As
you know, I’m from the Presbyterian tradition, and we just adore the
whole ecumenical cooperation thing and, especially, World Communion
Sunday, the first Sunday in October when many congregations around the
world all witness to our unity around the Holy Table.
But
the United Church of Christ simply blows me away with its commitment to
the unity of all Christ’s people. Time and again I find references in
UCC documents, liturgy, and writings a deep, abiding commitment to
Jesus’ prayers in the Gospels that all his disciples be one. That
desire actually to demonstrate Christ’s desire that we be one church
runs all the way through its life and structure. In fact, it was the
gathering of four very diverse traditions— the Congregational (mostly in
New England) and Christian Churches (largely in the upper Midwest)
which united in 1926, and the Evangelical and Reformed (primarily German
Reformed) Churches which united in 1934. Each pair was driven by the
conviction that the many splintered denominations around the globe were
an affront to God, and that humans should try to bring ourselves back
together. Tthey realized that even bringing near-neighbors like the
E&Rs together was plenty difficult. Still they persisted, and,
having united in those partnerships, responded to the post-World War II
ecumenical impulse by entering negotiations to unite yet further. On
June 25,1954 in Cleveland, the Congregational Christian Church and the
Evangelical and Reformed Churches became the United Church of Christ.
The simple name reflects the witness, a united church worshiping and
serving Christ. It has been a passionate, progressive voice for social
justice, spiritual renewal, openness, grace, hope, and the proclamation
of God’s love in the world. We can be proud to stand in that heritage.
Which makes the celebration of World Communion Sunday right down our
alley! If there is any opportunity to demonstrate that all Christ’s
followers are joined together, a world-wide exhibition of our unity is a
great way to not only talk about it but act it out. Even if it is one
congregation at a time and a bit imperfect (in that we still can’t quite
manage to get even all the congregations in a single town to set up a
couple of block-long table down the main street and sit down together),
it’s a way of at least pushing our boundaries and trying to symbolize
that “we are one in the Spirit, one in the Lord.”
In 1936
the first Sunday in October was celebrated “World Wide Communion
Sunday.” In a few years, the idea had spread. And it’s still one of
the best ways we have of visibly showing we believe in a deep spiritual
unity as Christ’s disciples.
A key part of our UCC celebration on any
communion Sunday is the open invitation to the table. Unlike some
other denominations, we don’t have “requirements” or restrictions on who
may or may not commune. We take Jesus’ own invitation to those who
believe in him seriously and welcome all to the table Jesus has
prepared. Who are we to stand between someone and our Savior? That’s a
truly “wide” invitation! It’s one of the ways we live out the UCC
national slogan, “No matter where you are on life’s journey, you’re
welcome here.” Everyone is welcome around the bequilted wooden table at
the front of our sanctuary at 306 Highland Drive in Ithaca.
A little challenge: invite someone to World Communion Sunday on October
6th. Seriously! Ask some family, friends, coworkers, neighbors who
haven’t been to a church in a while, or maybe even ever, or maybe who
had a bad experience with church or who has felt left out or excluded,
and offer to pick them up or meet them and walk in with them and show
them the way. (Studies show that people who have not been in a
particular worship service are very afraid of making a mistake or of not
knowing anyone there, so accompanying them and helping them find their
way around the service and the building is a huge help.) If that first
person isn’t interested, ask someone else. Seriously! Try up to three
invitations, even if they don’t accept, but at least try, OK?!?
Seriously!
Jesus invites everyone to share in the meal
which he has prepared… everyone. No matter where one is on life’s
journey, all are welcome here. All.
Let’s make Jesus happy by displaying our unity around the world and our welcome around his table.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
What’s Next
I often find when I have
people saying, “What’s taking so long to get going?” and “Why so soon?”
in about equal numbers that I’ve found the right timing! (Of course,
sometimes just calendar issues make a difference, but we are all used to
that!)
So I believe we are in about the right spot to be having our all-church conversations as part of this “time between.” But I’ve had a couple of questions about practical matters.
To reiterate: our first two conversations will be introducing the process and developing together a timeline of the events, seasons, and people in the last fifty or sixty years. Those will be October 6 and 13. We will look at the community and our context in Ithaca and Tompkins County on October 27. Then on November 3 we will look at ourselves in the mirror and talk about the valuable missions and ministries done for God and neighbor by the congregation. On November 17 we will use part of the worship time to fill out the excellent US Congregational Life Survey, one of the very few normed across the nation and the denominational spectrum.
We will have a refreshment and conversation time after worship as usual, and then we will gather downstairs in the fellowship hall for a light lunch. Part of the idea of that is to refuel so we can work for a while, but just as much to enjoy each other’s company, visit, and have a fellowship time in fellowship hall. In fact, if you have other Sunday plans, stay for lunch even if you have to leave right afterward. Even if you have no interest in the working session, come for lunch anyhow. And if there are recent arrivals or first time attenders, invite them downstairs anyhow, especially! I’ve heard lots about how enjoyable such communal meals have been here over the years, and encourage everyone to show up for that part at least. Children are not merely welcome but encouraged to attend! We can work out rides, too.
Another set of questions have been about whether you have to be at all of them. Nope! They are connected, to be sure, but each should be valuable and interesting (and even some fun) in its own right. We hope to be able to record some way or another (if you have ideas or video or audio equipment to help with that, let me or the office know), and we will have notes about the sessions both to catch people up if they could not be there and to preserve the ideas for the search committee we will be electing later.
And folks have asked me, “How is this different than what we did before?” First, being mildly impatient and easily bored myself, I like to keep it kind of compressed and tightly spaced, hence the packed schedule in October and November. It’s also in order to be done before Thanksgiving and Advent and Christmas. I try to keep it moving and interesting and fun. But the biggest difference is that I keep the focus on the end product: the search for the next pastor. We can do this partly because the good work done with the Gathering process last time gives us a head start on the data and vision parts of the process. But our focus will be on understanding the history and processes and makeup of the congregation and how they relate to the pastoral relationship. Sure, we have to refresh and reaffirm the vision we have of First Congregational Church, but my push will be toward understanding how that vision and the way this congregation functions will inform the search for a next pastor. The goal of all this is a strong, productive, healthy partnership between pulpit and pew into the future. That goal will drive the conversations and keep us on track. The product is not a good study experience or a statement of mission, but a call extended to the right person to work with you to accomplish that mission.
If you know people who have not felt good about the church for a while (or are one), please encourage them to join the all-church conversations. The atmosphere will be honest, but I want to make it non-threatening and comfortable so people can share if they want. It’s a chance to see how we got where we are and find out where God wants us next. Please participate!
This Sunday we have a group of guest singers from a Cornell Glee Club joining our choir, so I hope you can make it to worship. Somehow, the combination of a “glee” club and the joy of God’s love in Christ Jesus amuses me. Hope to see you Sunday at 10 am.
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 6:6-19
From the Gospels Luke 16:19-31
So I believe we are in about the right spot to be having our all-church conversations as part of this “time between.” But I’ve had a couple of questions about practical matters.
To reiterate: our first two conversations will be introducing the process and developing together a timeline of the events, seasons, and people in the last fifty or sixty years. Those will be October 6 and 13. We will look at the community and our context in Ithaca and Tompkins County on October 27. Then on November 3 we will look at ourselves in the mirror and talk about the valuable missions and ministries done for God and neighbor by the congregation. On November 17 we will use part of the worship time to fill out the excellent US Congregational Life Survey, one of the very few normed across the nation and the denominational spectrum.
We will have a refreshment and conversation time after worship as usual, and then we will gather downstairs in the fellowship hall for a light lunch. Part of the idea of that is to refuel so we can work for a while, but just as much to enjoy each other’s company, visit, and have a fellowship time in fellowship hall. In fact, if you have other Sunday plans, stay for lunch even if you have to leave right afterward. Even if you have no interest in the working session, come for lunch anyhow. And if there are recent arrivals or first time attenders, invite them downstairs anyhow, especially! I’ve heard lots about how enjoyable such communal meals have been here over the years, and encourage everyone to show up for that part at least. Children are not merely welcome but encouraged to attend! We can work out rides, too.
Another set of questions have been about whether you have to be at all of them. Nope! They are connected, to be sure, but each should be valuable and interesting (and even some fun) in its own right. We hope to be able to record some way or another (if you have ideas or video or audio equipment to help with that, let me or the office know), and we will have notes about the sessions both to catch people up if they could not be there and to preserve the ideas for the search committee we will be electing later.
And folks have asked me, “How is this different than what we did before?” First, being mildly impatient and easily bored myself, I like to keep it kind of compressed and tightly spaced, hence the packed schedule in October and November. It’s also in order to be done before Thanksgiving and Advent and Christmas. I try to keep it moving and interesting and fun. But the biggest difference is that I keep the focus on the end product: the search for the next pastor. We can do this partly because the good work done with the Gathering process last time gives us a head start on the data and vision parts of the process. But our focus will be on understanding the history and processes and makeup of the congregation and how they relate to the pastoral relationship. Sure, we have to refresh and reaffirm the vision we have of First Congregational Church, but my push will be toward understanding how that vision and the way this congregation functions will inform the search for a next pastor. The goal of all this is a strong, productive, healthy partnership between pulpit and pew into the future. That goal will drive the conversations and keep us on track. The product is not a good study experience or a statement of mission, but a call extended to the right person to work with you to accomplish that mission.
If you know people who have not felt good about the church for a while (or are one), please encourage them to join the all-church conversations. The atmosphere will be honest, but I want to make it non-threatening and comfortable so people can share if they want. It’s a chance to see how we got where we are and find out where God wants us next. Please participate!
This Sunday we have a group of guest singers from a Cornell Glee Club joining our choir, so I hope you can make it to worship. Somehow, the combination of a “glee” club and the joy of God’s love in Christ Jesus amuses me. Hope to see you Sunday at 10 am.
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 6:6-19
From the Gospels Luke 16:19-31
Friday, September 20, 2013
Ecclesiastical Parbuckling
It probably says too much about me that I have been entranced watching
the work around the Costa Concordia off the coast of Sicily. Lots of
things about it make really good illustrations about all sorts of
topics, even if they are not going to make it into a sermon ever. But
it can make it into a Weekly Word!
We are about to begin the all-church self-study events in preparation for calling a search committee which will prepare a church profile and then seek candidates for the pastorate here. This fall there will be four lunch meetings after church on a series of topics and a survey about church participation to which everyone— member, friend, new arrival, long-time hand, happy, disappointed, confused, younger, older, middler— is invited.
This is a pretty early stage in the parbuckling, refloating, refitting, and resailing of First Congregational. (Notice the difference there with the Costa Concordia, which will decidedly not cruise again. FCCI will. Period.)
Many months ago, the Concordia wreck got stabilized, and then the divers and engineers started to figure out what they had to work with. Then they spent a long time developing plans, testing scenarios, getting things thought out. Another long period of time was building the equipment needed and getting it in place. Finally, only last week, 20 months after the ship scraped bottom and capsized, did they get to the first big salvage effort. Now that they have it upright, the have a lot to do for the next stage of effort.
In terms of my gimmicky parallel, First Congregational and the people who love it want it not just upright and salvaged, but sailing the seas of the gospel. Now that things are more stable, it is time to see what we have to work with. At this point, that is all we are doing in the first conversations. From there we will develop plans of action to undertake the pastoral search, then marshal the resources and people to do it. But right now, we are learning about where we are and what has happened. Then we can work on the engineering and the tasks of making it happen.
Our first two conversations will be introducing the process and developing together a timeline of the events, seasons, and people in the last fifty or sixty years of First Congregational’s life. Those will be October 6 and 13. We will look at the community and our context in Ithaca and Tompkins County on October 27. Then on November 3 we will look at ourselves in the mirror and talk about the valuable missions and ministries done for God and neighbor by the congregation. On November 17 we will use part of the worship time to fill out the excellent US Congregational Life Survey, one of the very few normed across the nation and the denominational spectrum.
In all of this, your participation… your honest, gracious participation… is key.
We will gather for an informal lunch and working time after worship those four Sundays. There will be activities and care for children so they can join in. Older children and youth can sit in on the conversation. If you can’t make a session or have to leave early, don’t worry; although they build on each other, each session should be interesting and valuable on its own. We can help with rides and other things to help you attend. Even if you don’t know what you might contribute, I would really appreciate you showing up! And if you can’t stay for the meeting, at least stay for lunch and to visit with folks.
It is my intention to keep the conversation lively and honest, to share some information on church dynamics that will be helpful understanding where we need to go next, not to drag things out, but to keep very focused on the overall purpose: discovering God’s direction for First Congregational and preparing for a healthy and productive partnership with a pastor in the near future.
Are you with me? (I hope so.)
And maybe on Sunday you’ll find out how this all fits with the scripture lessons!
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 2:1-7
From the Gospels Luke 16:1-13
We are about to begin the all-church self-study events in preparation for calling a search committee which will prepare a church profile and then seek candidates for the pastorate here. This fall there will be four lunch meetings after church on a series of topics and a survey about church participation to which everyone— member, friend, new arrival, long-time hand, happy, disappointed, confused, younger, older, middler— is invited.
This is a pretty early stage in the parbuckling, refloating, refitting, and resailing of First Congregational. (Notice the difference there with the Costa Concordia, which will decidedly not cruise again. FCCI will. Period.)
Many months ago, the Concordia wreck got stabilized, and then the divers and engineers started to figure out what they had to work with. Then they spent a long time developing plans, testing scenarios, getting things thought out. Another long period of time was building the equipment needed and getting it in place. Finally, only last week, 20 months after the ship scraped bottom and capsized, did they get to the first big salvage effort. Now that they have it upright, the have a lot to do for the next stage of effort.
In terms of my gimmicky parallel, First Congregational and the people who love it want it not just upright and salvaged, but sailing the seas of the gospel. Now that things are more stable, it is time to see what we have to work with. At this point, that is all we are doing in the first conversations. From there we will develop plans of action to undertake the pastoral search, then marshal the resources and people to do it. But right now, we are learning about where we are and what has happened. Then we can work on the engineering and the tasks of making it happen.
Our first two conversations will be introducing the process and developing together a timeline of the events, seasons, and people in the last fifty or sixty years of First Congregational’s life. Those will be October 6 and 13. We will look at the community and our context in Ithaca and Tompkins County on October 27. Then on November 3 we will look at ourselves in the mirror and talk about the valuable missions and ministries done for God and neighbor by the congregation. On November 17 we will use part of the worship time to fill out the excellent US Congregational Life Survey, one of the very few normed across the nation and the denominational spectrum.
In all of this, your participation… your honest, gracious participation… is key.
We will gather for an informal lunch and working time after worship those four Sundays. There will be activities and care for children so they can join in. Older children and youth can sit in on the conversation. If you can’t make a session or have to leave early, don’t worry; although they build on each other, each session should be interesting and valuable on its own. We can help with rides and other things to help you attend. Even if you don’t know what you might contribute, I would really appreciate you showing up! And if you can’t stay for the meeting, at least stay for lunch and to visit with folks.
It is my intention to keep the conversation lively and honest, to share some information on church dynamics that will be helpful understanding where we need to go next, not to drag things out, but to keep very focused on the overall purpose: discovering God’s direction for First Congregational and preparing for a healthy and productive partnership with a pastor in the near future.
Are you with me? (I hope so.)
And maybe on Sunday you’ll find out how this all fits with the scripture lessons!
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 2:1-7
From the Gospels Luke 16:1-13
Friday, September 13, 2013
Welcome
Welcome to First
Congregational... for the first time perhaps. Or welcome back! With
public school having started this week, this Sunday is the sort of
“official” start of the FCCI program year, too.
The choir is back to practicing, and the Children and Youth Ministry Team is back with the familiar Christian Education and faith formation program. Most of the committees are back to meeting in September after their more “irregular” summer. Folks who were less frequent over the school break are getting back in the rhythm of attendance. The enjoyable and challenging AfterWord series resumes this week with Bob Riter from the Cancer Resource Center.
We’re back in business!
Some folks are not so much returning “back” as attending for the first time. It’s up to we long-time attenders to make those first tentative steps past our threshold a meaningful, comfortable, and spiritually connecting morning. I have no doubt that long-time attenders here are capable of a generous, inclusive, embracing welcome; my concern is that with the delight in seeing each other again it will be easy to overlook the first-timers and forget to enfold them into the flock gracefully and graciously.
So keep an eye out for new faces, and be happy to see them! If you approach them with happiness, you will probably find that sometimes tricky balance of welcoming without being overwhelming. Many churchgoers fear that they will be too aggressive in pouncing on new people and turn them off, so we sometimes act “too cool” and keep away. Lots of us have experiences visiting that have turned us off— usually by feeling too singled out too obviously— but don’t let that stifle your hospitality. And remember that what you might think is “giving people space” can be experienced as neglect. But just because that balance is tricky don’t give up! Welcome like you like to be welcomed, and you will probably hit the comfort zone. And if you are waaaaay introverted, just point a new face out to folks who are more comfortable saying “Hi” for the first time. We’ve got the whole spectrum among us!
Most times when we read the UCC slogan we focus on the “wherever you are on your life’s journey,” cherishing the openness and grace to all souls. These Sundays in September, let’s run with the “you’re welcome here” part. After all, God is happy to see everyone in church, whether for the first or ninety-ninth time.
May you feel welcome this Sunday. And share it!
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 4:11-12 , 22-26
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 1:12-17
From the Gospels Luke 15:1-10
The choir is back to practicing, and the Children and Youth Ministry Team is back with the familiar Christian Education and faith formation program. Most of the committees are back to meeting in September after their more “irregular” summer. Folks who were less frequent over the school break are getting back in the rhythm of attendance. The enjoyable and challenging AfterWord series resumes this week with Bob Riter from the Cancer Resource Center.
We’re back in business!
Some folks are not so much returning “back” as attending for the first time. It’s up to we long-time attenders to make those first tentative steps past our threshold a meaningful, comfortable, and spiritually connecting morning. I have no doubt that long-time attenders here are capable of a generous, inclusive, embracing welcome; my concern is that with the delight in seeing each other again it will be easy to overlook the first-timers and forget to enfold them into the flock gracefully and graciously.
So keep an eye out for new faces, and be happy to see them! If you approach them with happiness, you will probably find that sometimes tricky balance of welcoming without being overwhelming. Many churchgoers fear that they will be too aggressive in pouncing on new people and turn them off, so we sometimes act “too cool” and keep away. Lots of us have experiences visiting that have turned us off— usually by feeling too singled out too obviously— but don’t let that stifle your hospitality. And remember that what you might think is “giving people space” can be experienced as neglect. But just because that balance is tricky don’t give up! Welcome like you like to be welcomed, and you will probably hit the comfort zone. And if you are waaaaay introverted, just point a new face out to folks who are more comfortable saying “Hi” for the first time. We’ve got the whole spectrum among us!
Most times when we read the UCC slogan we focus on the “wherever you are on your life’s journey,” cherishing the openness and grace to all souls. These Sundays in September, let’s run with the “you’re welcome here” part. After all, God is happy to see everyone in church, whether for the first or ninety-ninth time.
May you feel welcome this Sunday. And share it!
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 4:11-12 , 22-26
From the Epistles 1 Timothy 1:12-17
From the Gospels Luke 15:1-10
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Worship Service
I’ll admit
it. Being new to the whole thing, I was sorta startled that FCCI
relocated worship the weekend of the Feed My Starving Children
MobilePack. Marcie Bishop mentioned that the sanctuary was used for
group orientation, which does sorta bump into our regularly scheduled
program! In fact, I wandered around considering other places in the
building we could hold a simplified worship service, but a few people
reminded me that the whole facility is filled with activity, and even if
a room would work, it might be hard to hear anything. Duh, David. But
I felt a little strange about relocating. That was probably the
preacher’s proprietary feeling about the primacy of worship in the life
of the church. And maybe a bit of unconscious, reflexive territoriality
that goes with the job! Momentarily.
But then I realized that the other side of my theology was really happy! Worship is important, but not the only priority for a community of faith. Mission is, too. I’ve always known that and pushed for that… duh, David.
My flitting feeling that the building is being invaded supposes that our facility is a refuge from the world, or, as some congregations and some architectures show, a fortress protecting it from the world. A healthier perspective is that a church’s facility is a launching place into the world, a base of operations, a recharging station to have the energy to work the rest of the week for our neighbors’ well-being. It is the garage, the workshop, the warehouse, the central depot from which the employees in their service trucks go out to do the job of faith. The doors swing out.
On this particular weekend is it much clearer to see that spiritual impulse to pack and mobilize for the good of others, but this congregation has it all year long. I think that is a good thing. Duh, David.
I’ve seen a few church sanctuaries where over the doors is inscribed, “Our worship is over; Our service begins,” as people leave the sanctuary on their way out into the world and the rest of their weeks. I’ve always kind of liked such theology. This Sunday, First Congregational really does that! Sure, I hope to see a handful of you at Cass Park for our outdoor worship, but I hope a lot of you support or participate in our literal service feeding Christ’s starving children. Work and worship. They go together.
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 18:1-11
From the Gospels Luke 14:25-33
But then I realized that the other side of my theology was really happy! Worship is important, but not the only priority for a community of faith. Mission is, too. I’ve always known that and pushed for that… duh, David.
My flitting feeling that the building is being invaded supposes that our facility is a refuge from the world, or, as some congregations and some architectures show, a fortress protecting it from the world. A healthier perspective is that a church’s facility is a launching place into the world, a base of operations, a recharging station to have the energy to work the rest of the week for our neighbors’ well-being. It is the garage, the workshop, the warehouse, the central depot from which the employees in their service trucks go out to do the job of faith. The doors swing out.
On this particular weekend is it much clearer to see that spiritual impulse to pack and mobilize for the good of others, but this congregation has it all year long. I think that is a good thing. Duh, David.
I’ve seen a few church sanctuaries where over the doors is inscribed, “Our worship is over; Our service begins,” as people leave the sanctuary on their way out into the world and the rest of their weeks. I’ve always kind of liked such theology. This Sunday, First Congregational really does that! Sure, I hope to see a handful of you at Cass Park for our outdoor worship, but I hope a lot of you support or participate in our literal service feeding Christ’s starving children. Work and worship. They go together.
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 18:1-11
From the Gospels Luke 14:25-33
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Labor Day
Most of us would not have a long weekend if it wasn’t for Martin Luther.
Even if you are not fond of those historical mental games, this one has significant truth to it. Martin Luther provided a couple of key concepts during the Protestant Reformation that led centuries later to the modern labor movement.
Luther redefined “vocation” in Europe and by extension the western hemisphere. Vocation, said Luther, is a God-given calling for every Christian. The Roman Catholic church at that time understood vocation as being church vocations, going into the priesthood was the highest calling, but the diaconate and orders like monks and friars and nuns were also vocations someone might be called into. Then there was everyone else. Sure, some were pretty important, like monarchs, but one was only “called by God” into religious vocations; everyone else just had an occupation. There was a ranking in society based on your standing, and an aristocrat was morally better than a peasant, and everyone knew… and stayed… in their place.
Luther upended that, citing a more biblical view that God calls everyone into their work. God places the challenge to do any task, any occupation, in the service of others and for the glory of God. If you are a blacksmith or baker, be the best blacksmith or baker you can be, doing it with all the care and diligence and spirituality as a monk scribing a Bible. God calls butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers just as clearly as priests and bishops. So your daily business is holy, just as holy as what a monk or nun does, just as holy and accountable to God as what a pope does. It’s all a calling. It’s all a calling from God. So follow your path well.
This of course, elevated secular vocation to the level of religious callings, beginning not just the flattening of all vocations to the same level— no longer was a priest “better” than a blacksmith or a lawyer— but set the intellectual underpinnings for the labor movement. All work is god-given and in a sense holy and to be valued. The factory owner was no “better” than the spinner or seamstress or machinist, and if you are equal in God’s sight, why should you be ranked in human estimation?
When you add in a few more ideas from the enlightenment like the notion of social contract, modern economics, and moral philosophy, our protestant theology of vocation is a significant part of our culture now, leading to the power of the labor movements in the U.S., organizing, days off, collective bargaining, benefits, and all the rest we take for granted. This coming Monday is more than a day off, so pause to reflect on how that sabbatical from labor is rooted in the protestant notion of Sabbath. In a real way, this holiday is a holy day, too.
In Christ,
David
From the Epistles 13:1-8, 15-16
From the Gospels Luke 14:1, 7-14
Even if you are not fond of those historical mental games, this one has significant truth to it. Martin Luther provided a couple of key concepts during the Protestant Reformation that led centuries later to the modern labor movement.
Luther redefined “vocation” in Europe and by extension the western hemisphere. Vocation, said Luther, is a God-given calling for every Christian. The Roman Catholic church at that time understood vocation as being church vocations, going into the priesthood was the highest calling, but the diaconate and orders like monks and friars and nuns were also vocations someone might be called into. Then there was everyone else. Sure, some were pretty important, like monarchs, but one was only “called by God” into religious vocations; everyone else just had an occupation. There was a ranking in society based on your standing, and an aristocrat was morally better than a peasant, and everyone knew… and stayed… in their place.
Luther upended that, citing a more biblical view that God calls everyone into their work. God places the challenge to do any task, any occupation, in the service of others and for the glory of God. If you are a blacksmith or baker, be the best blacksmith or baker you can be, doing it with all the care and diligence and spirituality as a monk scribing a Bible. God calls butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers just as clearly as priests and bishops. So your daily business is holy, just as holy as what a monk or nun does, just as holy and accountable to God as what a pope does. It’s all a calling. It’s all a calling from God. So follow your path well.
This of course, elevated secular vocation to the level of religious callings, beginning not just the flattening of all vocations to the same level— no longer was a priest “better” than a blacksmith or a lawyer— but set the intellectual underpinnings for the labor movement. All work is god-given and in a sense holy and to be valued. The factory owner was no “better” than the spinner or seamstress or machinist, and if you are equal in God’s sight, why should you be ranked in human estimation?
When you add in a few more ideas from the enlightenment like the notion of social contract, modern economics, and moral philosophy, our protestant theology of vocation is a significant part of our culture now, leading to the power of the labor movements in the U.S., organizing, days off, collective bargaining, benefits, and all the rest we take for granted. This coming Monday is more than a day off, so pause to reflect on how that sabbatical from labor is rooted in the protestant notion of Sabbath. In a real way, this holiday is a holy day, too.
In Christ,
David
Texts for Sunday
From the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah 2:4-13From the Epistles 13:1-8, 15-16
From the Gospels Luke 14:1, 7-14
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Moving In
I’m guessing that if you asked Ithacans about the word “ambivalent,” many of you would cite “moving in” weekend as an example.
It marks the beginning of the
school year and the prelude to the church program year. It is a horrible tangle of traffic and
confusion and confused people, but it is also the go signal for why most of us
are here in Ithaca one way or another: students. It is kinda cute to see all the new arrivals,
so young and green and optimistic and naïve, but it is also a pain in the
hindquarters for residents. Having been
the cargo handler for two of our own, including our daughter moving to and then
within Boston, I sympathize with the parents and returning students, but also
have flashback of moving into the freshman dorm at Hamilton College way back
when. And for lots of us, the exciting
beginning of school is the sad end of summer.
Yep. Ambivalence.
Yet for most of the arriving
souls, it is beginning. It is
discovery. It is new things and people
and experiences. It is bubbling with
possibilities and new growth.
This is for many a time for
moving into faith communities, and for faith communities, like the larger
community of Ithaca to welcome in those folks, to scoot our chairs over to make
a place at the kitchen table for new relatives.
Some will be cute and naïve, others well used to church life, some
young, some older, some alone and tentative, some with families. It may be easy to get annoyed by the changes,
by the additional people in town or in our pews, but just as Ithaca exists to
nourish many, many minds now descending, so churches exist to nurture new souls
arriving.
We may have to wait while someone
unloads a sofa in traffic; the big choice is whether we get annoyed and seethe
new ulcers or stay patient and realize someone is in a new part of their life’s
journey. We may have to be gracious to
new souls attending FCCI for the first time; the choice is to welcome them in
Christ’s name and with Christ’s hospitality and love.
Most of us are very willing to
help the new folks moving in this weekend get settled and tell them where to
find helpful things. Let’s remember to
share also with them the helpful things our congregation can offer and help
them get settled in our spiritual community.
Let’s go that extra step and invite newcomers moving in to join us here, too!
In Christ,
David
David
Texts for Sunday
From the Gospels Luke 13:10-17
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