actions.
Animal Blessing @ First Lutheran, Port Orchard: Saturday Sept. 26th, 9:30am-12:30pm
I enjoy watching the people of First Lutheran Community Church in action to serve their neighbors. I enjoy seeing people get together to meet a need with the love of God--it's not the work of a committee, but a group of people provoked by the Holy Spirit to serve people (and in this case, animals).
Saturday, September 26th at the First Lutheran Community Church parking lot for a morning of blessing. Bring your pets and your families. Join together to praise the Creator who brings humanity and animals in relationship. Visit vendors who have made it their passion to serve people and their animals. Connect with other pet owners. All are welcome!
Saturday, September 26th at the First Lutheran Community Church parking lot for a morning of blessing. Bring your pets and your families. Join together to praise the Creator who brings humanity and animals in relationship. Visit vendors who have made it their passion to serve people and their animals. Connect with other pet owners. All are welcome!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Figuring out Mondays
The offices of FLCC are closed on Mondays, but Mondays are a work day for me. Anecdotally, I have observed that about 2/3 of pastors take Mondays off because they like that day for recovery after the intensity of Sunday. I always find myself too tired on a Monday to enjoy a day off from work, so I slog through Mondays and in the past have devoted most Mondays to activities that require a little less brain power, such as filling out forms, organizing my office, organizing committee work, etc. I love taking Friday off because if I don't have to work on a Saturday, I feel like I have a real weekend once in awhile.
Because FLCC is a different kind of congregation and the staff is essentially not around on Monday, I've pondered a few ideas.
1. Hang out at a local coffee house with some reading and writing and have conversations with locals.
2. Focus on reading for about half the day and basic administrative work the rest of the day.
3. Begin work on future sermon series while getting a running start on Sunday's sermon.
4. Find local high school activities to attend in the afternoon.
I arrived at thinking about what tasks I should address and the big picture of my actions from a recent post from Seth Godin's blog. Godin believe that lists are a good thing for real productivity--and I would tend to agree with him, but David Allen has a smarter methodology for lists in his book Getting Things Done. I'm not a huge disciple of Allen, but I've stuck with some basic Allen principles for over 4 years--the in and out boxes, and asking the question "What's the next action?" This kind of processing and thinking helped me survive my first multi-staff senior pastor position and allowed me to take purging unneeded stuff and activities out of my life.
I'm also open to suggestions about where I should park myself on a Monday. I will take most ideas into consideration.
Because FLCC is a different kind of congregation and the staff is essentially not around on Monday, I've pondered a few ideas.
1. Hang out at a local coffee house with some reading and writing and have conversations with locals.
2. Focus on reading for about half the day and basic administrative work the rest of the day.
3. Begin work on future sermon series while getting a running start on Sunday's sermon.
4. Find local high school activities to attend in the afternoon.
I arrived at thinking about what tasks I should address and the big picture of my actions from a recent post from Seth Godin's blog. Godin believe that lists are a good thing for real productivity--and I would tend to agree with him, but David Allen has a smarter methodology for lists in his book Getting Things Done. I'm not a huge disciple of Allen, but I've stuck with some basic Allen principles for over 4 years--the in and out boxes, and asking the question "What's the next action?" This kind of processing and thinking helped me survive my first multi-staff senior pastor position and allowed me to take purging unneeded stuff and activities out of my life.
I'm also open to suggestions about where I should park myself on a Monday. I will take most ideas into consideration.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sermon prayers and thoughts: "Dashboard Jesus"
Symbols have a powerful hold on the focus of our attention:
My daughters know that when they see the Golden Arches, they think "French fries" and "playing on the toys" and "hangigers." I'm sure that is exactly what the marketers want. The girls also know the PBS logo well--easily shifting from web surfing to television. Though my 2 year old doesn't read yet, she can look at the bold green, black and white logo and say "pbskids.org."
The evolution and sophistication of brand loyalty appears as we flip through television stations--all anyone has to do no matter where they go is look in the bottom right hand corner of the screen and see a logo that helps any viewer at any age make a decision and focus their energy. Without even knowing the station, if my 2 or 6 year old sees a PBS logo or a Nick Jr. logo, they know that screen is meant for them. I think marketing is a tool that is value neutral. The tool can be used or abused. The logo, the symbol is used to focus thought and attention, reminding the viewer of their place. They also probably know that if they run across a TLC or an HGTV, they'll probably be bored and can leave the room or find another station.
A symbol doesn't have to be a sale tool, it's a focus tool. I have a chart at home that uses magnetic symbols to organize and reward positive behavior and tasks in our home. She knows what "no whining" looks like. She knows what "make the bed" looks like. She knows what "brush teeth" looks like. She knows the symbols associated with the reward. It helps her focus. The symbols also provide common ground to not only reinforce values, but also enhance our communication through a shared experience and visual anchor.
A symbol doesn't have to be shared to carry meaning: there's also individual meaning attached to symbols that give meaning and honor to personal experience: Sometimes I feel like I am one of the only people between the ages of 20-40 (not a category I will be in much longer) without a tattoo on my body. My tattoo career was limited to the temporary tattoos I loved to get in a box of Cracker Jack. I'm not against tattoos. Actually, I find them quite interesting. My brother has a couple of great ones that have become the fascination of my daughters (one of them being a train--a shoo-in for the girls). They just don't seem to fit me or my personality--kind of like the earring I tried for a week while I was in college. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but it didn't fit.
I started watching the television show "LA Ink" on a lark--a show about a tattoo shop in Hollywood. The workplace drama is a bit slow and drawn out, but the stories behind the tattoos are gripping, deeply personal and emotional, yet also well thought out. You don't see stories on LA Ink about people getting a tattoo on a whim. These tattoos are about thought, memory, meaning, symbols, planning, beauty and relationships. The symbols that make the tattoo provide meaning about the past and guidance for the future. The tattoo stories on LA Ink connect me to some of the stories related to the Ark of the Covenant, particularly the reading in the Old Testament book of Numbers 10:29-36. The Ark of the Covenant has a deep and varied meaning for Israel, and this Bible passage reveals one trajectory of that meaning.
My daughters know that when they see the Golden Arches, they think "French fries" and "playing on the toys" and "hangigers." I'm sure that is exactly what the marketers want. The girls also know the PBS logo well--easily shifting from web surfing to television. Though my 2 year old doesn't read yet, she can look at the bold green, black and white logo and say "pbskids.org."
The evolution and sophistication of brand loyalty appears as we flip through television stations--all anyone has to do no matter where they go is look in the bottom right hand corner of the screen and see a logo that helps any viewer at any age make a decision and focus their energy. Without even knowing the station, if my 2 or 6 year old sees a PBS logo or a Nick Jr. logo, they know that screen is meant for them. I think marketing is a tool that is value neutral. The tool can be used or abused. The logo, the symbol is used to focus thought and attention, reminding the viewer of their place. They also probably know that if they run across a TLC or an HGTV, they'll probably be bored and can leave the room or find another station.
A symbol doesn't have to be a sale tool, it's a focus tool. I have a chart at home that uses magnetic symbols to organize and reward positive behavior and tasks in our home. She knows what "no whining" looks like. She knows what "make the bed" looks like. She knows what "brush teeth" looks like. She knows the symbols associated with the reward. It helps her focus. The symbols also provide common ground to not only reinforce values, but also enhance our communication through a shared experience and visual anchor.
A symbol doesn't have to be shared to carry meaning: there's also individual meaning attached to symbols that give meaning and honor to personal experience: Sometimes I feel like I am one of the only people between the ages of 20-40 (not a category I will be in much longer) without a tattoo on my body. My tattoo career was limited to the temporary tattoos I loved to get in a box of Cracker Jack. I'm not against tattoos. Actually, I find them quite interesting. My brother has a couple of great ones that have become the fascination of my daughters (one of them being a train--a shoo-in for the girls). They just don't seem to fit me or my personality--kind of like the earring I tried for a week while I was in college. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but it didn't fit.
I started watching the television show "LA Ink" on a lark--a show about a tattoo shop in Hollywood. The workplace drama is a bit slow and drawn out, but the stories behind the tattoos are gripping, deeply personal and emotional, yet also well thought out. You don't see stories on LA Ink about people getting a tattoo on a whim. These tattoos are about thought, memory, meaning, symbols, planning, beauty and relationships. The symbols that make the tattoo provide meaning about the past and guidance for the future. The tattoo stories on LA Ink connect me to some of the stories related to the Ark of the Covenant, particularly the reading in the Old Testament book of Numbers 10:29-36. The Ark of the Covenant has a deep and varied meaning for Israel, and this Bible passage reveals one trajectory of that meaning.
There is no way I can cover the multitude of tattoo stories from LA Ink in a sermon, but I think they are worth your time as you think about the power of symbols in our lives as we prepare for Sunday.
The Ark of the Covenant was a powerful symbol for Israel as the moved to the Promised Land representing many things (from the writings of Walter Breuggemann):
1. A place to hold the promises of God and expectations for the relationship with God close to the community.
2. It serves as a throne for God--therefore a statement about the authority, power and sovreignty of God.
3. A symbol that took and led Israel into battle as it faced military barriers in its journey to the promised land.
4. It signifies the presence, protection and leadership of God during risky travel.
Like a tattoo, object, photo, logo, symbol or quote, the Ark of the Covenant supplied Israel with a focal point on which they could remember that God was leading them to a new place. What are the images or symbols that have proven durable reminders and focal points for your actions every day?
A wedding ring
A wedding ring
A Celtic cross
I've chosen the Dashboard Jesus not as a symbol that I am choosing for you or the whole congregation, but as for something that you can consider as FLCC travels toward a new season of ministry. Things are changing for many reasons.
Pastor Allen left after 20 years.
The vehicles of communication between people is different and changing rapidly. Not just electronically, but I think about tattoos. Over 5 years ago, church mission consultant Bill Easum shared with me at a conference that people use tattoos to share their stories with one another--the tattoo is a form of testimony and even basic communication.
The Dashboard Jesus can go with you into bumpy places--our view of Jesus may bounce frequently, but Jesus remains firmly anchored. The transition ahead will be bumpy and sometimes disorienting. You will sometimes question the path of the congregation and maybe your own service--but Jesus remains. Our celebration of communion reminds us of the enduring presence of God and the unrelenting mercy of God in the midst of chaos and death.
Post script: Graven images?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Sunday Sermon Preview: Symbols
Sometimes I feel like I am one of the only people between the ages of 20-40 (not a category I will be in much longer) without a tattoo on my body. My tattoo career was limited to the temporary tattoos I loved to get in a box of Cracker Jack. I'm not against tattoos. Actually, I find them quite interesting. My brother has a couple of great ones that have become the fascination of my daughters (one of them being a train--a shoo-in for the girls). They just don't seem to fit me or my personality--kind of like the earring I tried for a week while I was in college. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but it didn't fit.
I started watching LA Ink on a lark--a show about a tattoo shop in Hollywood. The workplace drama is boring and drawn out, but the stories behind the tattoos are gripping, deeply personal and emotional. The symbols that make the tattoo provide meaning about the past and guidance for the future. The tattoo stories on LA Ink connect me to some of the stories related to the Ark of the Covenant, particularly the reading in the Old Testament book of Numbers 10:29-36. The Ark of the Covenant has a deep and varied meaning for Israel, and this Bible passage reveals one trajectory of that meaning.
There is no way I can cover the multitude of tattoo stories from LA Ink in a sermon, but I think they are worth your time as you think about the power of symbols in our lives as we prepare for Sunday.
I started watching LA Ink on a lark--a show about a tattoo shop in Hollywood. The workplace drama is boring and drawn out, but the stories behind the tattoos are gripping, deeply personal and emotional. The symbols that make the tattoo provide meaning about the past and guidance for the future. The tattoo stories on LA Ink connect me to some of the stories related to the Ark of the Covenant, particularly the reading in the Old Testament book of Numbers 10:29-36. The Ark of the Covenant has a deep and varied meaning for Israel, and this Bible passage reveals one trajectory of that meaning.
There is no way I can cover the multitude of tattoo stories from LA Ink in a sermon, but I think they are worth your time as you think about the power of symbols in our lives as we prepare for Sunday.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Come to church Sunday, September 19th, for a chance to win a Dashboard Jesus
If you're wondering about the sermon title: Dashboard Jesus, we will be talking about the symbols of our lives and their meaning, while examining Israel and the meaning behind "The Ark of the Covenant" in the Old Testament. Our primary Bible reading comes from the Old Testament book of Numbers 10: 29-36. One adult and one child will have an opportunity to win a Dashboard Jesus at each service.
I apologize that I will be giving away "stuff," but the Dashboard Jesus will be an important symbol to discuss and ponder this Sunday.
I apologize that I will be giving away "stuff," but the Dashboard Jesus will be an important symbol to discuss and ponder this Sunday.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Looking for a twit (or is it a tweet?)
After beginning work on this blog, a few people asked me on the Church Council asked me if I was going to be using Twitter as well. I said I didn't know. Is it a good investment of my time? Will it make a difference in people connecting with God and with one another? Will Twitter further the mission of First Lutheran Community Church?
After reading Seth Godin's blog entry today, I thought about how the Church has gotten out of public discourse because it is too slow to change and meet people where they are--and therefore is failing to meet it's mission of changing the world and proclaiming God's love and mercy because it is failing to meet people where they are. Jesus met people where they are. Public discourse is on the social networking sites, so I will be communicating via Twitter. Follow my twitter page here. I'm curious about how many ELCA Lutheran leaders are using social networking sites. I could be wrong--there could be THOUSANDS.
The people of God need to be in public discourse about the Christian life.
After reading Seth Godin's blog entry today, I thought about how the Church has gotten out of public discourse because it is too slow to change and meet people where they are--and therefore is failing to meet it's mission of changing the world and proclaiming God's love and mercy because it is failing to meet people where they are. Jesus met people where they are. Public discourse is on the social networking sites, so I will be communicating via Twitter. Follow my twitter page here. I'm curious about how many ELCA Lutheran leaders are using social networking sites. I could be wrong--there could be THOUSANDS.
The people of God need to be in public discourse about the Christian life.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Looking for folks to interview
One of my practices as an interim pastor is to interview people at large in the congregation and community soon after I arrive to serve. I am looking for anywhere between 10-20 people for an interview. I need about 30 minutes of your time, or longer if you have more to say. Please let me know if you would be willing to invest the time. Call me at the church office, leave me an email at pastorjoe@wavecable.com, or leave your contact information in the contacts so we can set up an interview. These interviews will be confidential so you will be able to speak freely. I look forward to learning more about what God is up to at FLCC and getting to know you better.
Sermon prayers and thoughts: "We all need a place to keep our stuff"
I had a few requests Sunday to post my sermons on my blog or the church website. How to address this request challenges me because I don't create sermon manuscripts. However, I do write as a means to clarify my thoughts for a particular sermon, and those thoughts are filtered and become a sermon that you hear on Sunday. Some ideas do not make the sermon from my writing, other ideas are added after I'm completed my writing. Below you will find my writing done in preparation for the first sermon in the "Sound Transitions" sermon series: "We all need a place to keep our stuff." I hope you find this helpful--let me know how this works as a substitute for a manuscript.
*****************
Accumulation of stuff makes for a tired preaching theme, especially during a cycle of preaching on Luke that begins soon for all of the Revised Common Lectionary preachers out there. I have heard and preached several sermons either on the dangers of stuff or the unfaithful use of stuff--with the goal of existence is to store treasures in heaven, not on earth.
Blah, blah, blah...with a little bit of George Carlin's comedy bit on stuff in the back of my mind (beware of the vulgarity if you search for the piece).
I have multiple influences on how I look at stuff. My mother is known for her organization of stuff. My mother-in-law seems to be the opposite of a pack rat, she is well known for her ability to "pitch it" in the midst of cluttered situations. A good friend of mine used to share all kinds of quirky wisdom when we both lived in Wisconsin. He hated the idea of furniture, and preferred to sleep on a cold hard floor with a single blanket (the guy is a closet monk, I believe). He used to say that he didn't believe in the proverb "you can't take it with you." His interesting twist was "you HAVE to take it with you." This wisdom may be behind why he didn't want to own any furniture. If I have the choice of weekday morning television (I'm the lowest on the totem pole--my dear wife likes the Today Show, the girls like PBS Kids), I go for the TLC show Clean Sweep. One of the show's catch phrases is "zero to organized in 48 hours." Some may see the show's primary goal is organization, but I think it's more about a wiser approach to stuff.
During my naively altruistic late 20's I remember days of being anti-stuff, especially when I read Luke's Gospel. Talk about hypocrisy--here I was reading, thinking and praying anti-stuff, yet I was accumulating stuff at a scary rate, maybe not at the level of a shopping addict, pack rat, or a clinically-ill hoarder, but I was buying a lot of stuff. Plus I had all the preserved stuff of my youth. Again, not quite a pack rat with my kid stuff, but enough that I needed special sections in my living space and my parents' garage for my stuff. Supposedly, I have a few small piles of stuff still in their garage.
Peter Walsh on Clean Sweep (and Oprah) forces the people on the show to specifically define the importance of many pieces of stuff. Even the most scraggly piece of memorabilia can be saved from the trash, give, or sell piles on the show if they can define purpose and meaning in detail for a piece of stuff. I remember one man was attached to an old Cub Scout uniform that a wife wanted to get rid of. The man was able to tell Peter about it's purpose and meaning, and they found a way to honor that piece of memorabilia rather than pack it away in the bowels of a storage space.
Finding a place for your important stuff and giving it honor, so that you can look at it and be able to remind yourself and tell others about why it is important to you--and share stories around that piece.
With this idea of stuff in mind--I move on to my text for the week, from Deuteronomy 10, where God tells Moses to build an ark that will contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Ark of the Covenant becomes a symbol of God going with Israel in the midst of their transition to the Promised Land, and what is important to carry with them in their travels. The Ark becomes a symbol of cohesiveness and guidance in the midst of the transition, but it also has a utilitarian function--we all need a place to keep our stuff. Even God. In his introduction to the OT prophet Haggai, Eugene Peterson gives a reminder that we are human beings who occupy time and space. Stuff is part of reality, and we need to learn how to be good stewards of the stuff. We take our stuff with us, so what we take and how we take it become important to us.
What will we honor? How will we carry it with us? How will what we carry inform us--guide us, influence us, burden us, free us? I have a few more days to ponder these questions as I prepare for the Sunday sermon...
Post Script: I think I'll be watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for a little perspective and maybe a movie clip? I texted my mother to see where the movie was at her house, and like the organized person that she is informed me of its location: "Up stairs bottom shelf west wall (sic)." Yep, that's my Mom.
Post-Script #2: OT scholars Walter Brueggemann and Gerhard Von Rad write about how the Ark reveals something about the fluidity of interpretation for Israel. The Ark ends up serving different purposes throughout its existence: As a symbol for liturgy (which Von Rad points out is somehow immune to the commandment on graven images), as a symbol for war, as a container for the Commandments; it also serves as a throne for Yahweh. Maybe this fluidity indicates that it's okay that the meaning of stuff and our relationship with stuff is not static.
*****************
Accumulation of stuff makes for a tired preaching theme, especially during a cycle of preaching on Luke that begins soon for all of the Revised Common Lectionary preachers out there. I have heard and preached several sermons either on the dangers of stuff or the unfaithful use of stuff--with the goal of existence is to store treasures in heaven, not on earth.
Blah, blah, blah...with a little bit of George Carlin's comedy bit on stuff in the back of my mind (beware of the vulgarity if you search for the piece).
I have multiple influences on how I look at stuff. My mother is known for her organization of stuff. My mother-in-law seems to be the opposite of a pack rat, she is well known for her ability to "pitch it" in the midst of cluttered situations. A good friend of mine used to share all kinds of quirky wisdom when we both lived in Wisconsin. He hated the idea of furniture, and preferred to sleep on a cold hard floor with a single blanket (the guy is a closet monk, I believe). He used to say that he didn't believe in the proverb "you can't take it with you." His interesting twist was "you HAVE to take it with you." This wisdom may be behind why he didn't want to own any furniture. If I have the choice of weekday morning television (I'm the lowest on the totem pole--my dear wife likes the Today Show, the girls like PBS Kids), I go for the TLC show Clean Sweep. One of the show's catch phrases is "zero to organized in 48 hours." Some may see the show's primary goal is organization, but I think it's more about a wiser approach to stuff.
During my naively altruistic late 20's I remember days of being anti-stuff, especially when I read Luke's Gospel. Talk about hypocrisy--here I was reading, thinking and praying anti-stuff, yet I was accumulating stuff at a scary rate, maybe not at the level of a shopping addict, pack rat, or a clinically-ill hoarder, but I was buying a lot of stuff. Plus I had all the preserved stuff of my youth. Again, not quite a pack rat with my kid stuff, but enough that I needed special sections in my living space and my parents' garage for my stuff. Supposedly, I have a few small piles of stuff still in their garage.
Peter Walsh on Clean Sweep (and Oprah) forces the people on the show to specifically define the importance of many pieces of stuff. Even the most scraggly piece of memorabilia can be saved from the trash, give, or sell piles on the show if they can define purpose and meaning in detail for a piece of stuff. I remember one man was attached to an old Cub Scout uniform that a wife wanted to get rid of. The man was able to tell Peter about it's purpose and meaning, and they found a way to honor that piece of memorabilia rather than pack it away in the bowels of a storage space.
Finding a place for your important stuff and giving it honor, so that you can look at it and be able to remind yourself and tell others about why it is important to you--and share stories around that piece.
With this idea of stuff in mind--I move on to my text for the week, from Deuteronomy 10, where God tells Moses to build an ark that will contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Ark of the Covenant becomes a symbol of God going with Israel in the midst of their transition to the Promised Land, and what is important to carry with them in their travels. The Ark becomes a symbol of cohesiveness and guidance in the midst of the transition, but it also has a utilitarian function--we all need a place to keep our stuff. Even God. In his introduction to the OT prophet Haggai, Eugene Peterson gives a reminder that we are human beings who occupy time and space. Stuff is part of reality, and we need to learn how to be good stewards of the stuff. We take our stuff with us, so what we take and how we take it become important to us.
What will we honor? How will we carry it with us? How will what we carry inform us--guide us, influence us, burden us, free us? I have a few more days to ponder these questions as I prepare for the Sunday sermon...
Post Script: I think I'll be watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for a little perspective and maybe a movie clip? I texted my mother to see where the movie was at her house, and like the organized person that she is informed me of its location: "Up stairs bottom shelf west wall (sic)." Yep, that's my Mom.
Post-Script #2: OT scholars Walter Brueggemann and Gerhard Von Rad write about how the Ark reveals something about the fluidity of interpretation for Israel. The Ark ends up serving different purposes throughout its existence: As a symbol for liturgy (which Von Rad points out is somehow immune to the commandment on graven images), as a symbol for war, as a container for the Commandments; it also serves as a throne for Yahweh. Maybe this fluidity indicates that it's okay that the meaning of stuff and our relationship with stuff is not static.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Ahead or behind the curve? Office set up, media, and the Christian life
As an interim pastor, I move from congregation to congregation on the average of once per year. The past two ministries I served I didn't keep an office at the church, but at FLCC I find myself setting up an office once again. It becomes a place of both reminders and opportunities.
For reminders, I have Bibles to remind me of God's ongoing work. I have pictures of my wife, Melanie, daughters Kendall and Ashling, and my brothers and extended family. Each of these reminders provide a grounding for who I am and what my mission is in life.
For opportunities, I have a computer at my desk that provides a treasure trove of information and ideas. I have chairs where people come to sit and share their thoughts, experiences and ideas.
Then there are my books. What am I to do with my books? Melanie and I have spent thousands of dollars on books on theology, Bible, history, sociology, pastoral care, preaching, youth ministry, congregational dynamics, etc. There are hundreds of dollars worth of books that we will probably never crack open again, yet I carry them around with me, store them in boxes, move them from congregation to congregation. Not only is this lugging of paper, glue, stitching and ink tedious, but sometimes the thought of going back to my library to refresh my mind on a teaching or idea seems challenging or daunting at best, overwhelming and despairing at worst. Melanie and I have trimmed our collection over the past several months, but we still have hundreds of books.
Music seems to be ahead of the curve compared to books. I am preparing to get rid of/sell about 95 percent of my CD collection. I listen to a CD on a rare occasion--only the radio or an mp3 file. iTunes has changed my listening life. I thought I might keep CDs for the liner notes, but I can get interesting information about musicians easily from the web. Though CD's take up less space than albums (forget about cassettes), they still take up plenty of space.
It appears that the time will come when books are essentially obsolete. The technology is more than ready, available, and will only get less expensive. College and university departments are preparing for a shift in their text preparation by acquainting themselves with electronic book readers, and the stewardship of space side of me finds reducing my books to a single electronic device really appeals to me. Will I really want to read a book electronically? Will it take months or years for my sense of touch to evolve away from the tactile stimulation of turning pages? I know I was thinking the same way about email and newspapers. E-mail has been a quick adjustment, online news--not so much. Will I read the Bible more if I have an electronic version? In the olden (!) days when I had a Bible on my Palm device (about 8 years ago) I didn't read my Bible more on the device, but I did access it for quick reference. The screens were archaic and hard on the eyes--but screens today have improved tenfold.
In the end, I'm not sure if the Christian life is necessarily better because of technology--but I don't think it's worse, either. The Christian life is different, and to ignore it would be poor stewardship as well. But thank you for reading my blog and giving me feedback at the church and in your comments--though our methods of fellowship and learning may be different, the benefits are the same. We get closer to God and one another.
For reminders, I have Bibles to remind me of God's ongoing work. I have pictures of my wife, Melanie, daughters Kendall and Ashling, and my brothers and extended family. Each of these reminders provide a grounding for who I am and what my mission is in life.
For opportunities, I have a computer at my desk that provides a treasure trove of information and ideas. I have chairs where people come to sit and share their thoughts, experiences and ideas.
Then there are my books. What am I to do with my books? Melanie and I have spent thousands of dollars on books on theology, Bible, history, sociology, pastoral care, preaching, youth ministry, congregational dynamics, etc. There are hundreds of dollars worth of books that we will probably never crack open again, yet I carry them around with me, store them in boxes, move them from congregation to congregation. Not only is this lugging of paper, glue, stitching and ink tedious, but sometimes the thought of going back to my library to refresh my mind on a teaching or idea seems challenging or daunting at best, overwhelming and despairing at worst. Melanie and I have trimmed our collection over the past several months, but we still have hundreds of books.
Music seems to be ahead of the curve compared to books. I am preparing to get rid of/sell about 95 percent of my CD collection. I listen to a CD on a rare occasion--only the radio or an mp3 file. iTunes has changed my listening life. I thought I might keep CDs for the liner notes, but I can get interesting information about musicians easily from the web. Though CD's take up less space than albums (forget about cassettes), they still take up plenty of space.
It appears that the time will come when books are essentially obsolete. The technology is more than ready, available, and will only get less expensive. College and university departments are preparing for a shift in their text preparation by acquainting themselves with electronic book readers, and the stewardship of space side of me finds reducing my books to a single electronic device really appeals to me. Will I really want to read a book electronically? Will it take months or years for my sense of touch to evolve away from the tactile stimulation of turning pages? I know I was thinking the same way about email and newspapers. E-mail has been a quick adjustment, online news--not so much. Will I read the Bible more if I have an electronic version? In the olden (!) days when I had a Bible on my Palm device (about 8 years ago) I didn't read my Bible more on the device, but I did access it for quick reference. The screens were archaic and hard on the eyes--but screens today have improved tenfold.
In the end, I'm not sure if the Christian life is necessarily better because of technology--but I don't think it's worse, either. The Christian life is different, and to ignore it would be poor stewardship as well. But thank you for reading my blog and giving me feedback at the church and in your comments--though our methods of fellowship and learning may be different, the benefits are the same. We get closer to God and one another.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I have a Good to Go pass
Each congregation I serve has some unique questions for me when I enter their lives. Some people ask about my family, or where I grew up. At First Lutheran Community Church I have received a single question several times:
Do you have your "Good To Go" pass?
I like saving $1.25 per trip across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and it has to save me a few minutes on my commute. I am now equipped with my Good To Go pass.
People also wonder how I'm surviving the commute from Federal Way to Port Orchard. Honestly, it seems quite short to me. This commute ranks 4th out of 9 congregations I've served for shortest commutes. I also preached all over the Southwestern Washington Synod this summer, and this commute is definitely short compared to Grayland and Winlock, and a hop/skip/jump compared to my longest commute--Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Presho, South Dakota--400 miles round trip.
Do you have your "Good To Go" pass?
I like saving $1.25 per trip across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and it has to save me a few minutes on my commute. I am now equipped with my Good To Go pass.
People also wonder how I'm surviving the commute from Federal Way to Port Orchard. Honestly, it seems quite short to me. This commute ranks 4th out of 9 congregations I've served for shortest commutes. I also preached all over the Southwestern Washington Synod this summer, and this commute is definitely short compared to Grayland and Winlock, and a hop/skip/jump compared to my longest commute--Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Presho, South Dakota--400 miles round trip.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
On being the Church in the None Zone
I received a great question in the comment section yesterday, and I thought it deserved a wider audience, so I didn't want to bury it in the comment section:
So what do you see as the strength of being a congregation located in the infamous "None Zone?"
It's interesting to be able to answer this question and actually be living here. For over 5 years I have talked about "The None Zone (the specific terminology)" from afar, even though I am a native Washingtonian. I have thought about the differences I noticed between the Church I observed in the Midwest through the lens of my experience in the Pacific Northwest, beginning with my college experience at (then) Mankato State University in 1991.
From the literature I have read (any value judgments put aside), I see that in the Pacific Northwest, we live in an "open religious market (this term is taken from the None Zone book) ." In short, in this open relgious market, no religious perspective, brand, faith tradition, etc., has a significant hold on the culture in the Pacific Northwest. Is religion important to people in the Pacific Northwest? It can be. But one can't say that a particular tradition holds sway on public discourse or culture, like Baptists in the South or Roman Catholics in the Northeast, or Lutherans in the Northern Great Plains.
In my sermon when I was preaching at FLCC in June, I talked about response to the open religious market. Lutherans and other Mainline Protestant traditions (Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, etc.) tend to look at this situation with complaints or judgment (from a study by James Wellman at the University of Washington). I can understand the perspective, especially since Lutherans raised in the Midwest have had the wider culture supporting their religious efforts.
I think being the Church in the Pacific Northwest is a great opportunity. Though we don't have the social supports as in other places, we can also try new things. FLCC has already been a leader in trying new methods of sharing the Gospel. We don't have the opportunity to take the message of God's grace in Jesus for granted as in other places. We have to be intentional about what the community of faith does in the world. I think it's also a great advantage that people ask questions and refuse to be spoon fed congregational life and culture without coming to know the life of faith. I don't believe that faith and culture should be so easily intertwined as I have experienced in the Midwest.
This is probably enough to chew on for today. In short (again), I believe we live as Christians in the midst of a great opportunity in the Pacific Northwest open religious market.
So what do you see as the strength of being a congregation located in the infamous "None Zone?"
It's interesting to be able to answer this question and actually be living here. For over 5 years I have talked about "The None Zone (the specific terminology)" from afar, even though I am a native Washingtonian. I have thought about the differences I noticed between the Church I observed in the Midwest through the lens of my experience in the Pacific Northwest, beginning with my college experience at (then) Mankato State University in 1991.
From the literature I have read (any value judgments put aside), I see that in the Pacific Northwest, we live in an "open religious market (this term is taken from the None Zone book) ." In short, in this open relgious market, no religious perspective, brand, faith tradition, etc., has a significant hold on the culture in the Pacific Northwest. Is religion important to people in the Pacific Northwest? It can be. But one can't say that a particular tradition holds sway on public discourse or culture, like Baptists in the South or Roman Catholics in the Northeast, or Lutherans in the Northern Great Plains.
In my sermon when I was preaching at FLCC in June, I talked about response to the open religious market. Lutherans and other Mainline Protestant traditions (Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, etc.) tend to look at this situation with complaints or judgment (from a study by James Wellman at the University of Washington). I can understand the perspective, especially since Lutherans raised in the Midwest have had the wider culture supporting their religious efforts.
I think being the Church in the Pacific Northwest is a great opportunity. Though we don't have the social supports as in other places, we can also try new things. FLCC has already been a leader in trying new methods of sharing the Gospel. We don't have the opportunity to take the message of God's grace in Jesus for granted as in other places. We have to be intentional about what the community of faith does in the world. I think it's also a great advantage that people ask questions and refuse to be spoon fed congregational life and culture without coming to know the life of faith. I don't believe that faith and culture should be so easily intertwined as I have experienced in the Midwest.
This is probably enough to chew on for today. In short (again), I believe we live as Christians in the midst of a great opportunity in the Pacific Northwest open religious market.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Please share your thoughts on transitions
Over the years I have found various methods to gather input for sermons. I would like to offer readers an opportunity to share their thoughts on particular sermon topics that can be helpful as I work on Sunday's sermons. Over the next 4 weeks I am going to be preaching on the theme of transitions. I would appreciate if you could share some thoughts on the following questions, or on anything else related to the topic of transitions.
- What kinds of big changes have you faced in your life?
- How did you manage those changes?
- What worked or didn't work?
- Do you have any wisdom to share about transitions?
- Did your prayer life expand or contract during a transition?
- During a transition, are you reminded of any particular Bible passages?
- What are your feelings and/or thoughts related to the senior pastor transition at FLCC?
Building a book list
I have begun to post links to some of my favorite books (and their amazon.com links) that have served as a combination of influences in my life. I won't be able to write about every book to which you see a link on the blog's right side column, but if you have a specific question about a particular book, I would be glad to address the books in a comment.
Remember to bring your backpack/suitcase/briefcase Sunday!
This is the first of a few more reminders that you and especially the kids in your life are invited to bring a backpack, briefcase or suitcase to worship this Sunday. We will be doing a backpack, etc. blessing during the Children's Sermon time.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Half-marathon completed today
Thanks for the encouragement and prayers for this morning's half-marathon in Woodinville. In the past I have hit shorter races, like 5ks. I wanted to challenge myself--and today was a huge challenge. I was pretty pokey and didn't really prepare myself for the hills. I hit a "wall" at about mile 10, but I was still able to finish. For me, this is an accomplishment. I'm not in a rush to do another race of this length, but I will probably do another one. I'd like to move up to a marathon, but I'm not sure if I can make the time commitment at this point. Even the 2 hour runs I needed to train for this race are sometimes hard to carve out of a day.
I love the race atmosphere and having a goal to push my training. I found it was a little harder to train for this than a 5-mile race I did on St. Patrick's Day, especially as my wife and I try to figure out our schedules. Maybe I can find a short race in November or December so I can train better during the holiday season...
I love the race atmosphere and having a goal to push my training. I found it was a little harder to train for this than a 5-mile race I did on St. Patrick's Day, especially as my wife and I try to figure out our schedules. Maybe I can find a short race in November or December so I can train better during the holiday season...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Quite a first Sunday as interim pastor at FLCC
I received a kind welcome today at FLCC. I think this is one of the most engaged congregations I have ever experienced in terms of interaction during a sermon. Lots of non-verbal communication, and even some verbal responses. I was a bit thrown back, but it was very positive, and about everything a Lutheran preacher can hope for (we tend not to be as interactive in sermons as some other traditions). I appreciate that people are invested in hearing the word of God and making practical applications.
Whew! The heat of the stage lights at FLCC is pretty intense--I need to make some adjustments so I don't pass out...but I'm glad you have them for the sake of the web and local cable TV broadcasts, which I am also glad you do.
In case you were interested in the Robert Fulghum book "Maybe (Maybe Not)" I referenced in the Sunday sermon, here is a link to take a look at the book. I'll post a reading list soon so you can take a look at some of the books I have been reading that might influence my thoughts.
I hope you have a great Labor Day. I'm glad the weather has cooled down a little for my half-marathon in Woodinville tomorrow morning!
Whew! The heat of the stage lights at FLCC is pretty intense--I need to make some adjustments so I don't pass out...but I'm glad you have them for the sake of the web and local cable TV broadcasts, which I am also glad you do.
In case you were interested in the Robert Fulghum book "Maybe (Maybe Not)" I referenced in the Sunday sermon, here is a link to take a look at the book. I'll post a reading list soon so you can take a look at some of the books I have been reading that might influence my thoughts.
I hope you have a great Labor Day. I'm glad the weather has cooled down a little for my half-marathon in Woodinville tomorrow morning!
Influential to sermon from Ecclesiastes
As I was preparing for the Sunday's sermon, I found a great old sermon from the 1950's by theologian Paul Tillich that addressed how God breaks into human timing through Jesus Christ. I hung on that theme, because I am often leery of how natural disasters are often conveniently attributed to God's judgment in order to serve their own ideas. I believe God using weather is possible, as God is free to do so. However, I believe that we can be much more sure of God breaking into the world through Jesus, because that is something we can hold on to with confidence.
I believe that FLCC has some great opportunities to grow in its faithfulness in service during this interim time, thanks for joining me in this exploration.
I believe that FLCC has some great opportunities to grow in its faithfulness in service during this interim time, thanks for joining me in this exploration.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fridays off
One challenging point for any person who works inside or outside the home is finding time apart for rest and recreation. Sabbath is a dying practice where the people of God stop working in remembrance of God taking a day off after 6 days of creation. Sabbath does not mean going to church, sabbath means ceasing work for approximately 24 hours. Friday is my day of Sabbath, as I happen to work most Sundays.
Sabbath is an important practice for Israel, though in an age of 24-hour news cycles and hyperactive commerce, rest is lost and thought of as weak. For all of the public and Church discourse about what the Bible says, Sabbath is an antique--quaint and not actually practiced. But with the frequency it is mentioned in both Old and New Testaments, I think Christians have some misplaced priorities.
I have to admit, it's fun for me to write, especially on a blog, but I will do my best to keep my Fridays Your Average Pastor (YAP) blog free.
Enjoy your Friday, and thanks for reading.
Sabbath is an important practice for Israel, though in an age of 24-hour news cycles and hyperactive commerce, rest is lost and thought of as weak. For all of the public and Church discourse about what the Bible says, Sabbath is an antique--quaint and not actually practiced. But with the frequency it is mentioned in both Old and New Testaments, I think Christians have some misplaced priorities.
I have to admit, it's fun for me to write, especially on a blog, but I will do my best to keep my Fridays Your Average Pastor (YAP) blog free.
Enjoy your Friday, and thanks for reading.
New Sermon Series begins September 13th: Sound Transitions
We all go through transitions in life, where life was lived one way and then things change. How do we live well in the midst of life's transitions? How do we live when we experience a personal transition? A new job (or job loss), a new relationship, a broken relationship, a new child, the loss of a loved one, a new home--any of these scenarios and many others can be disconcerting and lead to wonder about the presence of God.
What does a transition mean for a congregation? When Pastor Allen recently departed after 20 years of ministry in Port Orchard, what feelings arose? What does Pastor Allen's departure mean for the ministry of FLCC? How will the people of FLCC continue to live faithfully? Some may say that ministry will suffer, and all kinds of things will change. Some may say that everything will go on exactly like before. Neither statements are fully true. Pastor Allen did not exist in a vacuum--there will be many changes in the wake of his departure. Some changes will be smooth, others will not.
The community of faith Israel offers many views on their way of life, including transitions they faced thousands of years ago. Some are observed in the lives of individuals, others more corporate. A symbol of Israel's transition toward the Promised Land is the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was built under God's direction, a container to house the stone tablets of God's law and covenant while the nation of Israel lived in transition, both physical and spiritual. During the sermon series "Sound Transitions" we will look to some of the Bible passages addressing the Ark of the Covenant as a means to learn what is a "sound transition." I hope we can all gain insights from the Word of God for our personal transitions and the transitions facing FLCC. I look forward to our ongoing conversations.
Sermon Series: Sound Transitions
September 13, 2009
“We All Need A Place To Keep Our Stuff”
Deuteronomy 10: 1-5
2 Corinthians 4: 7-12
Matthew 14: 13-21
September 20, 2009
“Dashboard Jesus”
Numbers 10: 29-36
Acts 10: 9-16
Luke 9: 1-6
September 27, 2009
“Celebration!”
1 Kings 8: 1-8
Revelation 1: 4b-8
Mark 11: 1-11
October 4, 2009
“What You Discover In The End”
Jeremiah 3:15-18
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13
John 10: 11-18
What does a transition mean for a congregation? When Pastor Allen recently departed after 20 years of ministry in Port Orchard, what feelings arose? What does Pastor Allen's departure mean for the ministry of FLCC? How will the people of FLCC continue to live faithfully? Some may say that ministry will suffer, and all kinds of things will change. Some may say that everything will go on exactly like before. Neither statements are fully true. Pastor Allen did not exist in a vacuum--there will be many changes in the wake of his departure. Some changes will be smooth, others will not.
The community of faith Israel offers many views on their way of life, including transitions they faced thousands of years ago. Some are observed in the lives of individuals, others more corporate. A symbol of Israel's transition toward the Promised Land is the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was built under God's direction, a container to house the stone tablets of God's law and covenant while the nation of Israel lived in transition, both physical and spiritual. During the sermon series "Sound Transitions" we will look to some of the Bible passages addressing the Ark of the Covenant as a means to learn what is a "sound transition." I hope we can all gain insights from the Word of God for our personal transitions and the transitions facing FLCC. I look forward to our ongoing conversations.
Sermon Series: Sound Transitions
September 13, 2009
“We All Need A Place To Keep Our Stuff”
Deuteronomy 10: 1-5
2 Corinthians 4: 7-12
Matthew 14: 13-21
September 20, 2009
“Dashboard Jesus”
Numbers 10: 29-36
Acts 10: 9-16
Luke 9: 1-6
September 27, 2009
“Celebration!”
1 Kings 8: 1-8
Revelation 1: 4b-8
Mark 11: 1-11
October 4, 2009
“What You Discover In The End”
Jeremiah 3:15-18
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13
John 10: 11-18
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Half-marathon on Labor Day--pray for me...
I'm running in my first half-marathon in Woodinville on Labor Day, it starts at 9am (I better confirm that time). I've run a few 5k races and I did a 5-miler on St. Patrick's Day. I'm looking forward to the run, but I need all the prayers I can get.
Coming September 13th: Kids of all ages--bring a backpack to church!
On Sunday, September 13th, First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard will return to its regular worship schedule: 8, 930 and 11am. Not only will this day serve as a kick-off to a new year of Sunday School, but we will also share a blessing of backpacks for kids of all ages at each service. With a new school year, kids often anxiously wonder what the new school year will hold for them. With the backpack blessing, kids can be reminded that they don't go to school prepared with school supplies but also the love of Jesus and their congregation.
In case you are wondering what a "kid of all ages" might be, consider the 13th as an opportunity to bring a briefcase from work or a suitcase for traveling in the near future (say if you do winter in a more southern location). We will also be marking a special time of transition for this congregation. Backpacks, briefcases and suitcases are great ways to think about transitions for you and for FLCC. We can be reminded on this day that though the transition may be filled with anxiety, God goes with us!
In case you are wondering what a "kid of all ages" might be, consider the 13th as an opportunity to bring a briefcase from work or a suitcase for traveling in the near future (say if you do winter in a more southern location). We will also be marking a special time of transition for this congregation. Backpacks, briefcases and suitcases are great ways to think about transitions for you and for FLCC. We can be reminded on this day that though the transition may be filled with anxiety, God goes with us!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
First day officially serving in Port Orchard
I arrived in Port Orchard in a frenzy this morning. My wife and I patched together a plan for where our children go and by what mode of transport. This is my first full-time work in 2 years--the logistics of serving in a new congregation are always disjointed, yet exciting. But, I am also quite rusty in my thought processes. I have a lot of acclamation ahead of me.
My vocational days in the past few years have involved supporting my wife and daughters in their vocations. I served as a home economist and dabbled in child development,.while preaching regularly, sometimes not so regularly. I served two part-time ministries, one in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, and one in Lyman County, South Dakota. I hung on the conversations I had with my wife, reading, and prayer life. My spiritual director once told me that raising children as a stay-at-home-parent was a monastic sort of life, and having once observed a monastic community, I found some truth in the parent-as-monastic image. I feel mostly confident about what staying at home has done for our family life, and I look forward to watching my family grow and develop from my new base serving in Port Orchard.
I come to First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard with some solid, yet diverse experiences as an interim pastor, and I look forward to working with the lay leadership and what Pastor Allen established over many years of ministry. All congregations have unique personalities, but I believe FLCC has some lively approaches that are not common among congregations of the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA. I hope to discern faithfully with you to what God is calling this community of faith. I look forward to hearing the stories of God at work at FLCC and Port Orchard. Please feel free to use this blog as a place to leave comments or ideas in this ongoing conversation about serving through our daily lives in the name of Christ.
I give thanks for the opportunity to serve in this place--God is blessing our service together.
My vocational days in the past few years have involved supporting my wife and daughters in their vocations. I served as a home economist and dabbled in child development,.while preaching regularly, sometimes not so regularly. I served two part-time ministries, one in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, and one in Lyman County, South Dakota. I hung on the conversations I had with my wife, reading, and prayer life. My spiritual director once told me that raising children as a stay-at-home-parent was a monastic sort of life, and having once observed a monastic community, I found some truth in the parent-as-monastic image. I feel mostly confident about what staying at home has done for our family life, and I look forward to watching my family grow and develop from my new base serving in Port Orchard.
I come to First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard with some solid, yet diverse experiences as an interim pastor, and I look forward to working with the lay leadership and what Pastor Allen established over many years of ministry. All congregations have unique personalities, but I believe FLCC has some lively approaches that are not common among congregations of the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA. I hope to discern faithfully with you to what God is calling this community of faith. I look forward to hearing the stories of God at work at FLCC and Port Orchard. Please feel free to use this blog as a place to leave comments or ideas in this ongoing conversation about serving through our daily lives in the name of Christ.
I give thanks for the opportunity to serve in this place--God is blessing our service together.
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