Those Pesky Little Questions and Details!

So, this is the time of year in my daily Bible reading, where I have reached Leviticus.  I have to be honest, I tend to skim read this section because it is full of rules and regulations.  If you sin in this certain way, you take this specific animal to the Priest.  The Priest then does this, waves that, sprinkles this, etc. etc and on and on it goes.  My eyes tend to glaze over!  Detail overload!  How can this be important for anyone today?

But I had an “ah-ha” moment as I thought about all of those pesky little details.  I realized that people understood clearly what they had done and what they needed to do in order to correct the sin.  Or, if they wanted to offer a Thanksgiving offering, they clearly understood what was required and how to go about doing it.  Everyone, at all levels of the community, understood what was expected and why it was necessary.  It was clear cut, precise and purposeful.

There is a valuable lesson that we can glean from this detailed account.  If you ask the average person in the pew, why we do what we do, in church or in the community, most individuals could not answer the question.  Maybe they would say it is because it has been done a certain way for as long as they remember.  Or, maybe they would say it is because they heard about some other church doing this and it worked for them.  Is this really the answer that we want to give?

Back in elementary school, we learned about the proper way to evaluate a story.  We had to be able to identify who, what, where, when, how and why.  Who were the main characters?  What was the story about?  Where was the story taking place?  When were these events happening?  How were they going about resolving the story?  Why were they doing what they were doing?  As I thought about this, I realized that these are the types of questions we in the church should be asking.  Then I realized, we’re not asking these questions!  We’re so busy “doing” ministry trying to make something work that we forget to take the time to lay out a plan ahead of time, clearly stating what we are trying to do, why we are doing it and what we hope the outcome will be.  We end up with a hodge-podge of things that sort of work, or don’t work at all and then wonder why we didn’t see any results.

Let’s take food ministry for example.  Who exactly are you trying to reach out to?  Who will be doing the work?  Who is in charge?  What are you planning on doing?  What is the hoped for outcome?  Where will you be doing this?  At church?  Somewhere out in the community?  When will you be doing this?  One time?  On a continual basis?  When you have enough volunteers?  When it is most convenient for the individuals you are trying to reach?  How do you intend to do this?  How will this fulfill a ministry goal?  How do you intend to let people know about this program?  Why are you doing this?  Is it because it is on a checklist?  Is it because you want to fill a need in the community?  There are so many more questions that could be asked, but my point is this-if you can answer these questions then the chances for success increase because you can demonstrate purpose, interest and passion .  There is a clear plan and people fully grasp the details.  If someone asks a question, you can give a reasonably intelligent answer!

We want our members to use their gifts and graces for work in ministry and, particularly, outreach.  Or, to use the word we least like to talk about, we want our members to be active in evangelism.  But we fail to give them the tools to understand why we are doing certain things and why this is important.  Then leadership wonders why things are not happening in our congregations?!

We bemoan the fact that too many of our congregations are “inwardly focused”.  I understand the argument and there is some validity to the statement.  There are individuals who are very comfortable with the idea that going to church is all you need, to be a good Christian.  But, I also know that there are individuals out there who would like to do more, but feel that they are ill equipped to reach out, because they don’t understand some of these things themselves!  They can not answer what Methodists believe or why they believe these things.  They can’t answer why a particular outreach ministry is an important reflection of the values of the church.  And in some cases, we ask individuals to take on tasks that they are not comfortable handling.  Asking an introvert to be a greeter at the front door would be a good example.  There are individuals who are not going to be terribly outgoing but are wonderful at handling behind the scenes details.  Their “evangelism” is going to look very different from an extrovert’s style of evangelism.  If we could focus a little more on the inward development of an individual-helping them to identify their gifts and graces, helping them understand where they could use those gifts and why using those gifts matter, I think we would see their confidence level go up.  We would see them feeling far more comfortable with talking to others and reaching out to others because they understand the details.  They can explain the purpose.  They understand why this is being done, they understand why it has value and is important and, if someone asks a question, they can answer with confidence.

Jesus didn’t just pick twelve guys out of a hat and then send them out into the world.  He worked with them.  He trained them.  He led them by example.  He answered their questions.  He equipped them with the skills that they needed to do effective ministry, then he sent them out!  We see the same pattern in Acts as well.  The Apostles didn’t send just anyone out to do ministry.  They sent out those individuals who they felt were equipped to handle the mission.

Do we want effective ministry?  If we do, then we have to invest in training our members and equipping them with the skills that they need.  And we have to look at our various forms of ministry and ask the questions that provide the details that under gird the “why”.  Until we do both, we will not see long term tangible results.  The mission or outreach will last only as long as someone stays excited about it and then it will collapse and fall by the wayside.  We will comfort ourselves with the thought that we at least tried, but it just didn’t work in this area.

We have to stop doing things just because it was suggested in a book, or someone else did it or it sounds like something interesting to try.  We need to stop with the rah rah speeches or the finger pointing “guilt you into doing it” approach.  We need to start doing ministry because we have a compelling reason to do so and we can explain the reason in great detail.  We need to know that we have the individuals in place who can handle the mission.

It’s time that we started asking those pesky questions.  It’s time to start focusing, first, on those little details.  Those pesky little questions, those little details, can make all the difference!

Security-Comfort-Food and the Golden Rule

Photo by Holly Boucher

One of the “blessings” of fibromyalgia is that once in awhile, you have to literally stop what you’re doing.   Fighting the pain is physically exhausting!  Sometimes, you have to just sit and rest, whether you want to or not!  I am used to having to rest for a day, at times, but this time around, I had to rest for days.  I haven’t had to do that for awhile, but this was one of those bouts where I had to do an extended rest, because my symptoms were not getting better, they were getting worse!  I needed to give my body time to recover.

There is only so much television you can watch and there are only so many rounds of Sodoku you can play before you start going stir crazy!  So, I took advantage of the time and read a few books.  I tried to read a few spiritual books but, there is a mental exhaustion component that goes with this, as well, and I just couldn’t wrap my brain around what I was reading.  So, instead, I read a book that I have wanted to read for awhile, “The Town That Food Saved” by Ben Hewitt.  The appeal, for me, was that it was about a town that I do know about, Hardwick, Vermont.  Hardwick was the “ole stomping grounds” of my parents when they first got married, and they both have very fond memories.  So, I was curious to see just how Mr. Hewitt portrayed the Hardwick of today, against the Hardwick of yesterday.

The basic premise of the book, initially , is how new, food based, entrepreneurial businesses came in to town and saved the community from economic collapse.  Sort of a rags to riches story.  The author had the good sense, though, to delve a little deeper.  On the one hand, yes, these businesses brought a new vitality to the community.  On the other hand, there have been farms and farmers in the area for a very long time quietly doing their own thing without a lot of publicity and fanfare.  So, I appreciate that Mr. Hewitt took the time to point that little factoid out!

For me, it raised a couple of points that I have pondered and wrestled with over the years-food security and proper stewardship.  It also raises the importance of being a part of a community that lives in balance.  Right now, if there was a major catastrophic event, and goods could not be shipped, particularly food, there are a lot of people who would go hungry.  Do you live in a community that could sustain itself, for an extended period of time, without outside assistance?  Most of us, would have to answer no.  I think the area that I live in, would fare better than some other areas of the country but I am not entirely convinced we could sustain ourselves for a long period of time.  I do believe that this is something that we should all take seriously and discuss because stuff does happen.  There are things that are beyond our control and we may face a point in time when we have to depend on our neighbors and our community to work together.

Missouri just wilted it’s way through the second worst heat wave on record.  We broke record high temperatures that had been set back in the 1930’s, during the depression and the era of the dustbowl.  There was no rain hardly to speak of.  There were cracks in people’s yards that looked like an earthquake had hit, but it was no earthquake, the ground was literally baking in the sun.  This is the type of weather we expect to get towards the end of July, into August.  This was not something that you would normally see in the month of June.  Because of this, there is some concern about the corn crops and the amount of damage that this heat wave/drought did to the crop.  Lower yields means higher commodity prices.  Higher commodity prices, mean higher prices at the supermarket.  It’s a viscous cycle that we created, when we chose to get away from growing or raising our own food and depending on someone else to do it for us.    Here’s a shocking statistic from the book-the amount of the United States population that live on farms is 0.7%.  In the United States, 140 people eat what 1 person grows.  If that system fails, what happens?

The statistic sounds daunting, but there is something that can be done on a local level-encourage people to grow at least some of their own food.  Food is far more valuable then the perfectly manicured lawn.  It is also far more healthy than what you find in the supermarket because it is fresh, it hasn’t lost some of the nutrient content due to shipping.    Yes, it is work!  That’s why a lot of people prefer to let someone else take up the task!  But more locally grown food would go a long way towards providing some stability and food security on a local level.  If you are in an area where you can not grow your own, there are some options.  The local farmers market is a good place to start.  Or, look for a community garden when you can have your own little plot of land to grow vegetables.  And for those a little more adventurous, a drive to the country to a “pick your own” operation is a good way to participate.  It is a way to participate in the well being of your community because you are supporting someone local.

Churches can have a positive impact on this as well.  Stewardship is not just about money.  It is also about careful use of finite resources.  And many churches have a bare spot of land that could be used for a community garden.  I know the objections, people don’t take care of their plots, it turns into a weedy ugly mess, etc. etc.  I know, it is a risk that you take when you open up part of the property to the community.  But what is more important, the impeccable landscaping or finding a vital way to be a part of the local community?  Here’s another option, if your community does not have a Farmer’s Market, would you be willing to host one at the church?  Or would you be willing to host workshops about gardening, seed saving, preserving food, etc.?  Would you be willing to let some of your members grow a garden so the produce could be donated to the local food pantry?  Hunger in the United States is real and it happens in every community whether we want to acknowledge it or not.  The church is a wonderful place to help constructively turn the tide, if we are willing to step up and confront the issue.

Can we be better stewards?  Can we help create greater food security in our community?  Can we help create a more sustainable community system?  I think we can.

One point from the book that particularly resonated with me was about the farmers who had been in the community for a long time.  They sold produce off their farm on a “sliding scale” fee.  If someone could afford to pay a certain price, that is what they were charged.  But if there was someone who was in need, they would charge a lower price or not even charge them at all.  They did this without a lot of fanfare or publicity or trying to make a boatload of money.  They did it quietly, consciously, consistently.  They were not out there trying to make a name for themselves, they were doing this to help their neighbor.  To me, it was like watching the gospel lived out in a very real, practical way.  It reminded me a lot of my parents and dad, in particular.  Dad was well known for pulling out a couple of saw horses and a sheet of plywood and setting them up by the road.  Then he would make a sign that said “free” and he would put surplus produce on top of the makeshift plywood table.  Over the years, there were people who come up to me or my siblings and shared their stories about how much they appreciated dad doing that one simple thing.  My parents never made a big deal out of doing it and we grew up believing that it was just something you did.  But there were people out there who were able to “make it through a rough patch” because it gave them something to eat.  I treasure those stories even more, now that dad is gone.  And I hope in some way, I can carry on that simple legacy.

I appreciated reading the stories that Ben Hewitt told in his book and I am grateful that these “agri-preuneurs” are raising awareness about food security and sustainability at the local community level. But I am far more appreciative of the stories about the local farmers who have been doing their part to take care of their community for a very long time!  My guess is, some of those folks are already members of a local church and this is one way that they have chosen to live out the Golden Rule.

As a citizen and a member of your local church, I hope you consider looking at ways to be more involved.  This is your community.  These are your neighbors.  Are you willing to take some risks in order to encourage and support and strengthen your neighborhood, your community?  It is a question that is well worth wrestling with!

Taking Care of Business

Here’s an interesting thought from the very end of Deuteronomy 29 in The Message paraphrase:

“God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business.  It’s up to us and our children to attend to all the terms in this Revelation.”

What are the revealed things?  For the Israelites, it is the covenant given to them by God through Moses.  The “do’s and don’ts” of living, “right and wrong” of the moral code.  For Christians it is all of this and more.  It is loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Turning the other cheek.  Praying for your enemies.

Much easier said than done at times, isn’t it?  It becomes a little bit easier at this time of year to be kind, give to others and remember those less fortunate because Christmas is coming!  What happens when January rolls around though?  Are we able to maintain that loving, joyous spirit, or are we back to the old grind?  Joy can be fleeting sometimes.  What we need to remember is that feelings come and go and if we can still do the right thing, even in difficult circumstances, even when we don’t feel like it, God will honor that commitment!

God told Joshua to be strong and to take courage.  Why?  Because God was striding ahead of the Israelites as they crossed the river Jordan.  He wasn’t far off and away, he was there with them.  Joshua had faith and also commitment.  But you know some of the Israelites had to be thinking “are you kidding me???  Cross here, take these people on???”  We know the previous generation had doubts and didn’t always do the right thing.  Thus, they wandered the desert for 40 years!  Faced with the choice of wandering another 40 years or doing what was asked of them, they chose to go forward, even if they weren’t feeling one hundred percent confident!

The revealed things are our business!  If we know about something, if we see something, we are supposed to do the right thing.  I love the story about the individuals who went into a department store and paid off items on lay away so families could have them for Christmas.  All the individuals asked was that those who benefited find some way to “pay it forward.”

So here is a project for you to think about and start planning for after the holiday season.  Look around in your community.  See a need?  It could be an individual or some organization that could use some help.  Make it your business to take care of business!  Find a way to help them!  Make it a goal to continue helping someone in some way through out next year.

Need some ideas?  Your local food pantry might be one place to help out.  I know in our area they have not gotten as many donations in as they usually do, so Christmas is going to be a struggle for them.  Imagine what January will be like!  How about the local Domestic Violence shelter?  Is there a service you could provide?  Are there items that they are in need of?  Could you help out at the local animal shelter?  How about the local veterans group?  Could you drive someone to and from their appointments?  Could you help put together care packages to be sent to troops overseas?  How about visiting the elderly and those who are unable to get out of their homes?  Can you change a light bulb for them or make sure they have an ice free walkway or run errands for them?

There is so much out there that we can do, if we will just make it our business to take care of business!  God will take care of the rest if we will just deal with the things he has revealed.  And if we open our eyes and ears, we’ll see everything that he has already revealed!

The Big Picture-Imagination Adventure of the Day

Imagine with me for a moment.  Picture in your mind, your home town.  Picture the borders, where your town starts and where your town ends.  Have you got it, do you see it precisely in your mind?  Now, picture in your mind that a wall has suddenly been built on those borders and you are completely cut off from everything outside of your town.  No one gets in, no one gets out!  What you have is what you've got, nothing more, nothing less.  Here's the question: could your town sustain itself for one week based on what you have in your town?  I'm betting most of you would answer "no" to that question and honestly a few weeks ago I would have as well!

Something happened though to change my thinking on this question.  My home state got hammered by massive amounts of flooding and there were towns that were literally cut off from everyone else around them.  Granted, they didn't have to go a full week before supplies were flown in to them, but they did have a period of days where all they had to survive was what they had in town.  Not only did they survive, they thrived under the pressure!  You see, they discovered that when they worked together they had more than they thought!  They discovered that they were more than the sum of their parts!

I am reminded of the early church portrayed in the Book of Acts.  In chapter 2, starting at verse 44 (NRSV) it says:

"All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day 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, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people." 

Now I'm not suggesting that you sell all your stuff and join a religious commune.  No.  What I am suggesting though is that you look at your church family and your community with a new set of eyes.  We tend to look at things a piece at a time.  We look at the parts rather than looking at the whole picture.  The early church prospered and grew because they worked together as a whole.  They had one goal-sharing the good news of Jesus!  Everything they said, everything they did, how they lived, was focused on that goal.  They discovered that they were more than the sum of their parts.

Let me go back to the example of the towns that were cut off by flooding.  The first thing they did was meet together to figure out who was accounted for, who was not, who needed help and what did they need to focus on first.  Some people had food in their freezers which they pulled out and donated for a big town barbecue so everyone would have something to eat.  Some had heavy equipment which they put to work trying to rebuild roads so they could get things opened back up.  Some had ATVs which they used to either rescue folks who were stranded or to try to find a way out of town to get supplies.   Horses, propane cook stoves, generators-there were things in town that individually wouldn't make much of a dent but when pooled together would sustain them all until they could get help.  And plain ole labor-people willing to pitch in to help clean up because the faster they could clean up, the more they could save and the faster they could rebuild.  They were able to accomplish a lot more working together than working individually.

There's a lesson to be learned here.  Churches want to "make an impact" they want to "do and be" but many times you have groups of individuals doing a little bit of this here and a little bit of that there in the hope that this will be "the next big thing".  Not that these things are not good or important but where do they fit in the big picture?  What part are they of the whole?  When you look at your church in relation to your community what part do you play?  Where do you fit in?  What is your goal for your church and for your church within your community?  What could you accomplish if your entire congregation worked together?  What would you accomplish if your church worked with others in your community?

If we focus on the big picture rather than the individual parts I wonder how that would change what we do in our churches and I wonder how that would change how we interact within our communities?  I wonder what kind of resources we would discover, that had always been there, but we didn't notice?  I think about individuals sitting in our congregations who would like to find a way to actively participate but who think there is no where that they fit in within church ministry.  Or, I think about people in the community who would like to find a way to help but they have no group to connect with.  Can we take those parts and connect the dots and do something truly extraordinary?

One of the great things about the Methodist tradition is that work is not a dirty word.  You don't do works because it somehow scores you angelic brownie points.  You do work because it is an outward expression and demonstration of your faith.  As the Apostle Paul said "Faith without works is dead."  Wesley understood this, that's why he went to the prisons and brought not only faith, but food.  That's why he set up Sunday School so children who worked in factories six days a week could not only hear the word but learn to read the word.  He knew if a young person could read they stood a better chance of advancement-they stood a better chance of being able to have a better life.  He understood the need to preach and teach but he also understood the value of the practical.  He understood the importance of meeting someones needs.

So take some time today for some quiet reflection and really think about the big picture.  Where do you fit in?  Where does your church fit in?  What can you do with others that would make a difference towards uplifting and sustaining your community?  What can you accomplish if you work together with others?

There's your exciting thought adventure for today!  Have fun!

Seeds of Kindness

I like birds!  I like watching the birds in my yard and to bring them in closer I put out bird feeders.  Without fail, every spring, some stray bird seed ends up on the ground, missed by the birds, but happy to sprout!  These tiny seeds do this all on their own without any help from me and they pop up in the strangest places!  All I did was place the seed out!

This weekend was the kick off to a church wide project that we are calling the mustard seed project.  Jesus in his sermons talked a lot about sowing seed and the theme behind this project is "each one, reach one".  Each person who attended services received a card with mustard seeds glued on with the theme title and this scripture verse from Matthew 17:20:

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

The idea is simple-take every opportunity you can to plant small seeds of kindness at home and out in the community.  Can you hold the door open for someone who has their arms full of toddlers and groceries?  Could you buy a cup of coffee for a stranger at a convenience store?  Can you wave to your neighbors as you drive by their house?  Can you say please and thank you to your waiter or waitress?  How many acts of kindness can you do as you go about your day to day activities?  How creative can you get with planting seeds of kindness? 

Now I know what you're thinking-this is just common courtesy and common sense!  You're right!  It is common courtesy and it is common sense but what happens when our lives get busy?  We tend to forget, don't we?  And sometimes we tend to slip.  It's no big deal if you cut off that driver, because it's not like you'll see them again, right?  But do you know for sure?  Are you certain that you won't see that individual again and that they will not remember you if you do happen to meet again?    Why do you think Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves?  Because what you sow, you eventually reap!

Loving our families seems like a simple task but sometimes we take them for granted.  What simple special things can you do for those you love the most?  It could be as simple as a phone call, an encouraging word, or those special cookies that they love!  Kindness starts at home.

Think of this as purposefully planting seeds.  You don't know which ones will sprout but it's worth the effort to try!  You can be as creative as you want, but remember the point is to plant these seeds of kindness as you go about your everyday routine.  After awhile, it'll become second nature, but for right now, the idea is to purposefully choose to plant some seeds!  You may be shocked and surprised which of those seeds sprouts and takes off!  If you connect with just one person isn't that worth the effort?

So my darling readers, let me extend an invitation.  No matter where you are in the country or around the world, feel free to join in on this project!  And if you would like to share what you have done, leave a comment here or, you can find the First Untied Methodist Church, Washington MO Face Book page and leave a comment there as well. 

Happy planting!

What Would Make Jesus Weep?

There's an interesting question in this week's Disciple Bible Study that is worth pondering this morning.  If Jesus went to a hilltop and looked down on your town or village, what would he see that would make him weep?  This particular question caught my eye today since I happen to have an Evangelism Team meeting this evening and this most definitely relates to the topic at hand!

In a nutshell, I can say without hesitation, that there is plenty to keep us busy!  That particular point became painfully clear at our last meeting as we discussed ideas on how to be more involved in the community.  The "sticky wicket" is choosing what to focus on.  What is most needed and how can the church community best fill that role?  The second question to ask is how do we match church members up with volunteer opportunities that match their gifts and passions?

Serving others is definitely part of the Wesleyan tradition.  So many ministries were started by early Methodists-schools, hospitals-even Wesley mentioned in his journal going to prisons to see to the needs of those  who were incarcerated.  Wesley viewed service to others as a natural part of Discipleship.  As you change inwardly, that change is reflected outwardly by serving others.  If you look at what Jesus did and who he went to and who he talked with there is example after example of service to others.  He taught, he fed, he healed and he confronted those in positions of authority.  Serving others is clearly considered a natural part of an individual's faith walk.    That need is alive and well today, but finding individuals who will do the work can be tough!  It's just so much easier to write a check!  Someone else will take care of the problem.  Our schedules are already so full how could we possibly make time to do something more?

Something more-isn't that the essence of our faith walk?  Are we not called to be the eyes that see, the ears that hear, the mouth that speaks, the hands that work, the feet that walk?  What compels us to help others and why is that so important?  Have we as a church explained this clearly enough?

In Second Corinthians 8, The Message paraphrase says this:

"The heart regulates the hands."

Inward compassion shows up through outward action.  What are you being asked to do?  How can you help?  Where can you use your gifts to serve?

Let's expand the initial question a bit.  If you were standing beside Jesus on a hillside looking down on your town, what would make you weep?  Answer that question and you will have taken your first step towards figuring out where you are called to serve.  The need is great yet the workers are few.  Take that next step on your faith journey and find a place to serve. 

May we all work to turn the tears of sorrow into tears of joy!  This, oh Lord, I pray.

Where Compassion and Common Sense Meet-A Bastion of Hope

"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"  Amos 5:24

I want to ask you all a question.  Dear friends, I am serious about this and would really like some feedback.

To give you an idea about the enormity of the needs out there let me share with you a link to a website called Down but not Out  which contains personal stories from people who have experienced first hand what it is like to live through long term unemployment.  Some of these stories will break your heart!  There is also the issue of underemployment.  People are working but they are just barely hanging on and one tiny push will put them over the edge.  This is real and it is happening now!  This is so much bigger than politics, it's about people and their ability to provide for themselves and their families and to contribute to the community around them!

Throughout the Old Testament I see a coupling of righteousness with kindness, particularly in Proverbs.  How we treat the poor, the orphan and widow are important!  Israel was called in to judgement over and over again on this very thing along with worshipping other Gods.  I think that righteousness and kindness intersect at the point where compassion and common sense meet.  The church in particular should be a bastion of hope!  Historically it has been and now is the time to become that bastion of hope once again!

How do we help-really help? 

So that's the question that I humbly ask.  Thank you in advance for your responses!