I just got off the phone with one of my millennial coworker friends.
His grandmother died suddenly yesterday of a massive heart attack. Up to the moment of her death, she was believed to be in good health for a person of her age. This young friend lost his grandfather from the other side of the family less than a month ago. My friend is extremely distraught, as you can understand.
I am touched beyond description to realize that he reached out to me with texts and phone calls and I thank the Lord for the opportunity to extend His grace and love into my friend's life in his moment of grief.
Here is how, I believe, he came to reach out to me:
In the, say, half year that I have known him, Evie and I have loved the Lord through him and the mother of his son and step daughter and have shown mercy to them several times.
It is because we are sacrificial in our financial stewardship and don't give to a local church, that we are able to give generously to the least of these people we encounter.
Twice in recent months, in other crises, we have bought gift cards from the grocery store I work at for this couple. When the woman had surgery, we paid their rent for a month.
The age of the youngest person on the Sloat side of the family is 31. Because of that, Christmas is a different sort of holiday for us. Every year, my brother's family and we adopt a family with young children and buy winter coats and Christmas gifts for the children. This year we have adopted my coworkers' children.
Be certain. My young friend and his girlfriend see Jesus and His love and mercy, not Evie and me, in these acts.
One thing that has stunned me since I repented of the Christendom thing and have devoted myself to raw obedience to the life Jesus commands in the Gospels, is the power of that lifestyle. Truly, most of my coworkers see Jesus in what I say and do. I don't understand how that works. I guess that it is the work of the Holy Spirit. But, this is new to me. I never experienced anything like this when I was a pastor. This is new. I hope it never gets old.
Oddly, I don't think that I live obediently that well in the world. So often, I fall short. Clearly, the power of love is amazing if it shines through in my pitiful life!
Monday, November 30, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
No Expression Today, Fresh or Otherwise: 11-29-15
Evie is sick. It started to hit her early yesterday afternoon and she pushed through a difficult day until she could push no longer and then had a very bad night. She is what is called in some organic church approaches, our person of peace. She is the driving force organizationally, to the degree we are organized and she provides most of the glue in relationships in our intimate fellowship. So, even if we could have met with her snoozing in the bedroom, it could not have worked so, first thing this morning, we sent out texts and made phone calls and, as the song says, called the whole thing off. (My music is very, very old.) At the moment, even before the fresh expression would have started, we are vegging in the living room staring at a fire in the fireplace, listening to holiday music on the radio and hoping to recoup from busy weeks and prepare for the next one. For me, the whole last month at the store was mega sales and very busy and stressful.
As I was walking the world's greatest church greeter on the golf course this morning, I was thinking about how different our concept of gathering is from what is normal for most churchians today.
I had an email in my mail box this morning from the Pennsylvania campus of the seminary advertising an event, asking pastors to put the note in the church bulletin. Wow! A church bulletin. What a blast from the past! Between emails and texts and the intimate nature of the connections we share in our community of gatherings, we have absolutely no need for a bulletin and I haven't thought about one literally for years.
One other observation about the bulletin is that we would never ask someone to devote kingdom passion and energy to do a bulletin. When you consider how Jesus describes what will matter on the Day from Matthew 7 and 25, don't you fear that many who thought they were pleasing the Lord by doing the church bulletin may be among the surprised to hear, "Away from me." I do have that fear. Jesus is very definite in defining righteousness. Producing bulletins for a church doesn't seem to fit into His definition.
While the greeter and I were out sniffing and stalking squirrels, I was also thinking about Lance's recent eNews questioning if we need to find new things to count.
While I definitely appreciate the question, I'll ask the question of what early disciples counted. The answer is, really, just about nothing.
My concern about counting is that doing so assumes that quantity matters in God's Kingdom. From what I see in the Word, what matters can't really be counted.
Lance suggested we could count people sent into (pastoral and other forms of) ministry. And I don't take pleasure in criticizing Lance"s theology, but it seems to me, that that idea is precisely opposed to a central teaching of the New Testament. In the Word, every follower of Jesus is a priest and there is absolutely no such thing as a clergy or a pastor.
When we gather here we don't count anything and we all send each other into ministry every time we gather.
Hmmm.
Maybe that's what makes this fresh.
As I was walking the world's greatest church greeter on the golf course this morning, I was thinking about how different our concept of gathering is from what is normal for most churchians today.
I had an email in my mail box this morning from the Pennsylvania campus of the seminary advertising an event, asking pastors to put the note in the church bulletin. Wow! A church bulletin. What a blast from the past! Between emails and texts and the intimate nature of the connections we share in our community of gatherings, we have absolutely no need for a bulletin and I haven't thought about one literally for years.
One other observation about the bulletin is that we would never ask someone to devote kingdom passion and energy to do a bulletin. When you consider how Jesus describes what will matter on the Day from Matthew 7 and 25, don't you fear that many who thought they were pleasing the Lord by doing the church bulletin may be among the surprised to hear, "Away from me." I do have that fear. Jesus is very definite in defining righteousness. Producing bulletins for a church doesn't seem to fit into His definition.
While the greeter and I were out sniffing and stalking squirrels, I was also thinking about Lance's recent eNews questioning if we need to find new things to count.
While I definitely appreciate the question, I'll ask the question of what early disciples counted. The answer is, really, just about nothing.
My concern about counting is that doing so assumes that quantity matters in God's Kingdom. From what I see in the Word, what matters can't really be counted.
Lance suggested we could count people sent into (pastoral and other forms of) ministry. And I don't take pleasure in criticizing Lance"s theology, but it seems to me, that that idea is precisely opposed to a central teaching of the New Testament. In the Word, every follower of Jesus is a priest and there is absolutely no such thing as a clergy or a pastor.
When we gather here we don't count anything and we all send each other into ministry every time we gather.
Hmmm.
Maybe that's what makes this fresh.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
More Thanksgiving Day/Weekend-ish Musings: 2015
Friday is a late, long day for me at the store and it will probably be a slow day there. Saturday will probably be busier with people who do the family meal on Sunday. The day after Thanksgiving is not a day that people come out in droves to buy groceries. I'll work from noon to ten on Friday and about four to ten on Saturday, if God is willing.
Here are some more things that are on my mind:
In the small community of fresh expressions of church with which we gather, we seem to suffer from a strain of the same virus that is slowly killing the CGGC. Most of the CGGC churches are dying from decades of shepherd domination. We seem to be suffering from prophet domination. The difference between the CGGC and us is that in the CGGC, shepherd domination is deemed to be the correct and only way, despite the deadly evidence to the contrary. Here, we believe in APEST and yearn, especially, for an apostolic and evangelistic presence. We strive for the righteousness Jesus demands in Matthew 5-7 and 25 and that James demands and Hebrews describes in chapter 11, as fruit of genuine faith. We struggle to make disciples out of each other but we don't easily bring new people into the community. Sadly, I'd love apostolic input and have asked the ERC and GC for it in the past but to no avail.
Recently, I wrote to one of the mountaintoppers that the difference between the CGGC's current crop of self-described leaders and John Winebrenner is that Winebrenner lived at least as radically as he preached but that, while Today's CGGC talk is sometimes radical, our mountaintoppers today live a very moderate, Middle Class existence. (What were the dimensions of Winebrenner's corner office? Of Jesus'?) so Back in the day, the whole CGGC was a radical prophetic community because our people imitated Winebrenner's way of living. Today, our people do imitate CGGC leaders. And we are moderating ourselves to death.
I also added that I speak and live radically, at least by this day's CGGC standards. And I am being defrocked. But, compared to Winebrenner? What would the mountaintoppers do to Winebrenner if he showed up in the CGGC today?
I have received a list of the reasons that drove the ERC Standing Committee to recommend that my ordination be recalled and the list fascinates me. I've just looked the list over again. One thing is missing and that is the suggestion that there is a doctrinal issue. What is present is a slew of accusations that I have had the audacity to disagree passionately with the direction mountaintoppers are attempting to take the body.
In fact, my take on this conflict is that most of what I do that vexes mountaintoppers is claim that THEY actually are violating and abusing CGGC teachings to which they should be submitting. (In fact, in the past, I told one of the people on the mountain that he was insubordinate. Needless to say, he didn't repent.)
While I refuse to defend myself against the charges, I will say that the reality is that I have been correct on every count that I can think of when I have been specific in challenging the wisdom of mountaintoppers. Whatever did happen with HEAR THE CALL, or TRANSFORMATIONAL CHURCH?
It seems to me that it has become a sin in the CGGC to be passionate and pointed in even questioning leaders and their embrace of the latest fads, ESPECIALLY when the person doing the criticizing proves to be correct.
But, the real life truth is that, despite the best efforts from the mountain, we are declining faster than ever. Remember the stats from 2014? Perhaps we should heed the naysayers.
It seems that I am in trouble for disagreeing with mountaintoppers and being correct and noisy about it.
I also guess that my repeated observation that there is theological bankruptcy and theological corruption on our mountains has gotten me in trouble. I stand by those claims.
BTW, I think I am beginning to understand how the defrocking thing will work out. Do with me what you will but if what I think I'm seeing happens, I am sad.
On a different note, it seems to me that I have alienated some who, in the past, have been sympathetic to my prophetic take on things CGGC over the same sex marriage issue. I'm not sure how that happened. I suspect that that some people may think that I favor same sex marriage or believe that we should be marrying same sex people. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What I see in all of this is a reflection of the theological corruption so common among all our people. We know that we need to call LGBT people to repentance but, for the most part, our churches have not ever heard the word repentance preached, or, if it's an old congregation, no one currently living has heard the word preached. Shepherd theology has been trumped. The world has called "check" on our Shepherd Mafia theology and our mountaintop Mafiosi don't know how to avoid hearing the world call "mate" with the next move.
They need to repent themselves before they can call anyone else to repent and, I'm afraid, their hearts are too hard to do that. One of most frequent prayer requests is that repentance will take place on our mountains.
We must repent.
Here are some more things that are on my mind:
In the small community of fresh expressions of church with which we gather, we seem to suffer from a strain of the same virus that is slowly killing the CGGC. Most of the CGGC churches are dying from decades of shepherd domination. We seem to be suffering from prophet domination. The difference between the CGGC and us is that in the CGGC, shepherd domination is deemed to be the correct and only way, despite the deadly evidence to the contrary. Here, we believe in APEST and yearn, especially, for an apostolic and evangelistic presence. We strive for the righteousness Jesus demands in Matthew 5-7 and 25 and that James demands and Hebrews describes in chapter 11, as fruit of genuine faith. We struggle to make disciples out of each other but we don't easily bring new people into the community. Sadly, I'd love apostolic input and have asked the ERC and GC for it in the past but to no avail.
Recently, I wrote to one of the mountaintoppers that the difference between the CGGC's current crop of self-described leaders and John Winebrenner is that Winebrenner lived at least as radically as he preached but that, while Today's CGGC talk is sometimes radical, our mountaintoppers today live a very moderate, Middle Class existence. (What were the dimensions of Winebrenner's corner office? Of Jesus'?) so Back in the day, the whole CGGC was a radical prophetic community because our people imitated Winebrenner's way of living. Today, our people do imitate CGGC leaders. And we are moderating ourselves to death.
I also added that I speak and live radically, at least by this day's CGGC standards. And I am being defrocked. But, compared to Winebrenner? What would the mountaintoppers do to Winebrenner if he showed up in the CGGC today?
I have received a list of the reasons that drove the ERC Standing Committee to recommend that my ordination be recalled and the list fascinates me. I've just looked the list over again. One thing is missing and that is the suggestion that there is a doctrinal issue. What is present is a slew of accusations that I have had the audacity to disagree passionately with the direction mountaintoppers are attempting to take the body.
In fact, my take on this conflict is that most of what I do that vexes mountaintoppers is claim that THEY actually are violating and abusing CGGC teachings to which they should be submitting. (In fact, in the past, I told one of the people on the mountain that he was insubordinate. Needless to say, he didn't repent.)
While I refuse to defend myself against the charges, I will say that the reality is that I have been correct on every count that I can think of when I have been specific in challenging the wisdom of mountaintoppers. Whatever did happen with HEAR THE CALL, or TRANSFORMATIONAL CHURCH?
It seems to me that it has become a sin in the CGGC to be passionate and pointed in even questioning leaders and their embrace of the latest fads, ESPECIALLY when the person doing the criticizing proves to be correct.
But, the real life truth is that, despite the best efforts from the mountain, we are declining faster than ever. Remember the stats from 2014? Perhaps we should heed the naysayers.
It seems that I am in trouble for disagreeing with mountaintoppers and being correct and noisy about it.
I also guess that my repeated observation that there is theological bankruptcy and theological corruption on our mountains has gotten me in trouble. I stand by those claims.
BTW, I think I am beginning to understand how the defrocking thing will work out. Do with me what you will but if what I think I'm seeing happens, I am sad.
On a different note, it seems to me that I have alienated some who, in the past, have been sympathetic to my prophetic take on things CGGC over the same sex marriage issue. I'm not sure how that happened. I suspect that that some people may think that I favor same sex marriage or believe that we should be marrying same sex people. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What I see in all of this is a reflection of the theological corruption so common among all our people. We know that we need to call LGBT people to repentance but, for the most part, our churches have not ever heard the word repentance preached, or, if it's an old congregation, no one currently living has heard the word preached. Shepherd theology has been trumped. The world has called "check" on our Shepherd Mafia theology and our mountaintop Mafiosi don't know how to avoid hearing the world call "mate" with the next move.
They need to repent themselves before they can call anyone else to repent and, I'm afraid, their hearts are too hard to do that. One of most frequent prayer requests is that repentance will take place on our mountains.
We must repent.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thanksgiving Day Musings: 2015
Today is one of two days in the year that the company I work for shuts down and gives employees a holiday. For the most part I'm planning a lazy day.
Here are some thoughts floating around in my mind:
---------------------
I am thankful for my job. As I've said in the past, I consider the job place and the job itself a ministry and a mission. I'm blessed to work for a company owned by a family who are Jesus followers who know what the Sermon on the Mount says and work harder to obey it than to make a profit. I have had conversations with the CEO about our shared faith and the lifestyle it requires and I am blessed to know him and be known by him.
On the job, I share my life with many millennials. I have meaningful relationships with most of them. A few weeks ago, one of them texted me from the ER. He was there with his dad, who was having chest pains. We exchanged texts throughout the day. In the end, all was well with his dad and the next time he saw me, my young friend said, "Thanks for keeping me sane yesterday."
Even when I was a youth pastor, I didn't connect to people in that age range like I do now.
My immediate boss is a woman of about my age who is a widow with a beau and is hinting that she'd like me to perform the wedding. What a great way to live out missionality, to be externally focused, eh? I don't know what I'll do about that.
The job itself can be physically demanding. Yesterday I worked wearing a back brace and a wrist brace.
As I've said in the past, I do have opportunities to share what I believe and Who I believe in with coworkers and with customers. And, as I've said, I think that Kierkegaard got a lot of things right. Much of that is appropriate to witnessing in my work setting. So, I do that, and I occasionally use Kierkegaard's name when it fits. I would honestly say that I am making disciples.
I have been offered financial aid from friends from my pastor days and I am blessed by the love and concern. For those of you who wonder, we are making it, not as easily as we were when I was pulling in a fulltime pastor's salary but, we are paying our bills. Admittedly, this has been a year with few crises.
I'm blessed by our involvement in the small community of gatherings that has (d)evolved out of the organization formerly known as Faith Community Church of God. What we are is still unknown to me. Each of the gatherings has a distinct identity, even though we are core to each and have been from the beginning. The Wednesday thing is most curious to me. I have no idea where it is or where it's going. I groove on the Sunday and Thursday Fresh Expressions of church much more I ever was blessed by a Christendom thing.
My relationship with CGGC mountaintoppers is more curious than ever. Some CGGCers continue to be incensed by the process employed by ERC mountaintoppers to take my ordination. I have been offered assistance at ERC Conference next year in fighting my fight. Recently, the ERC Standing Committee has demonstrated resolve in standing by (no pun intended) it's decision to remove the ordination.
More than anything else, I am fascinated by how the CGGC body responds to my simple effort to live out, as faithfully as I am able, what I believe to be my APEST ministry.
At this point, I feel led to stay this course, if necessary, even to the point John the Baptist stayed his. In the end, John showed Herod to be who he truly was. At this point, I imagine that many connected to my story will show who/what they are.
I currently--I can't say communicate because communication implies input from more than one direction--um, speak into the lives of four CGGC mountaintoppers. Three of them do respond with varying degrees of openness. One of them and I are in the midst of a profound, vigorous and I believe, mutually beneficial dialog. Two others listen and don't treat me in way the Amish treat someone who is being shunned.
Interestingly to me, the one mountaintopper I thought who would engage me in conversation is Lance. Do you know if someone is blocking your emails? Or, he could have just designated my emails as spam. Either way, it is as if I don't exist as far as Lance is concerned. To use the John/Herod analogy, even Herod was fascinated by what John had to say. Very, very interesting to me.
Both Evie and I have received unsolicited job offers this year. Evie is about to begin a promotion with her employer of the past nine years. As a result of the offer I received, I was able to clarify my position with my current employer.
We just returned from T-day dinner with the family at the home with mom and dad. It was also dad's 90th birthday. Dad was good, though he really didn't appreciate the significance of the day. His meal was two lettuce leaves with a drop of blue cheese dressing, at least two pieces of cake and about a half gallon of coffee. No decaf. Hey! It was his day! It was a good day for the family.
One final CGGC comment. It's obvious to all that we are in decline and have been for decades. Leadership is not inept. In fact, it is extremely, well, ept. Its shortcoming is that it is misguided. Leaders of the CGGC do institution better than ever. The problem is that the day of the institutional church is gone for good in the Western world. For Winebrenner everything was about the conversion of the individual sinner. These days, more and more, leaders are all about the church. A shepherd dominated mess.
Here are some thoughts floating around in my mind:
---------------------
I am thankful for my job. As I've said in the past, I consider the job place and the job itself a ministry and a mission. I'm blessed to work for a company owned by a family who are Jesus followers who know what the Sermon on the Mount says and work harder to obey it than to make a profit. I have had conversations with the CEO about our shared faith and the lifestyle it requires and I am blessed to know him and be known by him.
On the job, I share my life with many millennials. I have meaningful relationships with most of them. A few weeks ago, one of them texted me from the ER. He was there with his dad, who was having chest pains. We exchanged texts throughout the day. In the end, all was well with his dad and the next time he saw me, my young friend said, "Thanks for keeping me sane yesterday."
Even when I was a youth pastor, I didn't connect to people in that age range like I do now.
My immediate boss is a woman of about my age who is a widow with a beau and is hinting that she'd like me to perform the wedding. What a great way to live out missionality, to be externally focused, eh? I don't know what I'll do about that.
The job itself can be physically demanding. Yesterday I worked wearing a back brace and a wrist brace.
As I've said in the past, I do have opportunities to share what I believe and Who I believe in with coworkers and with customers. And, as I've said, I think that Kierkegaard got a lot of things right. Much of that is appropriate to witnessing in my work setting. So, I do that, and I occasionally use Kierkegaard's name when it fits. I would honestly say that I am making disciples.
I have been offered financial aid from friends from my pastor days and I am blessed by the love and concern. For those of you who wonder, we are making it, not as easily as we were when I was pulling in a fulltime pastor's salary but, we are paying our bills. Admittedly, this has been a year with few crises.
I'm blessed by our involvement in the small community of gatherings that has (d)evolved out of the organization formerly known as Faith Community Church of God. What we are is still unknown to me. Each of the gatherings has a distinct identity, even though we are core to each and have been from the beginning. The Wednesday thing is most curious to me. I have no idea where it is or where it's going. I groove on the Sunday and Thursday Fresh Expressions of church much more I ever was blessed by a Christendom thing.
My relationship with CGGC mountaintoppers is more curious than ever. Some CGGCers continue to be incensed by the process employed by ERC mountaintoppers to take my ordination. I have been offered assistance at ERC Conference next year in fighting my fight. Recently, the ERC Standing Committee has demonstrated resolve in standing by (no pun intended) it's decision to remove the ordination.
More than anything else, I am fascinated by how the CGGC body responds to my simple effort to live out, as faithfully as I am able, what I believe to be my APEST ministry.
At this point, I feel led to stay this course, if necessary, even to the point John the Baptist stayed his. In the end, John showed Herod to be who he truly was. At this point, I imagine that many connected to my story will show who/what they are.
I currently--I can't say communicate because communication implies input from more than one direction--um, speak into the lives of four CGGC mountaintoppers. Three of them do respond with varying degrees of openness. One of them and I are in the midst of a profound, vigorous and I believe, mutually beneficial dialog. Two others listen and don't treat me in way the Amish treat someone who is being shunned.
Interestingly to me, the one mountaintopper I thought who would engage me in conversation is Lance. Do you know if someone is blocking your emails? Or, he could have just designated my emails as spam. Either way, it is as if I don't exist as far as Lance is concerned. To use the John/Herod analogy, even Herod was fascinated by what John had to say. Very, very interesting to me.
Both Evie and I have received unsolicited job offers this year. Evie is about to begin a promotion with her employer of the past nine years. As a result of the offer I received, I was able to clarify my position with my current employer.
We just returned from T-day dinner with the family at the home with mom and dad. It was also dad's 90th birthday. Dad was good, though he really didn't appreciate the significance of the day. His meal was two lettuce leaves with a drop of blue cheese dressing, at least two pieces of cake and about a half gallon of coffee. No decaf. Hey! It was his day! It was a good day for the family.
One final CGGC comment. It's obvious to all that we are in decline and have been for decades. Leadership is not inept. In fact, it is extremely, well, ept. Its shortcoming is that it is misguided. Leaders of the CGGC do institution better than ever. The problem is that the day of the institutional church is gone for good in the Western world. For Winebrenner everything was about the conversion of the individual sinner. These days, more and more, leaders are all about the church. A shepherd dominated mess.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
A Fresh Expression of Church: 11-21-15
[FYI, I'm renaming my "Gathering" posts. Some of you may recall how the expression "Fresh expressions of church" entered the CGGC conversation. Actually, my friend Dan Horwedel noted the importance of the phrase to this chapter of the CGGC story on his blog a few months ago. In the CGGC these days, what we do and are in our neck of the woods is certainly one fresh expression of church.]
Last week, we agreed not to meet this Sunday but Evelyn and I also mentioned that we would be going to the home to pick up our three friends there to take them out to lunch and then to, as one of them says it, the local "Walmark."
We let it be known that anyone else who wanted participate in any way was welcome. And, when we showed up at the diner and began to help the "kidz" pile out of the Buick, we saw the hosts of the Thursday, uh, Fresh Expression walking toward us to join the gathering.
It was a blessing that they did. Each of the three kidz has unique challenges and, as much a blessing as they are, they are all high maintenance. They would have been perhaps too much of a challenge for the two of us in the diner. But, the Thursday couple are both first class servants. Watching them treat our least of these friends like Jesus was a very serious blessing to me.
Walmark was its own challenge.
We have a saying that an act is not an act of mercy unless it pinches. By that standard, the Walmark part of the day was an act of mercy, for me at least. A busy Walmark on Saturday afternoon!
Still, at each moment of frustration, I was able to understand again how I frustrate the Lord with my own folly.
If, as Paul says, worship happens not when you sit your fanny in a pew but when you offer your body as a living sacrifice, we worshipped yesterday.
A blessed day!
Last week, we agreed not to meet this Sunday but Evelyn and I also mentioned that we would be going to the home to pick up our three friends there to take them out to lunch and then to, as one of them says it, the local "Walmark."
We let it be known that anyone else who wanted participate in any way was welcome. And, when we showed up at the diner and began to help the "kidz" pile out of the Buick, we saw the hosts of the Thursday, uh, Fresh Expression walking toward us to join the gathering.
It was a blessing that they did. Each of the three kidz has unique challenges and, as much a blessing as they are, they are all high maintenance. They would have been perhaps too much of a challenge for the two of us in the diner. But, the Thursday couple are both first class servants. Watching them treat our least of these friends like Jesus was a very serious blessing to me.
Walmark was its own challenge.
We have a saying that an act is not an act of mercy unless it pinches. By that standard, the Walmark part of the day was an act of mercy, for me at least. A busy Walmark on Saturday afternoon!
Still, at each moment of frustration, I was able to understand again how I frustrate the Lord with my own folly.
If, as Paul says, worship happens not when you sit your fanny in a pew but when you offer your body as a living sacrifice, we worshipped yesterday.
A blessed day!
Friday, November 20, 2015
My Dad's Dementia as the Model of CGGC Ministry
I love my dad more than I ever have.
Yesterday, I babysat him while my mom was having a stress test. As a result, the state of his mental health is vividly fresh in my mind.
Dad is experiencing some form of dementia, though not Alzheimer's.
These days, dad lives entirely in the present. He has no short term memory. What happens in one moment seem to evaporate from his consciousness almost as soon as it takes place. Dad also has no conception of the future, even a few minutes hence. And, I can see how stressful living with him is for my mom, who has virtually full-time care of him, though she loves him deeply.
--------------------------
Thinking how it felt to be the one caring for him for about two hours yesterday, I am struck with how much being a part of dad's life resembles being a part of the CGGC.
It seems to me that, in the CGGC, we possess the same total orientation to the present moment that is characteristic of my dad's failing brain.
Think, for example, about the response to the same-sex marriage thing. At the moment that decision was published there was an incredible brouhaha from leadership down in the CGGC about it.
Yet, what are we doing about the ministry challenges--and OPPORTUNITIES--the Supreme Court decision has created?
In the immediate aftermath, some leaders published commentaries. My Region held a seminar that touched on the issue, as a part of other concerns.
And, now?
Nothing.
Typical.
Life entirely in the present: A characteristic of ministry dominated by shepherds.
One positive thing I can say about being a part of the CGGC for all these decades is that it has prepared me to observe the decay of my dad's mind.
I desperately love dad and the CGGC. But, I'm saddened by the dementia that is destroying both.
Yesterday, I babysat him while my mom was having a stress test. As a result, the state of his mental health is vividly fresh in my mind.
Dad is experiencing some form of dementia, though not Alzheimer's.
These days, dad lives entirely in the present. He has no short term memory. What happens in one moment seem to evaporate from his consciousness almost as soon as it takes place. Dad also has no conception of the future, even a few minutes hence. And, I can see how stressful living with him is for my mom, who has virtually full-time care of him, though she loves him deeply.
--------------------------
Thinking how it felt to be the one caring for him for about two hours yesterday, I am struck with how much being a part of dad's life resembles being a part of the CGGC.
It seems to me that, in the CGGC, we possess the same total orientation to the present moment that is characteristic of my dad's failing brain.
Think, for example, about the response to the same-sex marriage thing. At the moment that decision was published there was an incredible brouhaha from leadership down in the CGGC about it.
Yet, what are we doing about the ministry challenges--and OPPORTUNITIES--the Supreme Court decision has created?
In the immediate aftermath, some leaders published commentaries. My Region held a seminar that touched on the issue, as a part of other concerns.
And, now?
Nothing.
Typical.
Life entirely in the present: A characteristic of ministry dominated by shepherds.
One positive thing I can say about being a part of the CGGC for all these decades is that it has prepared me to observe the decay of my dad's mind.
I desperately love dad and the CGGC. But, I'm saddened by the dementia that is destroying both.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Gathering 11-15-15
One thing I've learned from gathering the way we do now, having been so involved in parish priest-driven "worship" for so many years is that the more you plan and prepare the more you quench the Spirit and drive Him away.
These days, the extent of our planning amounts to setting the time and place of our meeting and how we are going to do the meal. (We are evolving toward having a salad bar or soup and salad every week. The salad bar creates a very community building meal and it makes for healthy eating.)
Anyway...
...today the gathering felt very good to me perhaps precisely because its rhythms we so outside what has become our norm.
Lately I have been jotting down notes to record what we do during the gathering and I did that today but it is still hard to characterize what we did. We did a lot of talking about our individual walks as people devoted to obedience to the love commands of the Word.
Central to that conversation today was a bold act in obeying the "love your enemy" command in the Sermon on the Mount by a couple in our gathering.
It is too long to relate here. But, I will say that I was pleased and proud to be a part of the lives of people who would be Christ like in the face of hatred and mockery.
Despite the glowing reports of our gathering that appear here, we have serious shortcomings. I thought I might journal some of that today but I can't.
Walking in the Spirit in community is an exciting way to be a part of the Kingdom and it is never boring. It's filled with surprises.
Today we had a vivid conversation about Isaiah 53 and Hebrews 12:2 which led to a powerful time taking the bread and cup.
The soup and salad bar-based meal led to challenging and sweet fellowship.
What an amazing time with each other and in the Spirit!
These days, the extent of our planning amounts to setting the time and place of our meeting and how we are going to do the meal. (We are evolving toward having a salad bar or soup and salad every week. The salad bar creates a very community building meal and it makes for healthy eating.)
Anyway...
...today the gathering felt very good to me perhaps precisely because its rhythms we so outside what has become our norm.
Lately I have been jotting down notes to record what we do during the gathering and I did that today but it is still hard to characterize what we did. We did a lot of talking about our individual walks as people devoted to obedience to the love commands of the Word.
Central to that conversation today was a bold act in obeying the "love your enemy" command in the Sermon on the Mount by a couple in our gathering.
It is too long to relate here. But, I will say that I was pleased and proud to be a part of the lives of people who would be Christ like in the face of hatred and mockery.
Despite the glowing reports of our gathering that appear here, we have serious shortcomings. I thought I might journal some of that today but I can't.
Walking in the Spirit in community is an exciting way to be a part of the Kingdom and it is never boring. It's filled with surprises.
Today we had a vivid conversation about Isaiah 53 and Hebrews 12:2 which led to a powerful time taking the bread and cup.
The soup and salad bar-based meal led to challenging and sweet fellowship.
What an amazing time with each other and in the Spirit!
Friday, November 13, 2015
Gathering 11-12-15
For our Sunday gathering, we drive to a low end assisted living facility, pick up and drive three of the residents to our home. Each of them have nothing and no family that is supportive. They live off of public assistance.
It has become a habit, or tradition, of our Thursday group to go to the home and have a private birthday party for each of the three on their day.
Last night, we went to the home to celebrate Marian's birthday. Marian is a sweetheart. She's very shy and timid. Yet, if you ask her if she likes a gift you gave her, if she doesn't, she will tell you no without qualm. We love her.
She loves pumpkin pie so we brought one to her and a balloon and cards and gifts. Then we watched FAMILY FEUD with her. She enjoyed the stuff but more than that, the celebration.
After the party, and on the wrong side of the end of visiting hours, we had brief visits with the other two residents from our Sunday group.
For better or worse, our community of gatherings is very truth driven. The truth that drove us last night was the "least of these" principle from Matthew 25.
I believe each of us had a lovely evening.
It has become a habit, or tradition, of our Thursday group to go to the home and have a private birthday party for each of the three on their day.
Last night, we went to the home to celebrate Marian's birthday. Marian is a sweetheart. She's very shy and timid. Yet, if you ask her if she likes a gift you gave her, if she doesn't, she will tell you no without qualm. We love her.
She loves pumpkin pie so we brought one to her and a balloon and cards and gifts. Then we watched FAMILY FEUD with her. She enjoyed the stuff but more than that, the celebration.
After the party, and on the wrong side of the end of visiting hours, we had brief visits with the other two residents from our Sunday group.
For better or worse, our community of gatherings is very truth driven. The truth that drove us last night was the "least of these" principle from Matthew 25.
I believe each of us had a lovely evening.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
The ERC Standing Committee/Administrative Council vs. The Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition is one of the greatest embarrassments in the history of the church. It was a spiritual reign of terror that lasted for centuries.
However, since the day I picked up that certified letter from the ERC explaining that my ordination had been recalled, I have been thinking about the similarities and differences between what the ERC did to me and the Roman Catholic Church's reign of terror that was the Inquisition.
And, I say, give me the Inquisition.
Here, very briefly, are seven differences between the Spanish Inquisition and the process employed by ERC Mountaintoppers to recall my ordination.
So, give me the Spanish Inquisition.
Can you appreciate in any way from the very darkest moments in church history, what ERC mountaintoppers have done?! The Spanish Inquisition was a Love Feast by comparison.
When I inspect the fruit CGGC leadership has been producing in recent years, I am stunned and shocked. The truth is that, on its worst days, the Roman Catholic Church's Popes and Bishops never approached the abuses of power that take place within the CGGC, as is demonstrated in the manner the ERC Standing Committee and Administrative Council have dealt with me.
The perpetrators of the Inquisition would never, on their most intolerant day, have dreamed of doing what ERC mountaintoppers have done.
More tragically, to the best my knowledge, only one person has actually confronted the mountaintoppers over what they have done in my case, though I have received several private notes of support.
It is now standard operating procedure in the CGGC to allow mountaintoppers to abuse their power and the teachings of the Word without opposition. Even without comment.
The greatest guilt in the CGGC, in my opinion, is with those of you who allow these abuses to take place.
The CGGC is experiencing decline at an increasing rate. Who, honestly, can question why.
Who can imagine that the Lord would bless what we have become and what we do.
We must repent.
However, since the day I picked up that certified letter from the ERC explaining that my ordination had been recalled, I have been thinking about the similarities and differences between what the ERC did to me and the Roman Catholic Church's reign of terror that was the Inquisition.
And, I say, give me the Inquisition.
Here, very briefly, are seven differences between the Spanish Inquisition and the process employed by ERC Mountaintoppers to recall my ordination.
- The Spanish Inquisition was open and public. The ERC process that ended in the recall of my ordination was kept a secret from me until it was completed.
- The goal of the Inquisition was to preserve the purity of Christian truth. I have a list of the reasons the Standing Committee recommended that my ordination be removed. Not one of them even remotely touches on issues of doctrine.
- In the Inquisition, the accused was provided with counsel. As far as I know, no one spoke for me at any point in the ERC process.
- In the Inquisition, the accused was permitted to be present at his/her trial. Needless to say, due to the secretive process, I was denied even the opportunity to listen to the charges being level against me.
- In the Inquisition, the accused was given ample opportunity to respond to charges leveled against him/her. As I have said, I honestly believe that I am innocent of every charge that the Standing Committee and Administrative Council convicted me of. The members of those groups have no idea of my understanding of these issues--by their own choice.
- In the Inquisition, even guilty parties were offered the opportunity to repent of fallen and sinful ways. ERC leaders provided me with no such opportunity.
- The goal of the Inquisition was reconciliation: the restoration of the lost soul. Based on what ERC Mountaintoppers did, their goal was to condemn me and to separate me from the flock.
So, give me the Spanish Inquisition.
Can you appreciate in any way from the very darkest moments in church history, what ERC mountaintoppers have done?! The Spanish Inquisition was a Love Feast by comparison.
When I inspect the fruit CGGC leadership has been producing in recent years, I am stunned and shocked. The truth is that, on its worst days, the Roman Catholic Church's Popes and Bishops never approached the abuses of power that take place within the CGGC, as is demonstrated in the manner the ERC Standing Committee and Administrative Council have dealt with me.
The perpetrators of the Inquisition would never, on their most intolerant day, have dreamed of doing what ERC mountaintoppers have done.
More tragically, to the best my knowledge, only one person has actually confronted the mountaintoppers over what they have done in my case, though I have received several private notes of support.
It is now standard operating procedure in the CGGC to allow mountaintoppers to abuse their power and the teachings of the Word without opposition. Even without comment.
The greatest guilt in the CGGC, in my opinion, is with those of you who allow these abuses to take place.
The CGGC is experiencing decline at an increasing rate. Who, honestly, can question why.
Who can imagine that the Lord would bless what we have become and what we do.
We must repent.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Gathering: 11-8-15
Typically deep and joyful.
It's usual among humans to establish habits. What can be dangerous is when those habits are granted authority and become traditions.
We have been at this for long enough to have established habits. To this point, the habits have no authority among us. No traditions yet.
One habit of the Sunday morning Gathering is to reflect on the words of the songs we sing. We did that twice today.
On one occasion we sang the words, "Billows his will obey." And, that reminded me of an exchange I had this past week with Matt, our friend who now lives in South Carolina, about the fear of God and I mentioned the story of the storm at sea with Jesus asleep on the boat. He was awakened and told the storm to chill, it did and it after that that the disciples were terrified. We decided today that they realized how great He was and how puny they were in His presence.
That theme became the basis of our reflection for the taking of Communion.
Later, we reflected on the difference between the rich young ruler (Luke 18) and Zacchaeus (19).
The meal was lively and joyous.
And a good time was had by all.
It's usual among humans to establish habits. What can be dangerous is when those habits are granted authority and become traditions.
We have been at this for long enough to have established habits. To this point, the habits have no authority among us. No traditions yet.
One habit of the Sunday morning Gathering is to reflect on the words of the songs we sing. We did that twice today.
On one occasion we sang the words, "Billows his will obey." And, that reminded me of an exchange I had this past week with Matt, our friend who now lives in South Carolina, about the fear of God and I mentioned the story of the storm at sea with Jesus asleep on the boat. He was awakened and told the storm to chill, it did and it after that that the disciples were terrified. We decided today that they realized how great He was and how puny they were in His presence.
That theme became the basis of our reflection for the taking of Communion.
Later, we reflected on the difference between the rich young ruler (Luke 18) and Zacchaeus (19).
The meal was lively and joyous.
And a good time was had by all.
Friday, November 6, 2015
The Drop Off in my Blog Production
Last month I published only 11 threads here. Over half of them were journals of Gatherings.
If you wonder why the lack of production, rest assured, I am no less active than I have been.
At the moment, I am in off line conversation with several people who occupy lofty positions on various CGGC mountaintops over issues of great importance. In time, I may put updates on those conversations if doing so becomes appropriate.
If you wonder why the lack of production, rest assured, I am no less active than I have been.
At the moment, I am in off line conversation with several people who occupy lofty positions on various CGGC mountaintops over issues of great importance. In time, I may put updates on those conversations if doing so becomes appropriate.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Gathering Without Me in an Emergency: 11-1-15
Our gathering culture is so different from what we took for granted when we bought into the values of the institutional church. Yesterday was a very unusual day that could have been a crisis if we did the clergy/laity thing but, as it turned out, was just a weird day for us.
My phone rang at the very moment the last people were arriving. My dad, who can barely use a phone, was calling, saying mom was sick and he needed me to come to their condo immediately. She was experiencing abdominal pain so intense that she couldn't use the phone. I called my brother to see if he could check up on them but he was out of the house.
So, I explained to the people gathered and left--without a thought or concern about what would happen in my absence.
After I arrived at my parents', probably about an hour later Evelyn called on behalf of the gathering to see how things were going. They had stopped the meeting, before taking communion, to check in.
My brother actually made it to mom and dad's shortly after I arrived. We strenuously encouraged mom to call 911 because her symptoms were similar to those of a heart attack in women and there is lots of heart disease in her family.
In the end, we extracted from her the promise that she would call 911 if the pain returned and to call her doctor Monday morning if not. We checked on her repeatedly throughout the remainder of the day and again this morning.
All that said, the gathering was, based on what I have heard, uneventful in my absence.
One concern I have about the direction the church today is going is that it is expanding the clergy/laity distinction. And, to do so, abuses the spirit of what Jesus did.
My goal, which I believe I am achieving, is to make active priests of all of us.
My phone rang at the very moment the last people were arriving. My dad, who can barely use a phone, was calling, saying mom was sick and he needed me to come to their condo immediately. She was experiencing abdominal pain so intense that she couldn't use the phone. I called my brother to see if he could check up on them but he was out of the house.
So, I explained to the people gathered and left--without a thought or concern about what would happen in my absence.
After I arrived at my parents', probably about an hour later Evelyn called on behalf of the gathering to see how things were going. They had stopped the meeting, before taking communion, to check in.
My brother actually made it to mom and dad's shortly after I arrived. We strenuously encouraged mom to call 911 because her symptoms were similar to those of a heart attack in women and there is lots of heart disease in her family.
In the end, we extracted from her the promise that she would call 911 if the pain returned and to call her doctor Monday morning if not. We checked on her repeatedly throughout the remainder of the day and again this morning.
All that said, the gathering was, based on what I have heard, uneventful in my absence.
One concern I have about the direction the church today is going is that it is expanding the clergy/laity distinction. And, to do so, abuses the spirit of what Jesus did.
My goal, which I believe I am achieving, is to make active priests of all of us.
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