Stock Market Evangelism: 21st Century Crash

Ah, the wonder of the stock market. The easiest money every made. Had one's hard earned cash over to someone else (the brokerage firm) and let them work their mojo on it - and in a perfect world - everybody comes out a winner on the other side. We may worry about it, we may kibitz with the brokerage firm, we may questions certain decisions (we may even act on our own behalf as the broker) but truth be known - we do nothing.

We, as the investor, do absolutely nothing. Yes there is a risk involved as far as potential financial loss; but let me say it again, we do nothing whatsoever to cause or to create the opportunity for those funds to multiply. They do so on their own; or they fail on their own - with no real effort on the part of the investor. It's easy money.

Now, from one perspective, I could see this as an example of how Paul described the growth and maturation of faith. "I planted the seed, watered it, but it was God who gave the growth." Well, I'm looking at this stock market dynamic a bit differently. It was easy money - with no work on the part of the investors.

The 'easy' part was what contributed to the collapse in 2008/2009 of Wall Street. Everyday folks, trusting people, people who acted in good faith - perhaps a bit naive on their part when we look into some of the investment schemes that went belly up in this same time frame (Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme comes to mind) - but for the most part these were/are people who genuinely put their trust, their hopes in the promises of what others could do with their assets - And they they woke up one morning to find it had all disappeared. A painful reality for some folks, many folk, to find that what they had worked so hard for, and put away in hopes that it would work even harder - was in one lightening flash of a moment, gone. With little hopes of regain, recovering, re-creating the portfolio. It was easy money; no real work to be done to earn it; and it was gone.

I'm seeing a real connection within the life of the church congregation and how we feel about the stock market; some may believe I'm reflecting the congregation in which I serve, but as much as I've talked with, listened to, and gleaned information from others - I think this is a present reality for many parts of the church from coast to coast and demographic to demographic.

That reality? We treat evangelism like we treat the stock market.

Churches, congregations, leaders, parishioners understand the idea of evangelism and church growth (numerical at any rate) the same way we understand the stock market. If we contribute to the church funds, if we spend our time, if we invest what we can - then naturally, it's gonna grow; it always has. 'I' don't have to do any real work, I don't have to change, or be changed - I can simply keep living my life as I always wanted to and the church will just grow. (I don't know how, God gives the growth) -

so, is it any wonder, with this understanding of church growth and evangelism (or evangelism and church growth - or ??) feeling as though we could invest anything less than our full selves - the hard work, the long joyous struggle of sharing the gospel - that the church, like the stock market is experiencing a crash: a crash of membership, crash of purpose, a crash of meaning and identity.

It's always been easy - easy membership. Someone else has done it for us; I haven't had to think about what I believe and how it's lived out in the public arena. The gospel gets shared, people join - and 'I' never have to be bothered with the whys and wherefores. It just happened.

Well, we're in an age where we now have to be conscious about how our lives reflect the gospel.

(At this point in writing - the number of directions the next 27 pages could take are vast and numerous - would entertain others' thoughts and perspectives - Blessings.)

The Joy Foot Club

As some out there may know FootJoy is a brand of golf shoes (may have some other outlets in the sporting and/or non sporting realms as well, don't know). As the name implies, or rather hopes, in wearing this said product upon one's feet, said feet will feel an overwhelming sense of joy at the prospect of wandering for 18 holes of golf, seeking that which is lost (namely a little white ball). This perspective on 'Footjoy' has nothing to do with the nature and direction of this pontification. This piece of writing will encompass the nature of only Christ-like leadership, but Christ's Lordship in its truest form.

We, in the christian tradition, live with paradoxical claims and tensions that to a rationally minded world may not make sense. The nature of the trinity, the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus the Christ we easily explain away with the great turn of phrase - "It's a mystery."

Now, really, for the most part, I'm okay with tension, ambiguity, paradoxes in a variety of different forms, but one in particular, I believe to be particularly troublesome in a way that presents, not a paradox of the gospel, but an outright bipolar expression of the gospel; this would be the nature of the power, glory, and majesty the Lordship of Jesus the Christ.

When I hear descriptions of the second coming of the Christ, the images shared combine to paint a picture of gold covered walls, pearly gates, God and Christ sitting atop what can really only be described as Mt. Olympus (Christ slightly lower -holy Spirit's there somewhere) with a parade of people awaiting to have their divine visa stamped for entrance into the Kingdom. The 6 winged cherubim from Isaiah flying above the assembly - with two wings they were flying, two they were covering their face, with two their feet. for some reason, they didn't see fit to cover their 'regles', but that's for another conversation.

With all the Glory, Majesty, Might, and POWER of God on display in these combined images, one cannot help but see every knee bowing and every tongue confessing to the glory of the Lord . . . . This obviously is what the power of God's leadership and might and majesty of the Lord God Almighty is about and progressing toward.

But we have a problem if we think to portray this as the full and complete (or even partial) vision of the Lordship of Jesus the Christ. If we wish to espouse that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow; if we wish to uplift the fullness of God dwelling within this man of Gallilee; that Christ is/was fully Creator and fully creation; that who God is - Jesus the Christ is; - - - then I think we need to bring to this image of the second coming, of the triumphal re-entry of the Christ with trumpets blaring and knees bowing - the image John shared in his gospel account of the last time Jesus met with the disciples - where he shared the true expression of leadership/Divine Lordship - that being expressed through kneeling down and washing the feet his followers.

Where in our triumphal, power-hungry narratives of human history and action do we have space for this expression of what the Living Word of God said was the truest act of leadership? I have a hard time visualizing many (any) of our leaders, whether secular or religious from embracing this aspect of the gospel vocation of leader.

In seeking to be faithful, in holding our leaders (and ourselves) accountable to their (our) espoused faith (for those who purport to be xian, at any rate) encouraging that they (we) live out this divine directive (and to do so with joy not out of some sense of duty and obligation) will be a right step in living into a fuller expression of God's present but not yet kingdom.

Welcome the joy in washing another's foot.

A year in the life of FPC Phoenix

From the Pastor

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the pages that follow, the ideas, thoughts, hopes, and actions highlighted enumerate the ways that First Presbyterian Church of Phoenix, Oregon has sought to live out our calling to live as the Body of Christ in this part of the Rogue Valley.

If I were to say that 2009 was a particularly easy year for any, whether inside or outside a particular congregation, you’d wonder where exactly I’d been for the past year. The economic issues facing our country and our region have certainly been felt within the life of this particular congregation. From the first months of 2009, the session began looking for ways that some of our budgeted expenses could be reduced or eliminated. We had some significant discussions regarding spending and came to some difficult decisions on how/where to stop spending against the budget. Areas where spending was frozen were the local mission and Community assistance line items, we found alternate ways of arranging for pulpit supply when I was not available to preach, and we started printing the bulletin in house (which greatly decreased our printing expenses.)

But with the decrease in spending seen as a necessity for the continuation of First Presbyterian Church, the necessity to continue being a tangible resource for people suffering the burdens of this economic climate. And so your session explored options on how we might continue feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, providing shelter for the cold, and company for the lonely. Taking the funds held for Mission reserves, we combined it with funds donated specifically for the purpose of providing assistance in ways in keeping with being the Body of Christ.

In looking at the financial information, the income and expenses, and assets that we have, it is clear that we are a congregation living in faith, that we are a congregation actively trusting that God will (and has) provided for the means for this congregation live into our calling as the Body of Christ. In this economic climate, it’s not fair or right to insist that you give more to fund the church budget; but what I will ask, is that for the ways that you do contribute (and I’m sure that everybody can find themselves within the pages to follow somewhere) for the ways that you are making contributions that you allow joy to abound and that you rejoice that God is able to make use of each of our contributions.

Joy – this one simple three-lettered word, as small as it may be, is one ideal I felt drawing FPC Phoenix through 2009 - that search for the joyous. Did you feel it?

Joy, did you feel it? Worship was a time of expressing joy this past year. In a session meeting, the question, (or statement) was raised, “Why don’t we sing more about Joy?” (or something along those lines.) And so that got me thinking about how we express (experience?) joy through our worship singing. Was it simply a matter of tempo? Of higher energy? – we brought in guitars along with the piano, introduced (again) the trumpet to accompany some hymns. We alternated the familiar in with lesser known hymns – introduced a refrain “The trees of the Field” – ‘You shall go out with joy - - -‘ as a closing benediction to our worship; did you?

As we passed the Peace of Christ to one another in our worship setting, did you see joy in one another’s eyes? If not, did you follow up with a question, a phone call, a word of encouragement? The hand extended as a symbol of your baptism, did you receive it joyously, eager to receive and embrace it? The thing about Joy, is it’s not contingent on external variables – Joy is internally driven.

Joy – did you feel it? Did you experience it as you passed the elements of communion to your brothers and sisters? As you held the plate how did your smile feel? How was that warming in your heart interpreted? As you received the cup from your neighbor, how did you acknowledge in joy, not only the gift given, but the bearer of that gift? You did, did you feel it? How did you serve the one next to you in Joy?

Joy and awe went forth from the table around which we gather to the table we extended to those unable to make it for Sunday morning Worship. The care, the love, the joy I witnessed between those being served and those serving home-communion was palpable. As great a joy as it is to serve the sacrament, the rekindling of memories I witnessed and shared, can be almost just as sacramental – that means through which God’s grace is made known and more tangible.

That same joy can be sensed through our potluck table celebrations each month, through the Thanksgiving dinner, through our observance of the Seder on Maundy Thursday, as well as our gatherings for our Tuesday evening Soup, Song and Study. These times are sacramental (just maybe not with a capital ‘S’), for whenever we gather for meal and bread is broken, we’re to receive in joy the gift of life Christ gave to us, in himself. We certainly have ample opportunities to share in this Joy; can you feel it? “I come with Joy to serve the Lord – forgiven, loved, and freed . . .” Did you? (Presbyterian Hymnal #507)

It has been my joy this past year to serve you as pastor. To sit with you and listen, to share in thoughts and feelings, to pray with and hear your hearts come through prayer. It’s been an honor to be present with you through the darkest times, as well as some of the brightest, most exciting: to watch as you take some of those uneasy, unsteady steps of faith.

It has been a joy of mine to serve you in the wider church as Vice-moderator of Cascades Presbytery; I was invited to participate in the joyous celebrations of area congregations – new pastor ordinations and installations, retirement celebrations, congregational birthdays. As a member of the presbytery’s Worship Design Team, I was able to prepare worship for the whole of the presbytery of Cascades. As a regional representative for the Seminary Support Network (Theological Education Fund Rep.), I was thrilled to step into the opportunity to invite Rose Niles to be present in worship, to lead and bring the Word of the Lord to FPC Phoenix. It’s not often that a small church has this opportunity, so I felt it one to embrace and be joyful.

I’ve been overjoyed to share you with the wider Phoenix/Talent community. In service with the Chamber of Commerce (and not simply because they gave us the award for Best Christmas Light display) with area businesses, with the City of Phoenix I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to share the generosity of the body of Christ to the people of the Rogue Valley, even in the midst of such a depressed economic climate. It does my heart good – it’s a joy to hear through the grapevine what kind of impact FPC Phoenix has made in somebody’s life.

In 2009, it would seem that Joy was an attribute that brought us along through the months. As we make our way into and through 2010, let’s be mindful of how the Spirit is drawing us. May we hold tight to the Joy that God has given us, as we experience yet anew, God’s gifts through the Holy Spirit.

Essentials

Essentials

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Yesterday at 6:56pm

Author Jill Ellingson: beloved mother, daughter, wife, and my baby sis.

For two days now, I’ve found myself caught up in the rush-rush-buy-buy that has become the Christmas season. Until this morning. This morning at precisely 8:17 a.m. I got a phone call that I had been expecting since last night. A voice on the other end of the line ‘just wanted to let me know’ that a baby was being delivered.

I had a busy day lined up – finish the shopping, make jelly, take my kids’ pictures, wrap presents, do the dishes, deliver pictures to clients…..fight the crowds once again. I was SOOO tempted to say “I’m sorry, but I just can’t now – last night yes…..but now, I can’t.” It was an impulse of a moment – didn’t last longer than the flicker of an eyelash – before I said “I can be there in an hour and a half. We just got up.”

Rush the kids into clothes (Connor stayed in jammies, the girls looked like they dressed out of the hamper – and might have!), ran a flat iron through my hair, loaded my camera, consent forms, dropped the kids at a girlfriends, and headed for the hospital.

I’m never sure what I’ll find when I arrive at the hospital for one of these sessions – often it’s a young woman, alone and afraid; sometimes her mother is with her; occasionally, a frightened young man stands by her side. The fear and ‘aloneness’ in such a room can be frightening.

I was greeting briefly, but warmly by a priest – a family friend, I assumed – and an older woman: “I’m Kathy’s mom”. As a I turn towards the bed, I’m already steeling myself for what I’ll see: parents struggling to behave ‘normally’, a mother beside herself with grief, a father ‘being strong’ and telling her that ‘it’s okay’ – even though he knows it’s a lie as he says it. Two people alone in their pain, unable to support each other, unable to be there for one another.

Instead, I see a beautiful young woman holding a pink bundle no bigger than the baby doll I played with as a small child; I see a young man with tears streaming into his beard, his massive arms wrapped tenderly around his wife and daughter. I see her hand resting on his forearm – softly stroking him, whispering small comforts in the circle of privacy his arms have created. As she speaks, her face crumples – and the strength seems to return to her husband’s limbs. He comforts her, now – stroking her hair, cradling their small daughter in his palm.

I spend about 45 minutes with this tiny, new, broken family. I take their daughter’s pictures – the only pictures they will ever have of her. I see them struggle to bring some sense of ‘normalcy’ to this day – to try to put it into a context that will have meaning for them not only at Christmas every year, but every day, all year long. The tenderness between them, the love with which they care for the daughter they can’t take home, the pain on their faces any time they happen to notice that time is passing….as they inch toward the time when they have to hand their child’s body to a nurse for the last time.

I left them, thanking them for sharing their daughter with me. As I stepped out into the sunshine of a beautiful December day in Fresno, I realized that I was no longer walking at a frantic pace; the “I’vegottabillionthingstodo” feeling had subsided. I thought back to the room I’d just left – essentials. When it’s all stripped away – the glitz, the rush, the ’stuff’ – we’re left with essentials. People who love us. Family. Those are the moments we hang onto, for as long as we possibly can.

I will never see this family again, probably, but they’ve been bookmarked in my memory as The Christmas Family.

Maybe bigger aint necessarily where it's at

An article in the Presyterian Outlook Dec. 7, 2010 takes up the issue of worship attendance, faith, and leadership. within that article, the drop in worship attendance over the past decade and a half is lamented as a sign of flagging relevance of and poor decisions by the church leaders (my interpretation and gleanings from article. (feel free to read article http://www.pres-outlook.com/reports-a-resources/presbyterian-heritage-articles/9472.html)

The author takes issue with church leaders (elders, and deacons) who have a less than committed attendance for sunday (or any other day of week) worship services. Laments the attitude that worship has simply become one of many activities that vie for the sacred spots on our calendars, a lament with which I can't disagree. The leader-types (not just the pastor) set the tenor of expectation for the congregation. If the elders aren't in worship, why should I be in worship. In many ways I think there may some truth that leaders have abdicated their responsibilities as faithful leaders, but that's not my concern (at least for this post).

I question the validity of the lament of large congregations who are experiencing decline in worship attendance. Being openly transparent, I pastor a church who's attendance has fluctuated between 75 and 50 over the past 4 years and is now residing in the mid 50s. We're an aging congregation which is seeking God's direction in revitalizing, re-defining, re-creating our role within small town S. Oregon. Definitely a challenge when we don't have the bells and whistles available to us to attract, we don't have the baseline support of younger adults to teach sunday school, let alone have the children to attend that sunday school - but I digress.

My question: was Worship ever supposed to be a 'mega' event? Was worship ever supposed to be an event where 1000s of people, where even 100s of people gathered for a cathartic experience of the divine? Is Worship supposed to be this space where one can get lost in the sea interaction? Thinking back to the beginnings of the Xian movement - with the house churches (and catacombs) the mega experience was impossible let alone impractical. (is worship of more meaning because 1000 people are all singing 'Amazing Grace'?) Never throughout history has there been a time when the 'mega' experience was employed for a valid religious worship experience (save pilgrimages to Mecca, Jerusalem, Vatican City from the Abrahamic religious traditions : being unfamiliar with other world faith traditions, they have their own pilgrimages I'm sure. ) But I think the point is, the day to day, week to week worship experience throughout history has been one very limited in attendance.

Enter the 1950s Americana - the rise in prosperity for some among this nation gave rise to bigger worship spaces, designed to house attendees who's civic duty and desire to belong compelled their attendance and then membership in the established church in their neighborhood. And from there, the mega experience has only blossomed, until now when there is this decline in the percentages of 'believers' gathering on a given Sunday (or whatever day for worship). Is Bigger Better? (has bigger ever been better - or does bigger feed something other that the worshipful?)

Maybe as we explore this decline in attendance, (and as WE of 1st PC Phoenix seek growth) we might wish to be mindful of and also reexamine the nature of what the church is called to do and be?

Avatar!! Easily see why it's reportedly the most expensive movie made

Avatar!! Amazing movie theatrics.

An obvious sense of wonder with the world of Pandora they “created”. The flora, fawna, and geological phenomena would truly have been breathtaking at first step onto the planet. Could easily see why the Segonia character was captivated by the scientific research of this cosmos. I could so get into exploring and studying all the life there on that planet of Pandora – that’s the B.S. coming round again to rear it’s little head.

As I was pouring through my copious notes, taken during this movie (yeah right) I began to feel like I was back in high school writing a literary essay for my Honors English class; maybe I’m expecting too much from these musings, eh? But in the course of the evening, was also taken back to a similar experience I had some 25 years past, where another parent took their soph/junior in HS to see a movie. We saw the Killing Fields; the occasion was the night before running in Bloomsday in Spokane. The question asked by my mom (the English/Lit teacher as we exited the theater – Well, How was it? - - -Reply: Oh, it was good. Walk, blink, blink, walk. That’s it??! Anything else??!? - - - Uh, I liked it? Thanks? Uh.

I’m rather amused to say that this parent/child exchange was not to be repeated in the ensuing drive home at the close to this Daddy/Daja night out. TheDaja was quick to point out the story threads drawn from the European conquest, invasion, or ‘landing’ (to be sanitized about it) of the Americas – (to which I would add - every other colonial occupation). We pick ed up and talked on more contemporary occupation dynamics –relationships regarding Iraq, Afghanistan. I was taken back to the WTC collapsing as the home tower was brought low by the ‘Flying People’. Images of ‘the People’ gathering on sacred/holy space in the wake of the destruction – for comfort, guidance, direction – healing – were all too familiar. I’ve been there.

There are moments in Avatar where I find my historical feet walking in the shoes of the invaders, simply wanting the resources, w/o care for who, what where when is destroyed; cause well, there heathen, barbarian, less than – why should I care? Sadly I confess this my historical shoes. And then there are moments where I’m very much in touch with the feelings, the desires, the emotions of The People, just wanting to be safe, for life/relationships to get back to ‘normal.’

Rather than the movie-scape being two dimensional, flat – it’s got texture, nuance, subtleties (and it’s not simply because it was viewed in Digital 3D) It seemed very much like a crystal that one could hold up to the light and see oneself from a variety of perspectives and roles; with a rotation of the movie scape – I find myself in a different local, from a different vantage.

The spiritual oneness of the People and the whole of creation provides the scientific motivation for ceasing the mining operation – not “it’s wrong to destroy” because it’s wrong, but rather because we might be able to exploit the creation in a yet unforeseen way. Give us time to study to see if there’s a better way of recouping our financial losses. Either way - exploitation is exploitation is exploitation.

But as to the spiritual connectiveness of the People, in some ways it’s envious. To be able to link together, by what can only be described as fiber optic filament would make the reliance on the Divine so much easier. I mean really – if all you had to do was plug yourself into spiritual hub (read USB 2.0) in order to talk to, receive validation from, feel the presence of – that would solve a lot of problems of perception. The otherside of that – what happens when the fibers are severed? Or one can’t find a dataport to connect through? Maybe that’s when we’ll truly see the wonder of Wireless Spirituality. (This could so use some more thought and discussion. )

Just some my musings on the movie Avatar. Go see it – don’t go see it. I liked it – intriguing, thought provoking, confessional, baptismal, resurrectional, and redemp - - - AS I think on the issue of redemption, I’ll have to think on it more. How does redemption play out – does it play out within the crystalline movie-scape of Avatar? Look forward to hearing some thoughts.

Peace

Rev.

What's with John the Baptist

Why John the Baptist? This is the season of Advent, preparing for the cosmic birthday of Jesus the Christ – shouldn’t we be focusing on him, the serene image of the manger with birthday cake and candle. Shouldn’t we be looking at the lives of starstruck shepherds in their neatly pressed robes, clean-shaven cheeks, and newly shorn sheep with precocious lambs?

But we’re at John the Baptist? Selah

Met with a group from the city this past week. 6 community and city representatives along with 3 clergy types (I was one of them). Topic of conversation revolved around the question: How do we the community of Phoenix, Oregon handle the issue of homelessness and the impact is has on the people who reside there.

Stemmed from a question posed: Where can these people turn when the temperatures dip into the teens at night? Discussion began here, but quickly bounced to the solution be – ‘Let’s start a soup kitchen.’ Okay ?!? let’s go there.

Without going into the blow by blow of who say what to whom – let me just say that there was a preponderance of clergy input that wanted to use whatever we did (okay, soup kitchen once a week) as a ‘come-to-Jesus’ moment. Presuming that the folks living on the streets were not persons of faith, folks who had not ‘accepted JC as their lord and savior {remember, only 7 shopping days left for you to accept JC as your Lord and Savior}. Trying to lift up the relational fact that ‘they’ have just as much to teach ‘us’ about faith and life and the putting of those two together was not ment

The image painted of a faithful person seemed to look like a Norman Rockwell painting; Mom, Dad, Gma, and kids gathered round table, in a nice house, with freshly washed clothes, with 2 cars in garage. Whereas these aspects are blessings from God, I don’t see them as signs of being blessed by God. I think John the Baptist throws a bucket of paint on THAT perception.

J. the Baptist – or rather maybe starting with Elizabeth, we’re shown a VERY different aspect. Though I think Elizabeth, upon hearing (or rather experiencing ) her own blessed news that she’s having a baby, started with that picture coming into focus. She saw her child as God finally shining on her, removing her disgrace, finally taking her shame away and replacing it with blessing.

And then came the visit from Mary – and the acute, sudden awareness (a kick in the gut) that kicked the legs out from beneath the easel of her vision. What came to her mind was that this child was for God’s purpose, was to be the servant of the child growing within her cousin (?). This child she would carry and deliver would not be pride and joy who would care for her in her age – (maybe Elizabeth was the widow who put her .02 into the temple depository), but, rather would live a MUCH different life, and in fact be taken long before his time.

The image of John the Baptist, as one who is the epitome of the faithful – looks so much less like the Norman Rockwell portrait – and more like that of the haggard, frazzled, unkept, unclean folks seen at the freeway offramps, beneath the overpass, residing in downtown doorways. Maybe we should be paying attention to the opportunities brought forth through our interactions with folks from the margins and see them as preparers of the Way for the Lord?

Maybe in understanding John better, we’ll welcome his internal kick as it serves to redirect the blessings God provides through us.