Visual Images & Technology: skill, not trickery

I have preached regularly since 1979. That and the opportunity to teach homiletics for seven years are blessings. I still have much to learn, but enjoy using words to shape an event in which we encounter the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preachers attempt to find evocative and “visual” metaphors that help all who hear to “see” what they mean. Effective verbal pictures need no explanation. They convey rather than merely illustrate the message. For example, when the Gospel of John describes Jesus and his ministry by declaring, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5), we can “see” the message.

As technology finds its way into worship services and sermons (as it has found its way into classrooms and business meetings), “old dogs” like me need to learn a new trick. Actually, it’s skill, not trickery. We need to learn how to select visual images and film clips that support and convey the message God has given us. If I needed to describe the difference today (and since the deadline is here I guess I do!), I would state it this way. Preachers use words to paint a picture that helps us to see the message as we apply it to our lives. Preachers use visual images to help us interpret what we see and apply it to our lives. Both tasks have value. One stresses description in order to interpret. The other moves more directly into interpretation. Both can make the message an event.  Developing a new skill requires effort, but I find it intriguing and inspiring to look for images that not only make a point but also are the message.

Take a look at the photograph below. Before beginning the next paragraph, ponder what you see.

          There is more darkness than light in this print, but the light most catches the eye. The photograph echoes John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Even in the darkest portion of clouds, light breaks through. Rain threatens and wind blows, but light prevails/overcomes. That’s the message. Now it’s time for application to our lives.

On this Sunday, April 3, and the first Sunday in May (May 1) we will hold our Morning Glory (9:30 a.m.) service in our fellowship hall in order to experience worship with greater technological support. We have no plans to move this service to our fellowship hall permanently, but we are contemplating technological improvements in our sanctuary. The services in our fellowship hall will provide helpful experiences and information. I look forward to seeing what we learn and discovering new ways to proclaim the good news.

Grace and Peace,

LP

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Blessings of a Connectional Church

Last weekend we prayed for the Babcock Presbyterian Church in Ashaway, Rhode Island, where Marilyn McNaughton, former MWPC Associate Pastor and daughter-in-law of David and Carol Legg, serves as pastor. On March 17 vandals broke into their church building and severely damaged furnishings, musical instruments, and more. To see footage of the damage, go to www.wpri.com and enter Babcock Presbyterian in the search box. We continue to pray for this community. Clean up and repairs have begun, but these saints will need spiritual healing as well. A sense of violation always accompanies vandalism of a sacred space.

I mention this not only to encourage prayer support for a sister congregation, but also to note that the day after this vandalism Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) arrived on the scene with two first responders, a pastor from Maryland and an elder from Florida. We often mention PDA in association with floods in the Midwest, hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, and events like the tsunami in Japan. It will not make the news, but PDA now assists the saints of Babcock Presbyterian as well. That is a blessing of belonging to a connectional church. The funds we provide to our denominational agencies allow us not only to respond to needs across our nation and the globe, but also to support other Presbyterians long before we could mobilize to assist in person.

Many Christians question the legitimacy of denominations. Since we’re all Christian, why be Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, or Methodist as well? Denominational identity can impede the ministry of Jesus Christ. Yet, it permits Christians to gather and participate in ways that express and feed distinct spiritual hungers and gifts. Not all Christians are or need to be Reformed; but our focus on an educated approach to faith, the centrality of the Bible, “decent and orderly” conduct of church affairs, and trusting representative groups to discern the will and guidance of God have made and still make valuable contributions to the ministries of Jesus. If many of us lack awareness of what makes Presbyterians distinct, leaders like me need to do more teaching and those with questions can do more asking and seeking. My perspective reflects the fact that I felt drawn by God to become Presbyterian after receiving ordination in another tradition and considering moving to yet another. I feel led by God to our tradition and theologically at home in it. We’re not perfect, but we have something to offer the world in Jesus’ name. We often have conflicting opinions about important issues, but the folks at Babcock Presbyterian and in Japan probably have little interest in that now.

We cannot stop vandals from destroying church property or flood waters from devastating communities, but we can and do respond in Jesus’ name. That’s a blessing, privilege, and requirement of being a connectional church.

Grace and Peace,

LP

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Prisoners of Hope

Like everyone, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to the news from Japan and praying. The devastating earthquake, tsunami, and aftershocks illustrate our dependence on and vulnerability to the earth. Our hearts break for the victims and their families, and also for the survivors, many of whom lack sufficient food, water, and fuel to keep warm. The radiation escaping from the damaged nuclear reactors reminds us that sometimes our best plans and preparations fall short. We pray for containment of the nuclear fuel and for the workers who remain on site trying to minimize the damage. May God bless them for their personal sacrifices for the good of the whole. Some folks in our community have friends and associates in or near the affected areas. Attaching names to some of the faces makes this tragedy ours. This is happening to us all. God have mercy on anyone who remains untouched by this disaster.

As the death toll rises and the nuclear risks increase, it can be hard to hope. How and why can we hope? Here’s the best response I can muster today.

Often people respond to tragedy and suffering with astonishing compassion and kindness. Nations, communities, and individuals regularly deepen their generosity in the face of desperate need. Similarly, seemingly unsolvable problems sometimes prompt creative minds to reach new heights. The capacity to think outside the box often increases as the box begins to collapse. Hope quickens when we remember such times. Human beings do not always respond with compassion and creativity. Yet, we do it often enough to affirm belief in human goodness, the goodness I believe God breathes into us.

We can also fall back on our conviction that we are not left to ourselves, that we exist amidst a power and presence not our own. I believe not only that light overcomes darkness and life finds away even in the face of death, but also that the power and presence in which we exist point and call us to light and life. I have no choice but to believe this. I cannot keep my balance without such faith. During the struggle against apartheid Archbishop Desmond Tutu borrowed a phrase from Zechariah 9:12 and called himself a “prisoner of hope” who could not shake off the longing to believe that goodness, love, and caring ultimately prevail.

Hope does not diminish the challenge and suffering faced by the people of Japan. Hope challenges all of us to reach for our best as we respond. We cannot rid the world of natural disasters or human limitations. We can fill the world with prayers and acts of compassion, hope, and faith. We can express our conviction that goodness and love will prevail. Life is too precious to believe anything less.

Grace and Peace,

LP

P.S. If you’d like to pray through a monetary donation, you may make an early gift to our One Great Hour of Sharing offering.

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Wandering in the Wilderness; Stumbling in the Light

On Wednesday we walked about with ashes on our foreheads, which means the season of Lent has begun. During Lent we not only prepare for Easter but for more faithful participation in the ministry of Jesus Christ and the church. On the Sundays during Lent and Easter we will read and ponder passages of scripture that provide varied metaphors for the church. We’re calling the series, “Church: A Faith Community Wandering in the Wilderness and Stumbling in the Light.”

Like the Hebrew slaves led to freedom in Exodus, the church often wanders in the wilderness. We usually lack certainty where we are going and almost never travel in a straight line. That’s good! In the exodus narrative the people took forty years to travel a relatively short distance as the crow flies. According to the biblical account, that’s how God intended it. What happened during the journey mattered as much as reaching the destination. In the church, we do not know precisely where we are going, but we know who has called us and whom we follow. That’s what really matters.

Similarly, the church often stumbles in the light. The first disciples walked with Jesus and first generation Christians experienced Jesus in their midst, but they all stumbled. If we remove the missteps of people of faith from the New Testament, it’s a short read! Similarly, we follow the Light of the world, but still encounter darkness and stumble. We seek to obey Jesus’ word and show his love, but still fall over questions and issues constantly. We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), confident that Jesus leads us but often falling over our own feet and obstacles along the way. That’s good! Stumbling reminds us of our dependence on God and need for each other.

Because God calls us to wander in the wilderness, discomfort can be our friend and guide. Grace is only amazing when we know how much we need it and how abundantly it flows. Like all growth, growth in faith requires exercise, and exercise means moving and changing. Because we stumble in the light, it helps to be gentle with ourselves and others. According to St. John of the Cross, “To be truly humble is to feel a tender acceptance of all reality just as it is, which includes compassion for ourselves just as we are.” When we stumble, the humble smile and help us regain our balance. Because we are a community, traveling faithfully means traveling together. Traveling alone may go faster, but there’s no one with whom to sing and dance, cry and grieve, tease and please, serve and be served.

The words “wandering” and “stumbling” probably appear in few mission and vision statements. Yet, those words honestly describe our ministries, the ministries to which Jesus calls us and through which he changes life. Isn’t that good news?

Grace and Peace,

LP

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A Call for Connections

Like several of you, on Sunday evening Nancy and I hosted members of the Concordia Choir following their concert at Christ Church Cathedral. Although dinner started late, our guests chose to sit at table rather than take their plates elsewhere. That blessed us with an hour or so of conversation with them. We covered a variety of topics, even a couple that some would deem controversial. It felt good to connect with folks half my age.

That reminded me that several months ago a group of MWPC men, who meet regularly at a local restaurant, invited me to drop in sometime. I’ve yet to accept that invitation, but plan to do so this month. I see these fellows regularly, but can enjoy a cup of coffee and connect around a table in ways not possible elsewhere. Ministry, like life, is about relationships and table fellowship connects us in a sacramental way. Indeed, the communion table points to the sacredness of all tables because of the connections we make there.

While I prepared this item, an invitation came via Facebook to “Dinner with Church Friends.” A quick look at the invitation list made it clear that I see most of these folks often, but, again, things happen at table that do not happen elsewhere. The invitation came from an elder who is resurrecting our Communication Team. Our elder envisions improving the ways we communicate as a means of improving our connections. [Please do not confuse these connections with ConnXions, our Saturday worship service. We support ConnXions as well, but that’s another team!]

What’s the point? As we noted during worship last weekend, when we travel in faith we can go places together that we will never reach alone. Because we belong to each other in Christ, along with feeding the hungry and loving God and neighbor, God calls us to connect with each other – not necessarily agree, share the same priorities, or even friend each other on Facebook; but connect. Along with our plans to grow in faith, reach out to others in Jesus’ name, and worship weekly, we need a plan to connect with other members. Please don’t wait for a program to make this happen. Invite someone to coffee, host a dinner party, ask a few folks to join you at a local restaurant, or take the initiative in another way to connect with our part of the Body of Christ. Whenever two or three gather in Jesus’ name, he’s in their midst. That connection blesses us all.

A final note: This is Youth Weekend. Our youth will lead all three worship services. Please participate and following the service connect with one or more of our youth. They could use the encouragement and any connections with them strengthen the congregation we all love.    

Grace and Peace,

LP

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