Haiti Response

In this aftermath of the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, my heart and mind have joined millions of others in sorrow and in the need to respond. I am so glad that I am part of a church that leads me through this in a faithful way. First, we know that God in Christ Jesus knows suffering and is an abiding presence in tragedy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote “only the suffering God can help.” We know a God who brings redemption out of the depths of human suffering and deprivation. As United Methodists, we know our church to be on task before the press arrives to tell us of the human needs as a result of the crisis. Aware of this, I have found a place of peace as I seek ways to respond and to lead others to open their hearts to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

We pray and we offer gifts of caring. To date, we have sent over $9,000 and 134 health kits to UMCOR. Today, we packaged 20,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now to distribute in Haiti and there are more opportunities to respond being planned for the days to come and I know our generous congregation will. United Methodists everywhere are responding in numerous and creative ways and for this I give thanks.

However, it was a conversation that I had with my son that has given me the most encouragement. About ten years ago, he was part of a mission team that did construction in Jeremie, Haiti and he now wants to return to this broken country to be part of the recovery process. This is not only a faithful response, but also a sign of hope for a world that needs young adults accepting the responsibility to care for God’s hurting people. May he find a way to do so.

Social Media

I share a status on Facebook. I put tweets on Twitter. I post to a blog. I, obviously, have become part of social media. Why? To explore how this might be an effective communication tool for ministry. What have I discovered?

Facebook is a great way for me to connect with church members whom I might not regularly have an opportunity to know what is happening in their lives and I can respond to pastoral concerns in a timely way. I sense that I have a better understanding of what is happening in my FB friends lives which is certainly significant as I give shape to our programs and ministry. The fan pages give me lots of important current information that can also helpful to this end. Sharing some things about my personal life seems to offer an opportunity for others to know me somewhat better and feel more connected to me. My sharing with family and friends beyond First UMC is not only fun, but also reminds me I do have a good life beyond the church and this is certainly healthy for my being. Brandon Taylor, our youth director, used Facebook to keep parents and church member informed of a recent ski trip that was wrought with frustrations.

One hundred and forty characters can be powerful. Careful choice of words for Twitter tweets in this quick read culture can mean making a meaningful statement about a variety of issues. Many of my tweets include a link to a longer post that offers more insight about the topic. I follow a wide variety of Twitterers for information and understanding of trends and find my mind constantly trying to process what is happening in relation to my faith. This week, I have gathered a lot of Haiti disaster response information without having to search numerous websites. Thanks to James Sturgeon, First Church regularly uses Facebook and Twitter as a means of communicating and we are growing into how this can be an effective way of connecting.

Nearly five years ago I began writing a blog, A Pilgrim’s Perspective, and after 631 posts I still find this to be good way to create a conversation about issues that are challenging me. This time of personal reflection is often very directive to my spiritual journey. I also enjoy regularly reading other blogs and especially enjoy the Wesley Report and God’s Politics.

Although I enjoy social media and find it to be a new frontier that is offering all sorts of possibilities, I have discovered that the number of books read during the last six months has decreased. The stack of books by my bed is growing and I think some of them are just as or more important than Facebook etc. It’s time to visit some of my favorite authors.

Connect the Dots

Connect the dots has been the overused phrase of the week and I am ready for it to go away. However, it did give me a good focus for reflection during my road trip this past week. My life seems to have a lot of dots that aren’t always connected and this often leaves me sensing a great disconnect, another trendy word. My failure to post to this blog for many weeks is representative of how I am not reflecting and connecting the happenings of the world to my understanding of God as known through Jesus Christ. A new year offers the opportunity for new beginnings.

Tomorrow is known as Baptism of the Lord Sunday, a remembrance of new life. The story of the baptism in the Jordan is our story as it is that of Jesus of carpenter. It is a story about our foundational identity. As Jesus is immersed, a heavenly voice is heard: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22) Not only is he called, son, God’s own child, but also beloved. In these simple words, the truth of spiritual life is revealed. We are God’s children, created in the divine image and likeness, and we are beloved. Our being has infinite worth. So as we are invited to renew our baptism, we connect to whose and who we are. This act nurtures the next stage of our spiritual journey. May it be for you and for me.