Christmas Eve memories including "It's my Jesus, too"

Christmas Eve is my favorite day in our liturgical year. Nearly every Christmas Eve service has provided memories from which I derive peace and joy year after year. Here are two of my favorites.

The church in which I received baptism offered to our town a live nativity tableau on the front lawn on the evenings leading up to Christmas Eve. In snow and sleet, unseasonable warmth and chilling cold, junior and senior high youth donned costumes depicting Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi, and an angel (on the roof of the wooden stable) and joined sheep and a donkey to provide a living nativity scene to passers-by. Some evenings the sidewalk filled and the street traffic slowed to a crawl to celebrate the season. Those involved in the tableau immediately before the start of our 11 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion service moved directly from the dark of the night into the candlelit sanctuary. The pipe organ sounded out a favorite carol, the aroma of wax from the candles exuded warmth, and everyone's face seemed bathed in wonder. I have always had more questions than answers, but on Christmas Eve all else gave way to hope, peace, and a profound sense of the holy. Christmas Eve draws the willing into its story from wherever we are.

Another favorite memory comes from another 11 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion service. In our congregation many parents did not allow young children to partake of the loaf and cup until they had completed what we call confirmation. That night an active family of four stood among those coming forward to receive the bread of heaven and cup of salvation. Mom took the elements first, followed by two tall sons. Then came dad, holding four year old Kate by the hand. After dad broke some bread from the loaf, Kate reached out her hand to do the same. Dad quietly whispered, "No, Kate. That's not for you." Kate replied in a crystal clear voice given only to children, "Why, daddy? It's my Jesus too!" Dad looked at me, his puzzled face seeking direction. I knelt with the plate and said, "Give the child the bread." As my hand brushed Kate's when I handed her the bread, I touched holiness. "It's my Jesus, too." We have many doctrinal differences and varied understandings of God, but grace and wonder draw us together when we choose to participate in a community of faith.

No one stumbles into a sanctuary by accident on Christmas Eve, especially for the final service. Some come to appease a family member and some come more in spite of than because of what they believe; but only some degree of intentionality brings us to Christmas Eve worship. As we gather this year, pause and ponder the wonder: bright eyes and clear voices of children; familiar and unfamiliar faces aglow in candlelight; memories of those not present but very much with us; the story even the occasional worshipper knows by heart; that stirring moment of stillness between the last note of "Silent Night" and the sounds of our departure into the world. Hope, peace, and the holy come looking for us. Thanks be to God.

Advent Blessings, Holiday Cheer, and Merry Christmas!

LP

It's Advent -- "Keep awake!"

During Advent we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus and look for signs of him breaking into our lives. A primary scriptural message of Advent is, "Keep awake" (Mark 13:35, 37). I have not always kept awake; but, by the grace of God, I have glimpsed Jesus' advent.

This year our children and youth have lighted our Advent candles during worship. One particular Sunday the children approached this with obvious joy. They took their places well before the service and watched closely for the sign that the time had come for their parts of the liturgy. When the time came they leapt to the lectern to read their lines and the light of the world shone brightly in the pleasure they found in that opportunity to lead worship.

As I returned to church one afternoon someone I did not know was carrying something into the building. I offered to help and discovered that she had taken an angel from our angel tree and was delivering the presents she had purchased. She does not belong to our congregation and does not participate in a faith community. She had noticed our Giving Tree and taken an ornament while attending an event held in our building. She said that purchasing the requested item had reminded her of the meaning of the season. I handed her our schedule of Advent and Christmas services and invited her to return. She said she was not interested in "organized religion" but I feel confident that Jesus winked in the sparkle in her eyes.

Another day I spoke with a person who once belonged to our congregation and whose children participated in many of our ministries. With downcast eyes she told me the stories of her departure from our congregation and two others. The tales she told were specific to her, but uncomfortably familiar. When she said that she believes in God but doesn't trust the church, the wounded healer surrounded us. We see each other often, so the door remains open for further conversation. She also received word about our upcoming services, especially ones where she could blend into the crowd easily. The one who comes calls her. I hope she discerns his voice and answers soon.

The next day I overheard a conversation between two people comparing busy schedules. One noted how hard he had worked to keep a particular evening open for Christmas caroling. When he said it would not be Christmas unless he went caroling, the one who comes appeared.

Too often we think God breaks into our lives only in dramatic, earth-shaking moments. More often the advent takes place quietly, tenderly. The one who comes speaks in unexpected places and treads on ground we do not deem holy. Perhaps that is why Mark's Jesus advises, "Keep awake." We never know where and when the coming one will find us. That, friends, is good news. Look around and keep awake!

  

Advent Blessings,

LP

Mary invites and advises us to take time to ponder...

Early in my ministry I wrote these words in my journal: "The most effective sentences for prayer have frequent commas: points of rest stationed amidst the flow of ideas. The most effective structures for prayer have many pauses: time to reflect, time to prepare, time to be prepared. The most effective times of prayer have sustained silence: a period of waiting, listening, being still. Our words gain even more significance when they emerge from the depth of quiet encounter."

Those words came to mind as I read and reflected on Luke's depiction of Mary. When Gabriel initially greets her and when the shepherds visit Bethlehem, Mary pauses and reflects (Luke 1:29; 2:19). Luke uses different verbs, but they have similar meaning. Luke depicts a great deal happening while Mary ponders. Angels do not visit daily even in scripture and the shepherds arrive shortly after a long trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the birth of a first child. Mary could understandably have been caught up in the busyness around her; but like a good theologian Mary not only sees and hears but also ponders. I wonder what she could have written in her journal.

Most of us have full schedules in the next few weeks. Mary invites and advises us to take time to ponder. The synapses in our fascinating brains make connections constantly and process far more than we consciously know. Slowing down to ponder allows those synapses to probe deeper into our memories and farther into our experiences. That in turn allows the greater meanings within and beyond our activities to discover us. When greater meanings discover us, we more readily live what we most deeply believe.

Surely some late afternoon we can pause between appointments and responsibilities, pour a cup of eggnog, and reflect on what we enjoy most during this time of year. What memories and hopes do we attach to that activity or tradition? How has our experience of it changed? How long has it been since we truly savored it, instead of checking it off and moving to the next item on the list?

Our children and youth are lighting our Advent candles this year. As always, they approach Advent and Christmas in their own way. Watch them closely and take time to ponder how our services and traditions must look in their eyes. What do they have to teach us? Where do they most want to guide us?

In the Magnificat, Mary declares, "the Mighty One has done great things for me" (Luke 1:49). Advent and Christ focus on what God offers us. What has the Mighty One done for us? Have we pondered long enough for gratitude to seep to the depths of our being?

There are many other ways and things to ponder, but to ponder we must stop "doing" for a spell. Life's too short for us never to take time to allow greater meanings to discover us. Join Mary and ponder. God alone knows how a little pondering may transform our saying and sharing a Merry Christmas.

Advent Blessings,

LP

New realities...scripture and carols

In the past few weeks Nancy and I have enjoyed the blessing of spending time with our children. Even though I think we know them well, such times together provide opportunities for the pleasure of learning more about who they are and how they view the world. Some of the things they say and do affirm what we already understand about them, but other responses and statements offer glimpses into their core character and the persons they are becoming. It warms my soul to learn something new about them.

I have a similar relationship with scripture. For two decades I read all sixty-six books of the Bible annually. I have a reasonable knowledge of the content of scripture. Yet, daily Bible readings not only affirm previous awareness but also provide new insights. Sometimes that happens because I've changed. Our visit to Israel and experience in the desert gave new meaning to the word "wilderness" when it appears in scripture. The way the lushness of Galilee contrasts with the road from Jericho to Jerusalem shapes my reading of many biblical texts. I find it stimulating for a fresh word to greet me from passages I have known and read for years.

The same goes for Advent and Christmas. I know the stories of scripture and the words of the carols well. Each one evokes memories of the places where I have heard them and the people with whom I've shared them. Yet, the light that emerges from them does not come solely from the past. Last Sunday two children made requests as we sang carols at the start of the service. As we sang those songs, I saw them afresh in those young eyes. What a blessing to know that our children enjoy not only "Rudolph" and "Frosty" but also "Joy to the World" and "Go, Tell It on the Mountain." In addition, our focus on Mary has helped me to view Luke 1-2 from an entirely different perspective. My Advent and Christmas Eve messages may come from "the same old texts," but for me a new word has presented itself to be heard.

We all have our favorite parts of Advent and Christmas. As we enjoy revisiting special times from the past, I pray that we also will remain awake to new experiences and insights. On Christmas Eve we once again will sing "Silent Night" while lighting individual candles that fill the worship space and illuminate each face with a warm glow. We've done that before, but we've never done it this year with these particular people and at this unique point in our lives. As we remain awake to the movement of the Spirit, blessings flow to us not only from the past but also in the present. We may even glimpse a future we had not previously envisioned.

Even when we walk what appears to be the same path, new realities appear to those willing to remain awake and alert for them. God, life, goodness constantly breaks into our world anew. Even when we know enough to anticipate what will happen next, we do not know what blessing may find us. Therein lie hope, peace, joy, and love. Even so, Lord, come, and help me to remain awake.

Advent Blessings,

LP

Advent Message: Why Mary?

My messages during Advent will ponder the impact of Mary, the mother of Jesus, on the way we live our faith. Some consider that thin ice for a Reformed pastor.

Nearly every follower of Jesus seems to have an opinion of Mary. A fifth century monk named Caelius Sedulius, who extolled Mary despite holding women in low esteem, declared of her: "She ... had no peer / Either in our first mother or in all women / Who were to come. But alone of all her sex / She pleased the Lord." Surely other women have "pleased the Lord." John Calvin deemed Martin Luther heretical for concluding that Mary gave birth to other children after Jesus. Calvin railed against the Rosary, but referred to Mary as "a mirror of the faith that we must bring to God." Scottish Reformer John Knox, who seldom spoke kindly of any Mary (or nearly any woman), surely bristled at that. Knox reportedly threw a statue of Mary into the North Sea and touted: "Let our lady now save herself. She is light enough; let her learn to swim." Why risk the wrath of Knox and focus on Mary?

Why Mary? She piques my curiosity. Why does she so captivate us? Several years ago, under Nancy's direction, I sang John Bell's Songs of Mary. A Roman Catholic sister preached in that service and made two observations that have remained with me. She declared that the more we venerate Mary, the more we cloak the courage it would have taken for her to respond to God's call. Surely Mary struggled to say, "Let it be" as much as any other human being. The sister also noted that as the church declared Mary more saintly it pronounced Mary Magdalene more sinful. The church often has feared femaleness. Augustine considered men nearly powerless against female wiles and Milton blamed a woman for Adam's sin. Women played a prominent role in first century Christianity that soon disappeared and that many deny them now. Mary exemplifies that.

Why Mary? As a pastor I want to assure our saints with Roman Catholic roots and connections that although we do not venerate Mary or seek her intercession, we respect and admire her role in the life of Jesus. I promise to tell no jokes about Jewish mothers, but will ponder the words and actions Luke places on Mary's lips and heart.

Why Mary? Many of us refuse to let her be human. In the twelfth century Hildegard of Bingen declared that Jesus emerged from Mary's side (not her womb) without causing her pain. Can any mother believe that? In 1854, Pope Pius IX pronounced it orthodox to insist that Mary never sinned. What did he want to protect? Is Jesus' incarnation so vulnerable that we have to deny Mary's humanity to uphold it? Do we fear Mary or humanness itself?

Beverly Gaventa, a Reformed professor of New Testament, describes a human Mary, who deserves our respect: "[Mary] is ... blessed not because she sins less, or has keener insight into the things of God. She is instead blessed (as we are) because she is called by God to participate in the work of God." That's a Mary to trust and in whom to find guidance and inspiration.

May our reflections on Mary help us to journey through Advent and celebrate Christmas. Even more, may they draw us closer to each other and the Jesus we follow.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Let's pray -- "Lord, help me to care"

I consider the formation and nurture of healthy relationships central to living our faith and being fully human. We all love and relate with some people more deeply than others. Yet, along with those primary relationships, as we connect with others in meaningful ways we discover and experience the most profound joys and sorrows of human life. We also find our lives interwoven with the Author and End of Life. Similarly, vibrant personal relationships with God shape the ways our lives intersect with others. Our denominational constitution declares, "Life is a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage" (Confession of 1967; 9.17). Healthy relationships produce that gratitude and evoke that courage.

My heart has ached recently as we heard the allegations of sexual abuse of a child by a Penn State football coach. I dare not claim to know what did and did not happen; but if there was wrongdoing I believe that a healthy sense of connection could have made a difference. Most of us would like to think that if we witnessed the abuse of a child we would try to stop it. If we recognized the child as a member of our church, we would be more likely to respond. If the child were our next door neighbor, we would be even quicker to do something. If the child were our own, we would charge into action ignoring nearly any risk. The more connected we feel with another human being, the less the letter of the law matters and the more what we believe to be good, noble, and true comes to bear.

I do not suggest that we should become moral vigilantes, who prowl the streets to distribute justice. I simply believe that our capacity to do the right thing increases as we see others as people of worth. We lack the ability to know the names of all those we encounter and we cannot solve all the problems they face, but we can care what happens to them. Healthy connections begin with caring. Perhaps that is why Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

This weekend we observe Reign of Christ or Christ the King and ponder where and how Jesus reigns in our lives. Do we, who sing "Jesus Loves Me," display the love we receive in our interactions with others? When we confirmed our baptism, we called Jesus Lord and promised to obey his Word and show his love. What difference does that confession make in the lives of those we encounter daily, occasionally, and rarely? This weekend let's pray, "Lord, help me to care." We lack the wisdom and strength always to see or do what is right, but we can care. Caring will not make our lives easier. The more we care, the more vulnerable we become. Yet, that vulnerability connects us with others and makes us truly alive.

One of our saints reminded me that this is National Adoption Awareness Month. May we all say a prayer for families with chosen children, children awaiting adoption, and parents who love the children for whom they have made adoption plans. May we pray for our children and all children. And may God use our prayers to help us care more deeply and broadly. Relationships that shape the world will follow.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Vision and hope (and more)

Item One: Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS) recently announced that beginning in 2015 it will not charge tuition for students in its master's degree programs in divinity, marriage and family therapy, and religion. Current tuition is a little more than $10,200. This change addresses the rising amount of debt students have when they matriculate from seminary and the ways that debt forces them to make compensation the primary concern as they accept calls to ministry. Some even return to "secular" employment despite having trained for ordained ministry. Thanks be to God for this bold action by LPTS and those whose generosity makes it possible.

Item Two: Nancy and I have taken advantage of the recent good weather to work on a path from our back door to the creek behind our house and to build a small deck near the end of it. We presently have only one grandchild old enough to walk, but visions of grandchildren scampering up and down that path and playing on the deck dance in our heads. We have also started college funds for our grandchildren. They will need more than we can provide, but every little bit helps and interest adds up as years pass.

Item Three: At some point next year session will receive two major recommendations. One will address audio and video improvements to our sanctuary and gathering area. The other will address replacing our rapidly failing pipe organ. The technological improvements could enhance worship and other ministries AND help us to welcome a generation that cut its teeth on instant and visual communication. The organ could support our existing worship services and musical ministries AND welcome the increasing number of young people who prefer traditional worship. Yes, traditional worship appears to be resurging.

Now a quotation. In Life Is a Miracle, Wendell Berry posits: "No individual life is an end in itself. One can live fully only by participating fully in the succession of generations... Some would say (and I am one of them) that we can live fully only by making ourselves as answerable to the claims of eternity as to those of time."

Finally a question. How far do our vision and hope extend? We cannot know precisely what the next generations will face, but we can try to serve them as faithfully as those who preceded us served us. When we keep those who will follow us in mind while we make decisions today, we provide an intentional (rather than accidental) legacy. Extending our vision and hope into the future will assure our descendents that we had them in mind (Even if some of our legacy makes them wonder what we were thinking!) AND will offer us the blessing of being people who give as well as take.

Enjoy the day, MWPC saints, AND think about how to bless those who will walk in faith long after us. In the mystery of the ways of God, living in mindfulness of a tomorrow we will not see makes us more alive today.

Grace and Peace,

LP

All Saints, We Are

This weekend we will celebrate All Saints. During worship we will light candles to remember and give thanks for the life and ministry of saints in our congregation who have joined the Church Triumphant since last All Saints Day. We also will focus on the blessing of having each other with whom to travel in faith. Our tradition considers ALL members of the Body of Christ saints. That does not mean we all live perfect lives. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We become saints not by performing miracles, but through the claim God makes on us in baptism. By water and the Spirit, God makes us members of the church of Jesus Christ, saints in his ministry.

Saints often have more impact than they realize. Sometimes seemingly simple acts of ministry make a great difference. That impact flows from the gifts of the Spirit abundant in every ministry and from the wonder woven into the relationships we share. A recent practice initiated by Le Bonheur Hospital in Memphis has provided concrete evidence of this. La Bonheur works with four hundred churches in the area it serves in a program in which hospital staff members, called "navigators," work with liaisons in congregations to arrange visits, transportation, and follow-up care for hospitalized members or friends of those congregations. From 2007 to 2009 hospital officials noted that patients in this program had 50% lower mortality rates and 20% lower readmission rates. As saints from congregations visited, helped with transportation, and made follow- up calls, the health of other saints dramatically improved. As in any scientific endeavor, only further testing will validate these results; but the message is clear. Good things happen as we stay in touch with each other.

I see this often. Our saints understandably expect a pastor to visit when they are hospitalized. Yet, when any of our saints also visits, the hospitalized saints almost always tell the story with obvious and emotional gratitude. We all know about being busy. When someone with whom we worship and serve takes time to express concern for us, the community becomes more vibrant and God seems more personal and near. For those less able to travel, please know that handwritten notes have similar impact. Saints experience the blessings of Jesus' promise, "I am with you always," as other saints take the time to let them know they are valued, loved, and worth a few moments of time.

This weekend we will read the names of departed saints, light candles, and thank God for them. We can further honor those saints by looking for opportunities to strengthen the ties that bind us. All 1000 plus should not make hospital visits next week! That would not help our convalescent saints and it might make the hospitals file restraining orders! But all 1000 plus of us can make personal contacts weekly. When a child sings a song we enjoyed during worship, we could write a note or make a call. When we do not recognize a face, we can extend our hand or even invite that person out for coffee. Only our imaginations limit the possibilities, and when the Spirit touches our imaginations, anything becomes possible.

Those who traveled in faith before us bless us. So do those with whom we travel now. May our celebration of All Saints inspire us not only to give thanks for those blessings, but also to add to them.

Grace and Peace Saints,

LP

Time, time, time...

Scientists estimate that the Big Bang occurred approximately fourteen billion years ago. Some scientists hypothesize that billions of years from now the universe will spread so far that it will cool and go dark. Others propose that one day it will retract and then explode all over again. Many of us believe that God, who was before there was a before and who will be after there no longer is, extends beyond that. Whichever way we look, we find infinity. That means that time actually has little meaning.

T. S. Eliot pointed to something like that in these lines from "Burnt Norton":

TIME present and time past

Are both perhaps present in time future,

And time future contained in time past.

If all time is eternally present

All time is unredeemable.

What might have been is an abstraction

Remaining a perpetual possibility

Only in a world of speculation.

What might have been and what has been

Point to one end, which is always present.

If we find our home in One who was before there was a before and who will be after there no longer is, every moment always has been and will be. Time is merely a construct, a useful tool to help us measure and order life - nothing less, nothing more.

A sense of time's progression seems to be woven into my DNA. For as long as I can remember, I had awareness of things drawing near. On the way to the gym Monday morning, I reminded my bride that it was two months until Christmas Eve. I'm not certain why I realized that. I just did. Nancy was not overjoyed with that awareness.

Part of my awareness of time's progression reflects an inclusive leadership style. When leaders plan ahead, others have greater opportunity to contribute and critique. But awareness of time's progression offers a more personal gift as well. Looking at what is drawing near helps me to set goals (like losing weight to keep up with our grandchildren), to set priorities (like seeing our children more often), and to decide what matters most. Time may be a construct, but my earthly life isn't. I hope and want to move purposively in certain directions, and not simply to react.

Time may be a construct, but my earthly life isn't. That brings awareness that life is short. Today is the best day to live. Today is the best day to express gratitude for life by living well, gladdening hearts, touching lives, awakening faith. If, for example, I wait until Christmas Eve to celebrate incarnation, I miss the preciousness of God With Us here and now. After all, since every moment of time always has been and will be, it is Christmas Eve today. I can savor our candlelit celebrations even while preparing for them!

What's the point? Like most of us, I have more to do than I can do. Sometimes that makes me fret about time. I don't like leaving important things undone. That should not, however, keep me from celebrating what is done, and more importantly, the people whom I touch and by who I am touched. That viewpoint springs from my conviction that, by the grace of God, in fourteen billion years what will matter most is the relationships.

           

Grace and Peace,

LP

Reading feeds

Michael Jinkins, President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and our Centennial Guest Preacher next June, sends out a weekly reflection much like our Beacon Lite. This week he encouraged pastors to read omnivorously. His comments reminded me of how I encouraged seminary students to read not only works of theology and biblical study, but also novels and varied works of non-fiction. That counsel sprang in part from the fact that every troubled pastor I had ever visited had no new or recently read books on the desk. Failure to read left them with little or nothing to give, because when we don't prime the pump, no water flows.

In recent months several of you contributed to my reading. Members loaned me a book on worldwide hunger and a collection of "ecological essays" that supported last Sunday's sermon. Another member allowed me to read a book he wrote several years ago. Another loaned me a work on the intersection of science and religion. I cannot read what all of us recommend, but knowing what feeds your spirit and intellectual curiosity provides valuable insights into who we are and what matters to us.

I vacillate between reading several books at a time and becoming totally absorbed in a single tome. At bedtime I currently read a book on the making of Scotch and another on a new understanding of resurrection, having recently finished Mindless Eating in quest to reach my weight goal. [It didn't help because it made me hungry!] On my desk at home are a collection of essays by Wendell Berry and a copy of Cal Jackson's (our Centennial Guest Preacher next February) memories of life and ministry. And I'm anxiously awaiting Peter Tremayne's latest novel to learn what happens next with Sister Fidelma.

All these and many other books (along with blogs, newspapers, etc) feed my desire to learn and deepen my appreciation for language. Like Dr. Jinkins, I prefer omnivorous pastors, and extend that to bankers, doctors, plumbers, painters, attorneys, teachers, and everyone. When we feed our intellectual curiosity, we have more to talk about, which makes us more interesting, which gives us greater reason to talk with each other. Mark Twain quipped that the person who does not read good books has no advantage over the person who can't read them. When we talk about what we're reading with others, that advantage extends to the community. So, what are we reading, MWPC? Please feel welcome to click on the link below and share what book presently feeds you and/or any recommendations for others. That can help our lives not only to intersect but also to connect. God abides in those connections.

It doesn't quite fit, but I'll close with perhaps my favorite quotation about books. It comes from Erasmus: "When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes." I enjoying eating too much for that, but reading isn't far behind.

Happy reading,

LP

Centennial Celebration - it's a big deal!

Saturday, 18 February 2012, marks the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of our congregation. From that evening through Sunday, November 4, 2012 (All Saints Sunday) we will hold our Centennial Celebration. Al Davies will worship with us on the opening Sunday and in the following months former pastors Cal Jackson (and his son Pat), John Muntz, George Baird, Jeff Kane, Paul Hammer, Sarah Sarchet Butter, and Marilyn McNaughton will preach, as will Michael Jinkins, President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. We have commissioned an anthem/hymn that we will hear for the first time on February 19, we soon will release a new history of our congregation, we will have Marcus Borg as our Jenkins Lecturer, and we have a variety of special fellowship activities planned as we celebrate. As some point during the year we will reach our goal of raising $100,000 to celebrate our heritage. Blessings always flow in our life and ministries, but next year promises to be extraordinary.

Why talk about this now? Well, a centennial is a big deal. Not everyone makes it to one hundred. There are older congregations, but ponder what members of this congregation have endured and accomplished to make it this far. In thanksgiving for their efforts, now is the time to spread the word, invite folks to participate, and commit ourselves to even greater participation during this special year.

The fact that we will soon celebrate our centennial also reminds us that we "inherit" the church from the saints who travel ahead of us. We have a beautiful sanctuary, ample classrooms, spacious grounds, and a large multi-purpose room because of the vision and stewardship of those who went before us. Our most revered traditions and the traditions we change as the Spirit calls us in new directions both build on the foundation laid by others. Even the trees beneath which our preschool children gathered leaves this week grace our lawn and clean our air because previous saints had the foresight to plant them.

Do we believe that saints will still gather here in 2112? What do we plan to do to bless them? We lay a foundation for them as we follow when the Spirit guides us in new directions, learn about faith and scripture and teach the stories of Jesus to our children, make ourselves known as a congregation committed to feeding the hungry, protect our green space and care for our physical plant, and bear witness in word and deed to the difference it makes to have a relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Every lesson taught in our classrooms, every discussion we have about how to live our faith, every can of food provided to the hungry, every song sung and bell rung, every meal delivered to someone in a bind, every invitation to worship or service, and every other seemingly small act places one brick on another in the spiritual house of which we are a part. Stewardship season and our upcoming Centennial challenge us to recommit ourselves to our ministries. We'll never have this opportunity again. Let's live faithfully, gratefully, and boldly. We turn 100 in less than five months! Do something to get ready today!

Grace and Peace,

LP

Happy Stewardship Season!

It's stewardship season! Don't groan. This year I promise not to talk about stewardship in every Beacon Lite from now until mid November. Yet, stewardship is important. I try to bring up the topic regularly. This is the only life we have. That makes our management of it, our stewardship, critical.

Now to the message. A stewardship campaign is not a capital campaign. We typically conduct capital campaigns to cover expenses too great for or substantially different from our operating budget. Such things as replacing a pipe organ, adding technological improvements to a worship space, renovating an educational wing, or building a new mission house usually involve a capital campaign. In a capital campaign we make the case for an "over and above" expense and invite everyone to make a one-time contribution.

Some people approach a stewardship campaign like that. They look at the details of the annual budget and try to discern their "fair share." But stewardship campaigns support our annual budget and reflect not "over and above" expenses but what it takes to conduct our ministries and take care of our staff and property. Stewardship campaigns help to generate the revenue that makes us who we are as a community. Not everyone who pledges or contributes rings a bell, participates in Super Wednesday, comes to worship at 11 a.m. on Sundays, meets with a book discussion group, or belongs to the Men's Discovery Group. But all that and more is part of what makes us who we are. Our annual budget supports all of that; it allows us to answer God's call.

We now have a fiscal year that runs from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next. That means that we currently live on pledges made last fall and will enter next year with the support of pledges made this fall. That gives our leaders opportunities to adjust our budget as needed. It also gives all of us an opportunity to ask not, "What's my fair share?" but "What do I want to give to the ministries of Jesus Christ to show my gratitude for my blessings?" Yes, our pledges keep the lights on, but they also express our faith and gratitude. Approaching our pledge as an act of faith and gratitude, however, makes it more meaningful and joyful.

Please take a look at our stewardship brochure and note how much we are and do as a congregation. Then, instead of placing a price tag on those ministries and trying to discern a "fair share," reflect on our gratitude for the ways God uses and blesses us, think about the joy and comfort that faith and this community of faith bring us, and make a pledge that reflects thanksgiving for those blessings. Some of us have more time than money to give. Others of us have little time but more financial means. What matters most is a contribution that means something to us and expresses our faith. Happy Stewardship Season!

Grace and Peace,

LP

Sharing laughter ... and humility

Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford, has conducted a series of studies that strongly suggest that the physical act of laughing increases the release of endorphins into our bodies. The endorphins produced by our brains make us feel good. Previous studies have shown that focusing on positive thoughts and things for which we give thanks when we awaken in the morning pushes endorphins into our systems and helps us to begin the day with a brighter outlook. Now we also have evidence that laughter makes us feel better. A good laugh will not make diseases disappear, solve the global financial situation, or keep us from worrying about our children (or aging parents), but it can give us more peace of mind as we respond to those and other challenges.

Dr. Dunbar's tests also indicated that laughter increases our ability to resist pain. Laughing will not keep it from hurting when we smash our hand with a hammer, but developing and feeding a healthy sense of humor may help to deal with chronic discomfort or to relax and give bodies a better chance to heal.

Speech coaches and homileticians have known for years that humor helps people to hear the messages speakers deliver. I personally loathe preachers who consider themselves stand-up comedians and waste precious time in worship trying to amuse us. Yet, I am very aware that when we can laugh at ourselves, we become more amenable to change. When a preacher points to the humor inherent in the human situation, we see the truth more clearly and scoff at the foolishness of our excuses.

I am also convinced that when a person lives a good life, it is very appropriate to share laughter along with our tears during memorial and funeral services. Life is good. It hurts when someone we love dies, but appreciating the foibles and idiosyncrasies that made a departed saint unique lays a solid foundation not only for laughter but for giving thanks to God for that saint's life.

No one truly benefits when we have a good laugh at the expense of others; but when we laugh together, chuckle at the lameness of what we initially deemed good ideas, or see the humor of our limitations, we admit our need of reformation, acknowledge the humanity we share, and have a greater opportunity to remain appropriately humble. God knows our culture and society could use more humility.

I do not want to encourage us not to take life and faith seriously. The nearly one billion hungry people in the world, the partisan bickering among politicians and our present economic situation deserve serious thought and prayer. Nor do I suggest that we jettison our favorite news programs and documentaries and sate ourselves on a steady diet of situation comedies and joke books. The point is that life is good and comedy is woven even into tragedy. We've always enjoyed laughing. Now we know it's good for us. That's good news!

Grace and Peace,

LP

Connections are too precious to take for granted

When you receive this I will be behind a locked door in a jury room with seven people I met for the first time two weeks ago. When we answered the call to potential jury duty, we did not know each other. Now we know  what each other does for a living, the special ingredients several of us add to chili, how many grandchildren three of us have and the fact that two of us expect grandchildren soon, that two of us anticipate changing jobs in the next year, how strong we like our coffee, our dietary restrictions, and more. Each of us takes pride in performing our civic duty by serving on this jury and, despite the disruption to our schedules, we have enjoyed the experience. We have connected with each other. We may never meet again, but we will carry pieces of each other with us for the rest of our days.

After nearly five years of ministry together, you know how much emphasis I place on relationships. I believe that we relate to God primarily through the ways we relate to each other. I also believe that our relationships make and keep us alive. A newborn deprived of human contact will not develop into a healthy human being. Imprisoned people denied contact with others will add significant deviancies to whatever landed them in prison in the first place. We need genuine contact with others. For many, perhaps most, of us, family provides the majority of that contact. Yet, most of us need more.

The connections we share in Mount Washington Presbyterian Church are too precious to take for granted. The more healthy the links we share, the stronger we become as individuals and community. I dream of the day when each one of us has lunch or dinner with at least three others at some time during the year, especially if one of those three is someone we do not know well. As we break bread together, in a jury room, a home, or a restaurant, we know and understand more about each other. The more we know and understand about each other, the harder it becomes to harm each other and the more natural it becomes to support each other.

If the folks with whom I serve on this jury had not been called to this service, we probably would never have connected with each other. Our shared responsibility provided the context for our connections. That applies to congregations as well. Those elected to service on our Session or Care Ministry, and those who serve on our various ministry teams truly connect with each other. This weekend, we will focus on and celebrate such connections with our Exploration Event. Following each of our worship services, representatives of most of our ministry groups and teams will have representatives in our fellowship hall to let us know when they meet, what they do, and how to join. Please do not wait for a summons. Attend the Exploration Event and hear God offering ways to connect. As we become more connected, our light will shine more brightly in the world, our membership in this congregation will grow more meaningful, and our participation in the Body of Christ will more completely shape our lives. Plus we may pick up a tip to make even tastier chili!

Grace and Peace,

LP

2011-09-15 Why Do We Pray? [Harold Kolenbrander devotional from session meeting]

I find myself on jury duty for the next two weeks or more, which makes it harder to complete my usual tasks. Instead of preparing a Beacon Lite item this week, I'm including, with permission a revised version of the opening devotion Elder Harold Kolenbrander offered during our September session meeting.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Why Do We Pray?

"This is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, Thy name be hallowed; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us the wrong we have done, as we have forgiven those who have wronged us. And do not bring us to the test, but save us from the evil one." -Matthew 6:9-13 (NEB)

I did not begin with the reading of the Lord's Prayer because I plan to try to provide an exegesis of the prayer. I lack competence to do that. I began with the prayer because I hope each of us will reflect on how the prayer and my remarks about prayer intersect for each of us. Or, perhaps, for you they will not.

A week ago in our Beacon Lite, LP had some thought provoking comments about prayer. I hope we all had the opportunity to read the piece. He suggested that God is about relationships, a concept that is a regular part of LP's sermons. He went on to suggest that prayer is about relationships and helping us establish more meaningful ones, and that the power of these relationships becomes the basis for the salutary effects of prayer that some attribute to direct divine intervention.

I do not know about you, but my journey in the world of prayer began with bedtime prayers said on my knees invoking God's presence with me through the night and his taking my soul to be with him should I die before I waked.

Moreover, prayer was a regular part of each meal at my boyhood home, both before and after each meal. With very few exceptions, we ate each meal as a family. Prayer in those situations was offered to thank God for the food we had and to invoke God's blessing on family and friends and God's assistance in healing the sick, etc. Prayer was offered to thank God and to ask God for his continuing blessings, fully believing that God intervened directly in the affairs of all humans including dispensing or withholding favors depending on the fervent, honest supplication offered in the prayer.

I am certain that my parents moved to the church triumphant with full belief in the accuracy of those perceptions of God and the purpose of prayer. I do not want in any way to make light of or to denigrate the faith that they had in prayer. But it is no longer mine. That is not because my concept of God has moved to believing that God is not omnipotent, but rather that God chooses to give us the freedom, the capacity, indeed the responsibility to use the minds he has given us and the ability he has given us to love and help each other to do what we might pray for him to do for us. In my mind this does not diminish God. Rather, it places, appropriately, on us the responsibility to use our God-given abilities to do what needs to be done - whether that is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those who are in prison, or any of the other myriad responsibilities that we have to each other as we truly seek to live in community - in relationship - with each other.

As LP noted in his comments, my goal is not to convince you that my concept is correct, but rather to share with you a bit of why I am where I am and to encourage each of us to explore more deeply how prayer can strengthen our relationships and the effectiveness of our work together.

Will you join me in prayer?

Triune God, we ask your blessing on this Session as we seek to discern your will for each of us and for MWPC. Help us to understand and truly appreciate the opportunity you have given each of us to fully realize the gift, indeed the joy, that comes from serving others through our relationships with all the other wonderful people with whom we share this world. Bless our deliberations this evening, that they may all be done seeking to further your love for your world. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.

Harold M. Kolenbrander

We do not fear remembering; we have courage...we find sufficient strength...

This weekend our worship services will include prayers of commissioning and dedication for our education and music ministry volunteers and leaders, prayers of remembrance of 9/11/2001, and Holy Communion. At least one leader has considered that a peculiar combination of liturgical actions, so here's a glimpse at why I deem it helpful, if not necessary, to combine these in each service.

People who live in faith do not accept what is as final. Because of our confidence in God we have hope for a new day, assurance that defeat can yield to new beginnings, trust that life and love lead us through brokenness into wholeness, and conviction that reconciliation can link what seems permanently severed. It takes courage to live like that. It also demands action. As people of faith, we do not trust solely in our own devices, but we stand accountable for the ways we respond to the gifts of God.

We will light candles and have guided prayers of remembrance of 9/11/2001 not to deny or relive the horror of that day, but to express our confidence that God leads us through those painful images of death and destruction into life and community. We will pray, hoping that grace and the Spirit's embrace have brought healing to those most affected by the tragedy. We will pray, longing for a day when ways of peace, justice, and reconciliation will render such violence and hatred uncommon.

Prior to our acts of remembrance, we will dedicate and commission our volunteers and leaders. We educate our children because we long for the gospel and love of Jesus to shape who they are. We have programs for and ministries with our youth because we want them to learn to hear and discern the voice of God amidst the other voices that call for them. We study together because we recognize our need to be formed and reformed. We make music because some prayers and praises need melody more than words. In our less than perfect world and with our less than perfect lives we stretch to touch what we cannot reach. We do what we can, aware that although we will fall short in many places, goodness and mercy will seek us, find us, and fill our lives with wonder.

Then we will come to the Lord's Table and feast on the gifts of God for the people of God. Holy Communion reminds us and proclaims that life overcomes death, light drives back darkness, holiness pervades the ordinary, love transforms hatred, and even sin finds One before whom it must bow. At the Table, solemn remembrance opens to the joyful feast of God's presence.

We live surrounded by brokenness, but we believe that wholeness most shapes us. So we do not fear remembering, we have the courage to respond to God's call in Jesus, and we find sufficient strength in the gifts God provides. That sounds like reason enough to worship. I hope to see you there.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Prayer - deepening relationships with and awareness of God (and others)

A week after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in March, the Public Religion Research Institute and the Religion News Service conducted a survey of religious opinions. One question asked whether floods and other natural disasters are a sign from God. 59% of the evangelicals, 34% of the mainline Protestants, and 31% of the Catholics who responded said "yes."

Count me among those who say "no" when asked such questions. I do not believe God controls natural disasters or other events because I do not believe that God "works" that way. An anthropological reason stands behind my opinion. Although everyone suffers when such disasters strike, the greatest impact falls on those already in marginal situations. No one can replace a life, but people of wealth and influence recover and rebuild far more readily than the poor. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, but I do not believe that God intends to harm those in need more than those with greater comfort. I also have a theological reason for my opinion. I do not believe that God directly intervenes in human affairs in ways contrary to the laws of nature. Two members of our congregation and I had very similar back surgery in the past two years. Whereas I have not experienced pain since the surgery, my friends continue to have significant discomfort. I do not believe God gave me relief not offered to those friends. When I expressed that thought recently, another friend asked, "Then why do you pray?"

My response begins with the doctrine of the Trinity, which claims that God exists in relationship. God is not a solitary being. Rather God exists in a dynamic relationship traditionally identified as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that God, who exists in relationship, primarily affects the world through relationship. I pray not to bring to God's attention something God failed to notice, but to express and deepen my relationship with and awareness of God. I believe that God relates to us primarily through our relationships with others, especially other believers.

For example, recent studies have affirmed that people who believe in the power of prayer experience health benefits when they pray and know that others are praying for them. I do not believe that God intervenes for those people more than for others. Instead, I believe that the relationships between believers and their relationships with God bring strength, peace, and other blessings that aid the healing process.

I write these words not to prove that those with whom I disagree are wrong, but to point to why I believe what I do. God is ultimately beyond our knowing. That leads to varied opinions and convictions about how and whether God relates with the world. Surely the best way forward is to try to understand each other. As we do, we have the potential to form relationships that change the world. Thanks be to God!

Grace and Peace,

LP

Caring For Our Veterans

A close friend returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam with what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For several years he bounced from job to job and relationship to relationship. Then a concerned church official and an astute physician at a Veterans Hospital discerned some of the root causes of his behavioral patterns. He received the help he needed and now serves as a chaplain, spending much of his day assisting other veterans. No one chooses to have PTSD or other emotional or mental disorders. They are not weak or weird. They, like all of us, have areas of brokenness. We all need help moving toward wholeness.

A recent report by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) estimates that one-third of the homeless people in the United States are veterans. On any given night approximately 107,000 veterans sleep on city streets. According to the VA, many of them suffer from the effects of PTSD. News agencies recently reported that an average of eighteen veterans commit suicide daily. Yet, judges on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth District noted that 70% of our VA health facilities lack systems to track potentially suicidal veterans.

Why am I stating this here? First, my heart breaks for these wounded veterans, who received their injuries after answering a call to serve in our military forces to help to preserve our liberties. When our veterans return with physical, emotional, or mental injuries, they deserve the best care we can reasonably provide. Second, I want to challenge all of us to do some research on this topic and then contact our elected officials to plead with them to help the VA and other agencies respond to this need. Christians believe that we can measure the health of a society by its care for "the least of these." It saddens me to know that "the least of these" includes so many veterans. It also makes it urgent for concerned citizens to say something to those in a position to improve our responses. Third, it feels good to know that in at least a small way we are responding with our hunger ministries. None of us knows how many veterans are among those to whom we recently distributed 10,000 pounds of food or how many veterans we assist monthly through the SEM and Batavia food pantries. Statistics suggest the number is not small. We lack the ability to provide the psychological support they need, but what we do can and probably does make a difference.

No one can do everything, but I feel blessed to participate with a congregation that increasingly responds to Jesus' call to feed the hungry. Every step we take toward the kind of community Jesus envisioned gives us all reason to hope. Let's live out our baptism by being concerned, informed, and be involved.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Changes in 29 Years

August 22 marks the twenty-ninth anniversary of my ordination into what we Presbyterians now call ministry as a teaching elder. A lot has changed and I have changed a lot during those years. As I reflected on the blessings of congregational ministry, these changes came to my mind first.

1. When I entered ministry, congregants expected me to spend 25-50% of my time visiting - not only visiting the hospitalized and shut-in but also calling on active members. I regularly showed up unexpectedly on a parishioner's doorstep and was welcomed in for a chat. If I showed up unexpectedly on the doorstep now, most of you would ask, "Is something wrong?" The lack of desire for unscheduled visits frees time for other ministries, but it also means making the most of any conversation, especially with those I see only on Saturday or Sunday.

2. My first congregations expected a thirty minute sermon and a 60-70 minute worship service. We've added a few items to the liturgy since then, but we expect the services to end sooner. We're also less tolerant of lengthy orations. Shorter sermons require greater skill because preachers must introduce and develop the message quickly with little help from nuances. Yet, we still expect sermons to inform, form, educate, inspire, and entertain. That asks a great deal from 15-17 minutes; but I enjoy that challenge as much as ever.

3. Twenty-nine years ago, a larger percentage of us stayed at church for 2-3 hours on Sunday. A significant number of adults joined children and youth for an hour of education before or after worship. That percentage has fallen significantly as simultaneous education and worship hours became popular and we added various activities to our weekends. When worship provides our primary exposure to scripture and theology, it makes it harder to achieve biblical and theological literacy. I wrestle regularly with how to function more faithfully as a teaching elder.

Not all change is wonderful, but change is a wonderful part of life. Change has forced me to grow, challenged me to set priorities, allowed me to develop strengths, and kept the task fresh and invigorating. I feel blessed to have served in the representative ministry of Jesus Christ for nearly three decades and I give thanks for the ministries we share. May we discover new and renewed blessings daily as God moves in us to transform (i.e. change) us from all we now are to all we can become.

Grace and Peace,

LP

The First Amendment, The Second Amendment, and Common Sense

I grew up with firearms in the home. My father enjoyed hunting small game. When I was twelve years old he gave me my first shotgun. For more than three decades we hunted together during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. In his home and mine, the firearms and munitions were kept in separate and secure locations. Before I even touched my shotgun, my father taught me about firearm safety. Any responsible father would do that. Unfortunately not all fathers are responsible. Sometimes they need encouragement.

I have said that to preface my incredulity that the governor of Florida has signed a law that bars Florida physicians from asking their patients whether they own a firearm. Some pediatricians regularly ask parents such things as, "Do you have a swimming pool?" "Do you have alcoholic beverages in your home?" and "Do you own a firearm?" When a parent responds affirmatively, the physician offers advice on how to protect children from potential harm. According to a recent article in the New York Times, the National Rifle Association considered such questions harassment and lobbied for a law to protect people's second amendment rights. In response, the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups have filed a suit asserting that the law violates their members' first amendment rights. I cannot fathom the expenditure of so much time, energy, and money on this issue - especially given the myriad challenges law-makers and their constituents face.

When a pediatrician asks whether there are firearms in the home, instead of feeling harassed, a parent, NRA member or otherwise, could say, "Thank you for your concern about my child's safety. We keep our firearms in a locked cabinet and take other measures to protect our children." Parents who do not understand why the physician asked the question can ask and then work together for the well-being of the child. Physicians, pastors, and other professionals often ask personal questions in the normal practice of their profession. It's common sense. During my annual physical my doctor always asks how much alcohol I consume weekly. He doesn't favor reinstating the eighteenth amendment and isn't exercising his first amendment rights. He's assessing how my lifestyle affects my health. It's common sense.

We live in the freest country in the world and I consider myself a patriotic supporter of our liberties. Freedom comes with a cost; but paranoia about losing a freedom benefits no one. Greater practice of common sense would go a long way in promoting and protecting the common good.

Grace and Peace,

LP