Ten Years and Counting

My staff presented me with a wild pink, leopard sleeve for my laptop computer. The gift was to celebrate my tenth year of ordination to  ministry on June 16. Yes, it is hard to believe, I have been a pastor for ten years.

As I reflect on these past ten years, I give thanks over and over again for God's confidence in me. Many people will wonder why I put it that way. Of course, I am grateful for God's love and all the gifts of mercy. forgiveness and grace that we have all received through Jesus the Christ, but I think I am talking about something different here. I was just telling my intern, (yes, I even get to train pastoral candidates) that I could never have imagined what God had in store for me. I have been privileged to do so much. I was able to speak in front of tens of thousands of people at two national youth gatherings. I find myself in the strangest places. I traveled to Israel with colleagues on a trip for pastoral renewal that cost me almost nothing. I find myself involved in the most amazing things; I introduced a teenage member to facebook; I get to start groups that allow for prayer and conversation with sister pastors;  I serve a nourishing meal most Sundays; I study the bible with a great group of women and others; and I have the honor of being present with those sick and dying. I am involved in the lives of so many. Are you starting to see what I mean? I give thanks for God's confidence in me.

You see, I started out almost twenty years ago thinking I was unworthy to be a pastor. I felt the call to preach after preaching the Women's Day service in my home congregation St. Mark in East Point, Georgia. St. Mark is a small African American Lutheran congregation. When I was a member in the late 80's and early 90's the average attendance was about 50. It was a small close knit family church. I started going to the church because of something my grandmother used to say. She told me if you every feel blessed by God you should go to church and give thanks. I was a single mother of a young son,  but I did feel blessed. I had a job, a place to lay my head and food on the table. I went to St. Mark to give thanks to God for those blessings. All of a sudden, I found myself more and more involved, teaching Sunday School, chairing committees, traveling to represent the congregation at assembly and other events. But I was a woman with no college education. I couldn't imagine being a pastor?

Then God changed my mind. I was encouraged by Dr. Rudolph Featherstone who reminded me that no one is worthy, yet God calls. My pastor at that time Rev. Andre Keeley was very helpful as he affirmed the call I felt and helped me take the necessary steps. I went to college and earned a Bachelor's degree. I then started seminary in Atlanta taking one course at a time as the confidence God had in me begin to show up in my self-confidence.

I had an enlightening internship in the South Bronx with Rev. Heidi Neumark who taught me among other things the importance of being myself. I was ordained in 2000 after graduating from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. I served my first call in the South Bronx where I would have been happy to spend my entire pastoral career. God however, had something else in mind. I was called for a three year term to my current church as the associate pastor. Unfortunate circumstances and some blessings beyond anyone's control have placed me as senior pastor of this beloved congregation that I have now served for seven years.

So, far this work of ministry has been quite a wild, scary, yet wonderful journey. A trip that I know I am so unworthy to take, but I am grateful for the opportunity and the confidence God has in me. Yes, it has been ten years and I am counting on many more.

Backyard Baptism

I'm still writing about my marathon weekend at the beginning of June. After preaching, presiding and baptizing two babies at the 10:30 a.m. service on June 6th. Before my flight to Chicago, that same day, I hopped in my car to travel to a parishioner's house to baptize their baby girl. She had just celebrated her 1st birthday. The first question you may ask is why did they wait so long? The other babies I baptized that morning were from 3-6 months old.

The father grew up in the Lutheran congregation that I serve and his mother, the grandmother of the baby is also a member. The babies mother is Irish Catholic, born in Ireland. I officiated at the wedding of this couple a few years ago. Her parents, flew in from Ireland to attend ; that itself was hard for them. Their Catholic daughter marrying a Protestant, in a Lutheran Church. Old ways, and attitudes die hard. I don't know much about the conflicts in Ireland; I don't know about strict Catholicism, but I do know about stereotypes, prejudices, misunderstanding and being hurt by others.

So the couple was trying to balance a grandmother that thought the baby should be baptized in the Lutheran church right away, and grandparents who just couldn't get their minds around their only grandchild being baptized a protestant. What neither set of parents really understood, what most people don't understand is that when we are baptized we are not baptized into a denomination, we are baptized into Christ Jesus, we join the community of those who believe in Jesus. That would include Lutherans, and Catholics.

It was a weekend of being careful about inclusion, and about helping all parties to feel comfortable. First the wedding on Saturday with Jews and Christians alike and then the baptism with Catholics and Protestants.

The funny thing about all this is that the baby's mother teaches Religion, but isn't terribly religious herself. She knows as much about liturgy, about theology, about church history and Martin Luther as I do--possibly much more. Her comment and commitment to me around the time of the marriage was that she would attend church five times a year--nothing more, nothing less. Despite her sparse church attendance she and I have developed a collegial and friendly relationship. Of course, having an infant has made church attendance even harder; but until the baby she did pretty well.

I'm rambling; but I was talking about inclusion. It was a beautiful sunny day and we all gathered, African American pastor, parents, grandparents, God parents, in the backyard around a small table, bowl and candle. We were all there Irish Catholic, Lutheran and Protestants of varying strips to honor God.  Prayers were said, the creed was recited, and water was poured over the head of this beautiful baby girl. She was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that trinitarian formula that is used throughout much of Christiandom. Now this beautiful baby girl with Lutheran and Catholic, Irish and German heritage is a member of the body of Christ -- the community of faith. In her very own backyard, she received a warm welcome.

What are your baptism stories?

Conversing 'bout Jesus On An Airplane

On the airplane coming home from Chicago, I sat in row 24 at the back of the plane. I wasn't thrilled about that, but if it meant that I had the whole row to myself, I would be happy. Almost at the very last minute a couple sled in next to me. I knew they were a couple because they had on matching blue polo shirts with lettering. I am sure that this was from the organization they represented. I would find out about that later.

I wrote, read and listened to music most of the flight. You see, my mommy always told me don't talk to strangers. (Just joking) But anyway, I got through most of the flight fine. Then the woman who had gorgeous white hair, offered me a stick of gum. I said, "No thanks." But at some point in the trip she started to talk. She asked me if I were flying for work and I gave a one word answer 'yes.'

I was traveling back home from meetings of the management team for the 2012 ELCA National Youth Gathering. I have been contracted to be the Missional Manager for the Gathering. That is alongside my day job as a parish pastor. I am responsible for managing the teams that are in charge of what happens at the Dome and the servant events. If you have ever been to a Gathering you know this is an awesome task. I am counting on God for help, guidance and to send skilled and wonderful people to assist with this work -- but back to the airplane.

The woman, Francine, I think that's her name was traveling from a board meeting for a Bible Camp in upstate New York that was being sold. Three of the board members lived in Chicago so it was easy for the others to travel to them; she told me. She started talking about the wonderful ministry of the man who lead the camp. The board members of this camp had agreed that this man should not be running a camp but leading a flock--teaching and preaching. He was dynamic she said. We talked about her children, that I would guess were in their late thirties, who were regular church goers. She also talked about leaving one church that seemed to be dying and finding another with the help of her daughter-in-law. I told her I was traveling because of ministry also and that I was a pastor. Then the conversation changed.

She asked, "What do you think about Jesus?" I said, "I love Jesus and when I heard that salvation wasn't about anything that I did do or could do, when I heard about the grace of God given as a free gift on the cross, my life changed." She continued to ask questions that I interpreted as her way to understand what a Lutheran pastor teaches and preaches. I continued with: "Grace this, grace that, blah, blah, blah....... etc....." Then she asked did I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I answered, "Love is personal; isn't it?"  By this time we were starting our descent into New Jersey.

By the time we landed, she understood that we had a common faith centered on Jesus' death and resurrection. Throughout the trip, though, I was trying not to talk, by the end of the flight I didn't mind conversing 'bout Jesus.

What was your last interesting conversation on a plane about?

Christian and Jew Alike

It was a little over an hour before the wedding and I watched as the photographer took pictures of the bride and her bridal party. She was stunning. Then I went to meet the Rabbi. I knew that each side, the bride's and the groom's families were worried about whether or not their traditions would be honored. I had tried to assure the parents of the bride, who are dear members of my congregation that everything would be fine, but there was still some tension. I was determined to make sure that this was a good experience for Christian attendees and Jewish attendees alike. 

I had done my homework; I sat with the couple to ask what elements of the Jewish tradition were absolutely necessary and to assure the bride that her Lutheran Christian tradition would be honored. I wrote up the order of the service and sent it to the respective players well in advance, including the Rabbi. I made sure that the rabbi understood that I have been the pastor of this family for seven years and I had a relationship that would be ongoing. I don't believe she knew the groom's family as well.

The rabbi and I got along famously we were both 50 year old women that had gone into the ministry as second careers. While I am the full time pastor of a stable congregation who has been ordained for ten years, she is a part-time rabbi who fulfills her vocation through chaplaincy and being commissioned for special ceremonies like this one. She has been ordained for two years and works as a nurse also. As we went through the service she had some assumptions about how things would be done and I reminded her that she had seen the order of service and that would be what we would follow. These were the expectations of the bride and groom and my expectations. She assented.

This ceremony was to combine a Lutheran Christian service with elements that were important in a Jewish wedding. There were three pieces that were important to the couple, the Ketubah, the Kiddush Cup, and the Breaking of the Glass. One of the wishes of the couple, that I was determined to have come true, was that this was not a disjointed service but that it flowed.

I found the Jewish traditions that were lifted up fascinating and meaningful. The explanation of the Ketubah, the Kiddush Cup and the breaking of the glass symbolized very important aspects of the married life. The Ketubah was a beautiful piece of artwork to be displayed in the couple's home, that also served as a sort of marriage contract; both the bride and the groom signed it. The ancient tradition is that this contract is drawn up to protect the finances of the wife. The document, in ancient times, was signed by two witnesses that attested to the fact that the bride and any children would be cared for in the event of the groom's departure. The tradition has since evolved so that it is signed by the couple and the rabbi. One of the promises written on this couple's Ketubah is that the couple would honor each other's family traditions. Drinking from the Kiddush cup sanctifies the celebration and along with the seven blessings the marriage. The breaking of the glass happens at the end of the ceremony and symbolizes, according to some, that the marriage will last as long as the glass is broken.

There were words read from Hebrew text and from Christian scripture. As in many wedding ceremonies 1Corinthians 13 was read. I gave a brief homily that pointed the couple to the words they had heard. Read from the Hebrew text: 'two will become one.' From the Christian scripture they heard the qualities of love; 'patience, kindness.....' I also pointed to the beautiful words of the Ketubah, the promise, 'to honor the family traditions of one another.' I concluded with the pronouncement that this love was indeed 'a gift of God.'

These symbolic pieces along with elements and prayers from the Christian tradition were well received by all of the guest. At the end the rabbi and I pronounced the Aaronic blessing together me in English and her chanting in Hebrew. It was then time for the party.

The rabbi did not stay for the reception she was out as soon as she disrobed and we could both say. "nice working with you." She told me she was on her way to Florida for vacation the next day. I only had to drive back to New Jersey, put final touches on my sermon, lead two services, and make sure my bags were packed for two days of meetings in Chicago.

The second floor of the Palace was the perfect place for a reception; there was one room for a cocktail hour with wonderful hor dourves and for dinner there was another ballroom. Before dinner there was the traditional Jewish blessing of bread done by a family friend and then I was asked to say the grace. I was careful that I did not offend throughout the day and this moment would be no different. It was important for me to pray, but it was also important that no one was excluded from prayer. I thanked God for the occasion, our time together and for the meal, all the while calling on the one God that everyone in the room, Jew and Christian professed.-- the God both bride and groom believe in.

I am sure it was a wonderful occasion -- ceremony and party with music, dancing and fun -- for all, Jewish and Christian alike.

Sermon 2nd Sunday After Pentecost

1Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 30; Luke 7:11-17
Grace and peace to you from God the Creator, redeemer and the one who sustains us:

These are wonderful text today. The story of widows that we hear every three years in the lectionary cycle - stories that remind us of God’s love and abundance - stories that show us that God is able to give us a new lease on life.

Today on this church music Sunday, I considered preaching the psalm and talking about how many composers like Bach and Handel wrote songs of praise to God. I asked our music director who was his favorite composer and he said he had so many. So, I picked George Fredric Handel and I found out that through the reading of scripture he had an overwhelming experience of God and wrote the Messiah, barely leaving his room, in a little more than three weeks. Hundreds of years later we still sing it adding our voices of praise to Handel’s praise of God

But I will not preach about music because I could not deny the power of these stories. These widows both have overwhelming experiences of God. And these overwhelming experiences in my mind connect to the overwhelming devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

First the widow in 1 Kings: In this story, with a famine in the land and no possibility of rain it is hard to see God’s provision, yet God provides. If we go back just a bit we will read that God provides for Elijah as he runs from Jezebel. God provides for him as he sits under trees and is feed by birds. And as he runs out of provisions God sends Elijah to Sidon where he finds a widow and her son with barely anything. She is preparing to cook the last meal for her family and then she will as the scripture tells us “eat and die.”

But Elijah steps on to the scene in need yet bearing a promise from God that gives this widow hope --- desperate hope. That’s what Katie Huey a UCC pastor says. While other theologians say that her faith is awakened, Huey says:

“A reading like this one, in the midst of drought and famine, thirst and hunger, poverty and despair, provokes reflection on the phrase, "desperate hope," for desperation, or despair, paradoxically, suggests hope-less-ness. However, at the worst possible moments, hope can still persist deep within our hearts, no matter what God or god we have been raised to worship, and taught to place our faith in . . . the prophet bearing good news – and hope – arrives.”

At this point in her plight why would she have faith in anyone or any god, she was from Zarepath in Sidon. They do not believe in the God of Elijah so when she is approached by this prophet she doesn’t receive faith but manages this desperate hope.

Elijah asks the widow to prepare the food and feed him first to give him what is not nearly enough to share--what is barely sufficient for her and her son. Working out of this desperate hope she does it, she takes the meal and the oil and prepares a cake for Elijah and the meal does not run out, “her household ate for days.” It suddenly turns into enough.

Enough, why can’t we be satisfied with enough? The story is that the company once named British Petroleum (BP) cut corners to make profits… enormous profits. I read an article in the New York Times that implies that this is the same thing that happened with the current economic crisis. Those who were able to-- pushed the limits, sure that because a housing crisis had not happened that it was very unlikely that it would happen. Perhaps BP calculated the risk and thought that because a catastrophic drilling accident and oil spill had not happened in over forty years it was unlikely to happen. They kept on pushing the limits, increasing the bottom line -- until the bottom dropped out. Could it be that the quest for more, cutting corners, skimping -- cost the lives of eleven people and devastation all around?

What is it about us that despite all that we have we want more and more and more and more? When, is enough, enough?

For this widow and her son this little bit of oil and meal are enough---------------- but to add insult to injury her son becomes ill unto death. We hear in the text, “there was no breath left in him” and the woman though she sees how God has provided--- questions Elijah: “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!” Again she feels helpless and all she has is a desperate hope that Elijah can do something. She wants back the life of her son.

Tony Hayward CEO of BP spoke up on national television saying no one wants this oil spill mess over more than me “I want my life back.”And while he experiences the ultimate inconvenience of having to manage a crisis partly of his own creating, the lives of the people along the Gulf are seemingly hopelessly altered. Shrimpers can’t shrimp; people who work the waters can’t work. Not to mention the environmental impact that this disaster will have for years to come. Have you seen the pictures? The state bird of Louisiana, the pelican soaked in oil, barely able to move. What we now see as we exceed 40 days of oil spilling out of that pipe in the bottom of the gulf is death.

Death is also what Jesus sees in the seventh chapter of Luke’s gospel death. A widow, whose ability, in her patriarchal society to make it is already compromised, is now going to bury her son, her last means of support. She will be alone bereft of anyway to survive and now her destiny may be to beg on the street. She is beyond hope; more than empty her son is dead; all is done except for the burial.

That is probably how the people of Louisiana feel. They haven’t even fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina, five years ago and now this! They are beyond hope, more than empty, their lives and livelihoods threatened, massive amounts of oil washing up on shore. The wonderful cusine of the region depends on much of what grows and lives in the Gulf and now it is soaked in oil.

In both of our stories the sons are brought back to life. Elijah prays and calls on God and the breath comes back into the boy’s body; he is resuscitated. In Luke, Jesus steps in, has compassion; tells the mother “do not weep.” Perhaps Jesus offers her a desperate hope that something miraculous just might happen. Then Jesus dares to touch what is considered unclean and orders the boy to rise. And he does! The crowd rejoices and glorifies God. These two sons are given a new lease on life

So how will this happen in the gulf? We don’t know yet. But what we have seen in these texts is that God can overcome overwhelming devastation. God can breathe new life into the most lifeless things we have seen this over and over again. Sometimes, God works through direct action as in Luke and sometimes through the actions of God’s followers as in 1Kings.

How will BP, the government, how will we be partners in helping in the clean up so that the people most affected by this Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, this devastating environmental disaster have a new lease on life? We are not sure yet, but with the power of God, with God’s help, a new lease on life in that region that seems to keep getting hit so hard----- might be.

As people who through the waters of baptism are given a new lease on life that’s our desperate hope.

Today as we pour water over the heads of two babies- Henry and William, we know that as parents we do our best to protect our children, but know that we cannot keep our babies totally away from the messy stuff of life. What we can do is bring them to the font, place in their hands the scripture, teach them the creeds, and pass on to them what we ourselves know. We can keep on testifying to the overwhelming love and goodness of God. We can claim the overwhelming power of God to work in our lives.

” We can glorify God and tell them about the great prophet Jesus who has risen among us.”

What can we do? We can continue to pray, sing praises to God and to hold on to a desperate hope that despite disaster, or oil spill, or crisis, or sickness or death God is able.

My Marathon Weekend!

On the first weekend of June, I would say that I ran a marathon. It started with a wedding rehearsal, and ended with a flight to Chicago. In between these things were dealings with a rabbi, a sermon about oil spills, a few in sanctuary baptisms and one in a home. It was quite an eventful time.

My first adventure was driving into New York City and forgetting, because I do it so infrequently, exactly how to get into the Lincoln Tunnel (had the same trouble getting out). Anyway I checked into the Hudson Hotel; it is sort of an avaunt guard European Hostel type place. Everything was dark and the room was about the size of two walk in closets; and the bed, well, it was dorm size. Then I boarded a taxi to The Palace hotel which is splendid, light, airy and elegant; it has an old world charm with crystal chandeliers and marble staircases. There the rehearsal for the wedding took place. After the rehearsal we all climbed into limousines and went to The Carlyle Hotel for dinner. This too was full of old world charm. After a fine dinner of dover sole and creme burlee, I took a taxi back to The Hudson; I slept, woke to write a sermon at breakfast while I ate at The Flame Restaurant on 58th Street. After breakfast and additional sermon writing, I got dressed and drove back to The Palace for the wedding. I ran into another couple from the congregation and had tea with them.

After the wedding, I drove home;  I got there by 9:30, made sure my bag was packed, fussed with my sermon a bit and went to bed. Then I preached and presided at the first service, attended the forum about asbestos abatement that was to happen next week and preached, presided and baptized two babies at the second service. I then drove to another member's home and baptized my third baby of the day. Ate fruit, vegetables and cold cuts while I drove home, showered dressed and then my intern was at the door to take me to the airport. The weekend did not end until I was tucked safely into bed at The Springhill Suites in Chicago.

Have you ever had a weekend like this? I believe it will take a few blog posts to report all the happenings so stay tuned!!!

No 'if/then' Statements With God

I am about to start ranting and raving again --- just wanting you to be warned! It surprises me that no matter how many times people hear that God loves them, God forgives them and that there is nothing they can do to earn God's favor, someone will say or write or intimate that we need to get right with God. Unbelievable that people can't fathom that the mercy of God is a free gift -- a gift for us, given on a cross. So, here I go, I am here to proclaim there are no 'if/then' statements with God.

There is no qualifier to God's love. Statements like -- 'If' I preach well, 'then' God will love me. 'If' I am a good parent, 'then' God will forgive all the things I did as a teenager. 'If' I behave and follow the Ten Commandments, 'then' I will earn my place in heaven -- are fatally flawed; they imply we can begin to get it right. They imply that we have to bargain with God, perform correctly, or as some would say "to hell we will go." I say, "Nonsense."

What is it about us human beings that think we can even begin to get anything right? Haven't we learned by now that everything we do is hopelessly flawed? Or as Luther would say, "we are saint and sinner at the same time." Yes, we try to get things right. Yes, we try to do the best we can, but inevitable we fail. If I had to depend on my abilities, I would just have to crawl into a hole and wither away -- straight to hell I would go. There are so many things in which I fail.

Now I like to think I am a good preacher, but I am horrible at remembering. I like to think I am a nice person, yet, I can't seem to get along with my own mother. I believe I am a fairly good cook, but my son doesn't follow my advice at all. I try to be a good pastor, but I make mistakes and disappoint people constantly.

I am flawed; I cannot count on my wisdom, my intelligence, my ability to get me through life unscathed. And even if I do manage to get a few things right, there is no reward from God. The reward was secured -- the gift was given -- even before I began to try. This gift has always been mine and can never be taken away.

Scripture proclaims in the 2nd chapter of Ephesians: "for by grace you have been saved and this is not your own doing. . ." Let's read it again in other translations: “For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing but God’s gift." (Good News for Modern Men) “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own.” (Contemporary English Version)

The Message by Eugene Peterson states -- "Now God has us where God wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all God's idea, and all God's work. All we [can] do is trust God enough to let God do it. It's gift start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does the making and saving. God creates each of us in Christ Jesus to join God in the work God does, the good work God has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing."

Same message, different words --  there is nothing we can do to get right with God; Jesus the Christ has already done it. And yet, we do works, of course, but they do not make us right with God. The works we do are our response to what God has already done--response to the gift already given. Get it?