Why Am I Here?

This question, "Why am I here?" was recently flagged in a survey as the "most asked question" by those responding to the poll. I guess we all want to get a grip on our purpose for existence. People in the Christian realm have varying "shoot from the hip" answers to this efficacy question: "To glorify God"; "To be a witness"; "To find God's will and do it." While each answer may carry some truth, most would find these answers somewhat unsatisfying.

Why ARE you here? First of all, I don't believe any of us are here by accident. Your creation was an "act of God," even if you were not "planned" by your biological parents. Although, I must say I find it very cruel when parents SAY in front of a child, "They were an 'oops'," or some other statement that even a small child can understand to mean they were in some way "not wanted." Even if those same parents follow through by a remedial "But we love them, anyway." But aren't we all on a kind of quest to figure out what "our part will be," to quote the Robin Williams line from "Dead Poet's Society"?

At St. Paul's UMC, we're going to take a look at this question, along with a couple of others, in our Fall worship themes. "Why are we here?" is the first, followed by "What can I bring?" and, during the Advent season, "Are we THERE yet?" As a pastor, my primary task is faith development--helping each person I serve grow in her or his faith. I have found that one of the best ways I can do this is by encouraging each one to ask good questions. If we can learn to form our curiosities into helpful interrogatives, understanding will follow. Notice that I did not say "answers." When it comes to faith--and, honestly, to life--there are often not finite answers, only more questions. But if WE become good architects of our questions, and when we also invite the Spirit of God to bring illumination and wisdom to our inquiries, specific ("black and white?") answers take a back seat to the helpful framework and faith/intellect insight that results.

So, why ARE you here? The Bible spends a lot of time on THAT question, but in the good rabbinical tradition, it raises more questions than it answers. Still, it is a key text for our investigation. How about prayer? Have you ever asked God why you are here? Maybe that should be on the list of daily prayer requests, too? Who knows, maybe God's idea about why we are here changes daily. In a recent conversation with a person in a restaurant who saw my staff nameplate, which lists me as "Lead Pastor," that individual asked, "What do you DO as a pastor?" My flip response was, "Which hour of the day?" But the question did give me a chance to tell about what a Christian pastor "does," and about whom we dare profess to represent. The brief encounter has caused me to ask MYSELF that question each day this week: What DOES a pastor do?

Here's another one for you: Do you feel "called" to do what you do in your career? In the parenting of your children? In the tasks you undertake in your church? Or, even broader, in your life? Call is an important thing to consider. If you believe you were put here for a purpose (I happen to believe we all are, by the way), then doesn't this mean that everything we do fits under our "purpose"? Something to ponder as well.

OK, I guess I can put another "hourly" answer to the "What does a pastor do?" question: we blog! Peace, all!

Unenthusiastic...

One of our young women from St. Paul's UMC--senior college student--posted this the other day on Facebook: "I am very unenthused about the world right now." Of course I offered her some words of personal encouragement, but I have to admit, sometimes it IS very hard to be "enthused" about the world.

I'll bet the "old world" isn't too happy about us sometimes, either. If we're not bombing her surface with projectiles of some sort or another, we're polluting her waters, her cushion of air, or stripping off her skin one layer at a time to build personal castles, another Walmart, or just to pave the daylights out of her. Sometimes we do it to rip up the coal or gas or oil. It has always mystified me that even the most libertarian (it's MINE, and I can do with it what I want, and YOU had better not touch it) types sit idly by while long-wall mining companies tunnel directly under their properties, often resulting in huge subsidence issues, and with the full protection of the law. Anyway, the world will eventually get even, and if we keep up this exploitive behavior, sooner than later.

But back to our malaise about "the world..." It is easy to get derailed by the bad news trumpeted through myriad channels to our gentle ears. There is a lot of bad news in the world: ISIS, Ukraine, Palestine/Israel, etc.  However, there is a lot of good stuff happening as well. Crime is down in many cities, partly due to neighborhood watch programs, a steadily growing economy, and programs aimed at combating poverty. People are recycling. I recently turned 60 years of age, and I can remember when separate recycling receptacles were first provided by refuse companies. People scorned the effort, saying that folk would NEVER take time to separate out recyclables. Here we are, 35 years later and most of us do it. While less people affiliate with "institutional religion," surveys show a heightened interest in spirituality, especially on the part of those under 40. Maybe those of us who work with the "institutional" church should pay attention to this interest and do a better job of feeding it? Too often our message is: "This is who WE are--come and be like us." And our audience is more interested in carving out a decent living, doing their part in bringing about social justice, and looking for meaning in a world that often leaves us "unenthused." A bishop of my church denomination--one that is fighting over full inclusion of LGBTQ persons, maybe even to the point of schism--quoted one thirty-something as saying, "Don't you people realize that none of us even CARE about what you [United Methodists] are fighting about?" We forget that Jesus was one of history's most notable "Thirty-somethings," and that he, too, was less enthused with the religious and cultural status quo of his time.

So, how do we get enthused? Why don't we look to our young adults for guidance? Maybe carving out a decent living, working for social justice, and looking for meaning together is not such a bad agenda for us all. Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers..." How about we work and pray for peace? I wonder what would happen if each of us would go out into the world each day with the goal of doing something kind for someone else? I have a funny feeling that we have to personally get the ball rolling on enthusiasm. If we wait for it to come to us, we may have a very, very long wait. Shalom, friends.

Wars and Rumors of Wars...

Are you on Israel's side? Or do you stand for justice for the Palestinian peoples? Which is it? Isn't this the "formula" for opinion in today's polarized climate? "Who's side are you on?" is a common, demanding question substituting for debate in our time.

Oh, I could address a long list of polarized topics from the contemporary slate of affairs, but I'll not waste your time, for you know what would be on that list. And in many circles, you had better land in one of the two poles, or people won't listen to you. The truth is, if you DO land in one of the two artificial "poles," only people on "your side" will listen to you. If you don't believe that, then how else do you explain Fox News/MSNBC, NPR/Rush Limbaugh, and the NRA/sane people?

As we walk down memory lane, we recall a time when persons could stand at a party, drink in hand, or in church, hymnal in hand, and discuss controversial social, political, and economic topics with an eye to persuade, compromise, and eventually collaborate in a world filled with complex problems and ideas. That your perspective was very different than mine was not a threat. Why? Because we had the same aims--a better world with equal opportunity for all persons. We weren't trying to make society look just like me or you. While it may not have been a time of racial or cultural diversity, it could be seen as at least a time of "diversity of thought." Worldviews were discussed, debated, and woven into a tapestry of healthy thought and often action. Scorched earth only occurred during wildfires.

Can we clip off a piece of that past and paste it into our time? Could we agree that Israel and Hamas will never see eye-to-eye and work instead for a safe and sane peace? And can we refrain from the viral oversimplification of HIGHLY complex issues that makes everybody with a mouth and/or a microphone an expert? Might it be possible that abortion is much more complicated than just being labeled either "murder" or "choice"? Can we stop saying that, because it is 62 in July in Western Pennsylvania that "Global Warming" is a myth? Or that Climate Change will kill off all life as we know it before our grandchildren reach puberty? Unfortunately, the "X-Files" was right: The truth is still OUT THERE. WAY out there. And we can't reach it with a moon rocket unless we are willing to dial back our rhetoric and begin to talk--with a civil tongue--again.

[I really want to add "gender identity" to this rant, but THAT has become such a hot topic that people who claim to be compassionate, caring individuals have screamed, threatened, and intellectually "carpet bombed" the topic, and will let the fire fly without reading further, so I'll leave it alone for now.]

These things are all "rumors of wars," to quote Jesus. We know what a real war is. "Rumors of wars" may be a cleaver way of suggesting that going nuclear instead of carrying on a meaningful conversation meant to gain information, understanding and perspective, and to promote respect between free-thinking persons, is debasing debate to the level of a zero-sum game like war (zero-sum meaning that for me to "win," you have to "lose" completely--I get all the marbles).

Our humanity creates a problem, at this point. If I think it is wrong to discriminate against a person because of who she or he "is," and you feel it is necessary to devalue them or draw them outside the circle precisely for that reason, then we have created an insurmountable zero-sum game, for there is no compromise that says it will be OK to discriminate against them "just a little bit." Some say Hamas wants Israel wiped off the map. If there is any truth in this, then for peace, Hamas must be willing to admit that this is an untenable position, and Israel must be allowed to exist. Others say that Israel occupies land "God promised them in the Bible," and has a right to posses it. Peace cannot occur until Israel admits that this position can have no grounding in contemporary "fact," and must be willing to compromise on border issues. Maybe they just hate each other? Believe it or not, this can be fixed! Give up the "rumors of wars," folks! No more "Onward Christian (or Jewish or Moslem) Soldiers, Marching as to War(!).

As the years tick by, I grow in my appreciation of the reality that nothing worth believing in is simple, and nothing worth loving can be reduced to a political slogan or a war cry. We're going to blow each other up and planet earth will have to heal itself for the next tenants, if we don't come to our senses soon. Think about it. Grace and peace...

Spirit Stuff

Trinitarian Christians let the phrase "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" roll off our lips like salt from a Margarita. We affirm this classical formula--that God manifests godself in three "persons." One is the "grand old man" of the Creation, as is pictured by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. One is the Jewish long-hair who drives religious leaders crazy, heals the broken, hangs out with the "least of these," and, of course, experiences death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit? Holy Ghost? What are we to make of her/him?  This is starting to sound like science fiction, isn't it?

Why is it important that we understand God as three "persons"? Especially when our Jewish friends pronounce, "The Lord our God is ONE"? What if we view this concept as God "modeling" family and community for humanity?  If we come to understand the very nature of God as a "we," WE can be a part of this realm, as beloved children of God. God calls us into relationship--community--with godself, and God IS a "family" within God's own existence. A divine "relationship" models a functional community for human beings to emulate and be a part of. (There is a lot more to my thinking here than I can put into a simple blog, but suffice it to say, my answer to the question "Why the Trinity?" is not just "Because the Bible says so.")

Now, let's briefly examine the "persons" of the Holy Trinity...

God the Creator--often labeled "Father"--seems to be the ringleader of the operation, at least functionally. There are things that Jesus says only God knows, such as when things are going to wrap up down here on Earth. Now, it is a heresy to suggest that one "person" of the Trinity is somehow "greater" than any of the other two, but there appears to be a separation of powers or assignments, at least. Unfortunately, Michelangelo did us a great disservice when he portrayed God as the white-haired old gentleman reaching out to touch Adam and give him life. The Bible says that God is spirit. And while Jesus calls God "Father," we must note that because of his human sojourn as a male, Jesus adopts this paternal label for God to keep first-century disciples from getting confused. In actuality, God must embody all gender identities, as the Bible says we are "made in the image of God," and we are manifest as different gender identities, aren't we? In our time, it is unnecessary to always view the Creator as "Father." "Parent God," "Father/Mother God," or just "God" as terms for Creator help us not exclude those for whom "Father" is a negative or unnecessarily patriarchal term. (I once had a young, single Mom in one of my congregations who was overjoyed that she didn't have to think of God as "Father," as she had suffered much abuse at the hands of men, including her own father.)

Jesus the Son. If I really want to gain an understanding of a loving, forgiving, humble-yet-powerful God who gather's God's people like a "hen gathers her chicks," I read about and imagine Jesus. The closeness of God, made possible by The Christ coming into our human existence, is profound. Christianity would do well to rediscover the "Christ Center" of our faith and get away from a watered-down "it's all God" approach. There is magic and wonder in the concept that God took a divine field trip, and even in some mystical way, offered a supreme, loving "sacrifice" on our behalf. We have to bring the "blood shedding" imagery into a modern idiom, as it doesn't speak as well to our age. In Jesus' time, this made perfect "religious" sense. The Jews sacrificed an animal for the forgiveness of sin. But this is not our practice, is it? This is quite foreign to us. The closest "bloodshed" image we might have in our time is the story of a young soldier throwing her or himself on a grenade to save others. But there are other models: a parent giving a child an organ to save its life; a single parent doing without for herself in order to feed, clothe, and nurture her children; a partisan politician "stepping across the aisle" to vote a compromise bill into law, even if it means their defeat at the next election. Perfect love, parenthood, and even leadership, often involves serious sacrifice. Jesus models this in the context of his time. In 2014, his unction to "take up your cross and follow me" means far more than just a beating or persecution. It means changing ones priorities to benefit our neighbor and others. That is sacrifice, and out of this comes genuine love.

The Holy Spirit. Boy, do we have a fit with this "person" of the Godhead! In fact, many Christian people refer to the Spirit as an "it," even when they don't realize it. I know I have. You see, we have trouble seeing the Spirit as a "person," because she/he is SPIRIT! Now, I tried to make the case that using exclusive male imagery for God is archaic. Jesus clearly comes in male form (again, probably because of the context of the time he entered the world), but what of the Spirit of God? I think of the Spirit as the "female" manifestation of the Godhead. The various words for Spirit in the Bible are feminine. The ministries of the Holy Spirit seem to be in the realm of what are often female roles in our culture. And, forgive me if I'm stereotyping here, but the way the Spirit is totally subsumed in the work of nurturing, educating, guiding, and comforting tend to me more invested in female persons in our time. To call the Spirit "she" makes sense to me. I'm telling you this so you don't freak out if I do so in worship!

One final note about the "Spirit stuff"--the work of the Spirit seems to be the most mysterious to me of the agencies of the Godhead. Sure Paul talks about gifts of the Spirit, and a few "practical" resources borne by the Spirit, but mostly the work of the Spirit is a mystery, and it's a good thing. If we had as much "didactic" information about the Holy Spirit as the Bible (especially Paul) gives us about God the Creator and Jesus the Son, we would dogmatically create a hierarchy of control, superimposing it upon the work of the Spirit, and probably "quenching" her, to use Paul's language. I really like the Celtic "wild goose" metaphor for the Holy Spirit--much more exciting than the "dove" imagery given us by the Gospel writers.

So, that's "Spirit Stuff." Hopefully these thoughts open an on-going dialogue about the rich faith we share, Beloved. Shalom!

New Places...

The United Methodist appointment engine roared to life this year and the Sterlings got caught up on its momentum. In what may be the closest thing to reincarnation for Methodists, yours truly was appointed back to a church I had previously served as an Associate Pastor (from 1992 to 1997). St. Paul's UMC is a vital, growing, suburban congregation that was blessed by the 22 year ministry of its Lead Pastor, Dr. Ronald Hoellein. When the good doctor decided to retire, it was discerned that I could return, presumably in an attempt to have me get it right the second time around. So, guess who is STP's new Lead Pastor? Just to be reminded of the legacy I am following, I have a 2 x 3 foot photo of Ron on the wall behind my desk. And in this photo, he seems to be saying, "WHAT in the world are you doing?"

And, there is no pastor's house provided in this new, exciting setting for ministry (we call that a "parsonage" in Methodist parlance). Instead, STP pays a housing allowance, which means that my lovely and talented wife and I had to find our own place. We decided to land in a place where we could presumably retire--a town house/condominium--with the theory that the groundskeeping, mowing, and snow plowing was best left to someone else, especially if we decide to go away for awhile. Most of the homes we looked at before settling on the town house were small, but plunked down in the middle of large expanses of hilly grass screaming "Mow me, MOW me NOW!"

If you ever get the chance to move 37 years of marriage into a town house, don't go gently into that good night, my friends. It is not for the faint of heart, nor for the garage sale mini-horders in our midst. We thought we had "weeded out," and the moving company confirmed that our move to Mars, PA was a full THREE TONS less than our last move, but we are still trying to find a place to put stuff in a fairly spacious town house as town houses go.

Yes, we are now Martians. I always got a kick out of this little town just North of Pittsburgh, for as you enter Mars, you are greeted by a small, shiny metal flying saucer. Remembering my Ray Bradbury, every time I look at my reflection in a pool of water now, I say: "WE are the Martians."

The people of STP have been AMAZING in their welcome, and the highly competent staff has given their newbie Lead Pastor the benefit of the doubt to this point. I'm going to do my best to "offer them Christ," as Mr. Wesley said, and work with this great staff to provide vision, ministry, and programs that address the needs of the communities we serve. After that, we'll see what happens.

Seriously, I am most grateful to the Bishop and the Cabinet for offering me this leadership opportunity. I will do my best to not screw up. And I'm thankful that when the Staff-Parish Relations Committee met us, they didn't run out the door thinking, "WHAT in the world are you doing?"

Now let's take this baby out and see what she'll do! Shalom, Yinz!

Are You Kidding?

Some blogger I am! I can't believe my last blog was at the end of 2011! What happened to 2012? I could say that I fell into a deep coma for 18 months, or that I was on a secret mission with Brother Andrew delivering Bibles in a forbidden nation. Maybe I was in a trance like John of Patmos, and that you should be watching for the publication of "Revelation II: The Reboot" (with apologies to J.J. Abrams). Nope, none of those will work; I guess the truth is that when it comes to blogging, "I'm just not that into you."

Funny thing is that I DO read other people's blogs from time to time. Blogging is a way that we "common folk" may make statements about things that thrill, bug, inspire, or motivate us. Blogging is also a way that celebrities may make "common statements" to the rest of us without the Paparazzi hounding them. I guess the term is short for "web log," which got shrunk to "blog," as many terms and real words get concatenated when entering in the information superhighway.

My favorite type of "blogging" is what the church calls PREACHING. That word has a negative connotation in the popular culture: "Don't preach to me!" "My parents are always preaching to me." The kind of preaching pastors do nowadays is more akin to a lesson, a story, a parable, or an encouraging analog of faith and life. I'm sure there are still some "Hellfire and Brimstone" types out there, but that is not where most of us are. Effective pastors DO want to connect with her or his audience, and offer something during the "sermon" time that actually helps people understand the Bible or other element of faith more clearly. In some cases, we challenge our listeners to engage themselves in the wider work of the community, seeking to make a meaningful contribution. Or maybe we're just inviting persons into the life-long journey of faith that is the Christian experience. I write this kind of "blog" at least twice per week, and share it with my Saturday and Sunday worship crowds here at First UMC, Warren, PA. Still, this is not an excuse for not actually "blogging" in this spot.

Are you a blogger? If so, why do you do it? Is it because you have something to say? Do you want to make people think about something? Are you scolding the world for being such a pain in the posterior much of the time? I wonder if God sees our prayers as a kind of blog? Boy, if so, I sure hope God answers them more attentively than I blog! I will tell you that I PRAY a lot more than I write blogs. I'm afraid that when it comes to blogging, the evidence would show me to be an agnostic--maybe even an atheist!

I'd like to tell you that this blog is me turning over a new leaf in the blogging business, and that from now on, you will be seeing more regular stuff. I'd like to tell you that, but I hate being a hypocrite, so I'm just say that I'll TRY. That is really all I ask my congregations to do. Not very Yoda-like, is it (He of the "Do or do not; there is no try!"). Well, it's what I've got. Hey, Shalom, Yinz.

What Will 2012 Look Like?

Greetings, Friends and Neighbors. Christmas 2011 is soon to be history and the New Year is right around the corner. 2012. It is hard to believe this is the "stardate." I remember reading 1984 by George Orwell in junior high, and thinking how far off that year was. Of course, some of the things Orwell's story predicted have come true; others, not so much. Hal Lindsay, a Southern Baptist evangelist wrote a book in the 1960s called The Late Great Planet Earth in which he suggested that, based on certain signs and prophesies he had "decoded" from the Bible, Jesus Christ could return before the end of the 1980s to usher in God's Kingdom and judge the earth. the 80s came and went without global judgment. Then we all feared the arrival of 2000 and the "millennial bug" that would fry all computers, clean out ever bank account, and steal candy from babies. Only happened in a gut-bustingly funny episode of My Name Is Earl. And let us not forget this old guy in California--Harold Camping--who predicted the end of the world this past May, which he then revised to October when it didn't happen in May. I guess what I'm getting at is: Why all this emphasis on "doom and gloom"? What if we were to look at the new year as an opportunity for progress, peace, and justice in our society and the world? Actually, I think this is more what Jesus was about. Oh, he talked about judgment, but more as a motivator to his listeners to live rightly and to care about others more fervently.

2012 could be an interesting year. The "Arab Spring" revolts have left a number of nations without a government. I traveled to Egypt this past November and met young leaders who asked us to pray for their country, that an intelligent, justice-oriented, progressive government might be elected, and that this could help rebuild hope for Egypt's people. Will do, Egypt; our prayers are with you. Could 2012 finally be a year when the global economy might begin to seriously turn around? Something to pray and work for, I guess. We all look forward to the days when basketballs and beach balls are bouncing playfully instead of the stock market and the unemployment rate.

Prayer is an important way for people who believe in it to "affect" the world. So if you believe, DO. However, all of us have the opportunity to affect how we conduct our own lives, and through our giving and volunteering, positively make a difference in the lives of those in need around us. Don't wait for "someone else" to be a community activist, volunteer, or generous philanthropist--do it yourself. And, as a citizen, take an active role in choosing a better government by voting. I continue to be amazed by the number of people I hear complaining about "the government," while in the next breath almost bragging that they "haven't voted in years." Shame on you. Vow in 2012 to not listen to these people; they have wasted their voice by not casting a ballot. They're just blowing hot air. As a wise sage has said, we can either be part of the problem, or we can be part of the solution. Remember JFK's variation on this theme: "Ask not what your country can do for you; but what you can do for your country." The concept works for your partner, family, community, and world, not just for America.

Hey, have a wonderful Christmas Season as we remember the Christ. I told my congregation recently about Michael Slaughter's book, Christmas Is Not Your Birthday, and his suggestion that Christians take HALF of what they would normally spend on Christmas gifts and give it to World Vision, the Heifer Project, the Salvation Army, or some other mission or charity that touches peoples' lives. It's not to late to do that, friends! Happy New Year to "yinz." And peace and goodwill toward all.