Fourth of July

Our Fourth of July was enjoyed at home doing a few little housekeeping projects, preparing some traditional holiday food and attacking the to-read stack of books and magazines. With the darkness of night, fireworks lighted the neighborhood sky and we walked the streets to experience their beauty and sounds. What a great way to appreciate the freedom we have to make choices as to how we spend all of our days.

In honor of the day, I once again read some of American Gospel by Jon Meacham. It is one of a number of very interesting books that have been written in recent years about those who are known as the heroes of the American Revolution. The incredible stories of these Founding Fathers have given me a greater appreciation of their commitment to and understanding of human rights. Meacham reminds us that “faith and freedom were inextricably linked from the beginning.” Belief in God was central to the making of this nation, yet faith was a matter of choice. The issues that surround this basic tenet have almost continuously been a source of debate and sometimes misinterpretation. It would seem that in this presidential election year, it would be important for us to untangle the web of misconception about church and state by studying our past and learning what it really means to us today.

Three Years

I failed to note recently that I have now been a blogger for three years and this is my 530th post. As I review the variety of topics explored, it interests me what I have chosen to use and not use. Obviously, personal relationships are important to me as is my ministry. Life's journey takes many twists and turns, but intentionally claiming it as a walk with God is my focus. My passion for social justice emerges from time to time, but never as much as it should. The intent of this blog is to share some of what I am thinking and reading and to encourage conversation about some of them. I have discovered that having others share my pilgrimage in this blog helps me find my way. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Computer Brain

The land of blogs takes me at times to some interesting and inviting places. Such was the case today when I read Larry Hollen’s comments about a recent article in The Atlantic Monthly. I had to follow the link to it and read for myself about what the Internet is doing to our brains. I really think there may be some truth in it when I think about my own current scattered reading habits. I just thought it was a matter of aging. Also, I have found that I have to compose my thoughts on a keyboard versus the once favored yellow tablet. Apparently as we increasingly use a computer a different kind of thinking process is beginning to shape us and one wonders where this is leading us. The author, Nicholas Carr theorizes that “as we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence.” Being of a generation that values reading, I tend to agree with this observation included within the article:

“In the quiet spaces opened up by the sustained, undistracted reading of a book, or by any other act of contemplation, for that matter, we make our own associations, draw our own inferences and analogies, foster our own ideas. Deep reading, as Maryanne Wolf argues, is indistinguishable from deep thinking.

If we lose those quiet spaces…we will sacrifice something important not only in our- selves but in our culture.”

Personally, I trust that we can find a way to use both deep reading and Google power to shape our thoughts. I will be interested in what others think.

Vacation Bible School - 2008

This is Vacation Bible School Week at First UMC. As usual, it is a special time for all who participate and it is wonderful to see the number of families that are present. We have a great group of volunteers who provide the leadership and are committed to making this a good experience for all. Once again I observe that this is a model of congregational leadership that we should follow more often in the life together. First, the core leaders seem to listen carefully to the needs of the people and tell the story within that context. Such as, having an evening event for all ages with a meal is our format. They study the curriculum and make sure the key points are truly the focus of learning and work collaboratively to call forth each volunteer’s gifts as they plan each year’s VBS. The director serves one year and the assistant becomes the director the following year. The retiring director serves as an advisor.

Our leaders know the value of good communication. From publicity to instructions, we all know what’s happening. Once again we have a number of persons from the community including several families who are vacationing in Myrtle Beach. Over the years, VBS has been the introductory visit for quite a few new members. Careful evaluation means some tweaking for the next year. I especially appreciate being able to fulfill the role as spiritual leader and to empower those who share their leadership gifts so generously. How can we duplicate this healthy pattern for successful ministry in other areas of our congregational life?

Remembering

As noted previously, Wendell Berry’s prose and poetry speak to my soul. So, when Amazon told me that I might like to purchase another of his books from them, I couldn’t resist. Remembering is the account of one of Port William’s members, Andy Catlett, as he spends a long day in San Francisco 'remembering' his life and experiences. The loss of a hand to a corn picker has led him into a dark time. Depressed by the state of farming as defined by agribusiness terms and the deterioration of community, Andy begins to reclaim his identity through his memories of people, places and events of the past. I especially enjoyed his encounter with the Ohio State educated farmer followed by his visit with an Amish farmer. Remembering my own connection to farming and community added to my appreciation of this beautifully written book. However, it is worth reading by all who are seeking to know the value of place in their lives.

Tim Russert

It has been a week since I first saw the shocking news that Tim Russert had died. Like many, many people I sensed a personal loss and watched with great interest as a public time of mourning unfolded. As a news junkie, I looked forward to Tim’s take on the political scene. He seemed to ask the questions that I wanted answered and did so in a civil manner. Delightfully, he was more than a political reporter. He was a husband, father, son, friend and a faithful Catholic who revealed his humanity to us. Tim demonstrated again and again that he remembered who he was in an honest and forthright manner. Because he shared these parts of his life with us, it hurt our hearts when he passed and we realized that he would no longer appear on our television screens to express his insights about our political world. His exuberant joy about all that was his life was contagious and helped us remember who we are. What a legacy!

Although I have given Tim Russert’s death much thought during this past week as the many words of eulogy poured forth, it was his apparent failure to fully take care of his health that really caught my attention. Medication does not take the place of healthy habits of eating, exercising and resting. Like Tim and others, I am always going to make sure I do that tomorrow. Since I want to know tomorrow, I better get serious about these things.

Food for Thought

Food has become a subject of headlines and we who have never given much thought to the complexity of this topic are beginning to understand the ethics of eating. As such issues of hunger, health, environment, justice, and globalization come to the table with us, we are now hearing the call to claim a theology of eating. This certainly could be the focus of many blog postings, so I offer this thought from author and theologian, Joan Chittister, as a beginning point:

“Food connects us to nature, to ourselves, to the future. It must never be taken lightly. Everything we eat is either developing us or destroying us. When we chose what we eat, it is an act of creation second only to the conception of life.”

Annual Conference 2008

With the theme “Dare to Change the World”, South Carolina Methodists met in Florence for our Annual Conference this past week. Bishop Taylor led us in worship and business as we sought to chart our course into the future. Although there were no headline grabbing agenda items, the challenge for us to be faithful in and through our ministries was certainly put before us. Changing the world begins with expressions of grace – love, mercy, justice and peace. The traditional opening hymn for Annual Conference is Charles Wesley’s “And Are we Yet Alive”. I often think that we should use it as our closing hymn to evaluate our time spent together.

An Old Friend

The Class of ’63 is planning a reunion. That means we are searching the Internet and other sources for classmate addresses and contacting one another in the hope of reconnecting. I will not be able to attend this event as it is VBS week at First Church. However, this past weekend I was able to experience a little bit of what will be a special time for those who will be present. Chuck Ritenour, who I have known since 4th grade, sailed up the Intracoastal Waterway for a visit. Currently, he is living on his boat and is on his way to the Norfolk area where he will dock and then journey to Washington C.H. for the reunion.

It was so interesting to hear how an Ohio farm boy has become such an adventurer, especially a sailor. Listening to inner voices and allowing circumstances to shape this style of living, Chuck seems to be enjoying retirement to its fullest. I also enjoyed taking that proverbial trip down memory lane as together we remembered people and events from the past. It was even good to hear someone call me Jeannie. Only Ohio friends and family know me by that name. Old friends are truly like gold.

Family Travel

Our son, Robert, and his wife, Kristen, enjoy travel adventures and are teaching their children to appreciate them, also. This year they wanted to see not only New York City, but also some other areas of the state. After investigating airline fares, they decided to have a real plane, train, automobile experience. They flew to Buffalo and in the following days traveled across the state to NYC. To this mother’s delight, they documented this trip each day on a blog, Family Matters. It has been great fun to follow their itinerary in this way and to imagine what Annaka and Jack might be saying. This kind of real time postcard truly says “wish you were here.” I can’t wait to hear their commentary on the sights and experiences. Accolades to Rob and Kristen for choosing many kid-friendly places too visit.

One of the last destinations for these Osbornes was to visit the Dickson family farm in Verbank. This is the farm that was established by Annaka and Jack’s great-great-great grandfather. I, too, have wonderful childhood memories of visits to this special place and am glad that they had the opportunity to play where many of their ancestors have worked and lived. What a rich and wonderful vacation they have had!

Real Heroes

My son, Robert, introduced me to author J.R.R. Tolkien a number of years ago and I often think of his writings when there is conversation about the importance of community and how it offers support during difficult times. Tolkien created a fantasy world called Middle Earth as the setting for his Lord of the Rings trilogy. He raises the question of what makes a person a hero. The work supplies a simple answer: A hero is not necessarily the person with the biggest sword; rather, a hero is the person with the biggest heart who is willing to sacrifice for others. While powerful forces of good and evil are fighting a war to determine the entire future of Middle Earth, the true heroes are the hobbits, Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee. As a Christian I know that our faith community calls us to make the right choices as we live in relationship with one another. Sometimes, this means we may become a hero or encourage someone else to be one. Isn’t it great to know that we are not in isolation when bad things occur and that heroes can be ordinary people living in the moment?

Time Well Spent

Last week our DISCIPLE study group had their final gathering. It was truly an act of commitment for us to arrange our schedules to share a meal and Holy Communion. As always this was a special time as we explored the theme word – Remember - for this particular session. In doing so, we realized how important we have become to one another and that we have claimed sacred scripture as the basis for our discipleship in new and exciting ways. One of the highlights of our year was to have two group members become engaged to one another. Of course, sharing prayer concerns and moments of personal insight bound us together and connected us with God in a special way. Now the challenge is to convince others to be a part of DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY during the coming year. Why?

From one of my previous postings:
In today’s bullet and sound-byte culture, it seems to be difficult to help persons understand that in-depth Bible study is important to their spiritual growth and that it is important to the life of the church. Repeatedly, I hear “don’t you have a short-term study, one that doesn’t require a lot of reading?” Yes, periodically we do Bible study “lite” and it introduces participants to some basic understandings. However, this encounter with the Word is not long enough to let the stories become our stories. To be nurtured in the faith stories requires discipline of reading and prayer. Developing learning relationships – students and teachers with God and with one another – is the essential frame for all educational ministries. This means that we need to be a part of an intentional spiritual community. I continue to believe that DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY is a model that does this and functions as a building block not only for individuals, but also for the congregation.

Back in Time

As I watched our grandsons,William and Ethan, play at Sunset Beach last Friday, wonderful memories of beach times through the years filled my thoughts. Most of them were of our sons, Robert and Daniel, at Lewes, DE and Sunset Beach, NC. This second picture is of Dan (William and Ethan's father) and Robert enjoying the sandy beach at Cape Henlopen in 1976. It just seems like yesterday!

This I Believe - Part Two

Following confirmation a week ago Sunday, Ron and I drove to Ohio to visit my parents. Along the way we listened to the audio book, This I Believe. This compilation of essays from both the original and current radio broadcasts of personal reflections on beliefs and philosophies captivated our hearts and minds as we traveled. Voices of ordinary and extraordinary people revealed positive insights shaped by a variety of experiences. We especially enjoyed the timeless thoughts of persons like Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson and Edward R. Murrow. Their personal creeds are based on both religious and cultural understanding of salvation. These expressions of love and liberty are often a call to action or at least a mandate to name those beliefs that shape and define us. How amazing that this experience followed on the heels of confirmation thoughts and was on the way to Ohio, the birthplace of my most formative beliefs and values. This trip soon became more than visiting family and memories; it became an important journey to clearer self-understanding. (Tim, I think this might qualify for a God Wink.)

This I Believe

This past Sunday the affirmation of faith that was used in our worship services was written by our sixth graders as part of their preparation for confirmation. This creed is a compilation of their individual thoughts and beliefs. Each year as I assist these young minds to articulate their beliefs, I find myself reviewing those things that name my faith. This year my thoughts seem to focus on the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit and how this allows me to face the challenges of each day. Realizing how important this exercise can be, I think that we should probably encourage all church members to periodically examine their personal beliefs and to bear witness to them much like the confirmation experience. As we tell the youth, confirmation does not conclude the faith journey. It is just one stop along the way as we move toward the Christian Perfection as known by John Wesley.



to be continued

The Holy Mystery

We are in Ohio this week visiting my parents. Although I haven’t posted a blog lately, I have been pondering several different topics. Today, I am borrowing from Theolog as a focus for thought. The author says:

When you ask a Protestant patient what you can do for him, he’s likely to say, “You can pray for me.” Ask a Catholic and she’s likely to say, “I’d like to have communion." more

Communion remains very much a mystery to many United Methodists. Understanding it as a Holy Mystery can lead us into a richer relationship with our Lord. Perhaps we have been negligent in offering this opportunity within our churches?

Our Summer Intern

Meet Laura, our summer field experience student from Duke Divinity School. We had a delightful introductory visit last evening. Today we will make sure that we are fully oriented for this experience and make plans for her Myrtle Beach summer. I think this will be a good summer for all.

Weary Days

We all have them...days when we feel so physically, mentally, emotionally tired that we are also spiritually tired. I once heard a woman say, “I am tired – way down into next year.” Recently, I admit that I have been feeling a bit like that. So, it was a special moment when I read this passage. “…Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well.” (John 4:6) Whenever the journey becomes overwhelming, Jesus gives an example to follow. He was weary, so he sat down and rested. It was as though I had permission not only to be tired, but also to rest. I also heard the invitation – “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) So, with a long list of things to do I stopped last evening and rested. This morning the list remains, but I certainly feel better equipped to continue the journey. Why is this such a hard lesson to learn for some of us?

General Conference News

As the 2008 General Conference comes to a close, I share a few of the stories that have caught my attention.

Our mission statement has been expanded to read - "...to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." Bishop Gregory Palmer's comments about how this is the "why"we make disciples and a fulfillment of Wesleyan thought make sense to me.

A committee was authorized to develop a new hymnal that will be presented to the 2012 General Conference for approval. Already I can hear the lively discussion about what will or will not be included.

Membership vows will now include the promise to be faithful in "their witness". I look forward to observing how congregations will interpret and fulfill this vow.

The Judicial Council elected its first woman president. Susan Henry-Crowe is an elder in the South Carolina Conference who currently serves as dean of Cannon Chapel at Emory University. It is nice to know people in high places and to be confident in their ability to serve.

The Study of Ministry will be continued for the next four years. Although I understand the concerns by some United Methodists that we need to move forward with some significant changes, I believe that we should continue the discussion as to have a clearer understanding of the orders before major legislation is introduced.

Once again General Conference has agonized over the issues that surround homosexuality and apparently has maintained its current stance. Isn't it interesting that Jesus never spoke of this matter, yet we choose to engage in such painful, devisive dialogue about it?

Not only have I enjoyed being part of General Conference through the coverage found at www.umc.org, but also through several delegate's blogs. Again, I refer you to Stephan Taylor's blog for an insight into a delegate's experience. I give thanks for those who have so faithfully served our church.

Dreams

I seem to be dreaming a lot lately or at least remembering my dreams as I awake. Although I do not keep dream journals or think that there is great meaning in them, I do understand that they indicate that I may be unusually concerned by certain situations or events in my life. So, I find it important to name them and give them prayerful attention if I am to have restful sleep. It is interesting how dreams seem to weave stories of our past and present together. Are they omens of the future? Maybe, if we don’t handle them with care.

My current dreams seem to focus on tests….ones for which I have not studied or have studied the wrong material. This may be because my e-Christian Ed students at Columbia College are at the end of their semester and some are not ready for their final assignments. Yet, these dreams do lead me to thinking about whether I am ready for the tests in my life. I am a dedicated student, but sometimes I wonder if I have studied the wrong things or have not fully engaged in the process of learning with openness and discernment. When tested, I see only one answer and if that doesn't work I don't always know an alternative one. Therefore, these dreams about tests may be reflective of a need to claim God's gifts of a searching heart and questioning mind. Perhaps dreams are just another way to discover life-giving truths for the journey.