January 1: A Step Taken
January 8: Can Anything Good Come Out of…
January 15: The Time is Now
January 22: What’s In Your Net?
January 29: Questions…questions…questions…
February 5: Where is Christ Calling You Today?
February 12: Love is in the Air
February 19: Relevant or Revelant…Or Both?
February 26: Giving Up
March 5: You Are Loved
March 12: One Truth…Love
March 19: Springtime in the Church
March 26: Why Go?

For the week of March 26th, 2018

Jokes have been made about it…preachers have preached about it…articles have been written about it…and surveys/studies have been done on it!

What is “It?”

The fact that a large number of Christians make their way “home” to church on Easter and Christmas only.

Perhaps it is out of a sense of obligation. Perhaps it is an interest in the extra helping of pageantry that typically accompanies church “holidays.” Or, perhaps, as Serene Jones in her article on the theological perspectives of this weeks Gospel reading, John 20:1-16, (Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 2, David L Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor eds, Westminster John Knox Press: 2008. pp 376-380) it is something altogether more personal…

“If we look at the character of Mary’s dawning faith, we find clues to its nature. According to John, she looks the gardener in the eye, listens to him speak, and still does not recognize him. Then, maybe when her back is turned, he says, “Mary,” and the sound of his voice saying her name helps her to see him. He does not offer a general address; no, he uses a word that applies to her and her alone, a word that captures the utter particularity of her individual life – her name.

…Like Mary, we long to be known by God – to be held in God’s gaze, to be seen by God as the object of God’s love and desire and care. This longing is not “general” – we do not want to be loved by some distant cosmic Lord who relates to us in the same grand way God relates to the cosmos. We want to be seen for who we are in the most intimate, far reaching corners of our interior psychic lives, our bodies, our histories, our dreams and losses. When Jesus says, “Mary” his words travel toward these most private places in her. Similarly, when he speaks to us through her, his grace travels into the most private places of our own lives. And when his words hit home there, in that name space, … Christ is made known… when God comes to us in the deeply personal ways invoked by the speaking of our name, the experience is as embodied and physical as it is cognitive and ideational. As he did with Mary, Jesus comes to us not as a general idea or an imagined ghostly figure, but as a presence that reaches beyond our mind’s overt powers of knowing and touches our lives in ways we cannot see. They are felt—tasted, touched, smelled, heard, seen in image, and as such, often as unconscious as they are visceral. God is known in the muscle memory of our tissue, in the turn of lip in that garden smile, in the slang tinged voice of a trusted friend, in the fall of the foot’s arch in wet grass at sunrise. God’s coming also unfolds in the world of our emotions and deepest dispositions – a mark of God’s presence that can sense that the world suddenly shifts into place and has meaning.

What does this mean for us… It means that as a people of faith, we are called to attend as much to our material lives as our so-called spiritual and intellectual lives. If Jesus comes to us through the senses, it is important that we go to church and be in a space where we physically, emotionally, communally, experience Jesus in our midst – in the taste of communion wine, in the residual scent of cleanser on sanctuary pews, in the familiar sound of a favored hymn that stirs us in places too deep to be named, in the feel of the Bible’s soft leather as it sits heavy in our laps.

We do not go to church simply to remind our conscious minds that God lives and we are called to follow Christ. We need to show up so that our bodies can be reminded of him too, and so the unconscious recesses of our psyches can be moved anew, our dispositions toward grace rejuvenated, our anxieties quelled as the world shifts once again into place and Easter comes, and comes, and comes again.

In this yearly event we enter into the ripe, cinematic fullness of our embodied, uniquely personal lives—this is the shared space where Jesus meets us, calling our name, receiving our touch, calming our anxious worries, and reminding us again and again that grace is not an object to be known but a gift to be lived.”

If you’re needing a good reason to go… now you have one! Just be prepared … you just might hear Christ calling you by name!

Blessings,
Blake
 
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For the week of March 19th, 2018

A high of 39 degrees Fahrenheit… a mix of flooding and snow on the West Coast…and, the fourth Nor’easter in almost as many weeks is hitting New England…but look on the bright side…Spring is here! Though evidence of Spring may still be hard to find, you can find it if you look closely. In our yard, perennials have already attempted to sprout a couple of times. Although, tree buds, Hosta, and day lilies have poked their heads out only to find that their surroundings still a little cold and unwelcoming, they’ll be back.

I am always looking for analogies and illustrations for sermons, and, as I sat out on my patio earlier this week…enjoying the brief respite from the chill, and noticing the small dots of color beginning to show where the remains of winter are still lingering, two things came to mind…

First, there is plenty of proof of God’s existence and sustaining presence as well as examples of hope and new life evident in the coming of Spring, and

Second, that in the coming of Spring, illustrations and analogies abound for the church and its work of bringing the hope of the Gospel to the world. I mean, in what other season do the outcomes of determination, struggle, persistence, patience, and cooperation (just to name a few) more often manifest themselves through beautiful diversity, intricate design, intense color, and new life?

Where there is warmth, the right amount of “light,” an appropriate portion of water and nutrients, and perhaps a little bit of subtle encouragement…there is always hope for new life.

The church ought to be a place of warmth and light, where spiritual thirst is quenched, hunger is sated, and encouragement is a way of life…and in many ways it is…at least for those of us who been around a while. But, too often I hear stories of persons who have “poked their heads” into a church or a Christian community only to find the surroundings a little cold and unwelcoming. Like the flowers of Spring, they long for warmth, light, food and drink for the soul, and even a little encouragement. They long to thrive and to add their beauty to the mix…even if only for a season.

As we enjoy the first signs of Spring and anticipate what is yet to come…and as we journey with Christ from Triumphal Entry through death to resurrection…here is a short list of things to consider so that new life can spring forth in our midst:

1. Has the debris of “winter” been removed?
2. What, if anything, is in the way of new growth?
3. Is there pruning that needs to be done?
4. What is the “temperature” in the congregation? (warming?)
5. Is “water,” “food,” and encouragement in good supply?
6. Is there one or more persons designated to intentionally tend the garden…paying particular attention to signs of coming Spring?

The reality is that, in the Church, Spring doesn’t have to come just once a year! As a matter of face, it ought to be a year-round occurrence!

Blessings,
Blake
 
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For the week of March 12th, 2018

We’ve all heard the expression, “There is no truth. There is only perception.” Heck, I’ve even used this quote once or twice when attempting to teach my kids some deep and meaningful life lessons. Can’t you just see their eyes glazing over even now?

Perhaps that’s the same reaction that Jesus got from his disciples as he tried to teach them how to be children of God. “Be humble, be merciful, love the Lord your God, love your enem… Hello… Peter, I’m talking over here. Do you have something more important that you’d like to share with the whole group?”

Much of Jesus’ ministry required a change of perspective, a change in perception. Surely the moneychangers and live stock sellers in the temple never thought that their presence there was inappropriate, never believed that the services they were providing were an affront. After all, they were only enabling their brothers and sisters to bring an offering of love to the alter of God. Yet Jesus called them to take a new look at their behavior, at their true motivations.

Christians often view Lent as a time to give something up, to suffer for the sake of God. Yet Lent is about much more than simply giving something up. It’s a special time of the Christian year when we are invited specifically to re-evaluate our relationship with God and with Jesus, to examine the depth of our discipleship, to “give up” our perceptions of what is right, what is wrong, what is good and what is beautiful, and to view the world through the eyes of its Creator, the eyes of God. And if God is pure love, then that means looking at the world and at each other through eyes of love. Pure, unselfish, unconditional and unending love. That is what Jesus meant when he invited us to take up our cross and follow Him.

This kind of new perception requires profound change on our part. It’s difficult to love the one in the mirror when we are staring through eyes clouded with guilt and with fear. It requires a metamorphosis, a transfiguration. It requires a change on the outside that comes from deep within, from believing in every fiber of our being that God believes in us, that each of us is of worth, of value and that we are beloved.

Spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson once wrote, “Old Newtonian physics claimed that things have an objective reality separate from our perception of them. Quantum physics, and particularly Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, reveal that, as our perception of an object changes, the object itself literally changes.” Imagine what could happen to our world if we could only look at it from a new perspective, a new perception. Perhaps the quote should be, “there is but one truth, there is only love”.

God Bless,
Craig Perryman
 
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For the week of March 5th, 2018

Yesterday morning, after leaving a meeting, I met a homeless man whose story was like many I’ve heard (not only from the homeless). It was a story of “not enough.” Not being enough, not doing enough, not caring enough, not being loved enough.

And my thoughts went straight to the words of a video created by for the church’s Leading Congregations in Mission program called “You are loved!”

And so for those who carry with them a story of “not enough”… for those who might tend to take the self-deprecation path…those who have are plagued by self-doubt…for those in relationships that take more than they give…for persons in leadership positions where enough is never enough… I offer these words to you…

My song is from my heart
And though I long to start…
A love that dares to be so real
I’m a little scared,
I feel unprepared, undeclared, unaware.
So if my voice isn’t quite steady,
It’s because I’m not sure if I’m ready…
To share a love too big for words
To care for you so much it hurts,
To dare to shout in the silent church
Of the radical love I’ve found.
It’s not a … I can’t touch the ground kind of love,
Or a … eloquent, profound kind of love…
It’s a … barely makes a sound kind of love…
That dwells in the mystery,
Gives way to simplicity,
And sparks light deep within me.
And though that spark is small
It will grow to be alive in such divinity,
If you will only sing with me.
We will love so radically, we’re going to need a microphone…a megaphone
A mountain to declare the hope that is found
In a love that we can all share.
My hope is that you dare
To abandon despair
And begin to repair
The brokenness found in…
The fear I was bound in
Until I discovered something new.
The song in me met the song in you.
Love is something we have to do!
And so I bring myself to you
In hopes that we’ll sing something true.
That our generation will grow to be
The change that our world needs to see.
A declaration of generosity,
Shaking foundations of animosity,
And saying yes to a call
that runs deep within us all.
Though it may start small
You have to let it move you…
Breathe and improve you
So you can be one with the mystery
Saying that I am “me authentically”
That’s Ghandi, King, Kennedy.
But it can be me and you
If we choose to believe.
And I believe in you!
I believe you have so much more.
And so, if my feet fall to the floor…
You leave your seat and walk out that door,
And carry with you nothing more…
Let these words rise above…
You are loved! You are loved! You are loved!
Let my voice… soft and sweet
Or loud in the busy city street
Echo these words on repeat…
Let these words rise above…
“YOU ARE LOVED!”

And if you happen to be one who doesn’t fit any of the “not enough” categories… take a minute to think about who in your life does. They may be in your home…in your work place…in the line behind you at the grocery story…or maybe even behind the register… but they are there … of that I’m certain…

Take these words and generously share them. The world needs to hear them … even if you don’t think you do!

Blessings,
Blake

PS. For the full experience… see the video here.
 
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For the week of February 26th, 2018

For some, Lent is all about giving up things, but even for those…Lent has never been about “giving up.” As a matter of fact, it is the hope of what lies just beyond Lent that is the very reason we should never “give up.”

The following piece, taken from the article “5 Things Your Church Shouldn’t Give Up for Lent” by Rebekah Simon-Peter, (www.ministrymatter.com. Feb. 28, 2018), ties the importance of letting your voice be heard with one of the beliefs that the United Methodist Church holds dear. As you read through this “From the Desk of…,” recognizing that you are also journeying through the second week of the Lenten season, see if you can make similar connections with our Enduring Principles…

This Lent, don’t give up your voice. United Methodists … take a vow to resist evil and injustice in whatever forms they present themselves.

Don’t shy away from talking about volatile issues such as gun violence simply because everyone might not agree. Agreement is not required. In fact, competing ideas and conflicting messages underscore the need for your clear and courageous voice to be heard.

I know it takes courage to raise your voice. I know it takes time to figure out a faithful response. Please garner the courage and take the time to make your voice heard. It matters.

Here’s what’s at stake: If you silence your voice in the world, then you abdicate your place at the community table. No one is asking you to do that. Your community needs you — more than they know and probably more than you know. Please don’t complain that no one listens to you anymore if you aren’t in fact speaking up.

The challenge is how to articulate your vision and stake your claim without making others wrong. Note: making others wrong gets people riled up. They’ll simply want to make you wrong, in turn. That won’t get you anywhere. I don’t believe you have to make enemies of people with whom you disagree in order to take a principled stance on matters of justice.

Here are three suggestions for how to claim your voice without stomping on other people:

Proclaim your vision of the Kingdom. Let it transcend the current reality and paint a new picture of what is possible. In Dr. King’s day, civil rights activists were met with water hoses, attack dogs, tear gas and swinging police batons. Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech posited a future reality in which sons of former slaves and former slave owners would be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. What’s your dream?

Frame your message with gospel values. At the same time, don’t assume that people who see things differently than you do don’t also abide by gospel values. They probably do. They simply may not think about things in the same way that you do. Respecting people with whom you disagree will elevate the dialogue. I lived in Colorado when the Family Values movement was in full swing. This was long before twitter and hashtags. It was interesting how competing bumper stickers proclaimed both “Homosexuality is not a family value” and “Hate is not a family value.” Because of the way they were worded, I’m not sure either one left room for faithful disagreement.

Leave room for disagreement. Create a space in which people can join you even if they don’t fully agree with you. It’s not necessary to have total consensus in order to work together. Some of my dearest friends and I disagree on important topics, including: appropriate human sexuality, biblical interpretation, the nature of God, the existence of heaven and hell, the veracity of climate change and the power of prayer. But we don’t allow our differences of opinion to kill the relationship. The truth is, we see eye to eye on most other things. We have left room for disagreement. It works for us.

Any light bulbs going off in your head yet? If so…GREAT!! If not, perhaps a little time spent reading Sharing in Community 3rd Edition is in order! Happy reading!

Blessings,
Blake
 
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For the week of February 17th, 2018

I know, I know…some of you are looking at the title and saying, “That’s not even a word.” If you’re in that crowd, work with me (if you have no idea what I’m talking about, never mind). I mean, if words like lisitcal, Suessian, and pareidolia can make it into Webster’s… why can’t revelant?

Revelant (adj.) – making interesting or significant information known, especially about a person’s attitude or character.

Actually, this is the worldwide web dictionary definition for revealing, but that didn’t sound quite as catchy, and you know how I like play on words!

So, back to the question…relevant or revelant or both? Over the past several years, I have been involved in conversations where someone has said, “church is no longer relevant”… “or Christianity is not for me…I’ve seen what it can do to people.” Let me say that I have never heard anyone say that the core message of Christianity (as taught and modeled by Jesus) is no longer relevant. The irrelevance in their eyes has more to do with how it’s lived out by “Christians” Sunday after Sunday in our churches and how it’s often NOT lived out on the days in between.

Everything we do or say…whether it be on Sunday morning or any day in between…whether it be church-related, work-related, family-related, or otherwise related…reveals something about the true nature of our character, the character of the church, and the real importance of those things we say we hold most sacred. (Worth of All Persons, Sacredness of Creation, Unity in Diversity, Blessings of Community just to name a few). Our words and actions are always “revelant!” By our action or our inaction…by our vocalization or our silence…we are always revealing something, regardless of its relevance to the gospel message of love, acceptance, grace, mercy, forgiveness, inclusion, mutual respect… Again, just to name a few!

What is relevant is always revelant (revealing), but what is revelant is not always relevant.

We must, as the Body of Christ, become relevant in the world if we are to have hope of building the Kingdom of God as we have been called. God is never changing, but is always relevant. In order for us to participate in Christ’s mission to the world…to be a part of what God is already doing… we must…

“under the direction of the spiritual authorities and with the common consent of the people, discern the divine will for [our] own time and in the places where [we] serve. [We} live in a world with new challenges, and that world will require new forms of ministry.” [We must] be respectful of tradition and sensitive to one another, but … not be unduly bound by interpretations and procedures that no longer fit the needs of a worldwide church. [We are reminded that] this community was divinely called into being. The spirit of the Restoration is not locked in one moment of time, but is instead the call to every generation to witness to essential truths in its own language and form. Let the Spirit breathe.” (Doctrine and Covenants 162:2c-e)

You see,

“God is calling for a prophetic community to emerge, drawn from the nations of the world, that is characterized by uncommon devotion to the compassion and peace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Through divine grace and wisdom, this faith community has been given abundant gifts, resources, and opportunities to equip it to become such a people. Chief among these is the power of community in Christ expressed locally in distinctive fashions while upholding a unity of vision, foundational beliefs, and mission throughout the world.” (Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a)

“Community of Christ,” your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling. If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future, you will become a blessing to the whole creation. Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go. (Doctrine and Covenants 163:1)

In other words, listen to God…watch and see what God is already doing in the world…join God in that pursuit and you will find that the message (and by association, the church) can be relevant and revelant, just as God intended from the beginning.

One thing is for sure, if we don’t re-connect with the always relevant hope of the Gospel…living it out in tangible, missional ways that speak to a world in need, what we reveal will no longer matter, because God will find someone else to do it. Or, even worse, the world in need will look elsewhere.

Blessings,
Blake
 
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For the week of February 12th, 2018

For the first time since 1945, both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fell on the same day. For some of the faithful across the world, this created a dilemma. For them, Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence, while Valentine’s Day is a day for celebration…and, of course, chocolate. I won’t even attempt to provide an answer for that dilemma, as it is one that must be worked out on an individual basis between them and God. What I will do is share why I believe it’s not a dilemma at all!

Instead of creating a dilemma, I think that the intersection of the two “holidays” provides us with an incredible opportunity to focus on love, and what that can mean for a world threatened by greed, envy, desolation, hunger, homelessness, loneliness, poverty, racism, abuse… and so on, and so on. Some would look at this list and prefer to say that our world is “being torn apart…devastated…plagued” by these things, and yet, I choose to use the term “threatened.” Why? Because God proved through his Son Jesus Christ that when love is in the air, any threat can be overcome…not easily…but it can be overcome if we remember to love.

If it were not for agape love…that which originates in and pours forth from God for all of creation…that which is best exemplified in the life and ministry of Christ whose death and resurrection we approach in this Lenten season…there would be no place for all the other types of love we celebrate on Valentine’s Day. Let’s face it… “We love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, NRSV)

We have been warned in recent counsel to the church that…

There are subtle, yet powerful, influences in the world, some even claiming to represent Christ, that seek to divide people and nations to accomplish their destructive aims. That which seeks to harden one human heart against another by constructing walls of fear and prejudice is not of God. Be especially alert to these influences, lest they divide you or divert you from the mission to which you are called. (Doctrine and Covenants 163:3c)

But we have also been challenged to…