“Make My Love More Perfect”
January 2020
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I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24) |
Dear friends,
As the tide turns on another year, I wonder what is different in our life together. We have accomplished much, we have suffered, we have lost loved ones, we have disagreed, we have worked together, we have fallen in and we have fallen out; we have seen beauty and gladness; we have seen fear and uncertainty. All of human life is under the microscope this time of the year, as we evaluate ourselves, our world, and our life together. But the question remains: are we more in love with God than at this same moment last year? Has our discipleship deepened? Have we learned to be our best and true selves more diligently and clearly?
The passages above is Amos as his most testy and abrasive. He’s come up against a monarchy and religious elite which believes that their religion will save them, even though they have completed cast aside the commandments to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the refugee, and those who are in debt. The Prophet wants those whose vocation it is to shepherd the people to recall that the Law of Moses is not an end in itself, but a road map to a beloved community where the survival of the weakest becomes the point of our life together… a community of justice and righteousness.
While I don’t think anyone necessarily needs to hear Amos yelling directly at them –– although, if that’s what you hear, take note –– I think his conclusion about the difference between religion and righteousness applies to the life of discipleship. The point of our individual discipleship is the formation of this same beloved community intended by the Law of Moses and proclaimed without great fervor and conviction by the later prophets of Israel. Discipleship is a response to the experience of that community realized in the life of Jesus. Discipleship is a response to the salvation revealed in his love. Discipleship is not an end in and of itself.
So as we ponder the coming year, and what we should resolve to do, if we want to continue to become the Body of Christ, we must evaluate how our way of being present in community either builds up or tears down. This is going to be a very hard year. The derisive nature of our politics is pushing our whole nation toward an ever deepening divide in an ideological and moral civil war. And the abyss which grows between different sides of our grotesque debates can only be bridged by one thing: the decision to obey Christ’s Law of Love (James 2:8). This law, to love as we have been loved, (John 13:34) is the method given by the Lord to “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12), for no part of our religion will amount to a hill o’ beans if we have not love. Indeed, “the only thing that counts is faith made effective through love” (Galatians 5:6). Resolve, therefore, dear friends, to pray one single prayer every morning, every noon, and every night: Lord, in your mercy, make my love more perfect. Amen.
As the tide turns on another year, I wonder what is different in our life together. We have accomplished much, we have suffered, we have lost loved ones, we have disagreed, we have worked together, we have fallen in and we have fallen out; we have seen beauty and gladness; we have seen fear and uncertainty. All of human life is under the microscope this time of the year, as we evaluate ourselves, our world, and our life together. But the question remains: are we more in love with God than at this same moment last year? Has our discipleship deepened? Have we learned to be our best and true selves more diligently and clearly?
The passages above is Amos as his most testy and abrasive. He’s come up against a monarchy and religious elite which believes that their religion will save them, even though they have completed cast aside the commandments to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the refugee, and those who are in debt. The Prophet wants those whose vocation it is to shepherd the people to recall that the Law of Moses is not an end in itself, but a road map to a beloved community where the survival of the weakest becomes the point of our life together… a community of justice and righteousness.
While I don’t think anyone necessarily needs to hear Amos yelling directly at them –– although, if that’s what you hear, take note –– I think his conclusion about the difference between religion and righteousness applies to the life of discipleship. The point of our individual discipleship is the formation of this same beloved community intended by the Law of Moses and proclaimed without great fervor and conviction by the later prophets of Israel. Discipleship is a response to the experience of that community realized in the life of Jesus. Discipleship is a response to the salvation revealed in his love. Discipleship is not an end in and of itself.
So as we ponder the coming year, and what we should resolve to do, if we want to continue to become the Body of Christ, we must evaluate how our way of being present in community either builds up or tears down. This is going to be a very hard year. The derisive nature of our politics is pushing our whole nation toward an ever deepening divide in an ideological and moral civil war. And the abyss which grows between different sides of our grotesque debates can only be bridged by one thing: the decision to obey Christ’s Law of Love (James 2:8). This law, to love as we have been loved, (John 13:34) is the method given by the Lord to “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12), for no part of our religion will amount to a hill o’ beans if we have not love. Indeed, “the only thing that counts is faith made effective through love” (Galatians 5:6). Resolve, therefore, dear friends, to pray one single prayer every morning, every noon, and every night: Lord, in your mercy, make my love more perfect. Amen.
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Pastor Jonathan
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“THE WHOLE STORY”
December 2019
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world
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(St. Matthew 28: 18-20)
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Greetings Friends,
This excerpt from the end of the Gospel according to St. Matthew comes from the King James Version of the New Testament. The language is Early Modern English, and sounds a little archaic to our ears (read it aloud). At the time, however, this translation of the New Testament used the most up to date English and meant to convey the ancient Greek texts with accuracy, comprehension, and readability. Indeed, the translation seeks to transmit the Story of God in Christ in a form accessible to the whole English speaking world. This desire for the common person to be able to read the scriptures for him or herself is a defining theological premise of the Protestant Reformation: that every person must apprehend the Good News of the Resurrection with personal faith, and that the sole purpose of the Church is to point the world to this sign of our redemption.
Like his majesty, King James, we too must make the narrative of God’s creative and redemptive action comprehensible for our time. We must rehearse the Divine Initiatives in Israel, Jesus Christ, and the Church with new accuracy, because the generations which have now arisen among us do not take for granted that the Story is true, or that the promises therein should inspire obedience. This is why we tell The Whole Story every year. Beginning in December with the season of Advent and culminating in the celebration of the New Creation at the Feast of Christ the King, the Christian Year covers the entire arc of created history. And no part of this Story can be properly interpreted or understood without an appreciation of the whole:
This excerpt from the end of the Gospel according to St. Matthew comes from the King James Version of the New Testament. The language is Early Modern English, and sounds a little archaic to our ears (read it aloud). At the time, however, this translation of the New Testament used the most up to date English and meant to convey the ancient Greek texts with accuracy, comprehension, and readability. Indeed, the translation seeks to transmit the Story of God in Christ in a form accessible to the whole English speaking world. This desire for the common person to be able to read the scriptures for him or herself is a defining theological premise of the Protestant Reformation: that every person must apprehend the Good News of the Resurrection with personal faith, and that the sole purpose of the Church is to point the world to this sign of our redemption.
Like his majesty, King James, we too must make the narrative of God’s creative and redemptive action comprehensible for our time. We must rehearse the Divine Initiatives in Israel, Jesus Christ, and the Church with new accuracy, because the generations which have now arisen among us do not take for granted that the Story is true, or that the promises therein should inspire obedience. This is why we tell The Whole Story every year. Beginning in December with the season of Advent and culminating in the celebration of the New Creation at the Feast of Christ the King, the Christian Year covers the entire arc of created history. And no part of this Story can be properly interpreted or understood without an appreciation of the whole:
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the One who creates is the One who is incarnate in creation; |
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the Incarnate God is the Crucified Jesus, who draws all things to himself by the deep and captivating agony of His LOVE; |
The Crucifixion
by Grunewald
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Walk to Emmaus
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the Crucified Jesus is the Resurrected Christ, who is the Incarnate Promise that all agony will cease; |
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the Incarnate Promise manifests in and with us, even to the ending of the world, by the ongoing Divine Initiative of the Holy Spirit. |
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We are part of the Story, you see. But we cannot undertake the vocation of self-emptying discipleship outlined at the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel if our memory and understanding is vague on the rest. As one of my friends recently put it, “We are who we were.” We have always been the Image of God, made from LOVE for love. Personal faith in the saving grace of God is at stake, indeed. But there is more to it than whether any of us “go to heaven” when Death robs us from each other. Christ has called and set aside the “first fruits,” this Royal Priesthood, for the sake of the world, so that in the deep and captivating agony of our love others might discover the hope of peace: and this in order that the LORD might be all in all.
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Most Gracious and Almighty LOVE,
hallowed be thy Holy Name, unto all the ages. Amen. |
Pastor Jonathan
"Withdraw and Pray"
October, 2019
…more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad.
Many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases,
but he would withdraw to deserted places and pray. (Luke 5:15-16, NRSV)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Many of you will already be aware that the Rev. Mr. John Wesley was the instigating personality at the heart of the spiritual revival which occurred in 18th Century England, and which later became known as Methodism. But perhaps few of us already enjoy a nuanced understanding of what it was about Mr. Wesley that made his form of life so arresting to others. This I have discovered not by reading about Mr. Wesley, but by receiving the instruction of his own pen, which writings have been handed down and remain available to any who “evidence their desire for salvation.” Above all his other qualifications, he submitted himself to a life modeled after the person of Jesus as we find him in the Gospels. The life of Mr. Wesley was captivating to others because he made plain the practical relevance of the ministry of Christ through conscientious acts of devotion, worship, compassion, and justice.
In the passage above from Luke’s Gospel, we find not only the outward working of God’s love in the material revelation of Christ’s healing and instructive power, we find the inward working of God’s love in the spiritual revelation of his life of private prayer. These two things cannot be separated: the prophetic life and the private prayer. Mr. Wesley discovered this truth and made it his methodical business to imitate the One he praised and loved as Lord. And eventually, with a sense responsibility for the People Called Methodist, he published a form of daily prayer. Here is an excerpt from the office for Sunday morning:
Many of you will already be aware that the Rev. Mr. John Wesley was the instigating personality at the heart of the spiritual revival which occurred in 18th Century England, and which later became known as Methodism. But perhaps few of us already enjoy a nuanced understanding of what it was about Mr. Wesley that made his form of life so arresting to others. This I have discovered not by reading about Mr. Wesley, but by receiving the instruction of his own pen, which writings have been handed down and remain available to any who “evidence their desire for salvation.” Above all his other qualifications, he submitted himself to a life modeled after the person of Jesus as we find him in the Gospels. The life of Mr. Wesley was captivating to others because he made plain the practical relevance of the ministry of Christ through conscientious acts of devotion, worship, compassion, and justice.
In the passage above from Luke’s Gospel, we find not only the outward working of God’s love in the material revelation of Christ’s healing and instructive power, we find the inward working of God’s love in the spiritual revelation of his life of private prayer. These two things cannot be separated: the prophetic life and the private prayer. Mr. Wesley discovered this truth and made it his methodical business to imitate the One he praised and loved as Lord. And eventually, with a sense responsibility for the People Called Methodist, he published a form of daily prayer. Here is an excerpt from the office for Sunday morning:
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Almighty God, Father of all Mercies, I thy unworthy Servant desire to present myself, with all Humility, before Thee, to offer my Morning Sacrifice of Love and Thanksgiving! Glory be to the Thee, O most adorable Father, who after Thou hadst finished the Work of Creation, enteredst into thy Eternal Rest. Glory be to Thee, O Holy Jesus, who having thro’ the Eternal Spirit offer’d Thyself a full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World, didst rise again the third Day from the Dead, and hadst all Power given Thee both in Heaven and on Earth. |
Glory to Thee, O Blessed Spirit, who proceeding from the Father and the Son, didst come down in fiery Tongues on the Apostles, on the First Day of the Week, and didst enable them to Preach the Glad Tidings of Salvation to a sinful World, and hast ever since been moving on the faces on Men’s Souls, as Thou didst once on the face of the great Deep, bringing them out of that dark Chaos in which they were involved. […]
O let me ever esteem it my Privilege and Happiness, to have a Day set apart for the Concerns of my Soul, a Day free from Distractions, disengaged from the World, wherein I have nothing to do but to Praise and to Love Thee… that my wandering Thoughts may all be fixed on thee, my tumultuous Affections compos’d, and my flat and cold Desires quickened into fervent Longings and Thirstings after Thee.
O let me ever esteem it my Privilege and Happiness, to have a Day set apart for the Concerns of my Soul, a Day free from Distractions, disengaged from the World, wherein I have nothing to do but to Praise and to Love Thee… that my wandering Thoughts may all be fixed on thee, my tumultuous Affections compos’d, and my flat and cold Desires quickened into fervent Longings and Thirstings after Thee.
(Wesley’s Forms of Prayer, 1738, UM Publishing House, 1992, pgs 9-10.)
There is a direct link between prayer and revelation, and thus between prayer and revival. And this being but an abbreviated snippet of the form of prayer for Sunday morning, one begins to understand the depth of Wesley’s prayers, and thus the power of the Revival which took hold in his life and spilled out into the lives of others. As we look for the revival of our church, let us look first to our own hearts and carefully examine there whether we have humbly submitted our entire self to the will and love of Christ: for the glory of Almighty God and to that end alone.
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Blessings and Peace in the Name of Jesus Christ,
Jonathan |
“Tending the Garden”
Genesis 2:15, 18-22
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it… 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Greetings Everyone –
There’s always lots of stuff in the news these days about climate change, and what part human beings have and are playing in it. But the news focuses primarily on how to debate the question, and I’m not interested in how this has become part of our politics. I’m a theologian, you see. To be a theologian used to mean holding a public office for the purpose of putting the questions of the age into the context of the overarching narrative of God’s creative and redemptive purposes. So rather than the partisan debate, which argues impressively about whether climate change is real or not, the questions I put to myself and to you remain: “Who is God; and who are we in relationship to our Creator?” That’s theology.
There’s always lots of stuff in the news these days about climate change, and what part human beings have and are playing in it. But the news focuses primarily on how to debate the question, and I’m not interested in how this has become part of our politics. I’m a theologian, you see. To be a theologian used to mean holding a public office for the purpose of putting the questions of the age into the context of the overarching narrative of God’s creative and redemptive purposes. So rather than the partisan debate, which argues impressively about whether climate change is real or not, the questions I put to myself and to you remain: “Who is God; and who are we in relationship to our Creator?” That’s theology.
These questions prompt us to forego the question of how the universe was made in order to ask the more important question: Why? What’s clear from the passage above, and the whole tenor of the scriptures, is that human beings are created to be in relationship: with God and with God’s creation. As we enter the unique narrative of the second creation story (Genesis 1 is entirely different), we find that all the animals are meant to live with one another – the human animal and every other animal. These together are given the task of tending the Garden. But noticing that the other creatures have “partners”, the man asks God for the same. To his great delight, God answers his prayer. One becomes two, and they join with all creation in the joyful work of… gardening. “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof” (Ps. 24:1). Surely this is true, and the wisdom of the Creator is to make creatures who can share the delight of making all life flourish. Helping all life flourish… This is the vocation for human beings at the beginning of our story; this is the vocation of Jesus, the Christ (John 10:10), in whom the heart of God is revealed (Colossians 1:19); and this remains the vocation of God’s people until Christ returns (Romans 8:18-23).
In Christ we are called again to ask the question of how our lives affect the lives of those around us, the lives of other animals, and the life of the planet which God has given into our hands. It is a holy and sacred duty to live, and consume what we need for life, in ways that do not ruin what God has made. Those who claim Christ for salvation must love as he loves – and this includes the earth itself. We cannot claim him, but forego his commandment; for then our claim is of no count whatsoever (Luke 6:46-49). And his commandment to love intends the renewal of the whole creation.
Therefore: by the authority of the Spirit of Life, in whose power we interpret all the scriptures, our church – and every ministry or program that uses our building and grounds – will begin seeking ways to reduce waste, become more efficient, become more healthy, and use consumable products which will not remain in trash heaps forever. And each of us, in our private lives, must take up the cause of Christ in our own health and wellbeing, and that of our neighbors, every creature, and the planet. We take up this charge not as Americans, nor as partisans of our Republic, but as disciples of Jesus Christ, who understand the responsibility that comes with grace. In his holy name let us pray:
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Thank you, Creator of the Universe,
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NONETHELESS
In the garden I worked
To be rid of the weeds
And the old moldy stumps
Of a handful of trees,
But the roots were deep sunk,
And I could not persuade
Their rank leavings to part
With the soil.
I worked long in the grass
For a whole afternoon,
Raking strands that were dead
So that others might bloom;
But the grubs and the skunks
And the Winter's long sway
Had, beyond my small art,
Killed the soil.
Nonetheless, I will chop,
I will dig til I faint,
In the hope of a home
That be lovely and quaint;
And the myth I'll debunk
Of this doom and decay:
For there's life in the heart
Of the soil.
In the garden I worked
To be rid of the weeds
And the old moldy stumps
Of a handful of trees,
But the roots were deep sunk,
And I could not persuade
Their rank leavings to part
With the soil.
I worked long in the grass
For a whole afternoon,
Raking strands that were dead
So that others might bloom;
But the grubs and the skunks
And the Winter's long sway
Had, beyond my small art,
Killed the soil.
Nonetheless, I will chop,
I will dig til I faint,
In the hope of a home
That be lovely and quaint;
And the myth I'll debunk
Of this doom and decay:
For there's life in the heart
Of the soil.
Jonathan Bratt Carle
April 28
A.D. 2019
"To Those Who Obey Him"
A message on love and obedience.
God’s love initiates all things!
And God’s initiative in Jesus Christ
is the beginning of the New Creation.
Acts 5:27-32
Revelation 1:4-8
My favorite rock band is the Canadian group The Tragically Hip. Their music is timeless, and their poetry captures the essence of both the aesthetic consciousness and the moral conscience of the country. In their last album, "Man Machine Poem”, there’s a song called “What Blue.” It’s about two people who have moved through infatuation to relationship, and then through the self-referential concerns we all bring to relationship into a place of knowing, a place of real, true, wakeful, long-lasting, intentional Love. Here’s the poem:
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Ah, it's what love looks like, in a world of reproach,
Completely absorbed in that too Exciting over fair, always daily forward, always the power to choose In your eyes, what love looks like, it's still the longest thing that I do In your eyes, the useless nights and all the dreary places, but what blue Oh, I was always too uneasy, too for solitude, Too into all the things you can do To come into the open, to come into the light Forward, daily forward for what blue In your eyes, what our love looks like, it's the longest thing that we do In your eyes, all of our dark doors, our disenchanted paths, but what blue I love you so much, it distorts my life, What drove and drives you drove and drives me too When I think I'm clear, I think I'm doing fine, completely absorbed in what blue In your eyes, it's what love looks like, it's the longest thing that we do In your eyes, all the useless nights and all the dreary places and what blue |
Shortly after the release of this album in 2016, it was announced that the Lead Singer who wrote this poem, Gordon Downie, had inoperable brain cancer. I’ve listened to this song over and over again, realizing that he was saying goodbye to someone he loved, having realized that innocence and perfection are not things that lie behind us, but ahead of us. Love, real self-emptying love in the Image of God, "is the longest thing we do" – in fact, it will take all of eternity.
Let us pray:
Let us pray:
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You were the Word at the beginning
One with God, the Lord most high Your hidden nature in Creation Now revealed in you our Christ You didn’t want Heaven without us So, Jesus, you brought Heaven down Our sin was great; your love was greater What can separate us now. (Hillsong) Your name is beautiful, Lord Jesus Your name is powerful Your name is wonderful Renew your commandment in our lives today |
In my Newsletter article for May, you’ll read about the connection between love and happiness. This may seem obvious. Who would we be without the loves of our lives? The word love is, in fact, one of the most commonly used words. We say it everyday, all the time.
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This is how most of us talk about love. We love the things from which we receive joy, or in which we take pride. Or we love the people that make us feel good about ourselves, about being alive. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with these loves. God means for us to take joy in good things and in our own creativity. But if we’re going to continue to become the disciples of Jesus, and gain the power of the Holy Spirit, and live lives that reveal God’s reign – on earth as in heaven... If we want to do all that, it’s a little more complicated.
You see, for Christians, love itself is an act of obedience in response to Jesus, who emptied himself of power and glory for the life of the world. The kind of love God shows to the creation in Jesus is not infatuation or self-gratification or curiosity or fascination. God’s love is not reactionary. Quite the opposite. It is a wakeful love… a thoughtful love… an intentional love. God’s love initiates all things! And God’s initiative in Jesus Christ is the beginning of the New Creation.
Both before and after his crucifixion, Christ calls his followers to become obedient to his way of loving the world. Jesus says that the two great commandments in the Jewish Law are to love the LORD, who is God; and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). But then, at the Last Supper, Jesus tweaks this a little bit. He says, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). So if we’re going to talk about a link between love and happiness, we’re also going to have to talk about a link between obedience and happiness; because the One we claim as Lord and Savior has issued a command, and the transformational power of the Holy Spirit only becomes obvious in the lives of those who obey him. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives all the time. In fact, without the life-giving power of the Spirit the Universe would stop spinning and every atom would fall apart at the seams. But if the reality and presence of the Spirit of Life only becomes OBVIOUS through obedience to the self-emptying love of Christ Jesus.
In our reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, we see the power of the Spirit transform a frightened bunch of peasants, cowering in a back room "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19) into the Apostles of Jesus Christ. In his Easter appearances, Jesus calls them to a new obedience. And as they begin to obey his love more fully, their spiritual power grows. At this point in the story the temple priests have arrested Peter and the other Apostles for proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ and announcing the Good News of his resurrection from the dead. The priests are filled with jealousy at the divine power made manifest in their ministry as they’ve cured the sick and cast the power of evil out of people's lives. The priests have repeatedly ordered the Apostles to cease teaching in the name of Jesus, but the power Peter and the others have found in their obedience to the love of Christ cannot be contained or denied. They have been loved by Jesus; they have learned to obey him; their lives are running over with happiness; and nothing can hold them back from actively and intentionally sharing the power of this love. So as they stand before the temple court, threatened again with their lives, Peter says: “We must obey God rather than men. the God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, who you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:29-32).
People who are afraid for their lives can’t make speeches like this.
People who are worried about what others will say and think can’t make speeches like this.
But those who know Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and felt the power of his resurrection can stand in the face of "a world of reproach" and proclaim words of abundant hope and healing. When love for the Savior takes ahold of every other love and allegiance, then children and women and men gain the power by the Holy Spirit to stand in the face of Death and pronounce Life. When we turn like, Mary Magdalen, and Thomas, and Peter, and all the others and look into the eyes of Jesus and see there the long labor of love in which he has worked to claim us, then we say with them, “Rabbi, Teacher; my Lord and my God.” And that vision of what God intends for us to be.... brings us to obedience.
It’s an obedience in which our weakness is filled with the power of the Spirit. "It’s what love looks like, in a world of reproach." And as we proclaim this love in thought, word, and deed, "it distorts our lives" – what drove and drives Jesus begins to drive us too… and that is nothing less than the reconciliation of all things to God: The Creator, the Spirit of Love, and the Living Word.
What a beautiful name it is…. the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. He has continued the labor of love begun when God said, “Let there be light!” Christ invites you to join him in His labor. Are you in… because I’m in…. I feel the love of Christ renewing my life. I feel the love of Christ passing out of me for others, and there's no greater happiness in this world of reproach.
In his Name and for his sake. Amen.
You see, for Christians, love itself is an act of obedience in response to Jesus, who emptied himself of power and glory for the life of the world. The kind of love God shows to the creation in Jesus is not infatuation or self-gratification or curiosity or fascination. God’s love is not reactionary. Quite the opposite. It is a wakeful love… a thoughtful love… an intentional love. God’s love initiates all things! And God’s initiative in Jesus Christ is the beginning of the New Creation.
Both before and after his crucifixion, Christ calls his followers to become obedient to his way of loving the world. Jesus says that the two great commandments in the Jewish Law are to love the LORD, who is God; and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). But then, at the Last Supper, Jesus tweaks this a little bit. He says, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). So if we’re going to talk about a link between love and happiness, we’re also going to have to talk about a link between obedience and happiness; because the One we claim as Lord and Savior has issued a command, and the transformational power of the Holy Spirit only becomes obvious in the lives of those who obey him. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives all the time. In fact, without the life-giving power of the Spirit the Universe would stop spinning and every atom would fall apart at the seams. But if the reality and presence of the Spirit of Life only becomes OBVIOUS through obedience to the self-emptying love of Christ Jesus.
In our reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, we see the power of the Spirit transform a frightened bunch of peasants, cowering in a back room "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19) into the Apostles of Jesus Christ. In his Easter appearances, Jesus calls them to a new obedience. And as they begin to obey his love more fully, their spiritual power grows. At this point in the story the temple priests have arrested Peter and the other Apostles for proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ and announcing the Good News of his resurrection from the dead. The priests are filled with jealousy at the divine power made manifest in their ministry as they’ve cured the sick and cast the power of evil out of people's lives. The priests have repeatedly ordered the Apostles to cease teaching in the name of Jesus, but the power Peter and the others have found in their obedience to the love of Christ cannot be contained or denied. They have been loved by Jesus; they have learned to obey him; their lives are running over with happiness; and nothing can hold them back from actively and intentionally sharing the power of this love. So as they stand before the temple court, threatened again with their lives, Peter says: “We must obey God rather than men. the God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, who you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:29-32).
People who are afraid for their lives can’t make speeches like this.
People who are worried about what others will say and think can’t make speeches like this.
But those who know Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and felt the power of his resurrection can stand in the face of "a world of reproach" and proclaim words of abundant hope and healing. When love for the Savior takes ahold of every other love and allegiance, then children and women and men gain the power by the Holy Spirit to stand in the face of Death and pronounce Life. When we turn like, Mary Magdalen, and Thomas, and Peter, and all the others and look into the eyes of Jesus and see there the long labor of love in which he has worked to claim us, then we say with them, “Rabbi, Teacher; my Lord and my God.” And that vision of what God intends for us to be.... brings us to obedience.
It’s an obedience in which our weakness is filled with the power of the Spirit. "It’s what love looks like, in a world of reproach." And as we proclaim this love in thought, word, and deed, "it distorts our lives" – what drove and drives Jesus begins to drive us too… and that is nothing less than the reconciliation of all things to God: The Creator, the Spirit of Love, and the Living Word.
What a beautiful name it is…. the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. He has continued the labor of love begun when God said, “Let there be light!” Christ invites you to join him in His labor. Are you in… because I’m in…. I feel the love of Christ renewing my life. I feel the love of Christ passing out of me for others, and there's no greater happiness in this world of reproach.
In his Name and for his sake. Amen.
April 1
A.D. 2019
"For God So Loved The World..."
...and ever after
John 3:14-16
"And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not perish but may have eternal life.
Friends Far & Near,
As we approach the solemn observance of Holy Week, I wanted to share some thoughts that have been rolling around in my brain for several months now. They concern God’s love in relationship to the cross of Jesus, the Christ. For centuries now, John 3:16 has been used to argue a line of reasoning which concludes that unless a person believes that Jesus is the Son of God, he or she remains outside of God’s saving purpose. This conclusion hinges on the end of the verse, “…so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” Two mistakes have been made by only focusing on the last half of this verse: 1) God’s love is contingent upon our belief, but this nullifies God’s sovereignty so… 2) people can only believe if God makes them believe. But this imagines that God’s sovereignty nullifies our freedom. Both of these mistakes are rubbish, and quickly remedied by reading the whole text: “For God so loved the world…”
God’s love is God’s own, to freely give away. Nothing God does is contingent on what God’s creatures do. God responds to us, but God’s ultimate plan for creation cannot be prevented. God’s intentions and motives are God’s own, and nothing we do – or don’t do – can force God’s hand. But let’s get right to the point. If we make the first part of John 3:16 that basis of our theology rather than the latter part, what we realize immediately is that God loved the world long before Jesus died, so grace can’t be known or understood as a function of death. (Read that sentence again!) The Cross of Jesus Christ doesn’t PROCURE God’s love for the world, the Cross of Jesus Christ REVEALS God’s love for the world. As the Franciscan Richard Rohr has put it, “The Cross doesn’t change God’s mind about us; it changes our mind about God.” God’s love is God’s own, to freely give away. It is freely given on the Cross when Jesus allows himself to be crucified, so that we might see where the lies of the world lead, and be converted to another way.
“But what about belief,” we ask. “In particular, my belief?” I think what our question really means is this: “What’s going to happen to me?” Most of our religious ideas and cultic rituals have been focused for far too long on saving our own skins and separating everyone into tribes. But if we stopped pouring all our energy into this narcissistic program of self-preservation, we could refocus it on revealing the Good News of God’s love to those who’ve never had a chance to take it seriously. To believe in Jesus means to accept his invitation when he says, “Follow me.” To accept him as God-In-Person means to take him at his word. So the inheritance of eternal life can’t be reduced to lip-service in a religious assembly of like-minded folks. Moreover, eternal life isn’t something that will begin sometime in the future when Jesus comes back, and we get to hop a train to paradise. Eternal life begins whenever human beings take Jesus seriously enough to let the vision of his death transform our way of being in the world.
To sum it up: salvation isn’t revealed by a life event, but a way of life. All those who want to impress others with the story of the moment when they were “born again” need to take God more seriously. The world was born again when Jesus was raised from the dead by the Spirit of the Creator, whose nature and name is LOVE. To experience this new birth in a personal way leads one to discipleship, not to Sunday School. Why? Because everyone needs to know that God loves them, has always loved them, will always love them… Any who perish will do so because they have turned away from God’s creating love, no matter their religion. Jesus says look to the Cross and be converted from your short-sighted idolatry (John 3:14~Numbers 21:4-9). Then he says feed my sheep (John 21:17).
So you say you believe. Well then, what will you do now?
Pointing to the Cross,
Jonathan
As we approach the solemn observance of Holy Week, I wanted to share some thoughts that have been rolling around in my brain for several months now. They concern God’s love in relationship to the cross of Jesus, the Christ. For centuries now, John 3:16 has been used to argue a line of reasoning which concludes that unless a person believes that Jesus is the Son of God, he or she remains outside of God’s saving purpose. This conclusion hinges on the end of the verse, “…so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” Two mistakes have been made by only focusing on the last half of this verse: 1) God’s love is contingent upon our belief, but this nullifies God’s sovereignty so… 2) people can only believe if God makes them believe. But this imagines that God’s sovereignty nullifies our freedom. Both of these mistakes are rubbish, and quickly remedied by reading the whole text: “For God so loved the world…”
God’s love is God’s own, to freely give away. Nothing God does is contingent on what God’s creatures do. God responds to us, but God’s ultimate plan for creation cannot be prevented. God’s intentions and motives are God’s own, and nothing we do – or don’t do – can force God’s hand. But let’s get right to the point. If we make the first part of John 3:16 that basis of our theology rather than the latter part, what we realize immediately is that God loved the world long before Jesus died, so grace can’t be known or understood as a function of death. (Read that sentence again!) The Cross of Jesus Christ doesn’t PROCURE God’s love for the world, the Cross of Jesus Christ REVEALS God’s love for the world. As the Franciscan Richard Rohr has put it, “The Cross doesn’t change God’s mind about us; it changes our mind about God.” God’s love is God’s own, to freely give away. It is freely given on the Cross when Jesus allows himself to be crucified, so that we might see where the lies of the world lead, and be converted to another way.
“But what about belief,” we ask. “In particular, my belief?” I think what our question really means is this: “What’s going to happen to me?” Most of our religious ideas and cultic rituals have been focused for far too long on saving our own skins and separating everyone into tribes. But if we stopped pouring all our energy into this narcissistic program of self-preservation, we could refocus it on revealing the Good News of God’s love to those who’ve never had a chance to take it seriously. To believe in Jesus means to accept his invitation when he says, “Follow me.” To accept him as God-In-Person means to take him at his word. So the inheritance of eternal life can’t be reduced to lip-service in a religious assembly of like-minded folks. Moreover, eternal life isn’t something that will begin sometime in the future when Jesus comes back, and we get to hop a train to paradise. Eternal life begins whenever human beings take Jesus seriously enough to let the vision of his death transform our way of being in the world.
To sum it up: salvation isn’t revealed by a life event, but a way of life. All those who want to impress others with the story of the moment when they were “born again” need to take God more seriously. The world was born again when Jesus was raised from the dead by the Spirit of the Creator, whose nature and name is LOVE. To experience this new birth in a personal way leads one to discipleship, not to Sunday School. Why? Because everyone needs to know that God loves them, has always loved them, will always love them… Any who perish will do so because they have turned away from God’s creating love, no matter their religion. Jesus says look to the Cross and be converted from your short-sighted idolatry (John 3:14~Numbers 21:4-9). Then he says feed my sheep (John 21:17).
So you say you believe. Well then, what will you do now?
Pointing to the Cross,
Jonathan
February 1
A. D. 2019
"Winter Storm Warning"
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The passage above comes from the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew’s Gospel near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. In his portrayal of the Messiah, Matthew seeks to establish the authority of Jesus for a Jewish audience, so we must see the narratives of ancient Israel as the setting for Matthew’s text. The comparison leads to a startling revelation: Moses goes up the mountain to receive the Law, but Jesus goes up the mountain to give the Law. You see, the fruit of the Law received by Moses was supposed to be a nation set apart from the corruption and evil of the world. God intended for the children of Sarah and Abraham to become a people whose way of being in the world gives life, in the Image of the Creator. The ancient Law of Moses was the road map to this new and prophetic identity. Here in Matthew’s story – after centuries of idolatry, corruption, oppression, confusion, exile, and war – Jesus reiterates this basic purpose for God’s people and gives some common sense advice: you identify a tree by its fruit. Read the metaphor writ large. You identify God’s covenant people in that they create a community in which flourishing life is possible for everyone. Life with God is not an individual adventure.
We need to take our Lord’s teaching to heart, because – just like ancient Israel – United Methodists are also failing to create the beloved community desired by God. Many of you are aware that for years (since 1972) a theological and doctrinal war has been waged in the UMC regarding the full inclusion – or not – of persons who identify as either lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. This war has come to full throttle, and nobody in the UMC can avoid the reality that those for and against the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons are at an impasse. So this month, delegates from all over the world will arrive in St. Louis, MO, for a special called General Conference to decide this issue. There is a very good chance the UMC will fracture. Regardless of what happens, the time is coming and is now here when every local church and every pastor will have to publicly decide where it–he–she stands, because none of us can continue in ministry with this situation unresolved. The temptation will be overwhelming to affirm or reject each other on arbitrary grounds regarding which “camp” we all fall into, and this temptation will probably hold sway. But it doesn’t have to. We could choose to evaluate one another by other criteria that what we believe about this single theological and biblical issue. We could choose to be over-zealous in our love, rather than in our need to be correct, because Jesus isn’t asking whether we’ve correctly interpreted every verse of the Bible. He’s asking whether our way of being in the world gives life or takes it away. Whether any of us identify as a cherry tree, or a pear tree, or a fig tree, or a high-bush blueberry, Jesus is going to look at the fruit of our lives. And if all we have to show for our time on his earth are thistles, nettles, and thorns, well… the proof will be in the pudding.
The passage above comes from the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew’s Gospel near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. In his portrayal of the Messiah, Matthew seeks to establish the authority of Jesus for a Jewish audience, so we must see the narratives of ancient Israel as the setting for Matthew’s text. The comparison leads to a startling revelation: Moses goes up the mountain to receive the Law, but Jesus goes up the mountain to give the Law. You see, the fruit of the Law received by Moses was supposed to be a nation set apart from the corruption and evil of the world. God intended for the children of Sarah and Abraham to become a people whose way of being in the world gives life, in the Image of the Creator. The ancient Law of Moses was the road map to this new and prophetic identity. Here in Matthew’s story – after centuries of idolatry, corruption, oppression, confusion, exile, and war – Jesus reiterates this basic purpose for God’s people and gives some common sense advice: you identify a tree by its fruit. Read the metaphor writ large. You identify God’s covenant people in that they create a community in which flourishing life is possible for everyone. Life with God is not an individual adventure.
We need to take our Lord’s teaching to heart, because – just like ancient Israel – United Methodists are also failing to create the beloved community desired by God. Many of you are aware that for years (since 1972) a theological and doctrinal war has been waged in the UMC regarding the full inclusion – or not – of persons who identify as either lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. This war has come to full throttle, and nobody in the UMC can avoid the reality that those for and against the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons are at an impasse. So this month, delegates from all over the world will arrive in St. Louis, MO, for a special called General Conference to decide this issue. There is a very good chance the UMC will fracture. Regardless of what happens, the time is coming and is now here when every local church and every pastor will have to publicly decide where it–he–she stands, because none of us can continue in ministry with this situation unresolved. The temptation will be overwhelming to affirm or reject each other on arbitrary grounds regarding which “camp” we all fall into, and this temptation will probably hold sway. But it doesn’t have to. We could choose to evaluate one another by other criteria that what we believe about this single theological and biblical issue. We could choose to be over-zealous in our love, rather than in our need to be correct, because Jesus isn’t asking whether we’ve correctly interpreted every verse of the Bible. He’s asking whether our way of being in the world gives life or takes it away. Whether any of us identify as a cherry tree, or a pear tree, or a fig tree, or a high-bush blueberry, Jesus is going to look at the fruit of our lives. And if all we have to show for our time on his earth are thistles, nettles, and thorns, well… the proof will be in the pudding.
umc general conference
So where do I stand on this issue? I support the full inclusion of all people in the life of the church. I also believe that regardless of a person’s sexuality, we are all called to holiness in the power of the Spirit. Much needs to be said on these two points, and not any part of this is conveniently black and white. But here is what is clear: neither progressive nor conservative fundamentalism has effectively handled the necessity of biblical authority in tension with the absolute undeniable fact that no one chooses his or her (or their) sexuality. These issues will not be solved quickly, whether the UMC splits or not; and I promise to be your pastor, to hear you and love you, no matter what you believe. While the UMC comes to blows, and our grief is great, I am going to attempt to participate in Christ’s unconditional love for you and for the world. This is the only manner of living which seeks the community of the people of God. I hope that no matter what happens in the coming months, the fruit of my ministry among you will be that you grow in the vital union with Jesus through which he calls us to his “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5). This remains the only point of our religion.
In his Name, and for his sake,
Pastor Jonathan
In his Name, and for his sake,
Pastor Jonathan
December 24
A. D. 2018
The Feast of the Nativity
"If Only In A Dream"
Matthew 1:18 – 2:12
"WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS"
The renowned theologian and pastor, Adam Hamilton, has written a book about the human father of Jesus called Faithful: Christmas Through the Eyes of Joseph. It’s well worth a read, cover to cover; but the point that strikes me as most significant remains the idea that doubt and faith are often found together. Rev. Hamilton says this:
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[Joseph] is the first person [in scripture] to doubt the Virgin Birth. Joseph – who’s described as a righteous man – heard from Mary herself that she had conceived of the Holy Spirit, and he said, ‘I don’t believe it.’ [He doubted.]
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[But then] I think of the fact that no other man had a greater influence on Jesus – in mentoring him, in shaping him – than Joseph did. If you think about the role our fathers play… you know, we either push back against our dads, or we become like our dads; and when I think about Joseph, and then I look at Jesus, I think [to myself], ‘How many of the things that Jesus said and did were things he learned from Joseph?’
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I think we see a lot of Joseph in the Gospels. I think we see [him] and we hear [him] in the words [and deeds] of Jesus. So Joseph was a man who was faithful, loved Jesus, and raised him as his son. So he’s both the patron saint of doubters and those who are faithful in following God’s will. [1]
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For us, on this Christmas Night, the question becomes: What tipped the scales for Joseph? What was it that helped him see the first few steps on a new path toward a new life? In our story today, we don’t have much material with which to answer these questions. Matthew doesn’t record anything that Joseph might have said, only things about his character and his interior thought process and the actions he takes. We don’t get to hear the conversation in which Mary tells him about her pregnancy. We don’t get to hear the monologue Joseph surely had that night before he went to bed, talking to himself of grief and disappointment and fear of a future that now seems very uncertain. And we don’t get to hear the conversation in which Joseph tells Mary about his dream. So we have to discern the tipping point.
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In my imagination,
it’s still dark even though it is morning. Joseph wakes from his dream and stands stock still. It’s that moment at the end of night when the luminous aura of the dawn hangs in the air. Standing there in the twilight, Joseph’s heart perceives what his mind cannot accept: that he has been called to adopt and father a child born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. His mind cannot believe it, but his heart knows it to be true. |
This moment between the heart and mind is the tipping point between doubt and faith. And this is true for all of us. The Good News that God has not forsaken us in our sin and death doesn’t have any meaning at all if you’re looking for proof. The truth of it is not something you can point your finger at and say, “There, there it is; the answer to every question.” Instead, the mystery of the Incarnation and Nativity of the Living Word of God comes over you like hot flash, or a cold shiver. The truth of it makes your spine tingle. And as the spiritual energy spreads from your spine to all the nerve endings in your body, you know deep down what your brain does not dare to believe: that peace, and hope, and joy, and love are going to win in the end.
The Wise Men have the same experience as Joseph. They know that Herod is not feeling what they are feeling. They know his demand for explanations is the wrong pursuit. They know that if he had wanted to see the signs of the Messiah’s birth, he would have seen them already. And after the climax and completion of their journey to find the King, they also wake from sleep having seen the vision of a new path, a journey home “by another road.”
In our culture, we have a hard time coming to this moment of spine-tingling assurance. We have a hard time opening our grief and disappointment and doubt to the mystery of Christ and the touch of the Holy Spirit. Especially at Christmas Time, we often miss the moments in our lives which open onto a new path. It’s all “Jingle Bell Rock” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Silver Bells” But there is one song in our popular culture that hints at the mystery that awaits our hearts: “I’ll be home for Christmas…” Written in 1943 at the height of World War II by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, the song was made famous by Bing Crosby, whose effortless and unassuming baritone allowed the profound feeling of the words to speak to our hearts beyond what the words merely say:
The Wise Men have the same experience as Joseph. They know that Herod is not feeling what they are feeling. They know his demand for explanations is the wrong pursuit. They know that if he had wanted to see the signs of the Messiah’s birth, he would have seen them already. And after the climax and completion of their journey to find the King, they also wake from sleep having seen the vision of a new path, a journey home “by another road.”
In our culture, we have a hard time coming to this moment of spine-tingling assurance. We have a hard time opening our grief and disappointment and doubt to the mystery of Christ and the touch of the Holy Spirit. Especially at Christmas Time, we often miss the moments in our lives which open onto a new path. It’s all “Jingle Bell Rock” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Silver Bells” But there is one song in our popular culture that hints at the mystery that awaits our hearts: “I’ll be home for Christmas…” Written in 1943 at the height of World War II by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, the song was made famous by Bing Crosby, whose effortless and unassuming baritone allowed the profound feeling of the words to speak to our hearts beyond what the words merely say:
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I'll be home for Christmas You can count on me Please have snow and mistletoe And presents on the tree Christmas Eve will find me Where the lovelight gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams. |
The Young Bing Crosby
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Yes, there is the nod to the decorations and the giving and receiving of gifts; but the narrator of the poem knows that, far more than any trinket, what’s missing in life is the answer to the human longing to be made whole. It’s not the tree that makes the home. It’s not the lights that make the home. It’s not the gifts that make the home. Home is where the lovelight gleams. Sometimes, we can only find that place in our dreams, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real, or that it isn’t true.
Maybe you're only able to trust the story of God's saving love in your dreams.
But that doesn't mean it isn't real, or that it isn't true.
But that doesn't mean it isn't real, or that it isn't true.
As morning breaks, Joseph knocks at the door where Mary lives. Presumably her father comes to answer. When he sees that it’s Joseph, he silently motions him inside and offers him a seat by the fire. Moments later, Mary enters and they are left alone in an awkward silence. But she turns her face toward his, hoping against hope. Then, in the deep quiet, from the space between his heart and his mind Joseph speaks with a voice that says ‘I love you’ and ‘I’m sorry,’ saying,
“I’ve had a dream. Will you still marry me?”
[1] UMC Facebook post featuring this book. This text was taken from the video, and is the transcript of the author speaking.
December 2
A. D. 2018
"A Ministry of Presence"
Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means, “God is with us.”
(Mt. 1:23
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means, “God is with us.”
(Mt. 1:23
https://goalhabits.com/2016/12/
Dear Friends,
When I first came to the pastoral charge at Ionia First UMC and Lyons Muir Church, folks in both congregations were rightly concerned about how things were going to work with the pastor living in Grand Rapids. I was concerned too; and our District Superintendent was concerned; the Bishop was concerned; my wife, Jessica, was concerned; my parents were concerned…
When I first came to the pastoral charge at Ionia First UMC and Lyons Muir Church, folks in both congregations were rightly concerned about how things were going to work with the pastor living in Grand Rapids. I was concerned too; and our District Superintendent was concerned; the Bishop was concerned; my wife, Jessica, was concerned; my parents were concerned…
Everybody was concerned.
In that first meeting with the DS and the joint Staff-Parish Relations Committee from both churches, I answered these concerns by describing pastoral ministry as a ministry of presence, and that one cannot do this ministry if one is not actually… well, present. Nevertheless, it was a lot to take in, having the energies and hopes and anxiety and expectations of everyone pointed squarely at me. I was nervous and afraid, coming to a place where I didn’t know a soul and seeing that both churches were really struggling. But I realized that all I could do was trust the Spirit to guide me, and open my heart to a new opportunity.
Now, a year and half later, it’s a good time to check in about this ministry of presence and how we’re all coping with the reality of our situation. I will confess, it has not been easy. Both congregations need a full time pastor. Both congregations want a full time pastor. But neither the need, nor the want – nor my desire to meet those expectations – can be accommodated by the available hours in the day. Invariably there are competing commitments. This competition for my time and person reflects an interesting dynamic which is very hard to navigate, but that I think it would be helpful to articulate. I am the pastor in charge, sent to these two churches by the United Methodist Church to order the lives of these two congregations. I am a pastor, one called to shepherd the witness and work of the Body of Christ in the world. And I am your pastor, in whom you place your trust and confidence. These are distinct but interlocking identities, which are hard to parse sometimes, and which often occur simultaneously.
Often I commit to things I shouldn’t. Sometimes an emergency pulls me toward one congregation or the other. Sometimes there are deadlines to meet which pulls focus. Sometimes my family needs immediate attention. So at points in the past year and a half folks have wondered, “Where’s pastor Jonathan?” And sometimes folks do more than wonder: they get upset, feel let down, and let me know in various ways. If you have ever felt let down by your pastor, let me say that I am sorry. In 99% of these moments its because I’m somewhere else being a pastor or the pastor. I am not perfect, my schedule is very complicated, and I have a young family; but even so, I have not done enough to help people set reasonable expectations.
One of our struggles at both churches has been communication. So as we begin to tell the story of Emmanuel once again, I want to take this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to being present, both at church and in your lives. We all must take our cue from Jesus, whatever our call may be, and Christ leads me to this ministry of walking into the unknown to take into my spirit and heart and mind the joys and the suffering of others. Where he leads, I will follow. And as the dust settles on an interstate move, a home renovation, having our first child, learning two new communities, and finishing 200 pages of ordination papers and 4 years of discernment, I know Christ will help me do better at being a pastor in this place. I know he will help me be patient with you all, giving us grace for the living of these days, wounded as we are by the grief of change and the anxiety of unmet expectations. For the expectant heart will receive a blessing, the blessing of God’s very presence and power; whose name is Emmanuel, and whose light shines in the darkness of the world. May his love be among us and remain with us always. Thanks be to God.
Now, a year and half later, it’s a good time to check in about this ministry of presence and how we’re all coping with the reality of our situation. I will confess, it has not been easy. Both congregations need a full time pastor. Both congregations want a full time pastor. But neither the need, nor the want – nor my desire to meet those expectations – can be accommodated by the available hours in the day. Invariably there are competing commitments. This competition for my time and person reflects an interesting dynamic which is very hard to navigate, but that I think it would be helpful to articulate. I am the pastor in charge, sent to these two churches by the United Methodist Church to order the lives of these two congregations. I am a pastor, one called to shepherd the witness and work of the Body of Christ in the world. And I am your pastor, in whom you place your trust and confidence. These are distinct but interlocking identities, which are hard to parse sometimes, and which often occur simultaneously.
Often I commit to things I shouldn’t. Sometimes an emergency pulls me toward one congregation or the other. Sometimes there are deadlines to meet which pulls focus. Sometimes my family needs immediate attention. So at points in the past year and a half folks have wondered, “Where’s pastor Jonathan?” And sometimes folks do more than wonder: they get upset, feel let down, and let me know in various ways. If you have ever felt let down by your pastor, let me say that I am sorry. In 99% of these moments its because I’m somewhere else being a pastor or the pastor. I am not perfect, my schedule is very complicated, and I have a young family; but even so, I have not done enough to help people set reasonable expectations.
One of our struggles at both churches has been communication. So as we begin to tell the story of Emmanuel once again, I want to take this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to being present, both at church and in your lives. We all must take our cue from Jesus, whatever our call may be, and Christ leads me to this ministry of walking into the unknown to take into my spirit and heart and mind the joys and the suffering of others. Where he leads, I will follow. And as the dust settles on an interstate move, a home renovation, having our first child, learning two new communities, and finishing 200 pages of ordination papers and 4 years of discernment, I know Christ will help me do better at being a pastor in this place. I know he will help me be patient with you all, giving us grace for the living of these days, wounded as we are by the grief of change and the anxiety of unmet expectations. For the expectant heart will receive a blessing, the blessing of God’s very presence and power; whose name is Emmanuel, and whose light shines in the darkness of the world. May his love be among us and remain with us always. Thanks be to God.
Pastor Jonathan |
November 1
A. D. 2018
“For All the Saints”
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne
and the living creatures and the elders;
they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
singing with full voice:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and in the sea,
and all that is in them, singing:
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
And the elders fell down and worshiped.
(The Revelation of John 5:11-14)
and the living creatures and the elders;
they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
singing with full voice:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and in the sea,
and all that is in them, singing:
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
And the elders fell down and worshiped.
(The Revelation of John 5:11-14)
Dear Friends,
On Sunday, November 4th, we will celebrate the Feast of All Saints. It is a commemoration of those who have passed from among us into the eternal life promised in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. It is a solemn occasion of tremendous spiritual meaning, not only in remembrance of our own loved ones who have passed, but because this year marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice which ended the Great War on November 11th, 1918. During this time and season we stand face to face with our mortality; but into the dark emptiness of the grave the Body of Christ continues the song of the Apostle whom He loved, whose vision rings for all the ages with the praise of God’s everlasting faithfulness:
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In His victory over Death, Christ restores all things and reconciles the human family to itself and to its Creator. We who linger in the twilight of the coming dawn must bear up with faith and perseverance. For the end has begun. So we grieve the loved ones who are beyond our sight, but we do not wish them back. We bear together with one another in our suffering and in our yearning for the New Creation, but we cast aside all doubt and fear. By faith we know that when Christ comes in final victory, to judge the living and the dead, those who have confessed Him Lord shall rise to be like Him, and shall see Him as he is: robed in terrible beauty, power, and grace. So now, as the days grow short and another harvest begins its ebb toward a Winter’s rest, let us sing with full voice the songs of light, the songs of hope, the songs of everlasting life:
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia!
AUGUST 1
A.D. 2018
"The Second Mile"
A.D. 2018
"The Second Mile"
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If anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:41-48)
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Dear Friends,
I’ve been among you a year, and I feel like I'm finally putting my feet on the ground. Our first year together may not have seemed all that out of the ordinary to anyone else, but for Jessica and me… we had an interstate move, a house to renovate, two new jobs, and our first child – not to mention the fact that I was sick for the first 6 months of 2018, culminating in a pitched battle with pneumonia. Whew! Talk about “drinking from a fire hose!” I’m glad the last 12 months are water under the bridge!
But this is not the moment to coast or slack off. Even as we get better organized and I start to feel more comfortable in my weekly routine, our church still needs to surge forward in ministry. As we enter our second year together, I am ready to walk a second mile with all of you. There are many tasks to accomplish in our church, new ministries to organize, ongoing ministries to foster, new people to reach, new budgets to write, and – most important – deeper relationships to form. It has been wonderful getting to know this community, but I feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface and have so much more to find out about each one of your unique lives and vocations.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus points his disciples in an exciting new direction. Basically, his teaching here is: “Forget everything you thought you knew! Turn and go the other way, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” The stranger is your sister, your brother. The outcast is in. Gentiles are Jews. The poor are rich. Up is down. Right is left. Fast is slow. The law is grace. Judgment is love, and…
I’ve been among you a year, and I feel like I'm finally putting my feet on the ground. Our first year together may not have seemed all that out of the ordinary to anyone else, but for Jessica and me… we had an interstate move, a house to renovate, two new jobs, and our first child – not to mention the fact that I was sick for the first 6 months of 2018, culminating in a pitched battle with pneumonia. Whew! Talk about “drinking from a fire hose!” I’m glad the last 12 months are water under the bridge!
But this is not the moment to coast or slack off. Even as we get better organized and I start to feel more comfortable in my weekly routine, our church still needs to surge forward in ministry. As we enter our second year together, I am ready to walk a second mile with all of you. There are many tasks to accomplish in our church, new ministries to organize, ongoing ministries to foster, new people to reach, new budgets to write, and – most important – deeper relationships to form. It has been wonderful getting to know this community, but I feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface and have so much more to find out about each one of your unique lives and vocations.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus points his disciples in an exciting new direction. Basically, his teaching here is: “Forget everything you thought you knew! Turn and go the other way, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” The stranger is your sister, your brother. The outcast is in. Gentiles are Jews. The poor are rich. Up is down. Right is left. Fast is slow. The law is grace. Judgment is love, and…
You have heard it said that 2 + 2 = 4...
You've heard it said that Lyons Muir Church
is old and worn out and on the ropes...
"But I say to you” that 2 + 2 = 7
because the Holy Trinity is in our midst!!
You've heard it said that Lyons Muir Church
is old and worn out and on the ropes...
"But I say to you” that 2 + 2 = 7
because the Holy Trinity is in our midst!!
We’ve gone a “mile” together – one trip around the sun. Now, the corn is high; so let’s go another “mile” and see what the LORD has in store for those who love him and keep his commandments. In the footsteps of Jesus and the strength of the Spirit we will not grow weary or faint, for we are the children of God. Let us, therefore, be perfect in this work, even as our heavenly Father is perfect. Thanks be to God for all the blessings that we have, and the blessings yet to come.
Pastor Jonathan |
July 1
A .D. 2018
"Set Apart For Ministry"
The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Dear Friends,
Many of you have recently asked me to explain how pastor’s are ordained in the United Methodist Church and where I am on that journey. I realize how important it is for you all to understand how our denomination (p.s. the PCUSA is very similar) works in this regard, and our newsletter seems like a good place to share.
The first thing to be said about ordained ministry in the United Methodist Tradition is that is not conceived as a hierarchy over other kinds of ministry. Rather, those who are gifted by God to shepherd the life of the church are confirmed in the Spirit and set apart by the churchfor this work. The call comes from the Spirit; the Church affirms that call through ordination. Those who discern and answer this call to ordained ministry go through a rigorous and lengthy period of training for the work that is set before them. It is this process of training which I hope to sketch for you here.
The first definition of ordination is Baptism. Through baptism we are initiated into the life of the Church and called to ministry as followers of Jesus Christ in and for the world. In this sense, all of you are also ordained. No matter what any us do to earn our livelihood, our work is dedicated to God: to be baptized is to die to our former way of life and begin a way of life which reveals God’s love and grace to the world. But beyond this, some within the Body of Christ are called to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” These persons are set apart.
In the UMC, the first step is for a local church to affirm that a person is gifted for the work of ordained ministry. A person who discerns a call, and in whom the congregation recognizes a call, will meet with the pastor and the Staff-Parish Relations Committee to share the story of how God is moving in his or her life. Then it is up to this Committee to present this person to the Congregation. At the annual Charge Conference, the SPRC will give a report to the Congregation in which they recommend this person for candidacy for ordained or licensed ministry. The Charge Conference then votes, and if the person is affirmed as one called to be set apart to shepherd the life of the church, the Congregation offers them to the care of the District Committee on Ministry – or DCOM.
The DCOM will help a person discern which path to set apart ministry best suits their gifts and situation. For instance, someone might pursue being licensed as a local pastor, which leads to participation in a course of study, but doesn’t require going to seminary. Or a person might be steered towards pursuing full ordination in the church as either a Deacon or an Elder. My calling and gifts, as well as my situation in life, pointed me toward pursuing Full Ordination as an Elder. In particular, I felt called to preach and teach, and to administer the sacramental life of the Church. This does not mean that Elder’s are not called to a life of servant leadership – each and every disciple is called to servant leadership. But in the UMC only Elder’s are made directly responsible for the evangelistic proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of Holy Communion and Baptism.
Once a path has been discerned, the candidate begins a long process of training and reflection. The DCOM cares for a candidate throughout this process, until he or she is ready for full time ministry. As a candidate for the Order of Elder’s, I was sent to Vanderbilt Divinity School and spent 4 years in full time theological study, spiritual formation, pastoral internships, and leadership training. I received an in depth education in church history, theology, biblical studies, pastoral care, ethics, missions and evangelism, worship and liturgy, preaching, and adaptive leadership. This totaled 87 academic credit hours, and earning my Master of Divinity was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I have ever done. Nothing could ever substitute for this extended period of individual and communal reflection, struggle, and revelation.
During the final year of my academic training, I also wrote Ordination Papers in preparation for the Board of Ordained Ministry to evaluate my readiness for full time parish ministry. After completing these papers and interviews – along with a rigorous assessment by a professional psychologist and a general physical with my doctor – I was recommended to the clergy of the Tennessee Annual Conference (TNAC) for confirmation and a vote. At the Annual Conference of 2015, I was elected as a Provisional Elder in the TNAC and Commissioned by our Bishop, through the laying on or hands, for the work of Ordained Ministry. The difference between being “Commissioned” and “Ordained” in our Tradition is that a person who is Commissioned is on probation. By our Book of Discipline, I have the rights and privileges of a pastor in the Charge where I am appointed by the Bishop; but I do not have those rights and privileges elsewhere, unless given direct instructions by my District Superintendent.
Having been Commissioned, a Provisional Elder enters a further three-four year period of continuing education and evaluation, which is referred to in the UMC as a period of “Residency in Ministry.” One’s gifts are recognized by the local church, affirmed by the District and the Board of Ordained Ministry, and confirmed by the Annual Conference, but it remains to be seen whether these gifts will bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.
I am currently entering my final and fourth year in the Residency in Ministry program. The final year of this program is intense and involves an incredible amount of work and reflection. This year I am taking an additional academic course in pastoral care and spirituality to continue my education, I will write a new bible study, I will compose some 30 pages of theological reflections, meet with a psychologist to ascertain my continued mental health, meet with a physician to assess my physical condition, and finally be interviewed by a committee of 11 people – both lay and clergy – from the Board of Ordained Ministry. I began discernment with my pastor at West End UMC in Nashville, TN, in February 2009, and my Ordination to Full Connection as an Elder in the UMC in June of 2019 will bring to a close a decade of intense academic work, spiritual formation, and personal growth.
This final year will require much from me on top of my duties and commitments among you. I ask for your prayers and your support as I persevere in the work that is set before me. And when this journey is brought to its completion, I hope that you will also celebrate with me and my family. Please continue to share your questions about this process and my ongoing work. My prayer is that my gifts and education bear fruit among you, the body of Christ, for the praise of God’s glory.
Pastor Jonathan
Many of you have recently asked me to explain how pastor’s are ordained in the United Methodist Church and where I am on that journey. I realize how important it is for you all to understand how our denomination (p.s. the PCUSA is very similar) works in this regard, and our newsletter seems like a good place to share.
The first thing to be said about ordained ministry in the United Methodist Tradition is that is not conceived as a hierarchy over other kinds of ministry. Rather, those who are gifted by God to shepherd the life of the church are confirmed in the Spirit and set apart by the churchfor this work. The call comes from the Spirit; the Church affirms that call through ordination. Those who discern and answer this call to ordained ministry go through a rigorous and lengthy period of training for the work that is set before them. It is this process of training which I hope to sketch for you here.
The first definition of ordination is Baptism. Through baptism we are initiated into the life of the Church and called to ministry as followers of Jesus Christ in and for the world. In this sense, all of you are also ordained. No matter what any us do to earn our livelihood, our work is dedicated to God: to be baptized is to die to our former way of life and begin a way of life which reveals God’s love and grace to the world. But beyond this, some within the Body of Christ are called to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” These persons are set apart.
In the UMC, the first step is for a local church to affirm that a person is gifted for the work of ordained ministry. A person who discerns a call, and in whom the congregation recognizes a call, will meet with the pastor and the Staff-Parish Relations Committee to share the story of how God is moving in his or her life. Then it is up to this Committee to present this person to the Congregation. At the annual Charge Conference, the SPRC will give a report to the Congregation in which they recommend this person for candidacy for ordained or licensed ministry. The Charge Conference then votes, and if the person is affirmed as one called to be set apart to shepherd the life of the church, the Congregation offers them to the care of the District Committee on Ministry – or DCOM.
The DCOM will help a person discern which path to set apart ministry best suits their gifts and situation. For instance, someone might pursue being licensed as a local pastor, which leads to participation in a course of study, but doesn’t require going to seminary. Or a person might be steered towards pursuing full ordination in the church as either a Deacon or an Elder. My calling and gifts, as well as my situation in life, pointed me toward pursuing Full Ordination as an Elder. In particular, I felt called to preach and teach, and to administer the sacramental life of the Church. This does not mean that Elder’s are not called to a life of servant leadership – each and every disciple is called to servant leadership. But in the UMC only Elder’s are made directly responsible for the evangelistic proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of Holy Communion and Baptism.
Once a path has been discerned, the candidate begins a long process of training and reflection. The DCOM cares for a candidate throughout this process, until he or she is ready for full time ministry. As a candidate for the Order of Elder’s, I was sent to Vanderbilt Divinity School and spent 4 years in full time theological study, spiritual formation, pastoral internships, and leadership training. I received an in depth education in church history, theology, biblical studies, pastoral care, ethics, missions and evangelism, worship and liturgy, preaching, and adaptive leadership. This totaled 87 academic credit hours, and earning my Master of Divinity was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I have ever done. Nothing could ever substitute for this extended period of individual and communal reflection, struggle, and revelation.
During the final year of my academic training, I also wrote Ordination Papers in preparation for the Board of Ordained Ministry to evaluate my readiness for full time parish ministry. After completing these papers and interviews – along with a rigorous assessment by a professional psychologist and a general physical with my doctor – I was recommended to the clergy of the Tennessee Annual Conference (TNAC) for confirmation and a vote. At the Annual Conference of 2015, I was elected as a Provisional Elder in the TNAC and Commissioned by our Bishop, through the laying on or hands, for the work of Ordained Ministry. The difference between being “Commissioned” and “Ordained” in our Tradition is that a person who is Commissioned is on probation. By our Book of Discipline, I have the rights and privileges of a pastor in the Charge where I am appointed by the Bishop; but I do not have those rights and privileges elsewhere, unless given direct instructions by my District Superintendent.
Having been Commissioned, a Provisional Elder enters a further three-four year period of continuing education and evaluation, which is referred to in the UMC as a period of “Residency in Ministry.” One’s gifts are recognized by the local church, affirmed by the District and the Board of Ordained Ministry, and confirmed by the Annual Conference, but it remains to be seen whether these gifts will bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.
I am currently entering my final and fourth year in the Residency in Ministry program. The final year of this program is intense and involves an incredible amount of work and reflection. This year I am taking an additional academic course in pastoral care and spirituality to continue my education, I will write a new bible study, I will compose some 30 pages of theological reflections, meet with a psychologist to ascertain my continued mental health, meet with a physician to assess my physical condition, and finally be interviewed by a committee of 11 people – both lay and clergy – from the Board of Ordained Ministry. I began discernment with my pastor at West End UMC in Nashville, TN, in February 2009, and my Ordination to Full Connection as an Elder in the UMC in June of 2019 will bring to a close a decade of intense academic work, spiritual formation, and personal growth.
This final year will require much from me on top of my duties and commitments among you. I ask for your prayers and your support as I persevere in the work that is set before me. And when this journey is brought to its completion, I hope that you will also celebrate with me and my family. Please continue to share your questions about this process and my ongoing work. My prayer is that my gifts and education bear fruit among you, the body of Christ, for the praise of God’s glory.
Pastor Jonathan
June 1
A. D. 2018
"We Are Not Alone"
…when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars,
recognized the grace that had been given to me,
they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship,
agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles. (Gal. 2:9)
recognized the grace that had been given to me,
they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship,
agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles. (Gal. 2:9)
Dear Friends,
I’ve been out and about, and some of you might be wondering…. Where’s our pastor? So I thought I’d write you a little note to tell you of my comings and goings. First let me say that I appreciate this time away, and you all have been in my prayers. The last week of May, I was in Washington, D.C., for the Festival of Homiletics. Homi-what? Homiletics is a fancy word for preaching, and the Festival is a gathering of pastors from a wide variety of traditions who come together to extend to one another the “right hand of fellowship” through worship, prayer, singing, dancing, weeping, speaking, and listening. The Festival draws an international group, and the speakers are world renowned scholars and pastors whose words and passion for the Gospel inspired me, filled me up, and helped me remember why I left my old life behind to take up the yoke of ordained ministry. From the times of worship, to the academic presentations, to the informal conversations over meals, this was a moment when all the spiritual energy I have been pouring out on you these past months was poured back into me. I also rested in the recognition that the work in which I am trying to be faithful is a vocation shared by thousands of other Christians around this country and around the world. It was a profound blessing to recall that I am not alone as I continue to shepherd the people of God in their lives and in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, to which every disciple is called. So let me say again: I appreciate this time away. I’m not sure I could survive the demands of full time ministry without these moments of rejuvenation.
I’ve been out and about, and some of you might be wondering…. Where’s our pastor? So I thought I’d write you a little note to tell you of my comings and goings. First let me say that I appreciate this time away, and you all have been in my prayers. The last week of May, I was in Washington, D.C., for the Festival of Homiletics. Homi-what? Homiletics is a fancy word for preaching, and the Festival is a gathering of pastors from a wide variety of traditions who come together to extend to one another the “right hand of fellowship” through worship, prayer, singing, dancing, weeping, speaking, and listening. The Festival draws an international group, and the speakers are world renowned scholars and pastors whose words and passion for the Gospel inspired me, filled me up, and helped me remember why I left my old life behind to take up the yoke of ordained ministry. From the times of worship, to the academic presentations, to the informal conversations over meals, this was a moment when all the spiritual energy I have been pouring out on you these past months was poured back into me. I also rested in the recognition that the work in which I am trying to be faithful is a vocation shared by thousands of other Christians around this country and around the world. It was a profound blessing to recall that I am not alone as I continue to shepherd the people of God in their lives and in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, to which every disciple is called. So let me say again: I appreciate this time away. I’m not sure I could survive the demands of full time ministry without these moments of rejuvenation.
THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL
OF THE
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
OF THE
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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CHOIR AND CHANCEL
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EAST TRANSEPT
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NW CHAPEL
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BAPTISTRY
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This week, I am at the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Michigan. It is another opportunity to observe the wideness of God’s grace as UMC pastors and laity from Detroit to Marquette gather to celebrate the life of the church, to continue the work of making provision for sharing the Good News with the world, and to enjoy the reunion of friends old and new. The Annual Conference is a blessing, and I hope that we can work towards staying in touch with our denomination over the coming months. The Spirit is at work in our lives, our local church, our district, our conference, and across the world. At Annual Conference, we all remember that we are part of something bigger than ourselves, and we rejoice in what God is calling us to do together.
While I am away, know that I have not forgotten you. Each of you remains in my thoughts and prayers, and I will see you shortly. Meanwhile, keep the faith: pray without ceasing; be slow to anger and quick to love; participate in the means of grace; and teach the peace of Jesus Christ to the world around you. I love you all and miss you, and will see you in a few short days. We are not alone. We believe in God, who has created and is creating. Praise be to Christ in the power of the Spirit. Amen.
Pastor Jonathan,
Traverse City, MI
While I am away, know that I have not forgotten you. Each of you remains in my thoughts and prayers, and I will see you shortly. Meanwhile, keep the faith: pray without ceasing; be slow to anger and quick to love; participate in the means of grace; and teach the peace of Jesus Christ to the world around you. I love you all and miss you, and will see you in a few short days. We are not alone. We believe in God, who has created and is creating. Praise be to Christ in the power of the Spirit. Amen.
Pastor Jonathan,
Traverse City, MI
EAST BAY, TRAVERSE CITY
May 1
A. D. 2018
"Constructive Theology:
Getting Down to His Business"
To the Friends of Jesus (John 15:15),
Once a month I join with several other members of the Ionia Ministerial Association (IMA). The IMA is a place for pastors to confide in each other about the ups and downs of ordained ministry, discuss spiritual ideas, hear from citizens about challenges and opportunities in our community, and share a time of prayer. At our April meeting, we had a visit from PSIC Ionia (Positive Solutions – Informed Choices). PSIC is a women’s health center that offers assistance to individuals experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Here’s the opening blurb on their website:
Once a month I join with several other members of the Ionia Ministerial Association (IMA). The IMA is a place for pastors to confide in each other about the ups and downs of ordained ministry, discuss spiritual ideas, hear from citizens about challenges and opportunities in our community, and share a time of prayer. At our April meeting, we had a visit from PSIC Ionia (Positive Solutions – Informed Choices). PSIC is a women’s health center that offers assistance to individuals experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Here’s the opening blurb on their website:
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If you’re concerned you may be pregnant and want help with your next steps, make an appointment for a free pregnancy test and options consultation. Thinking about an abortion? If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, you have choices. You may even be considering abortion. Before you decide, be sure you understand and have considered all your options. Get answers to your questions before you make your choice.
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Naturally, this visit led our group to a discussion of abortion. Approaches to this problem in our society usually gets pigeon-holed into one extreme or the other: Pro Life or Pro Choice. What follows is my own story about abortion and the reasons why I believe that a follower of Jesus Christ should be both.
When it comes to the practice of abortion by women and physicians and others, I am passionately Pro Life and Pro Choice. Ah… but some will say these two positions are diametrically opposed... binary opposites. However, to treat these two positions as a binary turns abortion into an intellectual issue, rather than something that is happening to people: mothers, babies, fathers, doctors, etc...
When it comes to the practice of abortion by women and physicians and others, I am passionately Pro Life and Pro Choice. Ah… but some will say these two positions are diametrically opposed... binary opposites. However, to treat these two positions as a binary turns abortion into an intellectual issue, rather than something that is happening to people: mothers, babies, fathers, doctors, etc...
Pro Life? Yes. Abortion cannot be defended theologically.
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Based on the self-revelation of the Creator in Jesus Christ, to take life is the height of immorality. This scriptural truth is implied by the narrative of Christ's life, suffering, death, and resurrection. In this story, the careful reader finds a God whose principle mandate – in both the act of creation (Genesis 1:1) and the incarnation of that Creative Logic in Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:1) – is "to give life to the dead and call into existence the things that do not exist" (Romans 4:17). Having reflected on this biblical ethos in combination with witnessing my own baby's heart-beat in the fetal pole at 7 weeks (pictured at right and below), it becomes obvious that a human being is alive from the very instant of conception: part of the LORD’s beloved creation (Jeremiah 31:3) and covered under the graceful sufficiency of the Cross (1 John 2:1). The narrative also implies that human sexuality is a principal gift of the Creator (Genesis 1:27-28), and one of the signs of this is that it occasionally and miraculously results in new life (1 Samuel 1:19-20). To do anything besides celebrate this
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miracle is a sin. Are we prohibited sometimes from this celebration because of great emotional, physical, and spiritual pain? Yes. But this tension characterizes the whole life of discipleship, which is to stand in the face of Death and announce the Good News, "I have seen the crucified Christ!” (John 20:18, Acts 3:15). The joy His resurrection affords overcomes our slavery to this world's suffering and brokenness. Specifically, the resurrection puts Death on notice that its days are numbered. If we place our hope in the God of the resurrection, it becomes the ultimate context and condition for all our decision making. So I argue that, no matter the circumstances, abortion is theologically indefensible, even when it is justified (medically necessary, e.g.). This doesn't mean that women who end up making the choice to have an abortion are outside God's grace. Rather it means that the church needs to surround that person with a special kind of love and care; for the emotional wounds and moral injury of abortion are not any that will heal while this life lasts.
But…you’re also Pro Choice? Yes. Violence cannot be defended theologically
At an earlier time in my life, I was participated in a relationship in which we were irresponsible with the gift of our sexuality. The result was a pregnancy. My partner in this relationship insisted on an abortion for various, however illegitimate, reasons. Illegitimate? Yes. This pregnancy was not the result of violence or abuse and posed no danger to anyone. Rather, a child was conceived through our self-gratifying laziness and narcissism. She did not have the right to choose an abortion beyond personal preference not to be pregnant, which I have painfully realized is simply not good enough for a disciple of Jesus Christ. Even though I was scared of the fallout in our families, I begged her not to have the abortion. But my pleas could only be an invitation to imagine the possibility and beauty of how God might make the most of our mistakes. All I could do was invite. I could not force her to have the child, nor could I bodily prevent her from going to the clinic for the procedure without doing her violence. And why shouldn't we forcibly prevent this? Because the grace of God in Jesus Christ is never manipulative, coercive, or violent. Jesus himself, in the garden of Gethsemane, forgoes calling down the army of heaven to avoid the Cross (Matthew 26:52-54), because violence will never lead to the kingdom of God's justice and mercy (John 8:1-15). Judgment and justice belong to God (Hebrews 10:30), not to us. Violence is theologically indefensible.
So: because abortion is theological indefensible and violence is theologically indefensible, the Church as a political institution (let's not blither on about the First Amendment as if Jesus wasn't absolutely political (Mark 15:29)), and the Body of Christ as individual disciples, should do everything possible to change the abuse against women inherent in our society and graciously support every woman with an unwanted pregnancy (whatever the circumstances) in a way that lovingly invites her to freely choose delivering the baby. This requires radical critique of the systems in which we live, and radical support of women who find themselves to be pregnant against their will. No follower of Christ can live up to His name and stand outside an abortion clinic yelling violent obscenities at women who are experiencing the profound trauma of an unwanted pregnancy. And every follower of Christ should be engaged in addressing the violent systems of poverty, misogyny, abuse, and neglect that define life for billions of women in our world.
Abortion might be a safe medical procedure with the help of a physician, but it is never "healthy." For health includes far more than our physical condition, and an abortion affects the health of more than the mother in question. The moral injury of the abortion in which I participated is something with which I continue to struggle. The sin of ending my baby's life haunts me when I look at the precious boy God has given to me and my second wife. As I continue to mourn for that first child, I wonder who s/he would have been, and I hope and pray that God will bring that person into the fullness of the New Creation. For in the kingdom of God’s justice and love, Jesus Christ refuses to foreclose on any person (John 3:17, Romans 2:12-16), within the womb or without (Psalm 139:13). Because the redemption of the whole human family is His business, it must be and continue to become our business too. Let’s get down to it, for “the only thing that counts is faith made effective through love” (Galatians 5:6).
Abortion might be a safe medical procedure with the help of a physician, but it is never "healthy." For health includes far more than our physical condition, and an abortion affects the health of more than the mother in question. The moral injury of the abortion in which I participated is something with which I continue to struggle. The sin of ending my baby's life haunts me when I look at the precious boy God has given to me and my second wife. As I continue to mourn for that first child, I wonder who s/he would have been, and I hope and pray that God will bring that person into the fullness of the New Creation. For in the kingdom of God’s justice and love, Jesus Christ refuses to foreclose on any person (John 3:17, Romans 2:12-16), within the womb or without (Psalm 139:13). Because the redemption of the whole human family is His business, it must be and continue to become our business too. Let’s get down to it, for “the only thing that counts is faith made effective through love” (Galatians 5:6).
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In the name of Jesus Christ, and for the praise of his glory,
Pastor Jonathan |
April 1
A. D. 2018
“An Easter People”
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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, |
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“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” (Rev. 21:1-5) |
Dear Friends,
I recently suffered a loss in my personal life: my former pastor, mentor, and friend – the Rev. Dr. Michael Williams – passed away suddenly, without warning or explanation. He simply collapsed after an evening meal with his family and was gone. He was in his late 60s; he had just retired. When I heard the news, I collapsed in grief for his family, for my home church, and for myself. Michael saw me through the end of my first marriage, helping me to understand that my divorce and failure did not disqualify me from being set apart to shepherd the Body of Christ. Michael encouraged me in my studies and taught me when I was a pastoral intern at our church, West End UMC. When I picture his face I can hear his voice; when I hear his voice I remember all the days we lived through: the ups, the downs, the love, the forgiveness, and the hope. Now he is gone away, and his song in my heart is silent.
I have wondered how to share this event in my life. It has seemed to me that a pastor should not burden a congregation or community with my his or her own troubles, but my heart tells me that this is a mistake. I am human, and my heart is broken by the loss of my friend; and, in this moment of grief, the Execution and Resurrection of Jesus Christ take on a significance that cannot be sidelined by a routine rehearsal of the narrative, a public holiday, or confectionary bunnies. You see, one of us isn’t dead anymore. I need you all to become completely convinced that the divine promise made to the creation in the raising of Jesus from the dead means everything to me. It is the ground of all my work. It is the only thing which gets me through the day.
As I talked to my wife, Jessica, about this loss, I reflected on the fact that our communities respond differently when a prominent person dies than when a mostly anonymous person passes away. Michael was very well known in the wider church and in his community, such that the outcry at his sudden death has been both public and agonizing. The day after he passed, as I read the announcement and the lament began for the people of my home church, the thought came to me that someone feels this way about everyone who dies. I understood in that moment the paradox that death and the pain of it are the context for all our living. Then I realized that, above all, the person who knows each creature, and whose heart breaks in grief at the death of the world, is God: the Parent–the Spirit–the Child. We ignore Death through myriad distractions, but God never shies away from the reality that Death remains the inevitability prepared for us by Evil. God never glosses over our enslavement to Sin, an agony for which we ourselves have no recourse. For us, dying is final and leaves wounds in our lives that no amount of yearning, or working, or playing, or weeping can ever really heal. Whether a person is well-known and loved, or unknown and unloved, the theft of human life by Evil leaves a wound for which there is no balm… until the Father sends the Spirit into the grave of Jesus to raise him to new and unassailable life. Now, for everyone who dies there is a promise made by the Creator: I am making all things new. This is the new inevitability.
An Easter People is a community of folks who have grasped the cosmic significance of the Resurrection of Jesus . Easter People are those who wipe away the tears of grief not in denial, but in hope. An Easter People finds in this hope the difference between a cloistering religion and the liberating obedience of discipleship. An Easter People finds in this hope the strength to worship God, and God alone, in all the Gethsemanes of life. Easter People understand that all things are coming to an end so that all things may be made new. I want to be part of an Easter People: nothing less will relieve the burden of my grief, the poverty of my longing, and the suffering of my broken heart. The fact remains, I need all of you as this community needs a pastor. Only together can we be and continue to become the Body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. So I come to you with all my gifts and all my need, inviting you to join me in the daily acceptance, announcement, and construction of the New Jerusalem. Since Jesus Christ is raised, nothing less will do.
May His peace keep our hearts and minds, now and always.
Jonathan
I recently suffered a loss in my personal life: my former pastor, mentor, and friend – the Rev. Dr. Michael Williams – passed away suddenly, without warning or explanation. He simply collapsed after an evening meal with his family and was gone. He was in his late 60s; he had just retired. When I heard the news, I collapsed in grief for his family, for my home church, and for myself. Michael saw me through the end of my first marriage, helping me to understand that my divorce and failure did not disqualify me from being set apart to shepherd the Body of Christ. Michael encouraged me in my studies and taught me when I was a pastoral intern at our church, West End UMC. When I picture his face I can hear his voice; when I hear his voice I remember all the days we lived through: the ups, the downs, the love, the forgiveness, and the hope. Now he is gone away, and his song in my heart is silent.
I have wondered how to share this event in my life. It has seemed to me that a pastor should not burden a congregation or community with my his or her own troubles, but my heart tells me that this is a mistake. I am human, and my heart is broken by the loss of my friend; and, in this moment of grief, the Execution and Resurrection of Jesus Christ take on a significance that cannot be sidelined by a routine rehearsal of the narrative, a public holiday, or confectionary bunnies. You see, one of us isn’t dead anymore. I need you all to become completely convinced that the divine promise made to the creation in the raising of Jesus from the dead means everything to me. It is the ground of all my work. It is the only thing which gets me through the day.
As I talked to my wife, Jessica, about this loss, I reflected on the fact that our communities respond differently when a prominent person dies than when a mostly anonymous person passes away. Michael was very well known in the wider church and in his community, such that the outcry at his sudden death has been both public and agonizing. The day after he passed, as I read the announcement and the lament began for the people of my home church, the thought came to me that someone feels this way about everyone who dies. I understood in that moment the paradox that death and the pain of it are the context for all our living. Then I realized that, above all, the person who knows each creature, and whose heart breaks in grief at the death of the world, is God: the Parent–the Spirit–the Child. We ignore Death through myriad distractions, but God never shies away from the reality that Death remains the inevitability prepared for us by Evil. God never glosses over our enslavement to Sin, an agony for which we ourselves have no recourse. For us, dying is final and leaves wounds in our lives that no amount of yearning, or working, or playing, or weeping can ever really heal. Whether a person is well-known and loved, or unknown and unloved, the theft of human life by Evil leaves a wound for which there is no balm… until the Father sends the Spirit into the grave of Jesus to raise him to new and unassailable life. Now, for everyone who dies there is a promise made by the Creator: I am making all things new. This is the new inevitability.
An Easter People is a community of folks who have grasped the cosmic significance of the Resurrection of Jesus . Easter People are those who wipe away the tears of grief not in denial, but in hope. An Easter People finds in this hope the difference between a cloistering religion and the liberating obedience of discipleship. An Easter People finds in this hope the strength to worship God, and God alone, in all the Gethsemanes of life. Easter People understand that all things are coming to an end so that all things may be made new. I want to be part of an Easter People: nothing less will relieve the burden of my grief, the poverty of my longing, and the suffering of my broken heart. The fact remains, I need all of you as this community needs a pastor. Only together can we be and continue to become the Body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. So I come to you with all my gifts and all my need, inviting you to join me in the daily acceptance, announcement, and construction of the New Jerusalem. Since Jesus Christ is raised, nothing less will do.
May His peace keep our hearts and minds, now and always.
Jonathan
FEBRUARY 20
A. D. 2018
“Restoration: A Missionary Word”
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On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?”
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But they were silent.
So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. Then he said to them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?” And they could not reply to this. (Luke 14:1-6) |
By now many of you will have heard me say strange things like, “God isn’t impressed with our religion,” or, “Salvation is not a life event, but a way of life,” or perhaps most strange of all: “God is not an idiot!” What I mean is that faith has less to do with the head as it does with the heart. No matter where we come from and how we’ve ended up where we are, humans create cultural systems that regulate society and govern individual and group behavior. Religion is just such a system, and we spend a lot of energy wondering whether we’re following the rules. Sometimes we speak for God when we should be listening. Sometimes the rules we fashion keep us in the dark. How will we know what’s true?
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Jesus is a person that also lives by a set of rules, but those guidelines seem to be a little different that the ones we use. You see, the guidelines that seem to govern Jesus’ life are oriented towards restoring people to health and community, while our guidelines strive toward separating people into categories that our minds can process. We see this in the passage above. Jesus breaks a technicality in the Jewish Law by healing a man on the Sabbath, the day when no work should be done. What Jesus points out by his action is that we need to scrutinize our religious systems to find out whether their application is helping to restore life or to take it away.
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Our missional question becomes, “How is the ministry of our local church restoring life in our community?”
This is the question that needs to govern the year ahead. In response to this question, I’m calling for everyone to share with me those parts of your lives and our community which are badly in need of restoration. To put it another way, as a church we need to get clear on the things that are killing us and others: malnutrition in the elderly? the young? loneliness? domestic and sexual violence? lack of work? too much work? What are the things which hold us back from flourishing? |
Where do you need restoration in your life? Where does our community need restoration? If we’ll take the risk of asking and looking for the answers to these questions, we find ourselves living the practical life-giving faith revealed by Jesus himself. And we may discover that the guidelines for restoration are very direct and simple: love the Lord your God and serve no other; love your neighbor as yourself…. do these things and you will live. With hope and anticipation, Pastor Jonathan
FEBRUARY 14
A. D. 2018
“Lent? What Does That Mean? Does It Matter?
The word “lent” comes from the Old English lencten, meaning "springtime", in reference to the lengthening of days after the Winter solstice. As early the 12th C., the Western (Medieval Catholic) Church began to associate a season of preparation for Easter with its vernal setting. The final months of Winter are the leanest as the stores from the previous harvest run low, and the animals relied upon for meat and milk loose the fat reserves built up during the Summer and Fall. In an agrarian society, Spring is the hardest season. Even as the days lengthen and the snow melts, belts are tightened and survival requires a deliberate act of the will.
This is hard for us to imagine. We can buy fresh strawberries at Meyer, even though they’ve been out of season since the end of June. The absurdity of this no longer registers in our hearts and minds, because a global economy provides the highest bidders with whatever commodities they desire. To be clear, Americans are – by far – the highest bidders, consuming a disproportionately vast percentage of the world’s natural resources per capita. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t Americans who are suffering in poverty. There are. But our culture has blinded itself by eating as though it was Harvest Time all the time. The corresponding lean period has been forgotten; and, so, the spiritual practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving don’t come naturally to us. Hence the popularized spiritual practice of “giving something up for Lent.” Books and studies abound to fashion this journey in convenient scripts for modern and consumptive Christians, crushed as we are by the reckless pace of lives beholden to profit.
Yet the only thing which will actually accomplish the spiritual intensity and focus necessary to experience the significance of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is hunger. Hunger. Some of us are hungry all ready: hungry for material needs, for more time in our schedules, for healing in the midst of illness, for peace in the midst of our world’s cacophonous bellowing. Some of us have the luxury to divert ourselves from acknowledging these realities. For the former, lay your hunger at the foot of the Cross. For the latter, wean yourself from the distracting oblivion which our culture prescribes. And may God give us all the courage to walk with Jesus through the valley of the shadow of Death.
Peace be with you +
Pastor Jonathan
This is hard for us to imagine. We can buy fresh strawberries at Meyer, even though they’ve been out of season since the end of June. The absurdity of this no longer registers in our hearts and minds, because a global economy provides the highest bidders with whatever commodities they desire. To be clear, Americans are – by far – the highest bidders, consuming a disproportionately vast percentage of the world’s natural resources per capita. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t Americans who are suffering in poverty. There are. But our culture has blinded itself by eating as though it was Harvest Time all the time. The corresponding lean period has been forgotten; and, so, the spiritual practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving don’t come naturally to us. Hence the popularized spiritual practice of “giving something up for Lent.” Books and studies abound to fashion this journey in convenient scripts for modern and consumptive Christians, crushed as we are by the reckless pace of lives beholden to profit.
Yet the only thing which will actually accomplish the spiritual intensity and focus necessary to experience the significance of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is hunger. Hunger. Some of us are hungry all ready: hungry for material needs, for more time in our schedules, for healing in the midst of illness, for peace in the midst of our world’s cacophonous bellowing. Some of us have the luxury to divert ourselves from acknowledging these realities. For the former, lay your hunger at the foot of the Cross. For the latter, wean yourself from the distracting oblivion which our culture prescribes. And may God give us all the courage to walk with Jesus through the valley of the shadow of Death.
Peace be with you +
Pastor Jonathan
FEBRUARY 11
A. D. 2018
"TRANSFIGURATION"
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Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem knowing that as he comes down from the mountain of transfiguration he walks into the valley of the shadow of death. His disciples are confused by his terrifying glory as well as his message about rising from the dead. They cannot as yet understand the paradox of the Cross: that God will give us victory over Death not by denying it or preventing it, but by overcoming it – by giving life again to the good creation which passes away. This strange and uncomfortable divine strategy is the center of our focus as we turn to the contemplative and sacrificial practices of Lent.
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Let us walk with Jesus down from the glory of his transfiguration into the ashes of a dying world, for it is in dying that we receive eternal life. This is the meaning of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, which initiates the journey of discipleship. Truly, salvation is not a life event, but a way of life. In all things, therefore, let us not only have faith in Jesus; let us show the faith of Jesus, whose trust in the One he calls Father is complete. “A light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” May the light of Christ guide us through the darkness as we turn our faces toward the Cross, for only in confronting our sin can we be saved: “…just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life”
(John 3:14-15; Numbers 21:4-9). |
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