2011 in Review

The following is Annual report for 1st PC Phoenix, OR

Pastor’s Report

Would like to thank the members and participant for the opportunities ministering in this corner of the Rogue Valley has offered me.

Among the highlights (and frankly the more important aspects) of ministering here at 1stPC Phoenix has been extending, widening if you will, the Communion Table to include those who otherwise would not be served.  Each time communion is served to our home bound members (usually 1x/month)- I travel with another one of our members and visit 4-5 persons, and feel the blessing for being able to sharing the sacrament. Typically, it’s Deacons or Elders who serve along side me, but as session had decided, it could be anyone of our members who could serve. I’m grateful for the assistance of the Deacons in organizing the home communion visits.  Part-way through the year, they took on calling the people to be visited and served, arranging for the elements, inviting someone to help serve, and/or serving themselves if nobody else was available.  If you would like to be included among the people who help serve home communion, please contact one of our Deacons.

This year, 1^st PC Phoenix experienced the loss of 3 of our members.   Services were held celebrating the lives of Betty Klimek, Ken Amundson, Jody Workman, and Lois Ulman.  A service was also held in early August for Donald Mitchell, a beloved member of the Phoenix community and former member of 1^st PC.

Early in 2011, we offered a ‘Men’s Breakfast’ on the 2^nd Thursday of the month.  Although we had some good conversations, after a summer hiatus, the limited attendance led us to direct my time in other directions.

Throughout the year, there have been some one-time things opportunities that have presented themselves:  Jury duty this past summer, supportive/encouraging conversation with John Wren (presbytery COM liaison), yearly prayer breakfast for the Phoenx/Talent School District administration/staff, and our Annual Christmas Open House at the manse.

This past year, I had the opportunity to worship elsewhere when a month had a 5^th Sunday. Was insightful to see what others are doing, partly; but more so, was refreshing to be in worship somewhere that I was neither leading nor preparing. Afforded an opportunity to see aspects of the worship liturgy in a different light.  The use of singing in lieu of a longer, spoken responsive Call to Worship – came from worshipping with the folks at the Ashland Methodist church.  In another setting (has not been implemented here at 1^st PC Phoenix), experienced an intentional one on one prayer time that followed the service: members would come forward to be prayed for by either pastor or one of the Deacons.  Thank you to the Session and to the Congregation for the opportunity for 2011.

This year, I only used one of my two weeks of study leave.  For the first couple of days of the week, I participated in the Lectionary Retreat offered through Cascades Presbytery; the rest of the week, I spent preparing services for the upcoming calendar year.  I currently have services for the 1^st 3.5 months blocked out.  On my study leave coming up at end of February 2012, I hope to have services thru the summer blocked out.

This year has been a year of taking on and setting aside some responsibilities and obligations I’ve committed to.  For much of the year, I worked with the FORD Leadership Program (FILP). We are a collection of Phoenix/Talent residents whom the Ford Foundation awarded a grant to learn about leading community building. We met fairly regularly for training exercises, and then were set to the task of planning/implementing a project.  Phoenix/Talent FILP, being as we’re two communities, we chose a project that would have two foci; for Talent – downtown murals depicting community attitudes and hopes of the city: for Phoenix – a bandshell in the BlueHeron Park.  After working with some grant writing in September/October, I felt it best to step back from those responsibilities til the beginning of the 2012, stepping back in on a more limited basis.

The Phoenix Phestival (August 20) was another project that I began in leadership capacity, but became apparent quickly that I would be over committed, were I to fulfill this opportunity. Am grateful for the community exposure the Phoenix Phestival afforded the Community Kitchen – and hope that in years to come they’ll continue to consider the Kitchen as a recipient of proceeds from the Phestival.

In both the Chamber greeters and the SMART Reading program I have been involved since I first came to the Rogue Valley.  These have provided a wonderful means through which I can be in service to the wider community around 1^st PC Phoenix.

This year saw my involvement in the Interfaith Care Community of Jackson county increase.  With the executive director retiring, and board member participation dwindling, I was asked to serve as a temporary Board President.  This was no easy assignment, as there were two major issues that presented.  I was grateful when another member stepped up and relieved me in September from this ‘temporary’ assignment.

I am continuing to enjoy my service to the presbytery through designing worship services for our 3 yearly meetings.  There is personal joy and a sense of satisfaction (hopefully not prideful) with the positive feedback many of these worship services have engendered. I continue to serve as the regional representative for the Theological Education Fund (TEF), which means that as folks in the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin have questions about TEF and have requests for resources, I stand a good chance of being able to assist them.

As Spring 2011 was drawing to a close, the retiring Synod Coordinator for TEF invited me to prayerfully consider whether I might welcome taking over his duties at the synod level. After weighing, seriously considering, prayerfully listening, and ultimately not deciding – the director Theological Education called me up to talk, wherein she invited me to step into the roll of Synod Coordinator for TEF.  At that point, I felt led to decline the invitation.

This past year has been a busy year here at 1s PC Phoenix. Session has been functioning with 2 session members:  Jack Harmon and Bob Roden.  Many thanks to these two for their willingness to serve the church, though in ways they might not have felt entirely comfortable.  We have met each month (except for July and August when we ran dark) for purpose of reviewing finances, bringing each other up to speed on anything

This year, although we have not had a Clerk of Session, we are fortunate that Bob Roden agreed to take the minutes, which will make the task of getting them copied into the Record Book easier, for certain. In the absence of an elected Clerk of Session, we did not submit the Clerk’s Annual Report to the presbytery and the Annual Statistical report, which goes on to the denomination, nor did we have an orderly set of session records to be examined this past fall. In some near time to come, we can expect contact from the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery with encouragement to meet these expectations.

The reports to follow are a summation of the prayerful work your Session, Deacons, and Presbyterian Women have helped bring about over the past year. I commend them to you for your reading.  May God bless you as you consider the ways your ministry seeks to faithful live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Worship, Music, and Sacraments

I love the way that our worship experience continues to grow and expand the ways we as 1^st PC Phoenix lend our voices to the praise and thanksgiving for a God who creates, redeems and sustains us. I feel blessed for the ways folk are willing to be engaging with questions, comments, and observations following our Sunday morning worship services. These are one of the ways you help me prepare and craft worship services that offer a blend of comforting and challenging expressions of the gospel: comforting in the sense that folks worshipping with us might hear and actually believe that God loves them; and challenging, that in believing we are loved by God, we might feel led to step outside our comfort zone in order to share that good news with others.

This year we’ve been blessed to have Katie Anderson accompanying our singing;  her playing has been a both a blessing to sing with and to hear as she leads through more meditative aspects of our services. Early in 2011, Brent Williams joined Katie on guitar and me on the bass. For some special services (Palm Sunday and Easter), I’ve enjoyed playing the trumpet along with Katie as she plays the organ. And for those times that Katie hasn’t been available, we have been blessed to have Aleen Bessonette share her gifted piano playing with us.  We give thanks to God for the musical blessings we have within 1^st PC Phoenix. 

**If anybody has musical gifts you’d like to share, please talk with one of your session members; we will be blessed for hearing your offering.

This year, our worship services have felt a technical enhancement, due to the addition of power point displayed by an LCD projector.  We can give thanks for the generosity of Cascades Presbytery in allowing us to borrow their projector week after week; the times we’ve not been able to, has left a bit of stutter in following the order of service; those sung responses, and responses that are typically viewed on the overhead – we fumble to locate, as we’ve become accustomed to the words being on the wall. (not everybody, I’m sure; but a number of people miss the projector when it’s not there. J

This year, the Lenten/Easter services have been a priority; beginning with Ash Wednesday, continuing through Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Seder dinner), Good Friday and Easter morning.  Throughout the season of Advent, we created a new banner.  Each week we hung a new square on the banner; the images on the squares coincided with the liturgy for lighting the week’s Advent Candle. (thank you to those who brought these banner squares to life.)  For Christmas Eve this year, we invited a number of people to tell the story of Christmas, as interpreted through Gospels of either Matthew or Luke. For Christmas morning, we gathered to hear the story read, shared in the Joyful Feast of the people of God, rejoicing in the gift of Light God gifted to creation.

Am thankful for the computer miracles of Jack and Clarene Harmon, ensuring we have a bulletin each week, for Shawn Foster and Liesa Bratcher for coordinating the pulpit supply, for Bob Roden for his willingness to periodically accept the mantle of ‘teacher’, for Sue Seymour and her encouraging the ushers/greeters/worship leaders/acolytes/sound tech people to share their gifts in service to the church, and for the ushers/greeters/worship leaders/acolytes/sound tech people for sharing their talents with 1^st PC Phoenix.

I am beginning my 3^rd time through the lectionary cycle (I’m into my 7^th year as your pastor – 1 cycle takes 3 years).  I’m excited, anxious, curious to know if sermons and services are able to stay fresh, pertinent, and appropriate to the texts and the challenges of the day.  Let me know what you think; I would appreciate the conversations.

From Stewardship and Finance

a combined committee of session

The Stewardship and Finance committee works under the guidelines of a 2010 document approved by session.  In addition to general committee tasks the document also defines the interrelationship and responsibilities of the treasurer and the money counters.  Jack Harmon continues as treasurer and provides us with very helpful financial reports monthly.  Clarene Harmon is our lead money counter.

At the end of 2010 we invested the Carol Ernst bequest with the Synod of the Pacific.  During 2011 we closed out our Smith Barney account and moved the funds to the synod account.  At the end of 2011 the synod account had about $200,000 in it.  We keep our checking account at the Bank of the Cascades.

We sent $1,520 to presbytery as our per-capita apportionment.

In November we presented the opportunity to pledge for the coming year.  We did this through moments for stewardship, newsletter articles and finally a mailing with a message from Pastor Mike.  We encouraged members to think of proportional giving with the biblical concept of tithing as the goal.  We received 15 pledges totaling $27,520.  When we add other sources of income from rents, dividends, other offerings and building use donations we expect about $50,000 in income.  With a 2012 budget of about $100,000 we will be drawing down our reserves by about $50,000.

We maintain a Community Kitchen fund which serves as the collection and dispersal accounting for the CK.

God has blessed us through the faithful giving of our members and friends.  We owe a special thanks to Jack and Clarene Harmon for their significant work in the financial area and wish them well as they face new health challenges.

See the attached year end financial statement for 2011 budget details.

 From the Mission Committee

            We gave to the mission activity of the larger Presbyterian Church by our support of the Presbytery’s Mission Partnership giving program.  We pledged and contributed $3,000.  We were also faithful in supporting the larger church by paying our per capita apportionment for most members active or not.

            Session determined to tithe the money received from the Carol Ernst bequest and in 2010 we gave half of the tithe ($10,000) to the mission work of the larger church through the presbytery.  The other half tithe was distributed in 2011.  We gave $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Phoenix, and $9,000 to the Interfaith Care Community to support their staffing of the Community Kitchen and Food Pantry that operate out of our church.

            We as a church took on providing scholarships and uniforms for the Phoenix High Marching Band.   Toward this end, we spent $724.

            We publicized and received the One Great Hour of Sharing before Easter.  Our offering this year was $549.  This offering supports three Presbyterian charities:  Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Hunger Fund and the Fund for the Self Development of Peoples.

            Through our budget we contributed $500 to the Presbyterian Theological Education Fund.

            The Christmas Joy Offering was received in December.  We contributed $448 to help special clergy needs and to support Presbyterian related ethnic and minority schools.

            Jonna Reeder, a Presbyterian mission worker, was in our church in December telling us about her work in central Asia.

            Moments for Mission were given on many Sundays during the year.  The Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study was helpful in learning about mission activities all over the world.  Other groups in the church are encouraged to use the Moment for Mission time to bring their concerns to the congregation.

Evangelism/Outreach Report

If we have hope that people should know God’s saving faithfulness in Christ, it’s important that we show God’s saving faithfulness in Christ.

In some regards, the outreach, the way 1^st PC Phoenix has positioned itself in the community has not changed over the past year. Through our facility being open and accessible to groups like the Narcotics Anonymous, and Alcoholics Anonymous, and Al-Anon the Phoenix/Talent (and wider Rogue Valley) communities experience grace and forgiveness, repentance, support and encouragement.  Many within our community see the church facility as a place of safety from the pressures (in many cases addictive pressures) they face; in attending these midweek meetings, they’re able to love, warmth, acceptance from others and of themselves.

This is really no different an experience than what people enjoy Thursday evenings at the Phoenix Community Kitchen.  Twice a month (2^nd and 4^th Thursdays) anybody who wishes (everybody is invited) to come and have a hot meal served to them at the table. For many who come, dining out is not an option; they’re unable to enjoy the feeling of being served; it’s a treat that shares to them their worth and value as a human being. We serve people who cannot afford food at home, let alone dine out. The Phoenix Community Kitchen may folks who are able to afford to dine in and dine out, but come for the fellowship the sense of community they’ve grown to experience at the Phoenix Community Kitchen.  Everybody is treated to being served, to being warmly welcomed, and a genuine appreciation for their presence. Twice a month, the Phoenix Community Kitchen is feeding 125-150 persons from the Phoenix/Talent community with a hot meal and an experience of what it can mean to be in community. For those being served – as well as those serving – there is true blessing happening.

Much thanks for the organizational emphasis can go to Jibril Muhammad, the Community Resource Advocate employed with 1^st PC Phoenix through Interfaith Care Community (ICC).  For much of the year, he took the responsibility for seeing to the necessities of the bi-monthly meals:  that they were planned, purchased, and prepared. Yoko Ono and Gloria Roden have been faithful in the task of helping prepare the meals.  Later in the year, Mark Davis lent his talents in the kitchen to relieving Jibril of some of that responsibility. The ‘staff’ of the Phoenix Community Kitchen is evolving to help meet the needs.  Paula York, Jerry and Shelley Doran have been committed to serving at our meals, purchasing necessary items, preparing signs, and being a visible presence of the body of Christ at this meal hosted at 1^st PC Phoenix.

But the Phoenix Community Kitchen (PCK) is not a project solely of 1^st PC; it is inherently a community endeavor. Jibril has worked well to bringing together a collective of persons invested in the community Kitchen’s continued and growing success. Ray’s Foods, Debby’s Diner, Phoenix Pharmacy, Roscoe’s BBQ (and others) have shown generous support. The city’s mayor and manager, former council members Mike Stitt and Mike McKee have been a constant support for what’s happening with the PCK. We have volunteers helping prepare and serve each meal.  At the end of 2011, Jibril helped arrange the purchase of a cow from The Butcher in White City – we’ll now have a ready supply of meat around which we can plan the meals.

Also in 2011, with the Phoenix Phestival Phoundation and later ICC, we had a grant submitted to upgrade kitchen equipment and purchase flatware and silverware, our hope, to serve meals that convey worth and dignity to our diners, in as sustainable a way as possible.  The acquisition of a commercial dishwasher is being paired with the purchase of the flatware. In late 2011, we started working with an independent grant writer, Susan Ladue who, in addition to helping prepare and serve our meals has been writing grants in the Rogue Valley for some time.  A member of St. Marks Episcopal, she is generously offering her talents for the use of the PCK.

Housing the Phoenix Food Pantry is another way 1^st PC is reaching out into the Phoenix community. Beginning in early 2011, in order to expand the assistance we’re able to offer to those with food anxieties (not sure where the next meal is coming from), 1^st PC teamed up with the Talent/Phoenix Green Bag program.  2^nd Saturday of each even numbered month, area volunteers pick up green bags from participants who have filled them with canned goods.  Those green bags collected in Phoenix are brought to the Phoenix Food Pantry.  When the collects first started, we were pushing 400 lbs of canned goods/nonperishable food items. In October, we received greater that 1000lbs, which was largely gone by the end of November.  For the December collection, we saw in excess of 2000lbs stocked onto the shelves- which will again be virtually empty by the beginning of February.

In many ways, the 1^st PC congregation is being a faithful presence in the Phoenix/Talent community.

We again hosted the VW Shine & Show in May, June we saw bunch of people stop by the church as they drove their cars in the 3^rd Annual Phoenix Poker Run. In August, we welcomed the Rogue Valley Peace Ensemble to both share in worship Sunday morning and perform a mini-concert for the Thursday PCK.  Later in August, 1^st PC housed a back to school clothing give-away. We’ve opened our doors for the Urban Renewal coordinators as well as the FORD leadership team to make use of the Fellowship Hall as a meeting location. It’s exciting to see the ways this church and congregation are integrating into the community around us, shining with the light of the gospel.

From the Deacons

The Deacons for the year 2011 were Clarene Harmon, LaMae Hughes, Yoko Ono, Roberta Reyes and Gloria Roden.

We met on the first Sunday of the month with Pastor Mike attending.

The News Letter and bulletin prayer list were sent to ones who are unable to attend church.  Birthday and anniversary cards are sent to all that attend our church.  Make sure your name is on our list.

Gloria Roden is collecting information on cards and this information will be used in case of an emergency if we need to call a family member.  This information will be kept private and will be filed in a locked container in the church office.  This information has already proved helpful.

Ruth Papineau is making the beautiful shawls that are blessed during one of our church services.  I am sure she would appreciate a help in acquiring yarn.  These shawls go to ones that have had surgery, are ill or just need comfort.

Many requests have come for help with housing, power bills, transportation, medical and food; between the Deacons Budget line and the Deacons’ Fund, nearly $5000 was disbursed in 2011. The pantry has helped many with food, as does the community kitchen serving dinner twice a month.

Deacons helped with five Memorial services held in our church.

Seventeen gift bags of cookies, breads, crackers, cheese and fruit were delivered to our shut-ins.  We also helped a mother and five children with Christmas gifts of toys, clothing, food and cook-ware, thanks to a very generous congregation.

An average of 36 people were served communion monthly in 2011 for a total of 567.

Christian Education

This past year the Horizons Bible Study has, again, been a major component of our Christian Education program here at 1^st PC Phoenix. Early last year, Bob Roden lead the group through the study on Revelations.  And this fall through the end of 2011, Bob has lead the study on The Beatitudes. This is the Horizons Bible study series, and although written for the Presbyterian Women of the PCUSA, the study we offer the 3^rd Wednesday of the month is open to anybody and everybody who wishes to study The Beatitudes.

The Soup, Study, and Song (Tuesday evening study group) has been seen a wide array of study and conversational topics.  Last winter and spring, we looked at lyrics of popular (and not so popular) songs, listened to them, examined them, explored how they might shine light into the question of faith; or how they didn’t. 

This fall, the Tuesday study time was occupied by the new member class, where, as part of it, we took a look at church history, through the reformation, through to contemporary times; but didn’t go very deep into the history.  When the new member class concluded, we decided to take a closer look at  the history of the church through the lens of the Book of Confessions;  we looked at the interplay between the historical settings and how it was the church experienced God in the midst of whatever crisis it was enduring at the time.

Following that, we embarked in a story-telling adventure. We learned, explored, and practiced different story-telling techniques in preparation for telling the story of Christmas during the Evening service on Dec. 24. Thanks to Shawn Foster and Bob Roden for their respective gifts of leadership through the Soup and Study series.

Building/Property Report

The following summation shares that there’s been quite a bit that’s happened around the church properties this past year.

One of the more noticeable accomplishments was the re-surfacing of the parking lot.  Well, not a resurfacing as much as a sealing, but it made the asphalt black again, and we had  the lines repainted.  The sealing was donated by Bill Davis from the Bavarian Inn/Good Night Inn – he brought his company equipment and did the work and provided the supplies to make it happen.  When you drive by these two motels in Phoenix and Talent – offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for his generosity.

Care for the shrubs and flower beds happened by various people who’d received some financial assistance from 1^st PC Phoenix. This was nothing the session mandated, but by way of saying thanks – when folks offered to do yard work, when we had work to be done, they were taken up on their offer. Turns out there should be some closer supervision of some of some of the work to be done, but the wonder of shrubbery - - mistakes grow out. 

Lawn care has continued to be done by Dean Chapman.  We’re on a 9 month (give or take) cycle with his services, anticipating that the winter-months should not need much in the way of mowing.  Although with the weather we’re experiencing this year, we may want to rethink that presumption, should this warmer weather cause the grass to grow any more. Dean’s been faithful in taking care of the mowing and fertilizing services for the congregation properties.

An ongoing preventative maintenance we’ve been blessed to have a variety of people take on over the years, is the changing of the furnace filters. Faithful/timely changing of these elements has helped to keep our heating/cooling system functioning very well.  If you know of anyone who would be willing to consider this aspect of building maintenance, please let one of your session members know.

This year, we had three of our fire extinguishers rolled out of circulation:  they were beyond being able to be recertified.  That doesn’t mean they are no longer functional, though.  So, the three that were rotated out of circulation, were relocated over to the manse, where – as long as they hold pressure, are good to go.

With the colder weather upon us, rodents (or evidence of rodents) was observed over at the manse – and with the food storage we have for the Phoenix Food Pantry and the Phoenix Community Kitchen, there was concern that they may have migrated over to the church building as well. The Community Resource Advocate (Jibril Muhammad) contacted All Natural Pest Removal – and they agreed to come inspect and eradicate the problem, pro bono. They came and assessed where access points may be, sealed them up, and implemented protocols to drive the pests away. There never was any sign that rodents were at the church, but the ones observed at the manse (under the manse) have left the building.  So it’s good to know that the buildings get a clean bill of health in that regard.

There was MUCH activity at the manse this past year, not the least of which is the shed in the back yard, against the garage.  You may notice that it has a new look. The roof was leaking, and was in need of being replaced.  We did so, and went a bit further in putting up siding to enclose the structure, and we painted it.  Funds for this project did not come from church finances, but our own.  It was something that has been needed for a while, and now provides a functional space for storage.

The biggest activity at the manse was in the front bathroom. With mold around the shower surround, the floor in and around the toilet, the flooring pealing and curling up, the paint on the tub chipping and pealing (causing sharp edges on the bottom of the tub – the bathroom got a make over.  What was naively slated to be completed in 3 days, ended up being a multi-week project?  With the help of JD Bratcher and Mark Davis, we gutted the interior of the bathroom back to the studs, replaced sheet rock, wallboard behind the shower and the sink.  (In process of disposing of the old sheetrock, we had to have it tested for asbestos. Thankfully we were given a clean bill of health, and did not need to do any abatement protocols.) We installed a new shower/tub combo (the design of which is supposed to help eliminate the caulking where the mold tends to grow).  Installed new sink with all new fixtures. Under all that, we laid new ceramic floor-tile. There is still some molding around the floor that needs to be figured out, but we’re thankful for the new bathroom.

Gift Giving

If November can be said to be a month of Thanksgiving – December is a Season of Giving.  We begin preparing our lists and checking them twice (maybe we’ve been doing so already?) trying to figure out exactly what we’re going to give @SoandSo - -  (trying to determine what we can afford to give @SoandSo.) We are invested within this Season of Giving.

Think back on your years of gift giving:  What has been the best gift you’ve given? What giving opportunity have you experienced that brought forth the most joy, greatest amount of peace, evoked deepest sense of hope, and cultivated meaningful life?  Was it something that easily broke? Was it something that lost appeal with the draining of the batteries; was it a gift that lost its appeal as it lost its shine or an item that has survived in it’s original packaging and now awaits its place in a rummage sale? Probably not.

Most likely, the giving that stands out in your memory is that which held a lasting permanence by nature or symbolizes that permanence. The gift given may have been loved as the velveteen rabbit was loved.  It may have been an instrument they’re still playing 15 years later. Could it be a book whose pages and cover from years of use are tattered and warn?  Maybe you gave a gift that pushed the edge of creativity and imagination – that opened doors to insight and windows to possibilities.  Very likely the giving you remember is that which has journeyed with the recipient, becoming part of who they are.

The best gifts are those that enhance, add, build-up, open up, and/or allow for a fuller expression of who we are. And for this reason, the Season of Giving centers on God’s gift of Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, and Life all wrapped up in swaddling clothes lying in the manger. This gift of God in the Christ-child sets us (humankind) free from a past that in no way defines who we are. God’s giving stands us on firm foundation, even in the midst of the unsettled and opens to us a healing understanding of value and worth.

As you contemplate your gift-giving lists this year, I invite you to consider giving that which is lasting: a gift that uplifts human dignity and honor; that offers release and liberty into a world captivated by material acquisition.  And as you are busily checking your lists twice, consider how a gift of yourself might lend itself toward your 2012 new years resolutions. Those with whom you share yourself will be be most appreciative and thankful. 

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. 

Existing generously

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

Psalm 24:1 & 1 Corinthians 10:26

To you all, God’s beloved of 1^st Presbyterian of Phoenix, called to be God’s holy People.  Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.                                         (Romans 1: 7 adpt.)

In seasons past, you have found a copy of a budget accompanying the yearly ‘Stewardship Letter.’  Using this document, you’ve been asked to consider the financial needs of 1^st Presbyterian Church of Phoenix as you made your financial plans and commitments for the coming year, and you’ve been encouraged to give generously.  This year, anticipating 2012, you are invited to consider something quite different: your own particular needs.

This invitation is not intended to be an exercise to assess how much you’ll be able to give the church, whether the particular financial situation you face at home can be flexed to free up some additional financial contributions, or whether the increased expenses and decreased income translates to less contribution in the offering plate for 2012.  It is intended to be a reflection, a meditation, a prayerful consideration of your needs: your need to be generous.

There are many reasons why we long to be generous; there are just as many (if not more) ways that exemplify generosity.  We can generously share our time; we generously use the talents, gifts, skills, and abilities with which we have been blessed, and all for the greater glory of God. We can (and do) generously support medical research, charity organizations, philanthropic causes, the person standing on the street corner. We can (and do) give to those organizations and causes that impact our lives, help make us better, seek to make the world a better place to live.  We are generous so that people whose lives have been uprooted by tragedy need not be swallowed up by despair; we are generous so others will know they are not alone. We are a generous people, and the truth is, generosity feels good.

Why does generosity feel so good?  Because that’s the way we’re internally hard-wired.  In creating humanity in God’s own image, God imbued humanity with the best of the Divine’s traits: the capacity to Love, a willingness to be in relation with others, and desire to do all things with a generous spirit.

Another way of speaking about our purpose is to imagine a cup.  The intent of cup is not simply to be full, where it may sit on a table or on a shelf with contents near to spilling over the rim, but to be filled, and then drained, to be filled, and once more drained with trusting anticipation of being filled yet again. That is the intent and purpose of a cup.

Similarly, God blesses generously; God fills to overflowing, not that we should ever be satisfied or content with just being full, but that we should be fulfilled in living into our purpose of allowing God’s abundance to joyfully flow through our God-created lives.  It is a joy rendering to God from the abundance that God has given us.

In this season of giving thanks for the promise of Life that God shares, prayerfully consider the joy with which you will share God’s blessings in the coming year and into the years to come.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

Now Thank We All our God

November is a month that rings of thankfulness; a time that draws us to name that for which we are thankful and those for whom, having known, we feel blessed. Indeed, the month of Thanksgiving begins in celebration of those who have gone before, having lived faithfully, served graciously, and shared generously; this is All Saints Day: November 1.

The feast of All Saints achieved great prominence in the ninth century, in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor, Leo VI "the Wise" (886–911). His wife, Empress Theophano—commemorated on December 16—lived a devout life. After her death in 893, her husband built a church, intending to dedicate it to her. When he was forbidden to do so, he decided to dedicate it to "All Saints," so that if his wife were in fact one of the righteous, she would also be honored whenever the feast was celebrated. – [Wikipedia]

Who do we wish to be honored in this celebration of the Saints? As we think on the church, the congregation, the building, the people and ministry – for whom can we give thanks for their commitment and dedication to faithfully sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

 For those willing to risk the chartering of 1^st Presbyterian Church of Phoenix and those whose ongoing support saw the construction of the current building, for those who have given countless hours teaching Sunday school and those who have joyfully served at numberless potlucks and coffee hours, and sang in the choir and lead worship; we lift in prayer the memories those who have prayerfully shaped the congregational life of 1^st Phoenix – from worship and fellowship to the outreach and mission; for their steadfast faithfulness in their use and maintenance of this facility; for those who have served as Elders (now referred to as Ruling elders in our new Form of Government -nFoG) prayerfully discerning where and how God’s spirit is giving shape to this congregation, for those Deacons who have faithfully sat with those in need faithfully tending to the down-trod and broken hearted; for the pastors (now referred to as Teaching Elders under nFog), and for the many, many, many faithful members who have given of their time, their talents – who have given from the depths of their very selves:  For all of these people who have come before, paved the ground and smoothed the rough places, who have laid the foundations encouraging us to imagine, dream and discern what ministries God is calling us into, we lift prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude.

One day, each of us hope to enter into this litany of those remembered; and so it is also appropriate to lift in prayer those who will come after us – hopeful that the work we’ve done, the commitments, the abundant gifts of time, talent and treasures God shares through the lives we live might prayerfully, faithfully, spiritually empower generations of the faithful to follow how they feel God leading them to be the Body of Christ for their time. In the hope of passing on the blessings with which we have been blessed, let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

May you have a blessed season of Thanksgiving. 

Swimming (upstream, downstream, cross-stream) Part I

Contrary to what may seem like widespread knowledge - - Swimming is NOT natural. Human beings are poorly designed aquatic beings: the shape of our faces puts noses in the least advantageous location, while our feet may function adequately to paddle around and our arms may learn a more functional manner of propulsion - we are not designed to live our lives in the water. (Lets all just agree that Michael Phelps is a freak and move on from there, k?)

And yet we swim? why is that?

Watching 'Oceans' the other day - I watched the sea turtles flip/flop their way down the beach toward the surf - of the 1000s that started out, the one that made it (at least on film) flopped instinctively into the water and dove for safety. Nobody had to teach him, nobody was there to guide, encourage, cajole her/him into the water. Water was life - Water was safety - Water is survival.

I watched the mamma seal coaching her pup toward the hole in the ice. Once there, the pup stuck her head into the water, looked around, the mamma blew a little at her - and she slid in - and under the ice. No sputtering panic and arms flailing to wipe the water out of its face; no gasping, no dear-in-the-headlights look (seal-in-the-shark-mouth?) at discovering the new-found sensation of complete submersion. The mamma coached, encouraged, but deep down the pup knew (was genetically programmed) what to do. Hold your breath and swim.

Humans? Not so much. Sure, there are Mamma/Baby swim classes where the infants learn to play, hold breath, swim, etc with the close supervision of their parent, but with the vast number of pool drownings each year by infant/toddlers, I'm drawn way wide of the speculation that presumes swimming to be a natural human enterprise. After teaching swim lessons for 5 years, my experience tells me that swimming is oh so NOT a natural human endeavor.

Fear and Water go hand in hand, like closets and claustrophobia. But I can testify, not simply from an observational experience, but from an experiential experience. I've been to the mountain top that is the pool slide and I have looked down from those lofty places and have had to walk myself down the ladder for fear of what lay at the bottom. I've been to the tippy top of the high dive, scooted out toward the terminal end of the springy board, only to have to balance my way back on wobbly knees toward the safety of the hand-rail, and then force my way down the ladder past the line of would-be leapers, like a salmon swimming downstream.

I know those fears, but I also can say I have overcome those fears. They have not forever claimed me and I've been to those mountain-tops and have flung myself with abandon from those lofty places (although I still firmly believe that the human being's feet were never NEVER meant to swap orientation with one's head - but that's another story). As I've been to the tippy top, I've been to the very bottom (of the pool, that is) - I've taught the very basic beginner swim class where the greatest challenge the student overcame was putting her face in the water and blowing bubbles - and I cheered her on. I've patiently tread water in freezing cold water (such is an outdoor pool in a small North Idaho logging town in June) giving instructions to the lifesaving class. I've hunkered down (in attempt to keep my shoulders submerged in water that's warmer than the air), time and again teaching/instructing/waiting for that moment when the idea of floating becomes a reality - and lights come on - and doors open up - and the possibility of really SWIMMING begins to take root.

Now, I will admit - there is joy to be had with the more advanced classes - those who know all the basics. Standing on the deck giving instructions, helping give 'proper' shape to the motion of their arms and legs - providing encouragement to what they already know, that being, the ability to trust in the water. But I found more joy and excitement, a greater sense of pride and accomplishment having walked (swum) with a non-swimmer into and through this advanced stage. Maybe someone can sympathize, empathize, or rationalize this from their own experience. IDK.

But the greatest, GREATEST - hands down - biggest challenge to meet is an adult non-swimmer who had decided he/she wants to become a swimmer. Friends, this is where a lifetime of fear and anxieties come back full force - everything that's ever been cause for fearing the water weighs itself into the limbs of the wanna-be swimmer, preventing them from the very basic, and yet so necessary skill of floating. Everything they've been told about themself and what they can and can not do - everything they've told themself about what they can and cannot do -every fear of what might happen, could happen, or most certainly will happen in that 4ft of water plagues their mind and settles into their heels, rooting their feet into the bottom of the pool; they are incapable of exercising even the most basic practices of trusting in the water (ie floating) until the burden and weight of the years of fears are in someway addressed. The question is how? when? Will this happen?

Now, as tempting as it may be to focus my frustration of NOT being able to make them float (let alone swim) on THEM; as tempting as it may be for me to blame them for being afraid - how compassionate is that? How patient and kind is that? How loving is that? How responsible are they for their fears? How much responsibility have they taken for their fears, for the messages about themself they've been receiving over a lifetime? A trusting relationship cannot be built on a bed of underlying fears.

Non swimming adults can and do learn to swim; maybe not as adeptly as their younger counterparts, maybe not as fluently and freely as they might have in a previous age - but they do, and can take great joy in the places this new found freedom will take them.

Swimming is no more an innately human endeavor than living a life of faith is. True - humanity is created in the image of God and our souls are most at rest we find full rest in the one who created us. But a lifetime of perceptions, mis-perceptions, self-evaluations revealing inadequacy; leaders, friends, family preying on those inadequacies. This all creates an atmosphere where folks are fearful of stepping outside the norms, out of bounds for fear they'll be chastised, ridiculed, and mocked or worse, outcast. How to swim with a population of people plagued by fears? Patient, persistent, presence; realizing that their fears and anxieties neither define me, nor describe me but also realizing that in swimming with them, I will better understand the nature of fear and of their fears - and maybe some of my own.

(to be continued)

Lord, Teach us to Pray

Lord, teach us to pray! was the request, petition, the plea from Jesus’ disciples (Luke 11:1).

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us, each day, our daily bread. And forgive our sins, in the say manner that we, ourselves, forgive everyone indebted to us.

And bring us not to the time of trial.”

This very familiar prayer, found in both Matthew and Luke, though in varying forms, has been foundational for many Christians in our developing prayer life. If we’ve not been taught directly the words of this prayer, we certainly have ample opportunity to hear them recited each week in Sunday worship service; by nothing else, sheer repetition itself provides for a well-worn path that ingrains these words into our brain, and at the start of ‘Our Father . . .” many of us are capable of following along, almost without thinking about it. But, Jesus’ instruction is not limited to the ‘what’ to pray, but extends to the ‘how’ and even to the ‘why.’

The opening stanza, in addition to paying God the proper respect for being GOD, it affirms that ‘we’ are not God. In praying these words, we acknowledge that the order of this world, this cosmos, this culture and community lack a functional expression of God’s hopes, God’s intent, God’s Will in our life; “Your Will be done . . .”

As the Body of Christ, praying weekly, daily, each moment – faithful brothers and sisters lift the petition – “Give us, each day, daily bread . . .” and in doing so, the prayer is for our daily basic, human needs to be filled; yet how many across this world, this cosmos, this culture and community suffer not only a lack of food, but an absence of human contact, a shortage of dignity, deplorable living situations, dearth of meaningful purpose and guilt and shame compounded by a want of forgiveness as well. ‘Why is this’ we wonder silently (or maybe not so silently).

The abundance of basic daily sufficiency, from food to forgiveness, is the tangible expression of God’s Will and the Divine Kingdom we earnestly pray for week after week, day after day, moment by moment. Why does God not answer: Is God not listening? Or are we not listening?

The strength of faith, the power of our convictions as the Body of Christ is that this prayer is not a list of hopes we offer up to God for God to attend to, if God so chooses; but by Jesus’ own words to his followers, comprises the fullness of what God is doing to provide Life for the lifeless, to shine light on those living in darkness. Do we not see it? Can we not sense it? Watch for it; wait for it; expect it.

Jesus goes on in the 11^th chapter of Luke’s Gospel to explain that the active part of prayer is NOT just in the petitioning (vs. 9). Prayer is not a passive activity we engage in to make our wishes known to God, but is coupled to action: seek and knock. Now, this activity is not a blind search for something in a haystack; we’ve been told what is good, what is right, what is God’s will – (providing for the abundance of daily sufficiency may also be expressed “Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly “(Micah 6: 8]): God answers our prayer - - how vested are we in seeking out the answers, knocking on the doors of possibilities? And how open are we to walking through the doors that present themselves, trusting that God has already provided for Life (abundant daily sufficiency) for all? Do we see it? Will we sense it? Watch for it; wait for it; expect it.

Here in this part of the Body of Christ, our prayers are for life, vibrancy, and a faithful and meaningful purpose here in Phoenix, Oregon. I firmly believe that God has plan, a hope, and a will for 1^st Presbyterian Church of Phoenix. It’s not something that we have to plan out and offer up for Divine approval but rather accept it by living into God’s Will for this community, faithfully seeking-out every expression of God’s kingdom here in this part of the cosmos. Doing so will entail joyfully and faithfully listening for God’s guidance, in all circumstances- from the seemingly large and grandiose to the mistakenly small and mundane. Toward that end, your Session hopes to be more transparent as to what the needs of our congregation are.

The filters in our furnace are in need of being changed. While this may seem like a relatively small duty to perform, what’s needed is not simply a person to change the filters one time, but for the means for them to be changed on a consistent basis. Whether this is one person who routinely checks and changes the filters, or one person who schedules different persons to change the filters, the HOW this monthly maintenance happens is less important than THAT it happens. And when we consider that furnace failure will amount to $10-15K in replacement costs – suddenly this becomes of even greater importance. How has God provided for this aspect of our ministry to be accomplished at 1^st Presbyterian Church of Phoenix?

Who prayerfully discerns the answer to this, and many other questions facing our congregation? Structurally this falls to your session, but over the past many years, energies and persons ablity to commit to serving this function have waned – leaving the bulk of the prayerful consideration and work to reside on fewer and fewer people. We face a crisis of leadership in that for 2012, we have no returning elders to sit on the Session of 1^st Presbyterian Church. I believe God is providing the course through this crisis, but the congregation must prayerfully commit to searching out and discovering this pathway and support those who will walk through the doors of possibility. It will be through faithful commitment and loving support that we will come to know in greater ways the blessing of Life God holds for 1^st Presbyterian Church of Phoenix.