Happy New Year with Hope

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1, NRSV)

Isaiah spoke to the Israelites as they returned from exile to find their beloved Jerusalem in ruins. The message was one of light, hope, and abundance. Isaiah called the people to remain faithful to God and reminded them that, "the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you."

As we move into 2010, we also need to hear a word of hope. The season of Christmas brought us once again to the angels' declaration of, "peace on earth and good will to all humanity." In spite of this, we live in a world torn apart by war while we cry out for peace. While our personal circumstances may be comfortable, we are surrounded by men, women, and children who are hungry, homeless, and without hope. Though many of us celebrated the season of light this Christmas, there are many others sitting in the darkness of grief, sorrow, and great loss.

Many years ago I found myself in a very dark place covered in sadness and hopelessness. I had given up on God's plan and descended into a place where God could not find me. Family and friends could not reach me in this place, but they kept praying and loving me until God's light found its way into my darkness and hope returned to lead me home. I believe this is what Isaiah is doing…he is affirming God's promise to a people lost in darkness. He says to them, and to us, "Don't give up hope. Just because you can't see the light doesn't mean it's not there. Keep praying, trusting, and reaching toward the light of God's love."

In a recent Sunday school class discussion, we talked about how we have only a limited view of what God sees completely. The meaning of events in our lives cannot be completely understood until God's work is completed. What we may view as injustice, disaster, or tragedy should remind us that people of faith trust that the Lord's work is not yet complete. We wait for its fulfillment. In other words, we may bring lemons to the party, but God will eventually make lemonade. No matter what, there is always hope for a future filled with the bright Light of God.

I realize that this view of the world may offer small comfort when we are in the midst of our own grief; in fact, this may offer little immediate relief for our sadness or anesthetic for our pain. But, our Christian view of God who is still present – Emmanuel, God with us – and still in control can bring us to gradual acceptance of the fact that we cannot see the whole picture. It can help us to release our hopelessness into the hands of our God of hope.

Frank Johnson writes, "God does not cause hurt or will the suffering of innocent persons. But, when these events occur they must be understood within the larger framework of our lives. God can turn sorrow into joy, defeat into victory, and death into life. Faith in God involves patience, trust, and confidence that God will prevail."

Today I pray that we will begin the year filled with hope, confident in God's abundance, and looking to His Light. We cannot see what the future holds, nor should we try to speculate; what we can rely on is a God who knows exactly how things will work out for us. One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11 – "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." This is a certainty – "surely" – God has a plan for the welfare of each one of his children; a future of hope, not harm. Wow! Every time I call on that passage I am overwhelmed with wonder at the awesomeness of the God who loves me that much. With the certainty of that promise, I have no worries about what the future holds. This is the way I choose to greet January 2010 – with the sure and certain hope that God's plans are perfect. It doesn't matter that we don't see everything that God sees; we trust that God's vision is better than ours. "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." Isaiah was right to offer this message of hope. It is a message for a Happy New Year for Christians everywhere!

God bless,
Pastor Don

Expectation

The new TV series, "Flash Forward" posits the idea that the entire world blacks out at the same time and everyone is given a vision (a flash forward) of their future on a particular date. Then we go on to see if this knowledge actually changes anyone's behavior. Personally, I lost interest in the TV show after the first episode, but the premise stuck with me. What if we had a vision of the future? Would it change the way we behave? The truth is, we do have a vision of the future - God's vision of the coming kingdom and our place in it. So, do we behave any differently because of this vision? I sometimes wonder.

As we work our way through this first week of Advent, we are called to prepare ourselves; we are called to expect something great in the next few weeks; we are called to be ready for this great expectation. The problem seems to be that our culture is calling us to be involved in everything but preparation for the arrival of the Christ Child. Shopping for Christmas gifts that are too expensive and often not what they wanted. Decorating our homes and businesses with lights and glitter so that we outshine our neighbors and appear to be the best dressed house in town. Sending out boxed Christmas cards, or "holiday cards", and those endless and inane newsy letters that nobody wants to read. These are the things that occupy the precious four weeks of Advent until, before you know it, Christmas is here and you aren't ready for Jesus to enter in at all. We lament, where did the time go? We can't believe that Christmas got here so fast. We struggle to get everything done that our culture demands of us. All the while, Jesus is waiting for us to invite him into the celebration. Jesus is wondering what we expect when we can't seem to focus on what is truly important about this time of year. What is it we expect?

Do you expect to meet the Living Christ this Christmas? Do you expect to be transformed? Do you expect your life to change because of Jesus Christ? Do expect to behave differently because of the vision God has for your future? Do you expect anything special at all this Christmas? I truly believe that Christmas is in the eyes of our expectations. What do you expect this Christmas?

‘Tis the Season

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else."
(1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV)

Last night we held our Annual Church Conference and spent a lot of time celebrating the mission and ministry of our church. We also talked about our Strategic Plan and how we want to implement it as we prepare to enter a new year. As I write this article, we are still planning for Thanksgiving and the Advent Season; we are finalizing details for many special services that lead us to Christmas. The thought of all this activity reminds me of how busy we tend to be at this time of year and how we are often torn between our Christianity and our humanity as we face the holiday season and all of its conflicting messages. I am also looking to the future to see ways that Paul's words to the Thessalonians challenge us to be God's people. I came across an article this morning written by Enuma Okoro who works as a spiritual formation director at Duke Divinity School. She writes: "Regardless of where we live, we share this one reality as Christians: the coming of Christ doesn't bring immediate peace. It brings conflict between two ways of life."

When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica he was writing to a group of Christians who were faced with trying to live the gospel in the midst of a culture that was hostile to their message and their way of life. His words echo across the centuries to us…living in the midst of a culture of consumerism, selfishness, and greed. We once again come to the season of love, the season of giving, with long wish lists from our children and grandchildren, a blitzkrieg of television ads, and messages from your pastor urging materialistic restraint and charitable generosity. What's a Christian to do?

First of all, listen to Paul's words to the Thessalonians. In fact, take a few minutes to read both of Paul's letters to this church; they only fill about eight pages and offer a lot of encouragement to struggling Christians. Paul tries very hard to help these people live their lives to please God, not to please this world. Much of his message centers on their need to keep doing God's work in the face of temptation, persecution, and their longing for Christ's return. Paul's message is the same for us today; no matter what, we have work to do for God's kingdom on earth.

This Christmas season seems like the perfect time to finalize the implantation of our Strategic Plan: "We will give Wednesdays back to God, for the sake of better homes, better families, a better Mangum, and a better world."

Each Wednesday evening we will offer a meal, free of charge, to anyone who comes to the church. Following the meal, there will be a variety of activities from which to choose. These will include: free childcare to enable adults to participate in other activities; children and youth games, music, and teaching; Bible study groups; life-skills training opportunities; choir practice; work on mission projects; and others, as needs and resources develop. In other words, we will allow "the Lord to make our love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else."

Now is the time to step up and be the person God created you to be; to accept God's call and the challenge to do the work that needs to be done. We need people to cook, to clean, to drive, to teach, and to share. We need you to commit your time, your talent, and your prayers to make this vision a reality that shines the Light of Christ all over this community. We simply cannot sit around and wait for Christ to come again; Christ is waiting for us to prepare a way in this wilderness that is our 21^st Century culture. There is nothing more important in our lives than doing this work; everything else will wait.

Sunday evening we gathered for dinner and a movie in Fellowship Hall. The meal was simple and delicious; it was prepared by several people so nobody was over-burdened. People sat at tables with people they didn't normally "hang-out" with; the conversation was interesting and the fellowship was a blessing. This event proves to me that our church is ready to spend more time together and willing to do whatever it takes to connect to one another and to our community. Let's keep this momentum going! Please volunteer to help; sign up at church; call the office; do whatever it takes to let us know how you want to be involved. I promise that we will be there with you as we all give Wednesdays back to God.

God bless,
Pastor Don

Time Together

Last night 46 members of our church gathered together for food, fellowship, and film. It was "Dinner and a Movie Night" at Mangum First United Methodist Church. There were people of all ages in the room and the conversation was lively and pleasant. People who don't normally "hang out" together shared a table for dinner. People who don't normally come out at night for church socials showed up this time. It was really great! The party was hosted by one Sunday school class and the whole church was invited. I think 46 people was awesome for this first effort.

The movie we watched was "Amazing Grace," the story of William Wilburforce and his efforts to abolish the slave trade in Great Britain in the last half of the 18th Century. It is a wonderful film, well-acted and well-produced; it is definitely worth two hours of your time to watch how many people are transformed in the process - clearly by the work of God in the midst of this horrific situation. Tears and applause at the end of the film are a great testimony.

I hope this will encourage other churches to try an event like this and plan to make it a regular feature. This is such a great time to share with church members, to enjoy good fellowship, and present a teachable moment through the many great Christian films that are available in the marketplace. Film is a powerful medium and we can do a lot with it in terms of enhancing our ministry in the local church.

Go forth and serve, my friends, in the name of Jesus Christ!
Pastor Don

Thanking God, No Matter What

Earlier this month we began looking at The Book of Job…

We started by talking about what it means to seek God when we are in pain…

That feeling of "Why me?' that sometimes overwhelms us…

Then we saw how we can encounter God only when we recognize that
we are not the center of Creation – God is…

We heard the story of Job as one of transformation; a story of relationship with God who does not abandon us even when we abandon God…

Today we begin to understand what it means to be truly thankful to God, no matter what is going on in our lives…

Let us pray:

Loving God, I thank you for the blessing of those who have taught me how to worship, trust, and be grateful. Help us, even when we are hurting or have lost everything, help us to hold on to the deep mystery of your love. Prepare our hearts now to hear your words. Amen.

Throughout the story of Job, conventional theology has called for Job to repent of the sins that caused him to be punished by God…

But, as we have discussed previously in this series, the story of Job challenges this Divine Retribution view of God…The idea that God rewards the faithful and punishes the wicked is blown apart in this story….

We know too many instances where the good suffer and the wicked prosper….

By the end of the story, Job does indeed repent…

The thing we need to notice is that Job doesn't repent of supposed sins that caused his misfortune…

He repents of his attitude toward God…

He asks God to forgive his arrogance and acknowledges God's great power and sovereignty.

Listen to our own sin when we speak in anger to God: "If you are in control, if you are so mighty and powerful, how could you let this happen to me?"

Therein lies the real sin…Blaming God for our misfortune…

God does not cause us to be in pain;
God does not take people away from us;
God does not punish us by making bad things happen to us.

However, when these things do happen in our lives, God can find ways to help us get through them and to learn valuable lessons from them…

It's not that God deliberately tests us or teaches us a lesson by these circumstances…

It's that God can take any situation and use it for our good; even when it is painful and we don't understand what's happening….

The lesson of Job is that we must give God sovereignty over our lives and trust that God knows best how things are going to work out…

This is the true nature of being thankful – trusting that God will work everything out according to God's plan and thanking God that we get to be part of what God is doing in the world.

Remember Paul's letter to the Thessalonians…

[1 Thessalonians 5:16-18]

No matter what happens, God wants us to be thankful for Jesus Christ who suffered more than we can ever imagine…

There are a lot of things in life that we do not understand…

But, we can understand these words from Paul:

It's not that God is so insecure that he needs to hear our constant thanks;

The point is – when bad things happen to us, it doesn't do any good to gripe or complain or feel sorry for ourselves, does it?

No. That only makes things worse.

When bad things happen we need to realize that there is an enemy out there who wants to steal our faith, our peace, and our joy…hasatán

Scripture tells us to resist this enemy and remain steadfast in our faith…

Giving thanks, no matter what, is a powerful way to resist the powers of evil
that come against us.

Even when we don't feel particularly thankful for the circumstances of our lives,
we can always be thankful for the love of God and
what God did for us through Jesus Christ.

Job was a person of faith who lost everything and wound up finding God more mysterious, intimate, and deep than ever before.

That was Job's miracle.

In the end, God restored Job's blessings two-fold.

There are times in our life simply to give thanks to God for God's deliverance
and the blessings on loan to us.

I read a story this week about a missionary who has spent a lot of time among impoverished people in Central America.

What's remarkable is their ability to worship and give thanks to God even in the midst of their poverty and hunger.

These people share their sorrows and their praise of God.

This missionary gives thanks because the people have allowed her to be transformed by their hospitality and worship.

What we learn from Job, and from these poor people in Central America, is that we should give less of our energy to the stresses of life, and more energy to celebrating God's goodness.

We all have times of pain and suffering; yet, these times are more tolerable when we are already in the habit of thanking God and praising God for everything we have.

Even Job began this story praising God in the midst of his misfortune; it wasn't until he began to listen to his friends' bad advice that he fell into the pit of total despair by crying out against God.

When we face devastation, we discover that all we have is God; and God is all we need.

What has come before is no more, but God endures.

And God will help us endure.

We know that one day God will heal us and restore us.

Until then, let us embrace the gift of discovering new, deeper meaning under the rubble of what we have lost.

Jennifer Graves, Duke Divinity School student

 

No matter what?
I'm supposed to seek God, no matter what
I'm supposed to find God, no matter what
I'm supposed to thank God, no matter what
It's difficult to see in the midst of what
GODISNOWHERE
seeing the forest of hope through the trees of what
hearing the voice of love through the din of hate
tasting the breath of life in the stew of death
GOD IS NOW HERE
No matter what!

 

No matter what happens, always be thankful to God.

Culture Re-defined

Jesus spent his life re-defining culture in God's image. This has always been a hard lesson for humanity to learn. When we are truly servant leaders, our convenience is not the priority. We do not cash-in on a promise to live a comfortable life when we begin to follow Jesus. Rather, we agree to put ourselves out so that others might be comforted.

Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows everything about us...better than even we do...particularly the desires of our heart. The psalmist also asks God to search our hearts and test our devotion to God. Life isn't about us; it's about what we do as children of God to be faithful to God's image in us.

When we honor God first in all that we do, we are assured of our ability to do what God wants for us. If we seek to honor ourselves, we will always fail.

Amen.

It's Friday...

Let's state the obvious - Today is Friday. What an astute observation. Coming at the end of this particular week, however, it is a welcome revelation of the obvious. The week is coming to a better end than it began. Spirits are higher, work is completed, and plans are being made. There will even be a relatively calm weekend.

Today I will finish my Sunday school lesson and rehearse Sunday's sermon - not terribly taxing. Then, this afternoon, we will attend a memorial service for a local gentleman who passed suddenly this week. Saturday is a planned day in and away from the world. We will cook and clean. We will read and relax. We will be ready for Sunday and will begin the new week refreshed.

I hope everyone enjoys such a day this week and that you are also refreshed and re-energized for whatever you encounter next week. May God bless you mightily.

And so it goes...

I just finished the first semon in my series on the Book of Job: "Seeking God, No Matter What." I am happy with it, though I know that God will have the final word on what I actually say come Sunday morning. I am seeking God in this process because I believe we have so much to learn from Job. It's about faithfulness, hope, and integrity. It's about God's passionate love for us; God is so passionate that we are never alone in the midst of our suffering - God is with us. We may not have the whirlwind visitation that Job sees, but we are visted...no matter what. For what it's worth, here is the manuscript version of this sermon. Obviously, the actual spoken word will be somewhat different and it will be posted next week. Pray for me that I hear God's message in my heart and that I faithfully preach God's Word.

MANUSCRIPT:

“Seeking God, No Matter What
No matter what? - #1
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
World Communion Sunday

During the month of October the Lectionary offers us the opportunity to confront a difficult text.
The Book of Job…
A challenging book of prose and poetry that cries out in the midst of human struggle, pain, and grief…
It challenges us to examine our image of God and our relationship with God, no matter what.
It is a text that ultimately leads us to an image of God that demonstrates faithfulness, hope, and integrity.

I have struggled this week over whether to embrace this opportunity and find a way to preach this text
with care, or to simply avoid it and move on to the Gospel readings.
I confess that I am tempted to take the second, simpler option.
God has a different plan and so we will explore the timeless story of Job in a series of three sermons
that ask the question – No matter what?

Let us pray:
O God, we come today seeking your face; we come seeking your hope and grace in the midst of an ungracious world. Faithful God, give us a higher degree of faith that will remove doubt and fear. Bring us to your message today and allow me to faithfully speak what you place in my heart. In Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen.

[Set the stage by story-telling Job 1:1 – 2:10]

The story of Job truly is about the presence of God in the midst of unimaginable pain, suffering, and injustice…
It isn’t really about why bad things happen to good people, though…
That is one of many common misunderstandings of this Book

Hebrew word: hasatán = “the satan,” not “Satan”; this is not a proper name, it is an office;
this is not the Devil of the New Testament
Not the story of the battle between good and evil; it is about God’s relationship with humanity.
If we focus only on the “why do bad things happen to good people” theme, we miss the more important question: “What is the nature of faith – how are we supposed to relate to God?”

The prevailing ancient theology centered on “divine retribution” – if you do good, God will bless you; if you sin, God will punish you.

That is far too simple for Job and so he struggles to figure how to approach God; how to seek and encounter God.

Job seeks to reach a faith that will discover God in the midst of fear and chaos.

We must remember that our world is far removed from the world of Job’s story.

The “heavenly court” doesn’t fit with our image of heaven;
The epic catastrophes that strike Job seem exaggerated to us;

We must read this story with one eye on our own world…we must see Job’s story through the lens of our pain and the pain of those we lovewe must try to hear Job’s troubles in the chaos of our own lives we must ask ourselves if the words Job speaks have ever come from our mouths

The catastrophic events of Job’s life could just as easily be seen in our own lives when we change the words to be: unemployment, debt, depression, betrayal, illness, and death

From within our reality, Job cries out, wanting to know: “Where is God and how may I approach him?”

The story of Job challenges us with three basic questions:

1. Can God lose control and be influenced by hasatán?
   
2. Does God allow intense suffering, just to settle a bet?
   
3. How does this square with our belief in a compassionate, just God?
   

• We must remember that the story of Job is not taken from Israelite tradition; it comes from ancient Near Eastern folklore that does not share the Hebrew faith. The poet has appropriated the story to make a point of faith to the Jews in exile – suffering the loss of everything; living in the ghetto and forced labor.
• The original folktale comes from a multi-god culture where the strongest god ruled in a heavenly court surrounded by lesser gods. For the Israelites, these lesser gods become God’s messengers – angels – and hasatán is a sort-of prosecuting attorney who acts on God’s behalf…for “the state”…this is not God’s nemesis; it is his advocate…the District Attorney.
  

Job is a pre-Mosaic character who lives in an area outside of Palestine – Uz, possibly Edom.
Though a non-Jew, Job is portrayed as being faithful to Yahweh, the God of Israel. This is not unheard of in the Old Testament – hear Caleb, Rahab, and others.

At the end of this part of the story, Job does not understand his calamity, yet he accepts it. In his exchange with his wife he is clear that we must take the good with the bad…This is the nature of faith.

It isn’t until later in the story, when his friends begin to give him bad advice that Job starts to wonder and seek God for answers. This is where we hear the “divine retribution” theology that was common for the Israelites and debunked by Job’s evidence of a blameless life.

[Job 23:3-4, 8-9]

Often, when we find ourselves struggling, in pain, facing catastrophe, or navigating grief – we ask: “Is there some purpose behind my pain?”

We assume that our pain is part of God’s benevolent plan – to teach us something, to make us stronger, to accomplish a greater good…

The first two chapters of Job explode this kind of thinking…

Because Job suffers as the result of a silly, cosmic wager – We hear the poet saying: “Don’t look for any reason behind your pain; it just is! It can’t be understood.”

And in the midst of this suffering we hear a word of hope…God says to hasatán: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on earth?”

God passionately loves Job and talks about him as any proud parent would…
God passionately loves us too, and sees us as a proud parent would…
Only a God who loves us so completely can speak to us in our pain…
Only a God who parents us, forgives us, and knows us so well, can wipe away our tears

The Lord’s love for Job ultimately produces a whirlwind visitation – pretty remarkable considering the curses Job hurls at God from the ash heap…

Then, of course, we see God’s passion for us produced the greatest visitation of all – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ…

In spite of the insults and curses we have thrown at God, he loved us so much that he sent his only Son – you know the rest.

Job is being led to a spiritual cross and his cries of despair strike deep into God’s heart…
God will not leave Job, nor will God leave us hanging there alone.

[Jeremiah 29:11-13]

Sermons on Job

I am working on a sermon series called, "No Matter What?" that follows the lectionary readings in the Book of Job. The messages are: "Seeking God, No Matter What," "Encountering God, No Matter What," and "Thanking God, No Matter What."

This text can be challenging to engage and it is doubly so given the current state of our world and the recent news that brings grief to our congregation. I covet prayer as I prepare to preach God's great good news in the midst of suffering.

No matter what?
I'm supposed to seek God, no matter what
I'm supposed to find God, no matter what
I'm supposed to thank God, no matter what
It's difficult to see in the midst of what
GODISNOWHERE
seeing the forest of hope through the trees of what
hearing the voice of love through the din of hate
tasting the breath of life in the stew of death
GOD IS NOW HERE
No matter what!

Times of pain...

I have often thought that one of my ministry strengths was to help families navigate the grieving process. Today, I am faced with going through it with them. I remember in seminary that we talked about the "ministry of accompaniment" - of being with a family during the process of dying, death, and saying goodbye. It was as if this process were removed from us personally, as pastors; we are there to support, lift up, aid; we are not there to grieve. We are challenged as pastors to recognize ourselves as transients with our congregations; ours is an itinerant ministry - we come and go and simply pass through the lives of our churches. If we become too attached we risk relationships that are torn when we move to the next appointment. How realistic is this?

I have faced before, and will again, what I now face - someone I love is dying in my church. We are not related, except as members of the Body of Christ. We are not life-long friends, only 3 years in this appointment. We are not in any of those relationships that one associates as warranting deep personal grief. This is a relationship that cries out for sincere, measured, and thoughtful pastoral care. I am called to this ministry of accompaniment as a pastor, not as a participant. Who then will offer pastoral care to me? Where will I find the time and place to grieve and cry? "I lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help." My help, my pastoral care will come from the greatest pastor in the universe - my God...Father and Creator, the Lover of my soul.

What is our crisis?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV)

We talk a lot about faithful living around here; we talk about making choices, decisions, and commitments that serve to move people toward God. One of the most important choices we make is how we will distribute our income. It’s no secret that our economy has been challenging for many people this past year. We all have to make difficult decisions. We are responsible to pay our bills and provide for our families; we are required by the government to pay taxes; sometimes we even want to go out to dinner, a movie, or go on vacation. Each of these activities forces us to make choices and decisions about how we will use the money we have available. You may have noticed in this list that God is not mentioned; giving to the church doesn’t come into this picture. I did this on purpose to remind us all that we sometimes place God at the bottom of our financial priority list rather than at the top. We too often give God what’s leftover at the end of the month, rather than giving God the “first fruits” of our labors as the Bible mandates. It is tempting to think that God will understand; “he knows the tight spot we’re in and he surely doesn’t want my kids to go without something they want. God wouldn’t want us to delay our vacation, would he?” Maybe we should remember that God’s ways are not our ways and that we have only to look at Scripture to discern what God is thinking.

The economy is a challenge for all of us; you need to know that the economic downturn has affected the income our church receives from its endowments and other investments. We are not immune from the difficulties everyone faces. Since the stock market and banking industry difficulties began last year, this church has lost a large portion of the income we depend on to provide maintenance and other items for our buildings. It is also important for you to know that overall giving from our church members is down significantly from last year. In fact, we are seeing a nearly 10% drop in weekly giving this year. I suspect that some of this change is due to the challenges we all face in today’s economy and the fear that things are going to get worse before they get better. We have less to work with and we tend to give less to God so we have more to use on other essentials in our lives.

There are two ways we can respond to this change. We could “face reality” and recognize this financial shortfall as something we simply cannot control. We could pull back on the missions and ministries we offer to our church members and to the community. We could use the facilities less and put off doing needed maintenance and upgrades. We could listen to the voices of this world and keep a low profile until all this blows over. In other words, we could shrink our faith to fit into the world’s tiny box and then watch as our ministry shrinks and withers.

I prefer Option #2: We will do as Scripture tells us – we will step out in faith and trust that God will give us everything we need to expand our ministry. We will not shrink from the challenge – we will embrace it. We will continue to make choices, decisions, and commitments that serve to bring more people into a relationship with God. We will continue to plan for new mission and ministry opportunities; we will not delay or delete our programs. We will not listen to the voice of Satan trying to get us to stop doing God’s work; we will increase our profile and be God’s church no matter what.

I want to be very clear…I fully understand the financial challenges we all face. I also know all about choosing to pay the world first and then pay God. There was a time in our lives when we left God until the end of the month and only gave him what was left; the thing is, there was almost never anything leftover for God. When we changed our priority and gave freely to God FIRST, we always managed to have enough to pay everyone else too. Isn’t it interesting how God works in our lives? Go’s ways are not our ways…I guess that’s the point.
Please remember that God wants our “first fruits” not our “stale leftovers”…Give to God what is God’s – If you do, you will always have plenty to go around. Help us live according to Option #2 – give generously so that the ministries of this church can continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

God bless,

Pastor Don

Young Americans Losing Their Religion

Young Americans Losing Their Religion

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Be Glorified...

Sunday morning we sang the song "Lord Be Glorified" (TFWS #2150). It's a very simple song, but it has been running through my head ever since. "In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In your church, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In my heart, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today. In my praise, Lord, be glorified, be glorified today." I can't help but wonder if I am doing everything I can possibly do to glorify God in everything I do - in my life, in God's church, in my heart, and in my praise. Am I setting the best possible example for my parishioners? Am I teaching them how to glorify God every day in every way? I wonder.

Today I pray that I am doing these things and I ask that God will be with me as I try so hard to keep God as my center. To glorify God means to make decisions that are aligned with "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself." If I am about to do or say anything that runs contrary to these values, then I need to stop and re-evaluate what I am about to do or say. This seems so simple and yet it trips us up all the time. To glorify God means to glorify God's creation; this means caring for everything and everyone that God has made, even when this is challenging or inconvenient. It means that gossip, meanness, discourtesy, and neglect are all out of the picture. Wow! That can be tough for all of us, can't it! I am thankful for John Wesley's reminder that we are "going on to perfection." Perfection is our goal and we're not there yet!

It's really helpful to keep this tune running through my head; it reminds me to glorify God at all times. I remember a course in Celtic Sprituality that I took in seminary. We talked about the peasant traditions of using every action, no matter how menial, as a form of prayer. Making the bed, folding laundry, cooking, cleaning, plowing, harvesting - all things were done for the glory of God and offered as prayer. This is an ancient lesson that speaks to us today. In the busy-ness of our lives, we can find calm in the thought that everything we do is for God's glory. When we offer all of ourselves as prayer, we can see those things that are pleasing to God and those things that are not. It seems to me that this is a great way to improve our relationship with God and to awaken awareness in ourselves about who and whose we are.

Sharing...

Yesterday I took my sermon from John's gospel, 6:1-15. You remember the story: A bunch of people are following Jesus and it's time to eat. The problem is - no food for this large crowd. Jesus has a plan, but he tests the folks on how big their minds can expand around this concept of feeding so many with so little. Five loaves, two fish, and we've got dinner for 5,000...it's an amazing miracle.

Greg Tolle reminds us of a 2003 editorial by Gretchen Hakola that posits the idea that maybe this is less about a miracle of multiplication and more about a miracle of sharing. I mean, who among us sets out for a long day's outing with the kids and doesn't pack a few drinks, a bag of Cheerios, and some crackers? Surely these folks had the same concerns for their families; surely they brought a little something along for the day in the country with Jesus. But, when it came time to eat, maybe these well-prepared folks hesitated to show what they had with them for fear they might have to share some of theirs with somebody else. It took the action of one little boy who was willing to share what he had to open the hearts and hands of everyone else to share what they had. Jesus used this as a great teaching moment and everyone had plenty to eat. With no biblical basis, it's impossible to know if Gretchen is right; but, she sure makes a lot of sense to me.

I wonder how different our world would be if more people had this same sense of sharing. I wonder how the current economic crisis might be different if people were more willing to share the wealth. I wonder what a sharing miracle could do for our culture today. It seems to me that sharing is one of those things we learn in kindergarten that we're supposed to remember all our lives. It seems to me that everyone would be better off with a little more sharing going on. Sharing material possessions, natural resources, and ideas might go a long way to solving some of this world's most serious problems.

On a smaller scale, sharing can change the life of just one person forever and help them find hope within their hopelessness and love within their despair. Sharing can truly change a person forever. It can be the beginning of a relationship with God that will transform someone into a faithful disciple. We talk so much about sharing the Good News - the Gospel - with others; we talk about sharing God's love with others. The real questions is: Do we understand what that means? It often means taking a risk; it means putting yourself out; it means thinking of somebody else before you; it means some inconvenience. Hmmm...Sharing sounds challenging.

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Take thou authority...

It is done! On Wednesday evening, May 27th, 2009, Bishop Robert E. Hayes, Jr. laid hands on me (along with 19 others) and said: "Take thou authority..." This marks another beginning to a life-long journey that started with a calling from God, continued with preparation and seminary education, processed theough Board interviews and paperwork, endured internship and scrutiny, and culminated with this glorious event when the Holy Spirit took over and let everything gently fall into place in our midst. This was a night to remember forever and an expression of God's love that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Jesus, for grace, mercy, and love!

It's Sunday...

It's Sunday morning once again. Today our Sunday school lesson will talk about how we can be better at being the church in our community. What can each person do to use their particular gifts and graces to help advance the message of Jesus Christ? That seems appropriate for this week as we go into Annual Conference.

My sermon this morning is about prayer and how we should always be in prayer for others. Jesus prayed for us in the garden; we should pray for others - when they know it and when they don't. Prayer is our conversation with God. It is so vital to our spiritual health to be in conversation with God. Again, appropriate as we go to Annual Conference.

This year's Conference is especially important for me. On Wednesday evening I will be ordained and set apart as an elder in full connection with the Church. Wow! What an honor and privilege. I am in awe going into this and I am so pleased that God chose me to be God's servant! Thank you, Lord!

Ordination

A friend and colleague mentioned yesterday that I don't update my blog often enough; she's right. I haven't yet developed the habit of sharing my journal everyday and I'm not even sure anyone is interested. But, today I am in the mood again because I spent yesterday with our Bishop Robert Hayes and my fellow classmates who are about to be ordained on Wednesday. It was a great day and I began to grasp the full significance of all this.

The head of our Board of Ordained Ministry reminded us of the long line of succession we are about to step into. Other speakers reminded us of the years of training and internship we have endured and the significance of our calling into the set-apart ministry of ordination. All of this serves to inspire awe and the desire for excellence going forward. This is a huge responsibility and the only thing that makes it possible to accept is knowing that Jesus has been and will continue to walk beside me as I try to do my best to follow his leadership. Bishop reminded us that our only entitlement as ordained elders is our service - we are entitled to be servants of God.

I think of the words of ordination: "Take thou authority to preach the Word of God, to order the life of the church, and administer the holy sacraments. Wow! What a charge to keep I have! I pray for myself and those who will walk beside me next week that we will accept this charge with humility and grace; I pray that God will be with us as we go forward to serve in love.

Amen and amen!

Don Tabberer - 57 - Male - Mangum, Oklahoma - tangle.com

Don Tabberer - 57 - Male - Mangum, Oklahoma - tangle.com

I feel her pain

This morning I read a blog post by a ministerial colleague of mine in a small United Methodist church in north central Oklahoma. She talks about the vision for ministry she has for her church and how she has begun to realize that she often sees herself as indispensable. This is problematic because, as pastors, we are subject to relocation after only a few years and ministry continues without us. Therefore, it is vital that whatever ministry visions we cast for the congregation be independent of us and that they continue when we are gone...This is the only way churches truly grow in ministry and strength in their communities. If every ministry activity is tied inextricably to the pastor, then every time a pastor leaves that ministry dies. This is not what we are about as the church.

I feel this friend's pain as she struggles with this issue. It seems that whenever we have an idea for ministry that we believe has been inspired by the Holy Spirit, the church thinks it's our job to get it done. We are, after all, paid to do ministry and they are signing the checks. It is getting more rare for members of the congregation to actually sign on to do the lion's share of the labor to get a ministry rolling and running. However, with that said I have to also say that we - the pastors - must also learn patience. God does not work along our timetable and we may need to wait for the timing to be right for God. Once we plant the seed of an idea in the church it may take longer than we expect to germinate and sprout a ministry. Our church members are good people with jobs and families and lots of things to do...They may not be as enthused or committed to an idea from the get-go. They do get it eventually, if we stand back and let God do God's work. It's really amazing what can happen in a church if we let God set the pace.

I have recently (for over a year now) been planting seeds for a ministry concept in my church. I have been impatient about getting it started and frustrated by the lack of commitment from the laity. Well, wouldn't you know it, God finally generated some interest in some people and they came to me with this great idea - "Can we do this, pastor?" Of course they can do it! I don't care whose idea it was - if this is what God wants then get started. What's great about this scenario is that now the idea is completely theirs and they will make it work - It won't matter if I am involved or not; it won't matter if I get re-appointed or not - this ministry will continue with or without me. I may don't get any "credit" for it, but God gets the job done. That works for me!

I guess what I'm really saying is that it's tough for a pastor to stand back and wait and watch. We want to be the "head cheese" sometimes; that's why we went to seminary and that's why we put up with the endless interviews and paperwork for the Board of Ordained Ministry. Now we are the "experts" and it's our charge to get the church fired up about ministry. The reality is that real-life doesn't work that way and seminary didn't tell us all that. In the real world people move slower than we'd like and our ideas aren't always the best fit for every church and we need to be humble enough to be flexible. "Ministry of humble service" - maybe that's a term we did learn in seminary. "It's not about me, it's not about you, it's all about God" - Maybe that's not a revolutionary concept after all. For all our education, our experience, and our passion - we don't always have the best and only approach to a ministry problem and it is our challenge to stand aside while God does a better job than we could ever hope to do.

Amen! Shalom.

Financial Crisis & Faith

The current economic downturn has been tough on many people. Our churches and members of our community are all hurting. Our government is doing what it can to help fix the situation. Now, I don't know if they have all the right answers or not - I'm not an economist or a financial wizard. What I do know is that Wall Street and corporate greed got us into this mess and someone has got to step up and make some sacrifices to get us out of it.

I read an article today about banks who now want to return the bailout money because they are being held accountable for how they spend it and that the government is putting too many restrictions on it. All I have to say is: "Tough!" Send the money back. It isn't yours anyway...it belongs to the tax payers and if you don't want to be held accountable, if you don't want to lose your perks, if you don't want to truly try to fix the mess you created, then give the money back and go bankrupt. That's what should happen anyway. We are not responsible for bailing you out.

With all of that out of my system, let me go on to say that this financial crisis is like every other financial crisis in history. Many factors caused it and many things will be needed to fix it. We all need to recognize that we have become so dependent on money and our over-stuffed lifestyles that we have lost sight of what is truly important. God has given us everything we need to live well and happy. We have simply forgotten what it means to be "well and happy." Greed has overtaken need and our culture is glutted with excessive consumption and wants that exceed reason. Pray more, desire less. God will take care of us.

It is finished

Dear friends in Christ,

As I write this article, Ash Wednesday is still on the horizon and I am preparing my sermon series for Lent. As you read it, Lent has already begun and I hope you are following our “Meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ” series. In the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death on the cross, we listen to Jesus speak to us as he takes his final breath. In these precious words, we find not only anguish but also hope that can only be realized in the death and resurrection of the perfect sacrifice – Jesus Christ, the Son of God. What Jesus says has been the topic of countless books and the inspiration for numerous musical works. What Jesus says to us has captivated Christians for centuries as we seek to better understand the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

This morning I was thinking about what to write for the newsletter and I kept coming back to “it is finished.” It occurs to me that these three words hold the key to our understanding of what Calvary means and where we stand at the foot of the cross. Jesus is not simply stating that his life is nearly over, nor is he commenting on the fact that his earthly ministry is through; I believe that he is telling us that the work of salvation – “it” – is now complete in His death on the cross. Jesus really is saying that the whole point of his life has been achieved in this sacrifice. This is the new covenant we talk about when we celebrate Holy Communion. Jesus’ blood is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. “It is finished” marks an ending of one thing and the beginning of another, better thing. God’s will is that Jesus takes all our sin on himself and that his death ends our life of sin and begins our new life as the Body of Christ.

I’ve recently had the pleasure of leading a Bible study group at New Hope treatment center, as well as our church’s study group on the subject of our covenant with God. In both of these settings I find the recurring theme of God’s forgiveness playing a vital role in our lives. We humans tend to be a self-centered bunch and we frequently step off the path that God has laid out for us. Too often we don’t recognize our missteps until they cause us or someone else a lot of pain. Suddenly we realize that we need God’s forgiveness and we seek it. Our humanness also tends to lead us to believe that there comes a point in our lives when we are no longer deserving of God’s forgiveness; we begin to believe that we have done too much, we have gone too far, or we are simply too bad to even ask for or expect God to welcome us back with open arms. “It is finished,” tells us that this simply is not the case.

The work of saving us from ourselves – from our sin – has already been accomplished in Jesus Christ; nothing we do can separate us from the love of God. We don’t need to earn our way back into God’s good graces – Jesus has already done it for us. We don’t need to fear that God will refuse to forgive us – Jesus has already guaranteed our forgiveness. “It is finished” may be the most hope-filled sentence in history. Because Jesus went to the cross, suffered, died, and rose again, we can go to God knowing that we are able to turn our backs on whatever sin we may have committed and receive God’s forgiveness, love, and grace. We don’t have to keep beating ourselves up for whatever we may have done to hurt ourselves or another person; that work has already been accomplished. Do we need to turn away from our sin? – Yes. Do we need to forgive ourselves? – Yes. Do we need to live our lives with the intention of doing better? – Yes. Do we need to be sorry for what we’ve done? – Yes. Do we need to keep beating our breasts and bemoaning our sinfulness and avoiding being in a healthy relationship with God and with the church? – Absolutely not! The work of salvation is accomplished in Christ Jesus; we need to accept the grace provided in that accomplishment and continue to move forward into a stronger relationship with God and with one another.

The hardest part is finished, but our part isn’t a “walk in the park” either. It takes effort and humility to turn away from our desire and turn toward God’s will. It means releasing our self-centered focus in exchange for eternal life.

Are They Kidding?

Dear friends,

I just read a most disturbing article about recetn changes in the Roman Catholic Church. (This article is posted at this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?_r=1)

It is disturbing on so many levels. As many of you know, I was raised as a Roman Catholic and I am greatly blessed by the high quality education I received. However, there are many reasons why I am now separated from the church...This article is a prime example. The "Church" in Rome has decided to re-institute the practice of giving indulgences to mitigate a person's time spent in Purgatory. Granted, they are not "selling" these outright (a practice outlawed in 1567), they are "giving" them away in exchange for charitable donations and other good deeds. You must read the entire article to fully appreciate what's going on here.

There is no place in the Bible that speaks of purgatory or indulgences. We cannot earn or buy our salvation and we cannot mitigate our punishment through the actions of some priest, pope, or any other human being. Jesus Christ is the only Savior and The Vatican can't change that. This is a ridiculous way to get attention and create income. This Pope has set ecumenical relationships back 100 years!

Hope

Recently I've had the privilege to lead a Bible study group for clients of a local drug treatment facility. I am touched by the hunger for Jesus that I find in these individuals; it seems to indicate a yearning for true hope in their lives. I am struck by their desire for forgiveness that is hampered by a belief that forgiveness is not available to them. Many of these people have been severely damaged by "religion" and "church" during their lives. They have suffered judgement from other people who have no right to judge. Our study of Scripture tells us over and over that judgement is reserved for God - it is not something that humans are entitled to exercise. Rather, we are called to love, support, care, and forgive. It breaks my heart to hear their stories of the damage done to them by pastors who don't seem to understand their role. Have we forgotten the message that God is about relationships and healing? Have we missed the point that Jesus came to reconcile people to God? Where did we ever get the idea that we were in any position to judge another human being? We are all so imperfect; we are all in need of forgiveness; we are all sinners..."Love God...love one another..." Are these not the two greatest commandments given us by God? Where in these commands do we hear "judge," "reject," or "condemn?"

I pray that the followers of Christ can return to an attitude of love for God and others that looks beyond our human sinfulness to the image of God from which we come. I pray we can offer each other a fraction of the grace God offers us every day. I pray that people can be healed from the damage done in the name of "religion." In Jesus' name. Amen.

Kudos!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Mangum First United Methodist Church is very proud of their Director of Children and Youth Ministries, Iris Deurmyer. Her original skit “Fast” Food was ranked as #7 in the Top 10 best of 2008 by Youth Ministry.com, a resource of Group Publishing. This skit is a humorous teaching on the subject of fasting. More than 100 scripts were submitted from throughout the country. The skit may be downloaded from the Youth Ministry website at: http://www.youthministry.com/?q=node/5853 This is a wonderful resource for youth ministry ideas and projects. Good job, Iris!

Yes, we can!

Yesterday Barack Obama became the first African-American President in history. This event was encased in the usual pomp and circumstance befitting the inauguration of the president of the most powerful democracy on the planet. It was a beautiful day in Washington D.C., albeit a little chilly to be outside. It didn't appear that the nearly two million people in town cared much about the weather; they were there to witness history. In a small way I envy their close proximity to this momentous event.

This morning, as the first day of a new administration dawns, I can't help but think that all the excitement of yesterday pales in comparison to the enthusiasm of this president for what lies ahead. Our country faces enormous challenges and Mr. Obama has taken the helm at an impossible time in our history. I believe that it now matters not how you voted in November; it matters not how you personally feel about our new President; it matters not what political party or religious affiliation you claim; what truly matters is that we are all in this together. We must put aside our petty bickering, our party loyalties, and our culturally-induced differences. Now is the time to pray for our nation and its leadership. Now is the time to pray for our planet and all its inhabitants. Now is the time to seek the face of God in everything we do so that we can overcome our humanity and begin to realize the power of God in our lives. Truly, it is only with God's guidance and help that we will be able to stand up and say: "Yes, we can! Yes, we will!"

Let us pray together...
Good and gracious God, we come to you humbly this day to acknowledge that we are your creation, not our own. We recognize that all we have and all we are comes from you and belongs to you. We confess that we are too often ready to claim credit for your blessings and to afix blame for our shortcomings. We are too self-centered to see you as the center of our lives. Forgive us, God, for these misguided thoughts. Guide us to see you everywhere and give us the courage to greet you every day.

God of all nations and people, we come to you this day to ask that you bless Mr. Obama, his family, and his administration. Hold them all carefully in the warmth and safety of your embrace. Protect them from the dangers that most certainly await them and protect them from their own weakness. We lift them into your care today because we know that you alone have the power to place your will upon their hearts and to give them the grace they need to accept your will. Open their hearts and minds to your leadership as they do their best to lead us.

God of peace and love, we come to you this day to ask for your help as we try to find better ways to live with one another in this world. We have done so much damage to your creation and to each other; help us to find ways to redeem our mistakes and move forward with love for one another. Remind us every day that all we are charged to do is love you and love one another; give us the courage to do both boldly and unashamedly.

God of mercy, we come to you this day with our heads bowed and our knees bent to honor and glorify you. Accept our praise and worship; accept our pleas for forgiveness; accept our gratitude; and accept us as your children. We come to you, God, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

It's a New Year!

We are already into the third week of the New Year. I'm still amazed at how fast time slips by me these days. I am looking forward to the coming year for many reasons. One of the most exciting is my ordination into full connection with the UMC, set for Wednesday, May 27, 2009. This is a great day for which I have prepared and waited a long time.

I am also looking forward to a new focus on mission and ministry outside the walls of our church. We are poised to answer God's call to look beyond our selves and look instead to the needs of God's people. This is the work for which we pray and study. This is the work God truly wants us to do in His holy name. Church isn't about me, or you, or the people in the pews; church is all about God and what God wants us to do in this life to bring His reality to a broken and hurting world. Church is about who we are and how we can demonstrate God's love to all people. And I truly mean ALL people...without regard to our differences, but only with regard to our similarities as human beings created by God, for God. It's not about what we think of another person; it's only about what God thinks...And, the thing is, we can't know what God thinks, so we ought to assume that God loves everyone - and we should love likewise.

Happy New Year - even if I'm a few days late - enjoy your life in the Lord and have fun doing God's work. Amen