Vol 4 No 23 - Intentional Example

As this summer now officially gets started this week, I cannot get the image of children and youth out of my mind.  Specifically, the images of children and youth spending summers getting to know Christ and experiencing Christ's love through the ministries of the church.

This past Monday, and again next Monday, we are moving deeper into our Vacation Bible School planning, and I have seldom been as overjoyed as I was Monday evening meeting with our first group of volunteers.  To see people voluntarily giving of their time on a Monday evening when EVERYONE had other things to do was a joy.  Thinking of them giving a week of evenings, much less the preparation time that goes into them, so that children can experience Christ's love is just mind-blowing.

The one thing that I failed to mention Monday, but I will mention this Monday, and as often as I can, is that teaching our children and youth about Christ is not something we can squeeze into pre-planned, pre-packaged blocks of time, places, and spaces.  Far from it.  Actually, we teach our children and youth more about the importance of our faith in Christ, and our true commitment, far beyond the walls of the church or its institutions.  The words we say, the decisions we make...they watch us far more than we realize.

VBS is important, and I firmly believe there is not a one of you reading this that is not called to participate in the ministry of VBS at some level in your congregation.

However, the decisions you and I make right now, TODAY, are telling the children and youth of our lives far more about whether or not our faith, and the commitments we make based on our faith, really mean much at all.

As for me, I know that I am far from perfect on this.  This I do know, however - if I don't keep reminding myself of this, then I'll never get it.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 22 - What Do You Hear?

During hot summer afternoons such as this one, I am often reminded of childhood days where my mother would tell me something along the lines of 'Boredom is a character defect.'  She tells me to this day that this was one of my grandmother's favorite sayings, and it's been running around my head today as I worked on the preaching calendar for July and August.  In thinking and praying about the various lectionary passages, I came across a number of quite familiar parables and Biblical events that each of us should know very well, and I thought about how 'boring' it might be for you and for me to revisit some of these same, oft-told, oft-studied scriptures.  Then my grandmother comes calling - 'Boredom is a character defect.'

I wonder if maybe, just maybe, my grandmother's words address a far-too-familiar situation for us Christians.  Are we still inspired by the reality of a God who offers us unconditional grace?  Are we still inspired by the reality that 'In the beginning God...'?  Are we still inspired by the reality of John 3:16-17 (go look it up if you don't remember it)?  Are we still inspired by the reality of the Last Supper, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday?  Are we still inspired by 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'?  Are we still inspired by the awesome reality of Pentecost Sunday?  Are we still inspired by the hope of Christ coming again?

Or, does it really matter to us?  

My hope and prayer for each of us is that we never get in a position to consider any of the Scriptures 'boring' or not in need of discussion and proclamation.  God forbid!  For, if we ever allow ourselves to be in such a place that we do not believe that God's word has something to say to us, the problem is not with the Scripture or with the God who gave us the Scripture.  If we ever allow ourselves to be in such a place that we find the Scriptures to be boring, then the defect rests in us.

Moral of the story: I'm more excited now than I was even this morning to hear what God is going to say to us through the text over the next couple of months.  Consider yourself invited to join with me in this time of listening (again or for the first time) what the Almighty has in store for us.  Heck, bring someone with you.  You never know what will happen.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 21 - Family Reunion

Is there any more unique thing in life than a family reunion?  The opportunity to see people you haven't seen in years, connect with people close to you that you don't see very often, meeting new members of the family and greeting others you didn't know were a part of the family, remembering and celebrating the life of those who have passed since the last time we gathered, conferring about and making decisions concerning family matters, spending time over common meals, recalling favorite memories of the past and the long-ago relatives without whom none of this would be possible...and the list could go on...

Sunday - Wednesday of this past week, I, along with your lay delegate Dana Blanco, attended Louisiana United Methodism's annual family reunion (also known as annual conference).  This year's session, held at the Ponchartrain Center in Kenner, was all of the above and more.  To see and hear what all God is doing in the life of the United Methodists of Louisiana is beyond description.  Just let me say that it is truly a joy to be a part of such a strong connection.

One thing that hit me this morning as I reflected on this family reunion was the tendency at times to take it for granted.  For the first time, I recognized that I may not have gotten as much out of, or more importantly, may not have put as much into, this holy time that I was given as a gift from God.  Of course at times like these there are some decisions that I did not agree were correct.  Of course there were some people who I allow to bring out less-than-the-best in me.  Of course I saw some old friends that I didn't spend as much time with as I should have because I figured that if I didn't catch them this year, I'd catch them next.

Admit it, we all take those that we are closest to for granted far often than we would like to think.

Whether we like to claim it or not, the church IS our family (Christ even went as far as to tell us that we had better not allow our blood family to keep us away from His purposes).  My hope and prayer is that NONE of us will EVER take the privilege we have been given to participate in the church for granted.  When we take it for granted, we will inevitably miss out on things that God has for us.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 20 - A Special Service

This week's mid-week message is a little bit different than normal, for I want to spend this week's note inviting you to a special worship service to be held next Monday night @ 7:00PM.  Worship on that evening will consist of the church receiving a special gift, a gift with lasting implications on all of us within the Christian movement, and it is important that as many of you as can be present as we receive this gift.  

What is this gift?  It is the gift of ordination.  As is stated in our Book of Discipline:

Ordination is a gift from God to the church.  In ordination, the church affirms and continues the apostolic ministry through persons empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This is an annual event in the life of our United Methodist Church, where those who have been called to the ordained ministry, have completed the educational and practical requirements, and been subject to rigorous examination by their peers are set apart for a life of service in this facet of ministry.  The Service of Ordination and Commissioning is the highlight of every annual conference session, and with annual conference being closer than usual this year, I encourage each and every one of you to make time to go celebrate this most joyful time in the life of the church.  Since our service will be held in the Ponchartrain Center, there should be plenty of seating for all.

I promise (and I don't normally make this kind of promise) that if you make the effort to journey to Kenner for this celebration, you will come away blessed beyond imagination.  Our resident bishop, William Hutchinson, will be presiding, and always brings a message that will inspire and enlighten us all. 

See you Sunday!

Lamar

P.S.  Interested in helping out for VBS?  See note at the bottom of this message.

Vol 4 No 19 - Heritage

On May 24, a young (35) pastor went to a small group meeting for prayer and study, and, well, let me quote his journal entry for the day:

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans.  About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.  I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and save me from the law of sin and death.

Little could anyone imagine the absolute change upon the world this one incident held in a London meeting room would have on the world.  I doubt anyone could truly grasp the magnitude that John Wesley's conversion would have not only in the life of the world then, but the impact that it has had even in your own life, for out of this experience John & his brother Charles would be led to form the Methodist movement.

This Sunday, May 24, 2009, we will be observing Heritage Sunday in the life of our congregation.  Rev. Lynn Malone will be our guest preacher for the day, and Lynn will be preaching to us about the importance of building upon the foundation laid for us long ago.

As Rev. Wesley learned 271 years ago, one never knows what God will do when the faithful gather.  This being a holiday weekend, it may be tempting to 'take a pass' on worship; we would be wise to take advantage of every opportunity we can to be in worship and fellowship with the body of Christ.  After all, note that Wesley went 'very unwillingly', and went on to have God do some truly transformational work that has impacted you over 270 years later.

What's God ready to do with your unwillingness?

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 18 - Responsible Parenting

While looking over my cell phone bill the other day, I ran across a notice a notice that offered an optional plan called "Smart Limits for Wireless" available to parents who would like to control a number of things on the plans in their account, including:

1. Number of text and instant messages

2. Dollar amount of downloadable purchases
(ringtones, games & more)

3. Amount of Web browsing usage allowed per billing cycle

4. Times of day the phone can be used for messaging, browsing and outbound calling

5. Who the phone can call or text (incoming and outgoing) by blocking or allowing certain numbers

6. The access of content inappropriate for children

As I go through this list, I can see a number of relieved and satisfied parents who take advantage of this to be responsible parents, and I see a number of frustrated children who know that mom & dad 'just don't get it.'  But I also see a parallel to the relationship between God and the people of God.

Even the most well-meaning of Christians at time chafe under the expectations that have been laid out for those of the Christian faith.  Due to the life that we have been called to pursue, we cannot always do what we want when we want.  Through our submission of our will to God's, we too have limits under which we operate - many at times that get in the way of our desires.  We have the responsibility to, in all things, seek God with all that we have, and offer to him all that we are.

Much like children who chafe under restrictions that are placed on them by parents, the people of God have a long history of rebelling against God's guidance and direction.  However, thank God that there are guidelines for our lives - that we are not just out there to do what we want.  Like responsible parents, God places limits on the desires of our flesh not to oppress us, not to be 'unfair', not because God 'doesn't get it', but because God's love for us is also a protective love that seeks to have what's best in store for us, even when we cannot see those things for ourselves.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 17 - Mother's Day

Normally, your Mid-Week Message is composed on Wednesday mornings, but while sitting here watching television with Erin this evening, I saw the most ridiculous commercial that got us talking about worship this Sunday.  One of the seemingly endless jewelry store ads shown during this week every year, it reminded viewers that "You only have one day to celebrate mom - so make it special."  How utterly stupid and absolutely contrary to not only good sense and manners, but also to the Christian faith that we profess to live under.  This mindset, however, is one of the reasons why this Sunday, Mother's Day, is one of the most dangerous for pastors and also one of the most misunderstood days in the life of the church.

I will never forget the first Mother's Day that I had in my first post-seminary appointment.  We were in the midst of the Easter season, and I preached from the lectionary texts for the day.  It was about two o'clock that afternoon when my phone rang, and the matriarch of the congregation was on the phone asking me why I did not preach about mothers on Mother's Day.  Who did I think I was?  After all, "People go to church on Mother's Day with mom expecting a sermon on motherhood, moms, and how great it all is."  Her tone indicated that there was no way I could give an answer that would satisfy her, but she did get me thinking:

How should we communicate to people that the church is to be a place of worship - worship of God, not anyone else (even mom)?  

How should we communicate that if you have to wait until Mother's Day to let mom know how much she means to you then you don't have much of a relationship with mom to begin with?  

How should we communicate that when the church makes a big deal about the oldest mother and the youngest mother that chances are very good that there are women sitting in the pews who are inwardly weeping (if they show up at all on this day) because they know that they will never be a mother, never have a chance at the award for oldest, youngest, or most prolific mother?  

How do we communicate that while Mother's Day is the day on which the most phone calls are made that there are women in our midst who will not get that phone call from a beloved child this year because they had to endure every mother's nightmare of outliving their child?  

How do we communicate that there are many mothers and children who have no relationship at all and all that this day does is bring pain and sorrow for pain that in some cases goes back decades?  

How do we communicate this message to those for whom for whom Mother's Day is hard because they will not be able to call mom this year since mom has passed away?

This Sunday, as is the case every Sunday, we will gather to worship God.  We will gather to give thanks for everything that God has done, is doing, and will do.  Mother's Day will be recognized - but in the context of a God who is much bigger than anything we can imagine.  Let us remember that Sunday, like every day, is not about any one or anything but the triune God.

Planning to make a big deal about mom on Mother's Day?  Why wait.  Call mom now.  Write mom now.  Send flowers now.  Don't wait to be prompted by Madison Avenue.  Planning to hide from the world on Mother's Day because of the pain of the day?  Know that I am in prayer for you now.

Either way, join us for worship this Sunday as we explore again the God who not only provides the great things in life, but also is big enough to get us through the most difficult times in life.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

(Ed. Note: This column originally appeared in the May 9, 2007 edition of the Mid-Week Message.  In what is becoming an annual tradition, it is re-published today for your reflection and consideration as you prepare to come for worship this week.  Be sure to read below the article for important information about upcoming activities in our congregation.)