I got a call last night late from a colleague I serve with on CPM (who voted for the amendment at Presbytery that I opposed). As a friend, which he is to me as well, he informed me that excerpts from my blog of June 18 were quoted in "The Layman." Someone had sent them the site, and it went from there.
I do not read the Layman - I do not like the, shall I say, "tone" of its rhetoric. No one from the Layman contacted me - I don't appreciate being represented as a spokesperson for them - though they quoted me correctly.
Such it is with blogs - you put it out there and you risk a publication like the Layman picking it up. But the blog is a way for me to say what I wanted without a 3 minute timer, or parliamentary procedure interrupting my train of thought. it might get me on some list, or in some "camp," but it was worth the risk to air my conscience.
By the way - hello back to all my classmates who have connected through this latest event in our Presbytery. Keep reading. Life and faith go on, thanks be to God.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Daily Readings First Thoughts June 22 2007
Daily Lectionary:
Morning: Psalm 51:1-19
1 Samuel 3:1-21
Acts 2:37-47
Luke 21:5-19
Evening: Psalm 142:1-7
Last night our congregation began a season of prayer, called for by a faithful member of our church several weeks ago. Over a dozen responded to the first call to gather in the beautiful sanctuary to seek God's mission for our church. It was a beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit on our diverse band of believers and seekers, none of whom know much, if anything, about the events of the past weekend at Presbytery. We prayed for guidance for us to reach out to the poor and needy with the good news of Jesus. Several prayed scripture, asking for forgiveness, humility and boldness in our witness. Others prayed for our community, and the lost around us. We prayed in thanksgiving for our salvation and the gifts God has granted us. We prayed for resources and partnerships with other churches. We marveled at the true goose-bump experience of the Holy Spirit present with us in worship, and we rejoiced that many in that place had found the Lord at SBPC. Then as Samuel did, we children responded, Speak Lord, for your servant is listening (I Sam 3:10). By affirmation, our elder doing our devotion at session the same night had selected this text for us. God began to speak to us about unity.
Not unity in "right believing", or Presbyterian polity, but unity in relationships, service, and worship in the name of Jesus, that the Acts church had. Simple unity of presence to one another and unity in our mission to the world. You see, SBPC is a band of diverse believers, with very different church backgrounds and experience with the one true God. Very few have been Presbyterians until they joined us this past 5 years. We have 2 services: the "old guard" at 11:00 and the new members at the 9:00. We heard the Spirit calling us to "be all together in one place," gathered around the table and the word, and discerning together our mission. And so we are combining our 2 Sunday services into one - old and new members, old and young, praise band and choir. The other thing we will do is focus on the one thing - reading the Bible together, as we begin covenant groups in the fall, and then we will discover in small groups how each might serve the Lord. Our theme is "Into the Word, Into the world".
As I read today's texts, I was encouraged that the same Spirit that came upon the Acts 2 church has brought us back to the real meaning of unity and mission: 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
SBPC is planning to focus on The One Thing - Jesus, and let God build up and destroy what He will, stone by stone (Luke 21:6). We will remember God's promises in his covenant to his people. In prayer, fellowship, worship, with humility and repentance, expectation and hope, we will seek only His face, and ask God to save us from this corrupt generation.(Acts 2:40). This is all this pastor and this extraordinary congregation can do, in such a time. Turn our eyes upon Jesus, and leave everything else up to God.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Daily Readings First Thoughts June 21 2007
Daily Lectionary:
Morning: Psalm 97:1-12
1 Samuel 2:27-36
Acts 2:22-36
Luke 20:41-21:4
Evening: Psalm 16:1-11
I promise this will be short. I put to the readers the challenge to read all the scriptures today, and then ask yourselves - you Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, and all members of Christian institutions, covenant communities, or whatever you might call your overseeing body - "Who do you say is Lord?"
Is it your governing bodies? is it the ones who speak for you as you assemble, and in the marketplaces, media? Is it your pastor, or your Sunday school teacher, your professor, your Senator, your boss, your spouse? Who do you say knows all there is to know about everything, that you can throw your life on his/her cause and be saved?
The scribes and priests of Madison Avenue, Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, and I daresay, Louisville, are not Lord. They sound good and may sometimes mean well, but bottom line is to gain, not to lose. And none of them can save you from pain, suffering, sin, or deceit. Please - please - please - read the word, pray, and let God guide you in faith and life, wisdom and discernment, letting the Holy Spirit give you the boldness to know the truth in all things, rooted in the One Lord of all - Jesus Christ. And follow him alone.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Daily Readings first thoughts June 18 2007
Morning: Psalm 42:1-11
1 Samuel 1:21-2:11
Acts 1:15-26
Luke 20:19-26
Evening: Psalm 102:1-28
The Heartland Presbytery meeting this past weekend was a source of grief and anger for me - contentious and tedious in its spirit, tentative in grace, and seasoned with pain. Decently and in order, friends and colleagues deliberated whether to form an Advisory Committee of Committee on Ministry that would immediately assume unilateral power over all sessions and congregations "considering" leaving the PC(USA). This was an action initiated by Council, through COM sparked by the explicit desires of 2 congregations to transfer to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church later this month, and another church who is reviewing their bylaws. I disagree with these congregations and their leaders to leave, but I was outraged by how the body voted to handle their decision. The body voted Yes to the action.
No matter that this denomination is in correspondence with the EPC. No matter that our polity already allows for and has procedures for withdrawals by pastors and churches. No matter that one member of the proposed AC was a retired pastor and dissenter from one of the 2 churches. No matter that 10 days or so before the churches had showed hospitality and met with the executive presbyter, members of council and COM who presented this motion, and spoken openly and "gracefully" about their desires and the issues.No matter that one church assured them they were NOT leaving the PC(USA), and the COM members assured them they would work together.
The motion passed gives the new AC total power and control to discern what "considering leaving" means and which congregation and pastor were to be put on "the list" over which they would assume immediate and total control, on their timing and terms. The action now puts ALL churches potentially at risk for McCarthy-like seizures should they be only exploring the options, examining the church, speaking their mind, becoming informed of what is happening in our times. It breeds secrecy, and paranoia, when we are free in Christ.
I listened to the presenter of the primary motion "speak to it," and before any debate, he set the tone of schism, separation, and "threat" by these congregations and implied deceit and misconduct by one church, without substantiating proof to the body. His rhetoric was anything but graceful - it was arrogant and designed to influence the body before discussion, and was a 180 to the tone of the prior discussions with these churches. I was reminded of the scribes and priests trying to trick Jesus with feigned humility and rhetoric, while laying in wait for them all along.
A substitute motion was proposed to form an AC only after withdrawal was explicit and after all other means to reconcile had been exhausted with the denomination, COM and presbytery officials, and the decision by the local congregation was final. To me, this followed more the spirit of our polity and of the PUP report - bottom up power, connected in pain and suffering, prayerful discernment when we disagree, and allowing God to be the Lord of the conscience. To me, it allowed the Barnabases and Pauls to go on their own way, trusting that the "true church" would never die. But the body preferred to give the AC immediate power. By an overwhelming margin, the substitute motion failed. The PC(USA), some think, is the "true church" and now we have the AC to enforce and protect it.
But in today's OT text, Hannah had it right when she prayed:
To the Presbytery, should my church end up on a list when we were "considering" the state of affairs in the PC(USA) today, that would be it for me. And I hope and pray I would have the courage to say to the denomination, keep your stuff and let us go.
Maybe now I'll end up on the list.
1 Samuel 1:21-2:11
Acts 1:15-26
Luke 20:19-26
Evening: Psalm 102:1-28
The Heartland Presbytery meeting this past weekend was a source of grief and anger for me - contentious and tedious in its spirit, tentative in grace, and seasoned with pain. Decently and in order, friends and colleagues deliberated whether to form an Advisory Committee of Committee on Ministry that would immediately assume unilateral power over all sessions and congregations "considering" leaving the PC(USA). This was an action initiated by Council, through COM sparked by the explicit desires of 2 congregations to transfer to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church later this month, and another church who is reviewing their bylaws. I disagree with these congregations and their leaders to leave, but I was outraged by how the body voted to handle their decision. The body voted Yes to the action.
No matter that this denomination is in correspondence with the EPC. No matter that our polity already allows for and has procedures for withdrawals by pastors and churches. No matter that one member of the proposed AC was a retired pastor and dissenter from one of the 2 churches. No matter that 10 days or so before the churches had showed hospitality and met with the executive presbyter, members of council and COM who presented this motion, and spoken openly and "gracefully" about their desires and the issues.No matter that one church assured them they were NOT leaving the PC(USA), and the COM members assured them they would work together.
The motion passed gives the new AC total power and control to discern what "considering leaving" means and which congregation and pastor were to be put on "the list" over which they would assume immediate and total control, on their timing and terms. The action now puts ALL churches potentially at risk for McCarthy-like seizures should they be only exploring the options, examining the church, speaking their mind, becoming informed of what is happening in our times. It breeds secrecy, and paranoia, when we are free in Christ.
I listened to the presenter of the primary motion "speak to it," and before any debate, he set the tone of schism, separation, and "threat" by these congregations and implied deceit and misconduct by one church, without substantiating proof to the body. His rhetoric was anything but graceful - it was arrogant and designed to influence the body before discussion, and was a 180 to the tone of the prior discussions with these churches. I was reminded of the scribes and priests trying to trick Jesus with feigned humility and rhetoric, while laying in wait for them all along.
A substitute motion was proposed to form an AC only after withdrawal was explicit and after all other means to reconcile had been exhausted with the denomination, COM and presbytery officials, and the decision by the local congregation was final. To me, this followed more the spirit of our polity and of the PUP report - bottom up power, connected in pain and suffering, prayerful discernment when we disagree, and allowing God to be the Lord of the conscience. To me, it allowed the Barnabases and Pauls to go on their own way, trusting that the "true church" would never die. But the body preferred to give the AC immediate power. By an overwhelming margin, the substitute motion failed. The PC(USA), some think, is the "true church" and now we have the AC to enforce and protect it.
But in today's OT text, Hannah had it right when she prayed:
2"There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 3Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. 5Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 8He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
9"He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for not by might does one prevail. 10The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered; the Most High will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed."
The church was faced with electing another apostle when Judas the betrayer, fled and died. Who are the betrayers in our Presbytery? It seems the new "powers that be," have branded any church who is struggling with their conscience and their commitment to a human institution led by humans, as betrayers. At the heart of the so-called betrayal is the property issue - well, I believe any of us who are truly seeking to be the "true church" could care less about property and would render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to the Lord what is the Lord's. All the Lord desires of us is faithfulness to the gospel, and to Christ alone. if we can stay connected and do that - fine. if not, some may have to leave.To the Presbytery, should my church end up on a list when we were "considering" the state of affairs in the PC(USA) today, that would be it for me. And I hope and pray I would have the courage to say to the denomination, keep your stuff and let us go.
Maybe now I'll end up on the list.
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