I Play The Bongos

 Hello Church,

For those who missed the 10:30 worship service, you missed a lot.  It isn't on the 9:00 service because I didn't think about it.  But for the 2nd service I pulled out the bongos for our interlude song.  It was sort of goofy... and maybe not so good.  Don't worry.  There were reasons behind it.  Let me give a couple...

For one, I'm tired of being afraid and, more to the point, I'm tired of others being afraid.  I feel like the last year has been about being afraid or being anxious about others being afraid.  It isn't just Covid or social unrest.  I am coming to believe those two things just bring our our fears more readily.... maybe rightfully so or not.  Regardless, I'm tired.

I'm tired of how we are afraid about what other people think of us or how they'll react how we think about them or how they'll react to how we react about how they think about us.  I'm tired of being so afraid of snow that we act crazy in grocery stores.  I'm tired of the fear that drives over-priced medical bills, high insurance premiums and shortages on toilet paper.  I'm tired of the fear that locks us in our room or keeps us from talking to strangers or the biggest fear of all -- failing at whatever.

So I played the bongos..... while preaching about love.  Give me long hair and then manage to put me in a cross-legged sitting position on the corner of some northwestern city and there you have it.  But I didn't care.... well.... I did, but I stopped being afraid.

Jesus said 'fear not' more than any other phrase.  There were reasons behind that too.  He wasn't in a goofy mood.  He was serious... dead serious.. and then alive serious again.  

We won't stop being afraid anytime soon.  Some say it's a Darwin thing that keep our species alive.  Maybe.  I also thinks it keeps our species from loving like Jesus wants us to love.  Yes, it may have killed Jesus and it may kill us too.  But dying for such a reason is exactly how we should want to live.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Washing Your Hands At Church

 Hello Church,

I wanted to title this blog 'Let's Get Dirty', but my wife gave me a... uh... look... so I relented.  She does a good job keeping me out of trouble.  So I'm just telling you what I WANTED to title this blog... because it would have been perfect click bait.  C'mon!  Admit it!  If you see your pastor title his blog THAT, then you are so clicking on it!  I know I could have beaten my record of hits.

Sunday, February 21st is the first Sunday of Lent.  Traditionally, we are supposed to treat the Wednesday before as Ash Wednesday (because that's what it is).  Over the years a few churches I know have foregone the Wednesday tradition and applied ashes on Sunday.  It's what we've done at Emmanuel for several years now.

Problem:  I can't touch your forehead with my finger.  It is now against the rules... unless I thoroughly wash my hands between each forehead (a possible useful application of the baptismal font?.... ok.. not).  Therefore, another tradition needs to be tweaked... soo......

....introducing you to your own personal Q-tip.  It is an idea I saw to still cling to our tradition of ashes even in the era of Covid.  Those of you who would like, can come up front during worship and get ashes applied to the back of your hand with a clean Q-tip.... well... it won't be clean... it will have ashes on it.

The church needs to continue to be adaptable.  We don't always like it.  We don't usually like it.  However, we CAN adapt and must adapt if we are to keep the expression of our Faith relevant in an ever-changing world.

So I hope to see you on Feb. 21st.  Lent is on its way whether we are ready or not.  Let's be ready.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Looking At Me Sideways

 Hello Church,

Yes, I am late in posting this blog.  Having a day of the week included in the blog's title sort of puts me on a stricter schedule.  However, I have a good excuse:  24 years of marriage.

In 24 years we have raised 5 kids.  The last is leaving the nest this Fall.  Hope has been accepted to OSU.  This means we will be empty nesters.  I'm excited.  Kim?  Not so much.  However, it all makes sense.  I married Kim with a built-in family.  Leah was 7, Andy 4 and Clay 2 when we got together.  As a 23 year-old who was a full-time student and a part-time pastor, more than a few looked at me sideways when they saw what I was getting into.  Even now I get comments.  Joey, who recently turned 22, was hit with an epiphany when he realized that he is nearly as old as I was when I committed to a wife and 3 kids.

But God works in mysterious ways.  I wouldn't have it any different.  I was too young and dumb to know any different anyhow.  It all seemed natural and normal to me.  It worked.  We lived through the millions of soccer, basketball and baseball games, mixed in with karate, scouts and social drama.  

The thing is, I never ever regretted any of it.  I questioned my sanity at times and questioned the sanity of my family a lot.  But I can honestly say it was pretty much all good.  Any difficulties along the way was par for the course for any family of 7.

So I am thankful for my 24 years.  I invite you to think about what you are thankful for when it comes to the family you find yourself a part of.  I know it isn't all rosy, but you didn't expect it to be, right?  

So give thanks.  In another 24 years I might rewrite this blog, but I doubt my attitude about it will be much different.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Sharing A Bad Word In Church

 Hello Church,

Most people know me as someone who doesn't like to be in your face with religion.  In an attempt to be transparent, I am not always a fan of religion, per se.  I believe that sometimes religion can get in the way of living out the Christian Faith, ironically (a post for another day).  However, there comes a time when religion needs to just get a hold of us and shake things up in a more direct way.  The is called ....close your ears little ones..... 

evangelism  (gasp)

Over the years 'evangelism' has taken on negative connotation.  We have images of in-your-face Christians who somehow think they know what is best for you when you know they have no idea the kind of life you live.  It's a turnoff for sure.  It's one reason I didn't want to be a pastor.  

However, there are those moments.  Sometimes you just have to say the words, 'You need Jesus'.  'You need Jesus' or 'Do you know Jesus?' are a couple of phrases I have said over the years, but not often at all outside of a sermon.  Saying it in a sermon is easy for me because I assume that people are there to hear about Him.  But in a random conversation?  Too evangelical!

However, there have been moments.  Usually it comes when I am appalled with an attitude I see in a long-time church-goer.  Or I have said it in a half-joking way with someone who seems grumpy about their life (my wife have had numerous times to say it to me, but let's not encourage her).

Have you ever said, 'you need Jesus'?  Timing needs to be perfect and it needs to be said to the right person, but more direct methods of evangelism can work (i.e. standing on the corner of the street holding a Bible and shouting at people is not good timing, nor to the right person).  It can be done with someone with whom you have a healthy relationship with and who trusts you (i.e. not with someone with whom you are angry).  Good evangelism is done out of concern and care, not out of spite or frustration.

We are more used to the subtle approaches to evangelism, letting our church be seen through more casual community events, but not with too much pushiness.  This is because we know that a defensive person would never come visit us for worship.

But I invite you to look for that rare opportunity.  It might be passed off as a funny comment, but it might also plant a seed for future discussions.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Jesus Has A Dream

 Hello Church,

On this Martin Luther King Day, I am reminded of my personal desire for simple and decent equality.  The key word here, for this blog, is 'simple'.

It isn't a complicated matter.  Jesus was very obvious about unconditional love for all.  Though you might argue He didn't love the religious leaders all that much, He particularly focused on their behavior of treating others...well... unequally.

Unfortunately, today, it isn't a simple matter.  Combine the multiple layers of political agendas (i.e. pork barrel spending that turns a relatively simple bill into a 6,000 page document) with the national media who chooses to forego objective journalism and suddenly the simple concept of equality gets lost.  So what hope is there to get back to the simple matter of equality?

The Church

I'm a big fan of simple, straight forward sermons.  I'm also a fan of teachings that ignore all unspoken subtleties and undercurrents and hidden agendas.  It makes sense, then, that I'm a big fan of Jesus.

Theoretically, if the Church was in charge, we could get back to simple and decent.  It's only theoretical because the Church is made up of humans who tend to complicate matters (please read the 3rd paragraph again).  Even if we are able to scrape away multiple man-made agendas, the history of the Church isn't without it's pitfalls.

That said, authentic religious institutions who stick to Jesus can bring a purer and more straightforward approach to peace and justice and equality.  It takes strong leadership, for sure.... and an intentional desire to study Jesus and only Jesus.

So I don't believe it an accident that one of the biggest civil rights activists in our history was a leader of a church.  MLK, for sure, wasn't perfect.  History also uncovers his flaws.  However, that is the beauty of what we remember today because it was not MLK to whom we listened.  He was able to allow just enough of Jesus' agenda to be heard through his complicated and flawed life to bring a simple message to a complicated world.  

So be the Church.  Let enough of Jesus' simple agenda flow through your words and actions that it is what other people see and hear.  You'll have a much better chance to make someone's day much better.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Why I Choked Up In Worship Yesterday

 Hello Church,

I do have those moments when I cry.  It isn't often.  My kids can testify that they simply don't see me cry.  Truth is, in almost every moment, my rare times of tears come as I lead worship.

Yesterday was one of those days.  You can look it up on our podcast.  I don't really get proud or embarrassed by it.  I actually think I handle it okay when it happens.  I just stop talking for a few seconds and let the moment pass.  Then I continue.  Usually it only takes a few seconds.  Yesterday at the 9:00 service was different.

It came while reading the creed during the Congregational Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant.  I've read the creed a million times in my life.  It shouldn't have been such a hard thing to do.  But there are a couple of realities that smacked me in the face while I read it......

First, only I could ready it.  Normally, in that situation, we would be reading it together.  The reality of the pandemic and the protocols that were put in place discourages us from reading or singing together.  I think the idea of the congregation not getting the privilege to read it together as a Faith community saddened me more than I ever expected..... especially the creed... the one liturgy that explains the backbone of our Faith.  Stupid Covid.

Secondly, as we experience so much bitterness, anger and even hatred in our social and political world, it occurred to me that so many are trying to get through it without the Faith that the creed describes.  This is a foreign idea to me.  Without my Faith, I know I would be a much more hopeless and angry person.  If such people would just choose to embrace the Faith... even if it is another Faith... I believe it would ease our spirits and calm us down enough to do a better job of handling conflict.  And yet people, for some reason, conclude that the Christian Faith... any Faith... is somehow inconvenient or silly or detrimental or whatever.  This doubly saddens me.

The good news?  I got through it and read the creed.  And I'll get through stupid Covid.  And I'll get through the frustrations of our time.  Why?  Well.... read the creed and you'll understand.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

What's Up With The Attitude?

 Hello Church,

Most of Scripture isn't about what happens to you.  It is about how you respond to what happens to you.

For me, a new year brings an introspection of the old year.  To be clear, introspection is a look inward.  It is an examination of one's own feelings or thoughts.  It is an act of self awareness.  How do I think about how I felt?  How do I feel about what I thought?  How did I feel about what I did?

What about you?

The lack of introspection brings a lack of learning about one's self.  It's difficult to improve as a person if you don't evaluate how you have done in the past.  Yes, I know, 2020 was more than difficult than most years.  I am also the first to admit that I spent my share complaining (privately and publicly) about all that was happening around me.

But most of Scripture isn't about what happens to you.  It is about how you respond to what happens to you

We like to read about everything God did to us; for us; around us; with us; within us; in spite of us; etc.  However, large chunks of Holy Scripture describes how people responded to what was going on around them, whether events were caused by God or not.  

How did you respond in 2020?  How will you respond in 2021?

For me, 2021 is going to be an opportunity to better respond to events around me.... the way Scripture teaches:  empathy, compassion, grace, love and generally be more helpful.  Most of all, I want to do what Scripture describes the most about how people respond:  giving thanks to God.

I pray your introspection will bring you renewed intentions as you move into a new year.

God is Good,

Pastor Joe