This and That

As I read the news from General Conference and some delegate blogs, I am impressed by the legislative process and the evidence of detailed planning for this important event. This should not be a surprise as we are Methodists. The worship experiences must be awesome! I encourage others to follow the happenings at GC and to be in prayer for the delegates.


I was part of a training team for a Safe Sanctuary workshop in Florence this past Saturday. We had some challenges, but we were pleased with the response of the participants. We not longer have to spend a lot of time convincing people that such policies need to exist. Churches just want to know what they should include and how to implement them. Much of what we discussed may be found on the SC Conference website. One frightening statistic that we quote certainly reminds me why I am spending several days doing this training. It is that by the time of conviction, pedophiles average over 200 victims.

Yesterday, we sang Whispering Hope during our worship. It is one of those hymns that you love or really dislike. If it evokes good memories of persons and events of the past, one probably feels a tug at the heart when singing it. If it has not been part of ones faith tradition, it probably is not appreciated as it does not reflect current tastes in music. All of this reminded me of how important it is to carefully select music when planning worship. Personal favorites may not be the congregation's choice for inspiring worship.

Earth Day 2008

“The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects” – Thomas Berry

This quote introduced me to the writings of Thomas Berry and helped me focus my thinking as we planned for celebrating Earth Day Sunday at First UMC. In a society that champions individualism, the concept of interdependent living is a challenge for many to accept. Understanding Earth as sacred community is the reality we need to embrace. Our Environmental Stewardship Committee led this effort to reflect on God’s creation and our place in it. From music and liturgy to scripture and sermons, we were reminded that we live in a divine world, one that we are called to maintain. We also enjoyed lunch on the lawn, a great opportunity for fellowship and a reminder of the importance of living in community.

For several months, Evening Thoughts by Thomas Berry has been part of my bedtime reading. Almost ritualistically, I have read a few pages of it for personal reflection. Fascinated by Berry’s thought process and use of language, I have found my own thinking to be challenged and expanded. This eco-theologian calls us to be a part of this time of confronting the integral well-being of the Earth. All creatures of Earth are looking to us for their destiny. He reminds us that “our children and grandchildren depend on our decisions for the sustenance and flourishing of the life systems of the planet.”

At the conclusion of the book, the editor included “An Intellectual Biography of Thomas Berry” which in itself is interesting reading. This leads me to wonder what my intellectual biography might say? I hope it is still being written.

Interesting Reading

Larry Hollen has another blog posting which has caused me to think about how we live our lives even in the church. Toxic Niceness seems to allow bullying and lying to define too many relationships. He says, "There is a place for niceness in the workplace and the family but it must be authentic and not a mask for false equilibrium. It shouldn’t cover up dysfunction. It must be accompanied by truthfulness, responsibility and accountability"

I think it is interesting that the topic of toxic niceness leads me to thoughts of the upcoming General Conference. South Carolina delegates - Tim McClendon, Kathy James and Stephen Taylor - have been busy reading, reading and reading proposed legislation in preparation for it. Tim is also seeking election as bishop this year. Their blogs have been insightful to what is happening and each welcome our thoughts.

A Few More Thoughts

I am still processing some of the information and thoughts presented at Caring for Creation. Although the urgency to be more environmentally responsible was at the forefront of most presentations, there was also a strong message of hope. This hope can be realized by doing simple things to reduce energy consumption which in turn means burning less fossil fuels, the major contributor to the climate crisis that is looming over us.

Some of the simple things that I am trying to incorporate into my life include:

• Change a light as one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light saves 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
  
  
• Lower the thermostat 2 degrees in the winter and raise it by 2 degrees in summer saves 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide.
  
  
• Recycle more as I can save 2400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling half of household waste.
  
  
• Plant a tree as it will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
  
  
• Turn off electronic devices when not using them as this becomes a major saving of carbon dioxide.
  
  
• Think globally, eat locally. I can save about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide by supplying 25% of our food from local sources. (I guess that means lots of sweet potatoes.)
  
  
• Encourage others to adopt similar practices.

Coach Jean

I have been blessed to have a wide variety of opportunities in and through my ministry. Coaching is one of the more recent ones. Last fall I began training to be a coach for those trying to discover what it is that God wants in their lives and to help them succeed at doing it. (Oct.4, 2007) This week I concluded phase one of this undertaking with more training. It has been six months of wondering about the value of coaching and whether it is what I need to be doing. However, as we gathered and shared our experiences it became clearer to me that perhaps this will help me fulfill the call I have to prepare the way for those who follow in the ministry of the deacon. I sensed God’s grace as I realized the ineffectiveness of my efforts with my guinea pigs – Kyle and Melissa. I will ask for their forgiveness and move forward with phase two. I think I better understand what it is that I need to do to be a better coach and look forward to my next assignment. My friend, Kathy, also has some interesting comments about this experience.

However, I still wonder why we need to create this artificial relationship between peers. Why can’t we just ask supporting and encouraging questions of one another as we walk along the way? Somehow we have created a culture that plays life like a game and the winners have good coaches. Tom, I can’t wait for your response.

A Great Book!

As I continue to reflect on what I heard at Caring for Creation and try to understand what this means to me, I keep thinking about this quote from St. Augustine that was used:

"Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Note it. Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead He set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that?”

While traveling from the mighty ocean to the pale green mountains last weekend and seeing wisteria, dogwood, redbud, azaleas, and daffodils blooming, the beauty of God’s creation unfolds before us and words of praise are on our lips. “O Lord, how manifold are your works!” (Psalm 104.24) Gentle rain and bright rainbows, songbirds and butterflies, mountains and streams – all are evidence of God’s creating presence and steadfast love. The vastness of the sky reveals life eternal and a voice calling us to faithful, sustainable living is heard.

Next year's Caring for Creation at Lake Junaluska will be March 5-8, 2009. I invite you to join us there.

Look at the World

After listening to the speakers and participants at Caring for Creation, I realize how much more I need to understand about the scope of the topics presented and to make a greater commitment to environmental well-being through personal lifestyle choices. Ron and I had much to discuss as we traveled back to Myrtle Beach and I am sure that certain aspects of that conversation will become part of this blog in days ahead.

Quite appropriately, worship concluded the conference. A choral ensemble from First UMC in Waynesville introduced me to a John Rutter anthem, “Look at the World,” which was wonderfully uplifting. Bishop Kenneth Carder’s sermon text was Matthew 6:25-33 – “Consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.” He reminded us that creation is God’s house and we are the servants called to care for all creation. Our response was the new Social Creed being proposed at General Conference. The benediction to go forth and serve the Lord by caring for creation was received with commitment and renewal of spirit.

Caring for Creation

This weekend Ron and I are attending Caring for Creation, a conference at Lake Junaluska that promotes care and justice for Earth and its people. For the past two years, Ron has found this event to be very important to his understanding of how the faith community needs to be involved in these issues. This year he encouraged me to participate and after observing his efforts to make environmental issues matters of faith, I could not refuse. It is unique for me to be the tag-along at a church-type conference. That is usually Ron’s role.

However, I have encountered folks I know and especially have been pleased to visit with Thomas Henderson who after a nearly tragic accident has been able to return to his passion for creating a sustainable culture as it relates to agriculture. He is a walking, talking miracle. He would love to offer South Carolina a program on some of the work he has done in several different settings. I will welcome any thoughts about this.

We ate breakfast this morning with some folks from Broad St. UMC in Kingsport, TN. (By the way, they are very excited to have Clark Jenkins as their senior minister). They were sharing some of the ways their congregation is becoming more eco-friendly, but said that they are having to proceed slowly because older people don’t like change. Then, almost immediately we all decided that this might not be the age group which is hindering progress for most of the attendees of this conference are 55 and older. Also, many older adults have known rural life, minimal consumerism and a simpler lifestyle. They have an appreciation for the impact of nature on their lives that comes from life experiences. Just think of all the changes older adults have seen in their lives. It is probably the younger generations who have a more difficult time changing. Just a thought.

God and Mammon

As economic and environmental matters dominate the headlines, we are being made aware of our passion to possess and the false standard of a good life based on accumulation. The Gospel of Matthew says that “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (6:24) How can we embrace an authentic response to the gospel? Maybe this prayer by Joyce M. Shutt gives some direction.

Consumers’ Prayer*

throwaway bottles
throwaway cans
throwaway friendships
throwaway fans

disposable diapers
disposable plates
disposable people
disposable wastes

instant puddings
instant rice
instant intimacy
instant ice

plastic dishes
plastic laces
plastic flowers
plastic faces

Lord of the living
transcending our lies
infuse us with meaning
recycle our lives

*Living More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre (Scottdadale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1980), 14.