Election Day Communion

"I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you…
For it has been reported to me that there is division among you…
What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I belong to Barack’ or ‘I belong to Mitt’...
Is Christ divided?
Was Obama crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Romney?...
therefore, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast of the Lord.’”
- adapted from 1 Corinthians 1

On November 6, voters across our nation will select a President. It is an important day for America and for the world, and we should not take our responsibilities as voters lightly. The Presidency is an extremely important job, and all Christians should be in prayer for both major candidates and their families during this time.

Sadly, during election seasons, Jesus' disciples are often not at their best. While there are important matters of justice and freedom which are at stake in this and every election, we should never allow our political opinions to give us permission to mistreat or belittle others. After all, the most intensely political statement a Christian can ever utter is "Jesus Is Lord", and if that statement is believed, then we need to find ways to offer redemptive love even to those with whom we disagree.

At Slippery Rock UM Church on Election Day, we will share an opportunity to experience the unity of the Holy Spirit in the midst of chaos and division and proclaim to the world that our bond in Jesus is far, far more important than any political disagreements we may have.

At 12 PM – the middle of the voting day - we will celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion along with sisters and brothers around the country who have made similar pledges. The Election Day Communion movement is one which the Church needs at this time in its history, to clarify who we are and, frankly, who we are not. We pray that Jesus will be made known in the breaking of the bread.

You are invited to join us at noon to thank God, hear the word, pray, and celebrate the sacrament. We will be joined by the Rev BT Gilligan of Harrisville UM Church, who will co-preside at our celebration. Hope to see you on Election Day!

Prayer after Violence in Libya & Egypt

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

- from The Book of Common Prayer

NFL Picks 2012

AFC:

Division winners: Patriots, Steelers, Texans, Broncos
Wildcards: Ravens, Chiefs
Championship: Broncos vs Patriots

NFC:

Division winners: Giants, Packers, Saints, 49ers
Wildcards: Falcons, Lions
Championship: Saints vs Packers

SUPER BOWL:

Packers over Patriots
Game MVP: Aaron Rodgers


I also think that Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger may actually win the NFL MVP with the new offense in place.

Themes of General Conference 2012

* The rise in influence & power of the Central Conferences makes the UMC a truly global church... finally.

* The great mistrust in the UMC involving bishops, clergy, laity, agencies & the various political/theological factions dominates conversations.

* The debates & decisions on sexuality were not hateful but examples of tough love; we ought to be able to disagree in love without impugning those who disagree with us.

* The UMC's inability to agree on definitions of words like holiness, inclusion, justice & love prevents real, meaningful unity.

* The Holy Spirit was present but often moves in ways which we find confusing or disappointing; we should learn from the ways in which the Spirit moved unexpectedly rather than discounting any divine presence.

CEB review

Ken Collins has run one of the best Christian websites for years now; his site is filled with fine resources and challenging thoughts. I visit it often.

He recently posted a rather scathing review of the Common English Bible, a 2011 translation published by Abingdon Press, the publishing arm of The United Methodist Church. I always appreciate Ken's insights and opinions on Bible translations, a field he takes very seriously as both a pastor and a scholar. His language in opposition to the CEB is strong and invites serious reflection. I confess that I have not been particularly comfortable with the CEB, and don't use it often; perhaps Ken has narrowed the rationale for some of my discomfort.

I also encourage folks to peruse Ken's reviews of other English Bible translations, which are excellent summaries.

RIP Davy Jones

Thanking God today for the musical & comedic legacy of Davy Jones (1945-2012).

Giving Up for Lent...

Jukebox Hero

When one is growing up, one dreams of all manners of futures. There were moments in my young life when I thought of becoming a doctor, a missionary, a teacher, a writer, a history professor, a hermit, even a traveling hobo. Some of those dreams seem laughable to me now; others make me occasionally wonder about roads not taken.

Perhaps no dream interested me as greatly, however, as being a rock & roll musician. Sure, stardom carries its own allures which many people have desired. I never desired the stardom as much as I dreamt of the possibility of making music for a living. Yes, that future inevitably included hanging out with Paul McCartney, Bono, and probably a supermodel or two. But I can honestly say that the most important part of that dream for me was making the music, recording it, hearing it on the radio, and playing it before crowds of at least mildly interested fans.

I wasn't very old when God looked at that dream and said, "No, Keith. That's not what I want for you." Part of that was simply because I wasn't very good; part of that was that the Lord had another calling on my life. I am now in my 16th year of pastoral ministry, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have received to share the good news of Jesus with many people. It is a humbling yet exciting life.

Jefferson church has recently begun a ministry to and with a personal care home in urban Clairton. It is a place which serves people of lower economic stations, many of whom have mental health issues or drug-related issues. I am hopeful that this ministry continues to bear wonderful fruit, as I think it's been a true blessing both for the care home and for our congregation. I hope it grows into a true "symbiosis", and we rely on one another as family.

Part of our ministry includes worship on the first Thursday of each month. During that time, we sing, pray, hear the word read & proclaimed, and share the Bread & Cup together. It has become a wondrous time of confession and renewal in the Spirit.

As I have at other ministry events and worshipful times, I play guitar and lead singing. I confess that my skills are rusty and I'm always tempted to jump into a song by the Beatles or Creedence Clearwater Revival or Tom Petty, but God has enabled me to adequately accompany our praises and joyful noises. Recently, something wonderful has happened. The Spirit has worked through me...not to help me play as well as George Harrison or Scotty Moore or Eric Clapton...but to bring a particular tiny group of the Body of Christ into moments of true worship, not only with a real experience of the presence of God but far more importantly a sense that our praise is real, authentic, sincere and welcomed.

These are difficult emotions to describe. While I have felt similar feelings in my preaching ministry, the sense while playing guitar and singing at the personal care home rings "you've come full circle" to me, as if my weak gifts are being used in the most appropriate way. I am grateful for the journey.

This isn't to say that I'll never sing or play rock & roll again; it remains somewhat of a dream. I remain absolutely convinced that rock & roll is the greatest form of music ever devised by humankind, and that most of what passes today for "pop" music or even contemporary Christian music pales in comparison to the best of rock & roll. But I am thankful that a passion of mine has found a way to be of service to Christ's Kingdom, even in a limited fashion. God is truly good.

Doxology for Advent & Christmas

To the tune of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"

"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
on every hill and coast!

"Praise God above, all angels who
comprise the heavenly host!

"Praise to the Father and the Son
and to the Holy Ghost!

"O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!
O tidings of comfort and joy!"

Something to ponder in light of the Call to Action...

"In the end, the church cannot endure without a body of systematic and coherent doctrine. This was not the problem Wesley faced two centuries ago. His challenge was to take the doctrine the church already possessed in her canonical traditions and make it accessible to the masses of his day. Hence, he did not make doctrine a high priority in his efforts to renew the church of his day.

"Two hundred years later, the situation is radically reversed. We have become so doctrinally indifferent and illiterate that the church is starved of intellectual content. Indeed in many quarters the church has become internally secularized. It has no shared public discourse of its own, other than that borrowed from the secular world, to think through its pastoral care, its mission in the world, its evangelism, and its internal administration. Hence pastoral care is reduced to therapy, mission to sociopolitical action, evangelism to church growth, academic theology to amateur philosophical inquiry, and church administration to total quality management.

"To be sure, only a fool would claim that we cannot learn from the best secular inquiries of our day. Yet it is patently obvious that the Christian tradition has its own special way of thinking about its healing care, its mission, its evangelism, its internal structures, and the like. That special way of thinking is inescapably doctrinal. The recovery of doctrinal identity is not then some abstract exercise in constitutional archaeology; it is integral to the deep renewal of the life and work of the church in the current generation."

William J. Abraham in
Waking from Doctrinal Amnesia:
The Healing of Doctrine in the United Methodist Church,
pp. 104-105

Labor Day 2011: Prayer for the Unemployed

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

- from The Book of Common Prayer

What is doctrine?

"Christian doctrine is unique in that it is an intellectual response to the historical activity and revelatory disclosure of God. Doctrine is rational reflection upon God’s saving activity in Jesus Christ. Foundational to the idea of 'doctrine' is the fact that we need to be told what God is like. It is not ours to determine what kind of God we will believe and obey. It is God’s to determine to show Himself to us. Doctrine is our effort to articulate what He has made known. Doctrine is the divinely authorized attempt to describe God in accordance with how He has revealed Himself in creation, in history, in Jesus Christ and in the Scriptures. In doing so, doctrine also serves to expose false interpretations of reality, false concepts of God. It is the aim of doctrine to make sense of the individual’s and the church’s experience of God as He has made Himself known in Jesus Christ."

Alister McGrath,
Understanding Doctrine:
Its Relevance & Purpose for Today

Trinity Sunday 2011

"Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth:
Set up your kingdom
in our midst.

"Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God:
Have mercy on me,
a sinner.

"Holy Spirit,
breath of the living God:
Renew me
and all the world."

- prayer by NT Wright in
Bringing the Church to the World (1992)

Western PA Annual Conference 2011 in Review

We had a fine Annual Conference last week. From June 9-12, the people called United Methodist in western Pennsylvania gathered at Grove City College in Grove City, PA for our annual gathering. It was a time filled with grace, peace, and joy. For me, it was once again a time of challenge, renewal, and great affirmation. The week was unusual for me in that I left Conference for about a day and a half in order to preside at a wedding in Pittsburgh, but the overall feeling in my view was still positive.

Clergy session saw the approval of some fantastic colleagues in ministry, which is always exciting. Once again, I am blessed to call most of this year's Elders class friends, and I am grateful for that (the few I haven't met, I hope to meet soon!). There were also some painful moments in our clergy session, as sometimes happens, which demonstrated for me afresh the great integrity of Board of Ordained Ministry chairperson David Morse and the members of the board, who seemed to prayerfully and diligently struggle over serious issues in a sincere effort to be fair, just, and faithful. Navigating troubled waters while seeking grace is not easy; they lead us in remarkable fashion and I am blessed by their efforts. I am also renewed in my love and appreciation for my clergy sisters and brothers in our Conference, who continue to be women and men of extraordinary character and steadfast passion. It is without question one of the great honors of my life to be counted in their hallowed ranks, unworthy sinner though I am.

The primary feature of this year's session was the election of delegates to the 2012 UMC General Conference in Tampa, FL and to the 2012 Northeast Jurisdictional Conference in Charleston, WV. The voting went relatively smoothly, and great credit is owed to Conference Secretary John Wilson and his staff as well as to the patience and calming nature of Bishop Tom Bickerton. It is difficult to understand, however, in this age of technology, why we still cast our ballots using 1970s era Scantron cards; surely in future years we can find faster, more efficient ways to perform this simple task. (The EmergingUMC blog has a few suggestions here.) Several good friends of mine were elected as delegates, and I rejoice, even as I begin to pray for their stamina and courage as they face the mountains ahead of them.

If I have one criticism of this year's session, it has to do with the way we elect our delegates. No speeches are permitted, no campaigning of any kind is allowed, and the sharing of any information is to be kept to a minimum. Our well meaning Bishop frowned on any efforts of voters to coalesce around a slate or any pertinent issues. His rationale was that by removing this kind of conversation and dialogue from the process, we might be more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and less attuned to the politics of the day. This is puzzling in light of moves at the General Church level to encourage campaigning and organizing, as evidenced in this UMNS story, which - ironically - shows a picture of our Conference delegation in years past. I'm not quite certain why we're so out of step with the denomination on this one.

The result of all this, sadly, is in my opinion to create a hyper-political atmosphere in which everyone knows the issues but no one talks. It means that our laity delegation - good people all - is composed primarily of names who work for the Conference, not necessarily a more diverse group of leaders from across the region. It means that for laity and clergy important issues of justice, holiness, and inclusiveness are ignored in favor of fame and popularity. My honest prayer is that in future years our Bishop does not stifle conversation, but is more open to loving dialogue and the challenging means of grace that is real "Christian conferencing".

I often complain about Annual Conference and, to be fair, there are some things we could do better. The endless "commercials", both onscreen and onstage...the tremendous area of opportunity that is "time management"...the failure year in and year out to raise up leaders of color...all of these are areas in which we must improve. I often dread spending a week in Grove City. I've come to the realization, however, that I need to reject that sense of dread. Annual Conference for me has been for several years now an amazingly affirming time, as I reconnect with colleagues, laugh with them and break bread with them. I leave physically worn out but emotionally and spiritually energized, and that is really at least part of why we gather.

So I am thankful to God for Barb Moore, Mark Goswick and the Sessions team, for their commitment to service and excellence each year...for Renaye Hoffman and the Youth Ministry Team for their tireless efforts to minister to the rest of us...and to Bishop Bickerton, for whom Annual Conference is like Christmas; may the joy that he holds for God's people remain with all of us throughout the challenging days of ministry ahead.

Easter 2011

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

"There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: "He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." Now I have told you.'

"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.'"

(Matthew 28:1-10, NIV 2011)

Palm Sunday 2011

"A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

'Save us,
Son of David!
Blessed is he
who comes
in the name
of the Lord!
Save us to the
highest heaven!'

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, 'Who is this?'

"The crowds answered, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee!'"

- Matthew 21:8-11 (NIV 2011, adapt)

On the Lenten Lectionary

"The temptation for this Sunday and the next several Sundays will be to omit readings and/or to shorten the lengthy gospel readings. Resist that temptation. These are the church's stories. They are not yours to dismiss because they are inconvenient and invade the time concerns you have. When you entered the covenant of ordained as deacons and elders or when you signed your paperwork as a local pastor or pastor from another denomination, you affirmed that you were persuaded 'that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for salvation' and you promised loyalty to The United Methodist Church, 'accepting its order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline . . .' (United Methodist Book of Worship, 689, 695). Therefore, read the entirety of these readings out of your persuasion and your acceptance of the liturgy, trusting the Spirit of God to do what God wants to do in the hearts of the people."

- Taylor Burton-Edwards,

Director of Worship Resources for the

General Board of Discipleship of
The United Methodist Church

Devil in Disguise

"...the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. The tempter came to him and said, 'Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread.'

"Jesus replied, 'It's written, People won’t live only by bread, but by every word spoken by God.'

"After that the devil brought him into the holy city and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, 'Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, I will command my angels concerning you, and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.'

"Jesus replied, 'Again it’s written, Don’t test the Lord your God.'

"Then the devil brought him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said, 'I’ll give you all these if you bow down and worship me.'

"Jesus responded, 'Go away, Satan, because it’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' The devil left him, and angels came and took care of him."

- Matthew 4:1-11 (Common English Bible)

One of my favorite Lenten practices is watching a few of the several movies made about Jesus. We are blessed to have so many films at our disposal thanks to DVDs, Netflix, and TV cable offerings.

One of my favorite Biblical films is 1965's The Greatest Story Ever Told. Not a critical success and a bit dragging in parts, this movie nevertheless has one of the best portrayals of the devil ever portrayed on film. British screen legend Donald Pleasence plays the devil as a hermit who seems almost an "everyman" figure. He is polite, soft-spoken, and seemingly kind...which makes this performance absolutely terrifying.

Were the devil to appear to me in all his dread - surrounded by flames, holding a pitchfork, hooves and tail apparent - I might be a bit frightened but not fooled. In Pleasence's hands, the devil becomes a figure easy to sit with, converse with, even befriend.

This is the devil of Matthew 4. He's not some monster from a Hammer horror film; he's not some superhuman demon from the infernal pits; he is...well, he's us. This is what makes the account of the temptation of Jesus so real.

Jesus may be tested by the offer of big dreams, but they are camouflaged by the commonplace, the ordinary, the everyday. What tests us are not typically outrageous schemes, but familiar, mundane habits - perhaps even with the approval or encouragement of an unbelieving world - which appear to be harmless but in actuality may have devastating effects on our souls, our witness for Christ or on those around us.

As we embark on the holy season of Lent, my prayer is that disciples of Jesus across the world are able to reflect not simply on the large issues of life, activism, and service, but also on the banal, the routine, the daily habits which prevent us from moving forward in holiness and in faithfulness to our crucified and risen Lord.

This post is part of the 2011 Lenten Blog Tour

sponsored by the publishers of the Common English Bible.

Simeon the Buzzkill

"Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
'This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel
and to be a sign that generates opposition
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.'"

- Luke 2:34-35 (CEB)

The story of Simeon waiting to meet the Messiah is a lovely tale, one which warms the heart and fits easily in the comforts of the Christmas season. Had Luke's Gospel only shared the remark of Simeon's fulfilled hopes, surely this would be a favorite vignette of many Christians. Unfortunately, as so often happens with prophets in Scripture, Simeon opens his mouth to speak, and in addition to the charming dreams of a pious old man we also receive perplexing - even violent - words which shatter the beauty of the scene and create a sense of foreboding and uneasiness.

Simeon's words make the point that Jesus is not and was never meant to be a point of unity, but rather a point of division. In Wesleyan orthodoxy, one's reaction to the gospel, after all, helps determine one's eternal destiny. There is an element to the gospel, therefore that is extremely exclusivist, in spite of the desire of many Church elites to lift up inclusivism as a primary doctrine.

We need to be reminded that the faithfully proclaimed demands of the gospel will repel as well as attract; not everyone is eager to lay everything at the feet of a poor Jew from 1st century Palestine and to acknowledge that this Jew is God incarnate in human flesh and the absolute Lord of one's life.

Elsewhere in Luke's Gospel account, we read these shocking words of Jesus:

"I came to cast fire upon the earth. How I wish that it was already ablaze!... Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I have come instead to bring division. From now on, a household of five will be divided—three against two and two against three. Father will square off against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

-Luke 12:54-59 (CEB)

This is why pushing too hard in the Church for full inclusivism can be dangerous; definitionally, if sadly, the Kingdom does not include everyone. Not everyone is interested in acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus, and those who reject Jesus may be in for a sad realization when he returns.

John Wesley, in his notes on the New Testament, said of Jesus, "...he will be a savour of death to some, to unbelievers; a savour of life to others, to believers." Strong stuff. Not to be dismissed easily. Trying to be inclusive can be a good thing as long as we admit the gospel-imposed limitations of such practice. Not every behavior or decision can be affirmed in the Kingdom of God.

Simeon introduces to us a painful aspect of the gospel through his words to Mary, but, though they are not easy words, they are important and should not be ignored. We need Simeon's words at Christmas to put the miracle of the Incarnation and God's soteriological plan into its proper perspective. Obedience can be difficult, and it carries a price.

This post is part of the 2010 Advent Blog Tour
sponsored by the publishers of the Common English Bible.

Advent Blog Tour 2010

The season of Advent is underway, a holy time of year in which the Church prepares herself for the celebration of Christmas. Advent is a wonderful opportunity for growth in piety and mercy, and it should not be "skipped over" or ignored by Christians. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit!

This year, I have been asked to participate in the Advent Blog Tour, a link to which can be found here. I am humbled by the request and look forward to posting on the Common English Bible translation of Luke 2:34-35 on December 18. Until then, I encourage everyone to follow the tour and meditate on what the Spirit might reveal to us and among us in the coming weeks.