Tuesday, May 30, 2017

All Together in One Place

"When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place."
 
--Acts 2:1, NRSV
 
 
It is hard to imagine.  For me, the miraculous thing that happened on that fiftieth day after the resurrection was that the disciples were "all together in one place."  I can imagine the sounds and sights as the Spirit descended to create the Church.  I can picture the crowds of curious Jews, who had come to Jerusalem from all over the world.  On Pentecost, they heard the good news in their own native languages.  But what is difficult for me to imagine is that all the disciples were able to gather in one place at the beginning of the festival.
 
It is common for someone to be absent.  We have good reasons for being away:  "I have a bad cold and don't want to spread it to others around me."  "We have a family reunion that always happens on the first weekend of June."  "We are taking a three-day weekend for some rest and renewal in the mountains."  "We are keeping our grandchildren while our son is away on business."  Yes, there are many reasons--most of them quite understandable--for being away from the community as it gathers.
 
But, back in the beginning, on that holy day when the church was created, "they were all together in one place."  The first movement in the Pentecost story is the gathering of all the disciples.  All were there, faithfully following Jesus' instruction to wait in Jerusalem until they received power when the Holy Spirit had come. Then, the community would grow and be empowered to be his witnesses in the world.   Then, the Church would be born.
 
What might it look like on Pentecost 2017 for the Church to be "all together in one place"?   Where is that one place where we might gather?  Where is our upper room where we wait for the power of God to shape us into a community of faith?  And more, I wonder whether it is possible for us to be gathered together in the one place of gospel grace that welcomes all, loves all, and creates a just world for all.      
 
May Pentecost truly bring us together.  May we be gathered, amazed, and inspired to be the Church.  Come, Holy Spirit!  Come!
 
 


Monday, May 22, 2017

Boundaries and Balancing

I once heard a pastor say that a guiding maxim in his ministry was "If it is to be, it is up to me."  I was uncomfortable when I heard it.  Where is God in such a philosophy of life and ministry?   Is it all really up to me?  Really?

May 30 marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of my ordination.  I remember well that rainy Memorial Day weekend.  What I also know is that I have worked very hard over the past 35 years to be a conscientious, successful servant of the church.  Sometimes I have worked too hard--claiming as my own the responsibility that rightly belongs to others.  Was it really up to me?   Really?

Last Thursday, I went to a Boundary Awareness Seminar, which was led by Margaret Marcuson, a communicator and coach who helps "clergy make their lives easier."  During that session, I learned that over functioning is a serious boundary violation for over achieving clergy; and I learned that I am one of them.

So, what is my role and what is my schedule for today?  Can I avoid the incessant distractions that tear me from one thing to the next and leave me exhausted at the end of the day?  What is my priority for this day?  What are my goals?  Where is my focus?  Is there space in my life for renewal, creativity, and fun?  Is there space in my life--its routines and rituals--for God?

I share this because you also may be living with the idolatrous illusion:  "If it is to be, it is up to me."  I see this in congregations where clergy and lay leaders do not step back and teach others, allowing them to develop as gifted leaders for the church in the next generation.  The weight of being responsible over the long haul builds resentments and diminishes the overall ministry of the church.  The decline of the church is not only the effect of cultural attitudes; it is also about leadership that refuses to relinquish its power and dominance.   Others need to contribute and lead, shaping the church for new and effective ministry today.

The truth is it is not all up to me.  It is not all up to you.  Relying on God's grace and mercy, we will follow and serve Jesus Christ together.  We will pray for balance and for awareness.  Boundaries--knowing were my responsibility begins and ends--is essential for healthy disciples and healthy churches.

A memorable verse from Psalm 127 guides me as I seek to live with greater balance and faithfulness:

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,
     eating the bread of anxious toil;
         for God gives to his beloved sleep.
 
                      --Psalm 127:2, RSV

May it be so!