How can we have....

....non religious thoughts on religion!? Yes, I know, "preacher isn't talking 'bout religion no more, he just wants to praise the Lord" (Little Country Church, by the band Love Song) was the way I looked at it when I was in the Pentecostal church; delusion built on the idea the my lingustics had shifted and when I was talking about "God" I really wasn't meaning what I said until I got stupid! Ok.. stupid is harsh... but the idea was that dumbing down the religious conversation somehow made me more articulate seems a bit.. well... inarticulate! When we speak of our understanding of a supreme being and the personal and cultural manifestations that surround that comprehension, we are dealing with religion. So, praising the Lord IS talking about religion... the song, at a deeper level, however, asks us to move beyond our words into a LIFE that reflects how those words move us, shape us and comfort us, not just inform us. Our intent is to no limit ourselves to "religious converstion", but to see the way our souls move and are inspired to action.

Pastor's Summer Read 08.....

Well, team, I have started reading a very interesting book by Donald Miller called Blue Like Jazz... really really great! I think that we will read it for the summer and have a gathering or two... if you would like to take a gander at it, the book can be picked up at the local B&N... the sub text was what intrigued me; nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality... very compelling! And I am about 100 pages in and he has some incredible visions about the importance of faith and spirituality and how we often struggle because we confuse the two... let's continue to hear the voices of seekers while also sharpening the edge of discipleship as well!!! More soon, shalom and grace to all!!!

MVC

Thank you to all!!!

You continue to impress and inspire, o team that loves to read! Thanks for the info and sharing and I anticipate the summer will find us again reading another tome of interest!

The ending was a challange, that much you all said! I think our discussion really made the issue of faith transformation more than just "following the rules"! I got the impression that AJ was profoundly affected, but the personal nature of his trek never lead him to the most compelling aspect of religious pilgrimage; community. That is the problem with the rules; they only help us see the personal side of our realtionship. But when the rules (even when conflicting; that is the other amazing portion of the dialogue, when he found himself conflicted because the rules will sometimes not reach for the same goal) are our focus, we spend far more time on our own personal living rather than the living to mature and grow outward toward others. Far too many have a "personal faith', and it always plays itself out when individuals try to make the program "fit thier needs". The program might feel comfortable for a while, but ultimately it will be resricted by those attached because any growth or change will be suppressed.

Thanks for the moments and comments, and let's enjoy the great weather and see you this summer!!

Shalom and grace and LIFE to all!!

Michael

Spirituality check...

Aj tackles the wild sphere of Eschatology! Big word that just means end times! Literal vs metaphorical is a huge debate; the whole Left Behind series is a take upon a literalist perspective... is it allegory or literal? Could it be both? what would be the result of actually having to "interpreate" Revelation rather than just assign it a value that feeds our own agendas?

How does your spiritual journey look if it were a nasdaq chart? Are you up or down? Can you remember a time when you were just going through the motions? Aj questions the novelty factor in religion... what are some angles of novelty which can make religion attractive and yet unfulfilling? Like "it solves my problems" or "God answers all my questions"... those are novelty ideas which reflect no basis in the reality of the spiritual journey...

Glimpsing the sacred in the most mundane...

P.152.... ok, so where is God? Is God in everything? Nice thought in some ways, would force us to revisit how we treat creation and its many facets... but strangly unsatisfying to me. It seems AJ is observing something; when we shape God according to matter, we are left with such a limited means of defing the world. If God is in the stuff, then the stuff is moving and pulsing and growing and expanding and contracting.. all wonderfully active and life expressing, but not relational. I love the section on p. 153... "God is an interactive God. He argues with them, negotiates with them.. etc"... and has emotions. Relational things. And that Makes AJ REALLY nervous!

How do you imagine (not "make up" imagine, but the concept built around the root "image".. I am not using image because I don't wish to break any commandments!!!:>)....) God? Is it helpful to think about God in relationship, or do you feel anxious?

Pilgrimage... where would you go on a pilgrimage? What is a pilgrimage to you? Not a vacation or sight seeing tour, that is for sure!! How can history inform us as to the depth and scope of humanity's quest for the sacred? Think of one Bible story which talks of the quest and how God used the experience to guide a character.

p. 158.. "I faced one of the many cases in which two biblical commandments butted heads...(I chose the wrong one"...!!!!

I who am but dust and ashes...

has no sense about the holidays!! AJ points out that the Bible has little to say about the holidays, and now having the holidays not far behind us, what are some of the cultural intrusions that have "flavored" our holiday experiences? Do you agree with his take on the the gift giving angle?

AJ also discovers the power of prayer... intercessory prayer! Praying for others, longing to help others is the result of his intercession... Do you find any comfort in the story of Abraham's failed intecession of Sodom and Gomorrah? Sometimes our attempts to bargin with God are met with hallowness and failure... does this mean that God doesn't care about our concerns? How often do you find yourself wrapped in intercessory prayer?

The Bible and sex is also very interesting.. the interview with ms. dawson and AJ feeling like he has two different moral compasses... trying to filter the world through two lenses can lead to guilt and confusion... how do you live as one who is "human" while also adhering to a higher standard? When do we say no to the untruths which too often are allowed to exsist simply because we will not say no to them?

puttin' out fires!!!

Hi folks!!!

I apologize for the delay.... Will post anew tomorrow, March 4th... been "putting out fires"!! Oh, and a new baby too!! Congrats Keeli and Ryan as we welcome Kelsey Juliann!!!) and working up the Western Slope youth with BFS.. wow, was that and awesome weekend or what??!!! 120 youth and adults just rockin' to the sounds of praise!! Excellent, excellent weekend!! So, check back tomorrow and we shall be back on the road to uncovering the life of living biblically!!

Shalom and keep the prayers going up!!!

MVC

Well, then...

I am hung up on the lying! I think of the bazillion ways so many of us are forced to compromise our integrity becuase we have to make people happy. Do you know of a truth teller in your life? The person who lays it out just like it really is, who has no intent of harming you or putting you down; they just have a way of enabling you to look past denial and self interest and open up a new horizon! The message of change and transformation is a very hard one to hear; that is why Jesus wound up on the cross instead of in places of honor and blessing! And yet I am not sure tha the truth has to hurt either, that if we are inclusive of the expereinces of others and thinking about the ways in which our lives are influential as well as influenced, then we will always find a safe place where change/transformation is not just inevitable, but welcome.... what do you think??!! Are you reading people's comments? They are great!!

Lies, lies, lies....

yeah!!! AJ is bold enough to catagorize his lying tendencies... and some of them fall right into "spin".. so, is spinning lying? I love the exchange with his son Jasper involving the bagel! Just the IDEA of it not being a bagel is frustrating for Jasper! When do we assume expediency for the truth??!!! Are there times it is "acceptable"?
I am ready for a sabbath year!! How about you!!??? How would something like that go over very with your employer?!!! Oh my!!! Oh.. I am liking that Jubilee year thing too!!! The meaning of such time periods sound so great, but our society is built upon other ideals like responsibility and accountability. But doesn't this go further than just forgivenness, but also say something about compassion and not builting our wealth upon the indebtedness or need of others?
How about the Sabbath? How do you keep the Sabbath? Is it a day of rest, or is it a day of busy chores submerging the rest!!??? Do you find yourself in worship on Sabbath? that is the other critical part of the Sabbath, the reality that it is not just to rest but to once again center on God.

One month in....

and AJ is annoying the neighbors! So, does someone in your house blow the horn at the start of each month? The shofar, or ram's horn, has long been a means of calling the people to worship..
Do you see any distinction between moral laws and ritual laws? I think that the power of AJ's journey is especially taxing when put into his family context.. seems his wife is really struggling to make sense of all this "religious" stuff! Have you ever felt matters of faith get in the way of your family relationships?

The capacity for misinterpretation because of the use of words in an ancient context is always a reality just as we struggle to make sense of the communication in this present age. Science and the other means of influencing our communication ( Moderinism, fundamentalism, cultural assimilation just for starters) can make it difficult to share since so often we seek (unfortunately crave) absolutes. The jewish ideal, it seems, is not about being right, but rather about telling a story, about passing along the powerful mythic and faith foundations which speak of God.

Bring wine to those with a heavy heart!! and no singing when people are down!!! In otherwords, unlike the fallacy of much of American church which feels church and God and pastors are supposed to make us happy, be honest and don't figure out why your friend is depressed.. hold them and be a true friend.

To REALLLLLLLLY follow the Bible......

.....means from the very start we are in over our heads!!! You know you are in for an honest book when the first phrase is "it's only the first day, and I feel the water is three feet over my head!!!" The basic requirements are staggaring; I gather that we really have no idea as to how taxing the "What would Jesus do?" journey would be! AJ is definately a novice (aren't we all??!!!), for with every turn of success he seems to find himself trapped in a web of breaking another law in order to accomplish the success! I love the wondering if the day lead to enlightenment... don't we feel like that often in our journey? The complexity of the faith is lost on soooooo many, frankly, even those who think they know so much.
So where do you come down on the covet issue? (p. 27) The interpretation of its ok to yearn and want, you just can't harm your neighbor, or the more aesetic "long after nothing of this world, keep your eys on not what appears right, but upon the way of doing what is right? I am drawn tot he idea of the slippery slope... the progression of want becomes so visceral it competitively develops need status.

How about the idea of a "spiritual advisory board"? In many ways, this is the role the church commuity is supposed to play. Many voices drawn together to share common expereinces and evaluate the results so that transformation is possible. DISCIPLE serves this purpose; small groups and adult studies can be quite informative also. To whom do you look for spiritual advice? Name at least three people who help you on your journey; look to expand thier influence and add a few others!
Also compelling is the idea of the biblically theamed road trips; what far away places could help you in your discernment of God's laws and how they developed? How do you think the Amish baseball game influenced AJ's idea of competition?

Anything standing out for you? I close with p. 35; "Back in NY, the Bible is keeping me overscheduled."!!!! Ah, the joy of priorities!!!

Off we go!!!

What a GREAT gathering on Saturday!! So full of excellent thoughts and ideas... we discussed the role of the law in our lives in a secular sense (to protect us as individuals and to guide us in common behavior) and in the Kingdom of God. As we begin reading, remember that the "rules" AJ is working with are set up to accomplish both a private recognition of God's authority in an individual's life while also pointing to a purposeful expression of that authority; the community is born, cherished and sanctified. How do God's laws enable you to see your weaknesses? How do God's Laws enable you to see strengths in your life?

A Year Of Living Biblically

Greetings and happy 2008! May we have an inspiring one!

We will gather this Saturday at 9 am at the church to welcome our Lenten book read, A Year of Living Biblically" by AJ Jacobs. Please grab a copy at the local Barnes and Noble, Amazon or Borders... I think you will enjoy this book and the courage of Mr. Jacobs is most incredible! We shall learn a great deal about the structure of the Jewish law and how some of it is really captivating and some of it is, well, a bit bizarre! Bring a cup of java, some thoughts about legalism and the Bible and off we shall go!! Blessings to all and see you on Saturday the 2nd!

Merry Christmas!!

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! I am thinking the blog should celebrate all things thoughtful and inquisitive, and so therefore during our book club hiatus I am going to invite you to slip me a question or two and we'll mull them over. Drop me an email at revmvc@yahoo.com and I will do some researching and sharing and we will have a chance to comment... I look forward to your thoughts!! Take care and see everyone in worship...

next book: A Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs
We will start the first week of Lent and add a touch of levity to our Lenten Discipline!

Shalom

Rev. Michael

Bright and early on December 8th!!!

Here we go team, let's close up shop on the Adventure on December 8th, at 8 am!!! I hope you have enjoyed the book and the next time we will read will be during Lent... I will pick out a book and let you know in Jan. where we are headed! May God continue to bless our time together and may our holiday season be on of rich and memorable experiences!

Keep that talk around the table..

really wholesome! You know, that holiday "don't talk politics or religion stuff"!!! Yeah, right!! You have been learning too much!! And I hope you realize that this is a journey toward faith, not a narrow path toward conformity! Accordingly, we begin our next topic... homosexuality in the church.
Right now this is an undercurrent issue and Tony has a very interesting opinion considering he is a committed evangelical. His stance on this issue is one that keeps him excluded from most Conservative action groups and Christian right events. Is Tony's melding of science and faith development a familiar path for you? How do you see his interpretation of the Biblical text as helping or hindering your position on homosexuality? Is the rebuke of homosexuality by many church communities reflective of Christ's position? BMac's final line about the gay man whom he had accidentally wronged and forgave him and contrasting that with the spirit of exclusion which the church too often represents is quite convicting.

Is your position on this issue based upon fear or prejudice? Do you think that God's grace is bigger than our individual capacity to judge and isolate?

I saw the light....

..'cause there was no smog in the way! Tony is going to enhance much of what we have been talking about in church; stewardship. To care for the creation that God has made and to utilize the resources therein for the good of all creatures. When stewardship is seen as a charge which goes far beyond simply giving $, then we are heading in the right direction and approaching the space in which we live out "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." Why would Tony stress this angle? Justice and poverty issues spring right out of a misuse of the worlds natural resources... Right now several countries are wrangling over a piece of the Arctic which has been totally uninteresting until someone found oil underneath it... now 4 countries are rushing to plant flags on it and call it "theirs". Ownership belies the failure of the creature to recognize the creator, and in doing so creates access for some and the intentional exclusion of others. B Mac posits the idea that there will come a time when humans have to ask if we have gone to far in our consumption of creation. Do you agree? Do you see God in the process of nature? How can the church help by being faithful stewards of God's creation?

Let's go thata way.....

The guys are feeling some new images are out there for us to examine! Do you appreciate BMac's "Dorothy image" hits a leadership style home run? Tony is not as fond of it... I do think that too often we do seek out a certain style to anoint as leaders.... Leadership from the perspective of calling is a tough nut to crack! Our seminaries have been historically commissioned with "weeding out " those who like the idea of a call rather than actually have it, but many would argue that instead of offering us well rounded diversity in those who are ordained, what we have gathered in is a particular personality "type" which is equipped for a very long 8 to 10 year journey. From the pastoral perspective, leaders in the lay ranks can also be hard to convince for service! Sometimes it is because we take what the layperson does and slot them in the church equivalent, giving them 60+ hours to do their thing instead of just the 40+! Sometimes the system's need to work put pressure on the leadership to fill slots rather than allow the position to stay open and wait for the right person.
Bil Cornealius and Bill Easum argue that the most difficult task for the 21st century faith community will not be firing the employees, but rather firing the volunteer leaders! Their comprehension of leadership connects persons to the whole rather than by their skills; Their reasoning is that it makes no difference how talented or skilled the individual is, the way in which they improve and multiply the Body of Christ is the only measure that will matter in ministry growth.

Who are some of the persons at GSUMC that you see as effective leaders? What kinds of skills do they have? Are those skills unique or do others possess them? What skills do you possess that would make you an effective leader in ministry?

HEY LADIES!!!!!

It has been so awesome to be a part of the RMCUMC Large Church immersion experience... taking time to visit some of the large churches in our conference with a class of my fellow clergy is an amazing adventure! What has struck me, however, is the make up of the class.... just over half of us in the group are female. Some richly talented, visionary and fabulously anointed females. They bring a refreshing sense of nurture to the congregation, while also lifting up the relevance of church as a source of grace and justice, not just conversion. They are a tremendous gift to UMC congregations and I am glad to say that the predecessor denominations of the UMC had a very progressive stance upon the grace given to women by God to lead.

Campolo is in an interesting space... he has an infallibility perspective which sees the Bible as having no mistakes, rather than as a legal document which is binding in its literal language. Obviously, as he points out, literalists often find themselves in a corner trapped by mere practicality. The men should be doing ALL the work if Paul's words are supposed to be tried as literal, and obviously this is FAR from the case! None the less, early perspectives on the role of women come from a patriarchal society and this must be factored in our application of the text. How does Campolo help you see the role of women leaders in the faith community? Have you ever been in a church lead by a woman? What are his points about women leadership? How do you feel about leadership standards in some churches excluding women?