Remembering Who We Are

Growing up, I had a family culture that included going to church for worship on Sundays.  Prior to becoming United Methodist when I was eight, we also went to church on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.  When we went on vacation, if we were gone over a Sunday, we would visit a church for worship.

If you were sick, you either had to have a fever or be throwing up to miss.

This was a part of our family identity and the loyalty and values that I learned at church were reinforced in the home.  It clearly set boundaries on who I was becoming and what my expectations were. 

It is said that during times of stress or anxiety, we rely on the basics of who we are.  So when COVID hit our country, churches found that one of their best tools - being in relationship through the Holy Spirit with one another - was put on pause.  Since that pause, many people have not returned to regular worship across the country.  It seemed to speed up the de-churching movement going on in our nation.

Some say that they continue to worship online but I recently heard that this is somewhat like watching a fireplace burning on your television.  You miss out on the warmth of the in-person experience.  It is also hard for us to hold others accountable which is part of the Christian experience (it's not just about others holding us accountable).  Online worship continues to be essential, especially for the home-bound, but I fear that it has become a crutch for too many who are able to come but don't.  It seems to have led to being an off-ramp entirely for a lot of people today.  Fortunately, as we often highlight in the parable of the Prodigal, there is nothing theological that would keep us from coming back!

As we close down 2023 and move into 2024, one of the major Christian traditions during this time of year is to renew our identity through worship.  Historically, United Methodists have done this in Watch Night services around New Year's which is a part of the Wesleyan tradition.  It may be that you see some kind of covenant renewal service on December 31st.

If your church follows the liturgical year, the first Sunday in January will Baptism of the Lord Sunday.  Often, if there is not a baptism being celebrated on this day, the congregation will share in a baptismal renewal service.  In essence, the congregation renews their own baptismal vows each time a baptism is celebrated.  It helps remind us who we are as we share in the liturgy.

This new year will also bring us another presidential election.  I don't know anyone who thinks that the political discourse is very civil at this point in our country's history.  What if we could be part of a corrective course?  It could be that I need a reminder of who I am that will help me raise the bar on how I choose to interact.  If you get a chance to renew your faith over the next couple of Sundays, I would invite you to do so.  This helps us to set our identity even in the face of temptation to disrespect those with whom we disagree.

And if you attend a church that doesn't indulge in covenant renewal, I would invite you to pray the Covenant Prayer as adapted from John Wesley.  It is one of the prayers that I try to pray at the start of each day.  I pray that your new year is blessed and fruitful!

 

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
you are mine, and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

    

Photo by Tony Hall via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Fourth Sunday of Advent - Obedience

Lectionary Reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Romans 16:25-27

Here we find the fourth Sunday of Advent lifting up the closing words from Paul's letter to the Romans.  It is a reminder that God's promise is to everyone - even the Gentiles.  This general premise, while a difficult proposition when it was written, doesn't seem as hard to those in today's generation.  But for those in Paul's day, it meant the good news was also for those widely considered the "other."

We certainly know what it means to keep the other at bay today.  We may not consciously omit them from God's favor as long as we don't have to deal with them.  They can reside in that part of God's kingdom reserved for the "other."

What does it mean for Paul to call us to an "obedience of faith"?

Sometimes our disobedience is pretty overt!

Certainly, I think back to Jesus' twin admonition to love God and love neighbor.  If Jesus names these as encompassing all of the law and the prophets, it would stand to reason that our obedience of faith is a call to love.

At Christmas, we most often see the love of God and neighbor intertwined.  Our walls are lowered and we find a peace in our hearts toward the other to even see them (for a moment) as family.

We may even find at this time of year that when the conditions are right, we can view the other as something more.  We remember that Jesus was able to hold affection for the other as Mother (and brother and sister).  May this be our call to obedience as Christmas comes again this year.

Prayer: Ever-faithful God, we give thanks that you reach out to all the world.  We find it easy to celebrate your grace when it is directed our way but we also must confess: we sometimes find it tiresome when your eye turns toward those to whom we feel do not deserve it.  Help us to discover that our similarities outweigh our differences.  And in this realization, may we be obedient to your gospel call!  We pray these things in the name of Jesus the Christ, who is born to give life to all your children.  Amen.

Photo by Jeremy Bronson via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Third Sunday of Advent - Gentleness

Lectionary Reading for the Third Sunday of Advent: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Today's reading has a lot of good advice but at times may be daunting.  There are certainly situations when it is difficult to "rejoice always" and I am also reminded by the words of the teacher from Ecclesiastes who also tells us that some circumstances call for weeping and mourning.

But I must also ask myself if this becomes a cop out to disregard the advice entirely.  If it isn't possible all the time, then I don't have to think about what it means in the in-between times.

Sometimes the size of our joy can be intimidating

Or do I?

What really stands out to me from our passage is verse 19 which states, "Do not quench the Spirit."  How often do we rain on the parade with our attitude?  I've encountered energy-vampires over the years who tend to turn an eye toward whatever negative possibilities might arise. 

To rejoice always doesn't mean to be over-the-top and insensitive to people who are struggling.  But rather, I see it as operating with a gentleness that allows the Holy Spirit to lift up others through our actions.  Rather than being irritatingly optimistic, what would it mean to tip the balance of a situation toward good cheer?  This often requires a gentle touch which may take some practice for some of us!

Prayer: Gentle Spirit, help us to remain in an attitude of prayer that surrounds us, lifts us, encourages us, and leads us toward the words that may be the most helpful in any situation.  And as we help raise the general mood in the room, let us rejoice as we wait!  We pray this in the name of the Christ who calls us to accountability even for our outlook.  Amen.

 

Photo by This Year's Love via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Second Sunday of Advent - Patience

Lectionary Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

Time is relative - not yet but already here

The lectionary readings for Advent often have apocalyptic themes in them.  Growing up, I had relatives and other adults that I would encounter that looked at the end times scriptures more literally and believed that we were living in the final days.  One way these folks would have adjusted REM's well-known song about "the end of the world as we know it" would have been to replace the refrain of "and I feel fine" with "and you should be more anxious about this!"

But there are ways to read these texts with a wider vision that calls us to stop and ponder our lives with a spiritual eye.

Today's passage tells us something about God.  As Christians under persecution in that day may have longed for the return of Jesus Christ to set things right, this epistle bids them to be patient.  The rationale is that God is interested in saving every last one of us.  

This reminds us of Wesley's prevenient grace that sees all people as children of God whether they acknowledge it or not.  As we approach advent, it may be that we need to exercise patience with others.  We are more irritable when stressed and less likely to respond with the understanding we need.  If others react poorly during this season, we might ask the question, "What kind of anxiety might they be under?"

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for being patient with me.  There are many times when "child of God" rather than "adult in Christ" unfortunately applies.  And as I recognize and receive the forgiveness in Jesus, may I seek to be patient with others, acknowledging that you are still working on them just as you are working on me.  May I be your instrument of love at just the right moments as we approach Christmas.  I pray this in the name of Jesus who loves me even when I don't acknowledge it.  Amen.

 

Photo by JD via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.