Missed a Day in NYC

If you are counting days, you'll note that I must have missed a day from my time in NYC.  If youare not counting days, that means you have a life, and are not obsessed with this blog.  That's a good thing, and indicates a degree of overall health.  My photo from the day a week ago, walking the streets on NYC on a rainy day.


St. Lydia's

Our sabbatical continues, and today you get more than one photo.  Wohoo!  Lisa and I worshipped at St. Lydia's in Brooklyn, NY this evening.  If not the originators of the dinner church concept, then pretty close.  The concept is simple.  Host a simple meal, merge it with some elements of liturgy and a casual atmosphere of people talking to one another.  

As someone that usually enter's new situations with a tad bit of reluctance, it was nice to be put to work right away.  I washed dishes.  THe pre-wash, aka, washing the pots and pans that were used by Andie, this evenings cook.

It was the music that stole my soul.  Simple accapella singing and chant.  My mystical preferences were in delight.

Then there was the atmosphere and the bread, and of course The Bread.

Dec 31 - A Photo a Day

Well, at least that is the plan.  The goal is simple, post one photo per day for the next three months during my 2017 sabbatical. If I have words to add, I will, if not - well, be thankful you got the photo. We start today, Dec 31, 2016.

I was in a store today, picking up a few non-essential items for our trip, and as I exited, I noticed this sign. What a great idea!  What if our churches had something similar?  Forget the card in the bulletin, that no one uses. Instead, have them text you.  My guess is that if you get 50 texts over the course of a few months, 49 will be trivial and unhelpful.  Especially, the ones that you know are coming from Hank, who always complains.  But, you'll get one that just might be worth it.  In addition, visitors might be more willing to text than sign a guest book or fill out a card.  Just a thought.  

Day 1, the project begins.

“I Want My Old Church Back!”—Five Responses

The grief is both real and anticipatory.

The church member knows his or her church is in decline.

That member knows some things must change or the church is headed for more rapid decline or even death.

But change is difficult. These members want their old church back. They want to do things the way they’ve always done them.

That church of the past, however, will not return. The pace of change is faster than ever, and it will only increase.

How do we respond to these hurting, and sometimes, angry people? Here are five responses.

  1. Respond pastorally. These members are not just hurting; they are grieving. Some of them believe they can find a way to return to the church of the 60s, 70s, or 80s. When they finally realize that the past will not return, their grief intensifies. They need our love, our encouragement, our support, and our prayers. If our first response is to return anger with anger, we can exacerbate a difficult situation.
  2. Respond with reality. Do not give false hope to these members. That will only make the situation worse. Let them know gently and lovingly that change is inevitable. The church will either respond proactively to change, or it will be the victim of change. The latter is usually a death sentence.
  3. Respond with the non-negotiables. Assure the church member that there are some facets of church life that can never change. The Bible is still the Word of God. The gospel is still powerful. Christ is still the only way of salvation. In providing these non-negotiables, you are pointing the members away from the minors to the majors.
  4. Respond with an outward focused. Sometimes a church member’s longing for the past is indicative that he or she is inwardly focused. These members can possibly see church as a place to meet all their needs and desires. If possible, get them involved in ministries that take them away from their own preferences and desires to the world that needs our hope, our love, and our ministry.
  5. Respond with resolution. A few church members will fight for the past no matter how toxic it may be for the church and her future. Leaders have to resolve to move on. They cannot spend all their time coddling the disaffected to the neglect of those who are ready to make a difference. This step is a last step. It is a final alternative. It is the most painful. But it can be necessary for the health of the body as a whole.

These days are days of rapid change. Congregations have not been immune from the impact of the change. We must always love people. But we cannot let one or a few hinder us from the work to which God has called us.  via Thom Rainer

My Letter following the Election of 2016

Yesterday, we all awoke to a new reality in our country – indeed in our world.  The election that has consumed so much energy and time, and in a manner that was not at all reflective of our better selves, came to a conclusion.  I know from many conversations that we have people in our synod, in our congregations and communities who are dismayed and afraid, we also have others who view the results positively.

In the words of my colleague, Bishop Alan Gates: “Our national election is behind us, leaving in its wake a legacy of bitterness and hostility.  For some, alienation is the apparent reason for the election’s outcome; for others alienation is its result.  In either case, we face grievous division and manifest anxiety.”

In light of these election results, I believe it is incumbent upon us all to view ourselves as agents of healing.  We have wounds all across the spectrum, and I believe we need to address those wounds.  I will be candid and say that I have more questions than answers. 

How do we move forward?  What do we do with all the language of vitriol, hatred, threats, lies, accusations, racial & sexual discrimination that have been hurled around?  How do we address the economic anxiety that is very much a part of our country?  What is the role of the church in these times?  What is an appropriate prophetic voice for today?  Where is God in our emotional and intellectual response? And others…

I offer some wisdom from a family member who works in the field of election campaigns going back to 1980.  He writes: “Victory is never as revolutionary ‎as one imagines. Defeat is never the Armageddon we fear.  I’ve been there [on both sides over the years.]  We have a constitutional system that will continue. … ‎Yes there is a world of unknowns come January. But the policies that effect our lives will evolve with the traditional frustrating slowness of the legislative process.” 

Finally, I offer this prayer as a tool for each of us to take an inventory of our own place in this time of evaluation and healing.

 “God, our refuge and strength, you have bound us together in a common life.  In all our conflict, help us to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, to listen for your voice amid competing claims, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  -Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Pastoral Care book, p. 386  

Sincerely in Christ

 

Bishop James Hazelwood