What do Skype and Luther have in common?

Answer - Communication.

Martin Luther took advantage of the technology of his day - the Printing Press.  If not for the invention of Gutenberg, it is possible the reformation would not have happened.

One study found that Luther out-communicated the Roman Catholic church at a rate of 10 to 1.  He produced ten print documents for every one that was produced by the Roman church.  (You'll be able to learn more about this from Beth Lewis of Augsburg Press at a workshop next spring at our Synod Assembly.)  

If Martin Luther were alive today, do you think he would be using the tools of communication that are currently available?

As they say in Minnesota, "Youbetcha."

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This evening I enjoyed an hourlong conversation with the confirmation class from Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hartford, CT.  For 55 minutes I was peppered with questions like:  What does God look like?  Why does it say 'I believe in the holy catholic church' in the Apostle's Creed?  Do you believe in Hell?  What is a bishop?  What's the best part of your job?

All these questions were asked via Skype, the free internet video conferencing software.

Most of you know about Skype, and have used it to talk with family or friends, or as a business tool.  Natalie Bloomquist, Director of Christian Education decided to embody the spirit of Martin Luther and use Skype as a tool for confirmation instruction.  Brilliant! 

Can you imagine a class of 6th, 7th and 8th graders listening and engaging in questions about life and faith for a whole hour?  

Well, that is what happened.  The kids were great, and goofy, and listening, and drifting off, and learning, and growing in their knowledge and faith.  What more can you ask from a confirmation class.

But in my mind the key to the success of this event was the preparation.  Natalie had the young people discuss and think up questions in advance.  What better way to engage.  The process of conceiving of questions is central to the learning process.  Double Brilliant.

Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  But, it doesn't just have to be with a bishop.  Have a class Skype with other pastors, government officials, homeless shelter directors, college students, etc.

NeXt Church Part 3 - Cathedral in the Night

November, 5:00 p.m. on a sunday evening.  It's cold, but not yet winter freezing cold.  There is activity in downtown Northhampton, MA as several people set up for a meal and a worship service.  In the morning, I preached at Immanuel in Amherst, MA and have decided to pay a visit to Cathedral in the Night. I am glad I came.  This ministry presents another model in our NeXt Church series.  Every sunday evening whether the weather is cold, warm, sun, rain or snow, worship is held outside with onlookers, shoppers, homeless people, visitors from area congregations, confirmation students.  Immediately after the worship, a meal is served for all who come, especially for those people for whom this may be their only meal today.

Pastor Stephanie Smith is preaching this evening.  

This ministry is a partnership with the Lutheran Church, The Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ.

The event attracts people walking the streets of Northhampton. 

Guests contribute to the worship experience.

You can learn more at www.cathedralinthenight.com  Churches might want to consider planning a trip, combined with a visit to Northhampton, you can help bring and serve the meal - they had chilli and corn bread the night I was there.  What a great idea for youth groups, confirmation or mission groups.

When your congregation sends funds to the New England Synod, you help make new ministry like this possible.  Thank you on behalf of the people who are fed and served, as the gospel is proclaimed in the cold of the night.

 

It's a New Day for Lutherans & Episcopalians in RI

In Rhode Island, it's the dawn of a new era for Lutherans and Episcopalians.

While most all of our relations with the Episcopal church in New England have been stellar for years, the Ocean State has been lacking.  I'll not bore you with the history.  But, today, is a new beginning.  The new Bishop, Rev. W. Nick Knisely was consecrated today at St. George's School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.  

I was on hand to participate in the laying on of hands, as is the pattern now with our Common agreement with the Episcopal church.  They come to our installations of new bishops, and we attend their consecrations.  (I'm off to another in two weeks in Springfield, MA)

Prior to the worship service, I was invited to join a round table with Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori and a host of other purple shirts.  (Jon Niketh, you will be pleased to know I wore my new Almy purple - I looked the part and behaved myself...well, mostly)  The discussion ranged on many Episcopal matters, as well as concerns of mission, the future, Palestinians, the US election and a few other top secret negotiations that I cannot reveal.  (However, if bribed with Starbuck's Capuccinos I might be persuaded.)

The most significant event followed when Nick approached me and the first words out of his mouth were, "I really want to partner with the Lutherans."  Hallelujiah, the heavens opened!  (Rhode Island Lutherans will know what good news this is to hear)  So we are off to a grand start, which will next include lunch between Nick and I in December.  

In addition to bishoping around the ocean state, Nick is also an Astronomer and Physicist, so I am looking forward to great discussions on Science and Religion, a topic I've become increasingly invested.

He is another Digital Bishop and you can follow him on Twitter at wnknisely as well as his blog www.entangledstates.org.

Playfulness

"Playfulness is another word for Grace"   Yup, you can quote me.

So, how can we teach the faith, model the faith and be the faith?  This is a big question for Christians, and I'm going to suggest that one avenue just might be playfulness.  Yup, the bish is suggesting that a worthwhile investment for a church or a neghborhood might be increasing playfulness. More recess, better playgrounds and extra free time might be the single best contribution to the education and sunday school program at your church. Lisa and I have been talking about this a bit, following our marvelous exposure to an Episcopal priest who lead a discussion on playfulness.  The Rev Nancy introduced us to a playful approach to children's ministry called "Godly Play."  Good stuff.  But not just for kids.  Lisa's probably gonna preach on this topic for Sunday.  I think I'm going with a 40 minute dissertation of eschatological implications of postmodern understandings of adolescent behavior amongst church council members living in homes heated by solar powered nuclear generators in northern iceland.

While attending a two day continuing education event at the Center for Family Process, I watched with tears in my eyes as the story of life and faith and hope was told to adults using a childlike playfulness.  We sat in a circle as little figures were displayed on a felt circle.  One could easily dismiss it as child's play, but if you let yourself go, you could discover Jesus.  Not the television Jesus, not the law and order Jesus, not the political Jesus, but the Light of the World, the mystery of all mysteries, the love and hope and center of everything.

People are doing amazing creative and beautiful things in children and youth education today.  The progressive side of the Christian church, when it frees it self from the shackles of outdated education models is discovering new ways of helping people re-discovert the wonder and beauty of a life of faith.  

Meet Natalie Bloomquist. I took this photo of her, in her office at Emanuel Lutheran in Hartford, CT, where she serves as Christian Education leader.

Natalie has been making some great strides in education.  She's also teaching some confirmation students and trying to get the parents to buy in on the value of confirmation.  It's an uphill battle, but she's moving the ball and making progress.  I saw her last month and we strategized on one idea, mostly hers, of engaging the students using modern technology.  So, later this month, I'll be doing a conversation with middle schoolers from Emanuel on Skype.  Most of her students have no idea what a Bishop is or does or looks like (Hmmmm, I'm still trying to figure that one out)  Anyway, we'll have a Skype chat, maybe do some texting and tweets.  Engage, interact, play?

It'll be playful, will it be substantive?  Hmmmm, depends on the questions.  My experience is that young people ask the best questions, so I'm thinkin' yeah, it'll work.

I'm also mindful of something called the hidden curriculum.  The idea is that the method and/or experience of the learning process communicates something of significance.  If Playfulness is another word for Grace, maybe we'll connect on multiple levels.  I'll let you know about our success and failures along the way.

What are you doing in the area of education?

What's our reason for being?

I'm about two-thirds of the way through Brian McLaren’s A Generous Orthodoxy.  (By the way, I also really like his book, A New Kind of Christianity) This sweeping book suggests an alternative route forward through the polarization of left liberal christianity and right fundamental christianity. I look at it as the Rodney King, "can't we all just get along" text for contemporary american christianity.

Around the half way point, McLaren unveil's his struggle to find an appropriate mission or purpose statement for himself, and possibly for the christian faith.  He writes:

"To be and make disciples of Jesus Christ in authentic community for the good of the world."

Now that’s a mission statement!

It begins with a personal 'to be' before it moves to 'to make' disciples of Jesus Christ.  I see this as a significant step away from the in your face approach to making others disciples. It suggests we begin with ourselves.  We are called first and foremeost to be disciples.  Ghandhi's phrase "be the change you want to see in the world" comes to mind.  Yet, we are also called to make disciples, and participate in that activity with integrity.

The statement is also christocentric, that's fancy pants talk for - "It's centered on Jesus."  I like Jesus, and I'm glad to know that he likes me, and, I beleive likes everyone, and is interested in hangin' out with us.  Doing laundry, teaching kids, mowing lawns, shoveling sand bags, feed the poor, clothing the homeless, working for peace, comforting the lonely, challenging the sophisticated, and so on.  

Problem is, most people only see Jesus as a chuchy guy, meaning sunday morning dressed up groovin' to hymns and such.  But, this mission statement says nothing about that, it talks about authentic community.  Could that be church?  Sure.  But, it could also happen in a family room with people from a church, or maybe a mix of people from a church and others from a soccer team.  The point is "authentic" community.  That's a goal, that's an aspirational hope for what a church, or a family or a group of amigos could become.  I don't know about you, but I think people are really really hungry for authentic community.

"For the good of the world" is a vital addition.  In the book, McLaren points out that for years, he had not yet included this aspect.  The mission statement ended with the authentic community, but he knew it needed something more.  Hence, the movement outward - "for the good of the world."  We are pushed, nudged, sometimes shoved into the world to be about the good and challenging stuff of reconciliation, hope building, peace making, forest healing, poverty alleviating, justice advocating, etc.

If I got permission to slap this statement on a T-shirt, would you buy one?  Would you wear it?  Engage in conversation about it? Start a hope building movement?

Just some random thoughts, while I procrastinate my Saturday night sermon preparations.

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane "sandy" is almost upon us here in New England.  While I had considered writing a long and thoughtful post about storms and metaphors of stormy life, I thought it best to simply wait til we get through these next few days.  Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.  As I look at a map of New England, where I once saw towns and cities, I now see congregations, church buildings and people who are all a part of the New England Synod.  Please be safe, reach out to your neighbor and after the storm has passed, let us know how you are doing.

The Lutheran covers the Lizards

The cover of the rolling stone - not exactly, infact, not even the cover.  But, the Lutheran magazine did post a small photo and brief article about our Lutheran Lizard motorcycle ride to Worcerster for my installation.  You can see it here.

In additon, they ran an article from this blog in their weekly e-newsletter.  It was a shortened version of my blog post on the Next Church.

 

 

How Serious should we be?

The advertisement to the left appeared on my facebook page this month.

Serious Pastors Only?

Because of my more relaxed approach to life and ministry, my tendency to laugh too much, an inclination toward celebration rather than melancholic introspection - I have a long history of being accused of not being serious enough.  Infact, at one parish, a woman looked at me and with a pointed finger said, "Your problem is that you aren't serious enough about the church."

I have to confess that she is probably right.

A long time ago, I learned the distinction between being 'serious' and being 'sincere'.  I do not take my faith seriously, but I am very sincere in my faith.  In my opinion, and I could be wrong, to be serious tends to suggest a rather rigid approach. A serious person is often labeled as up tight or even mean spirited. In contrast, being sincere connotates a genuineness and integrity about ones faith, perhaps even a flexibility.

Can we be sincere and still laugh?  Can we be sincere and still wonder, explore and probe the mysteries of faith? Can we be sincere and yet, not take ourselves too seriously?

Just a thought, or actually a question.

Where are we going?

This weekend sixty some leaders from across the New England Synod met in Springfield to review the final report from ARE - a renewal enterprise.  You can view the report yourself, just click here. We worked hard to focus on clarifying some strategic directions for the synod.  More info to come, but just want to give you a little insight.

We ended the day with a focus on three areas including leadeship development, faith develoopment and addressing poverty.

Those of you reading this wondering if this is going to be some new top down synod program - sorry to dissapoint you.  We are attempting to grow this from the congregations, not up, but across.  Think more relational and network as we go forward.  I'd prefer to see a congregation connect with two or three other congregations and a social service agency to address a local issue. 

How are we going to live forward in a more inter-related manner?  That's a big question.

Will we get it right all the time?  Hmmmm, doubt it.  But, when we fail, we use it as an opportunity to learn. Then go out and try again.

The Quest and the questions continue...

While launching my web browser this afternoon to read the New York Times, I noticed the following advertisement:

Brad Pitt caught my attention.  (People say we look alike ;) )

Here is the direct link to the video advertisement. click here  Watch it!

Now I find this particular ad quite intriguing.  It plays on some universal human longings.  The black and white film look, the narrator himself speaking in soft and slow poetic language.  Brad Pitt represents a kind of god-like hero in our psyche, he's even played some psuedo-supernatural characters in his career.  The hopes and dreams of humanity are not so subtly suggested.  There is a strong hint here in the build up to the closing... a build up that could go toward questions and answers of ultimate meaning.  But, no...Chanel No. 5 is not the answer.

But the ad is such an obvious example of how the questions of ultimate value are still with people - the problem is that the answers are now being provided by commerical enterprises.  In other words, I'm saying that Chanel is playing on our longings for God, and substituting their product as an answer.  Am I making a bold leap of logic here?  Perhaps?

Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung and Paul Tillich helped people of the 20th century realize that all of humanity is on a quest.  The popularity of those vehicles named Quest, Voyager & Explorer are everyday reminders that the journey continues.  Those authors also helped us understand that humanity seeks God in many forms.  The modern world is not the ancient world, but the quest goes forward.  We are still seeking God, or perhaps more accurately we are seeking to realize that God has already found us.

Our challenge in the church of the 21st century is to realize that the questions and the search go on.  But. And this is a HUGE "but".  But, we have to find new ways to engage the questions.  The older tools will not serve the disciples of Jesus in the 21st century. Contracting with Brad Pitt is probably not an option.  I take great hope in seeing this advertisement, because it makes me understand that the search goes on.  As long as the search goes on, then we in the church still have a shot at being a relevant player.

The question for us centers around the delivery and the forms we will take as the new millenium unfolds.  

 

 

How 'm I doin'?

When I lived in New York City in the late 1980's, Mayor Ed Koch always started his press conferences with this question.  He was the quintessential New York City mayor.  Now, I want to know, "How am I doing?", specifically, in relation to my commitment to visit every congregation of the New England Synod in the first 365 days.  

Today, I was at Redeemer in Woburn, MA attending the Camp Calumet board meeting.

Here is a list of my travels to date, in no particular order.

Pilgrim Lutheran, Warwick, RI

St. James Barrington, RI

Good Shepherd, Rutland, VT

St. Paul, Old Saybrook, CT

Christ the King, Holliston, MA

St. Luke, Gales Ferry, CT

Faith, Middletown, CT

Zion Lutheran, Portland, CT

Good Shepherd, Kingston, RI

Faith, North Andover, MA

Concordia, Manchester, CT

Trinity, Worcester, MA

Zion Lutheran, Worcester, MA

Ebenezer, Willimantic, CT

Redeemer, Foxboro, MA

Good Shepherd, Quincy, MA

plus Hammonassett and the parking lot at St. Andrew, Charlestown, RI

Tomorrow I'll be at Emmanuel, North Grosvenordale, CT as well as Emmanuel, Hartford, CT  (By the way, how come Emmanuel is spelled so many different ways?)

This week I'll be in Newington, NH for the first of our Next Step events, Bethesda in Springfield, MA, next Sunday preaching at Trinity in Chelmsford, MA, plus the Boston event on Wednesday (see below) followed by a visit with some of our chaplians at Mass General Hospital.

I'm workin' it, baby.  So, how'm I doin'?