canoe trip pics

You can see the pictures from our canoe trip on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Here is an album of the trip. (click "View Photos without signing in" on that pg)

another one bites the dust

Ok, we just had today a major indication on how the cultural scene in the US has shifted and how organizational life has fallen apart. Four major unions in the AFL-CIO have left and started their own group - TO GET REFOCUSED ON WHAT THEIR REAL MISSION IS! Sounds like the church in the US to me. Whether you support or are against unions, I would say this is part of things like the emerging church and other such shifts that are taking place in our culture. What the spokespersons for the new group said was that the world had changed and the AFL-CIO was still trying to make their organization work in a world that no longer existed. I think we should pay close attention to what is happening all around us. God is at work in it all. "God has left the building!" - David

news releases with background

http://workinglife.typepad.com/daily_blog/
http://www.changetowin.org/

The TRIP

I spent three days last week in "heaven." Two days of canoeing on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. (see the post I made earlier last week, below). And one day of rafting on the Cumberland River. I will be getting pictures up on the web in the next week or so. The rapids were terrfic. 2-3 foot waves with rocks and boulders. Down the gorge for 20 miles. Hot, humid weather with watching the sun set's reflection in the clouds over the rim of the gorge. Sunrise through the mist off the river and the walls of the gorge and the forest. A time of exhiliaration with God's creation and of serenity in the peace of God's gift. The rafting trip was not just going up to the base of the Cumberland Falls, which was unbelievable, but rapids of level 2 & 3 and possible a 4. And a guide, a young woman from Ohio named Meghan who was just great to visit with.














This was the fifth year for our church's canoe group experience. 2 years on the Current River in Missouri. 1 year on the middle part of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. 2 years on the Big South Fork with the Cumberland added on this year. Next year...we are talking about the Buffalo River in Arkansas.

The group of five men (we need to encourage women to join us again...we had coed trips the first two years) shared wonderful fellowship of faith, recovery, and just being.

over-bearing or faint-hearted in the faith

I'm now down at my in-laws outside Crossville, Tennessee. This is my perfect retreat center. They live up on the Cumberland Plateau at over 2000 feet. (I lived down here for 5 years in the 80's. Was terrified as a Yankee moving to the South. Fell in love with this whole area and its people...especially my wife, Martha.) They are on a small lake with trees of great shade, a pontoon boat, a 2 seater paddle boat, a dock from which to sit and ponder and read, and a screened in patio from which to swing, sit, ponder and read. Plus my mother-in-law always has food on the table...and my father in-law has the tv on to sports...after he has finished a project or two around the property each day. Plus, he works part time at a local funeral home...at age 80.

Anyway, last night my father-in-law and I went to a concert/revival at a local Baptist church which featured a "good ole Southern Gospel singing quartet" The Monuments. The tenor is his nephew's son. I loved the music. A lot of country rock. My experience and understanding of the transforming and saving grace of Jesus Christ was different, apparently, from much of their's because the lyrics and then the preaching of the blood of Jesus by the lead singer was not the Jesus I have come to know by the Holy Spirit. But the church was packed and rocking, and amening. The offering plates were full. People were enjoying themselves. They were being "moved." At the altar call, a number went forward. Were lives being changed...reborn from above, which is the closer english translation of being "born again"? Even if I think many of the images and messages were contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? That's the question we all are facing for each of our church's, and our journey with Christ. Is my claim of truth and experience of God more authoritative or more authentic than your's? But then, how do we avoid just falling into some relativistic stand-off for not wanting to offend the opinions and beliefs of others? That's what happened at my church. We didn't talk about our views of faith in Jesus Christ, even though we shared our views on political and social issues as well as the personalities of people we liked and disliked. I think we were afraid for not having a strong enough understanding of the Christian faith, even as we wanted to claim the title of being a Christian. So which is worse: those who claim it with images and messages that seem to be contrary to the Gospel or those who are afraid to share it because they aren't confident about the Gospel?

annual canoe trip

I began canoeing 32 years ago on the Eleven Point River in the Ozarks of Missouri. Four days later I bought my first canoe. Canoeing was the first revelation to me of how life was meant to be peaceful. 14 years of the 12 Steps of Recovery have helped me to know that daily, now, but canoeing is still a highpoint of serenity for me. The irony is the rivers have wonderful rapids through which to shoot and test your skill.

Five years ago we began canoe trips here at Fairlawn-West. Our group will leave Tuesday for canoeing as we did last year on the Big South Fork River of the Cumberland River in the Big South Fork National Recreation Area. This year we will have the four alumni of Rich Herbruck, Bob McKnight, Duane Ewing and myself and this year's newcomer of Brian Communale. Every year we wind up with at least one new person.

Here we are last year with Rich's son Kevin along.

Then I will be at my annual vacation retreat with my in-laws, John and Sarah Jo Bond on Linger Lake north of Crossville, Tennessee. I get so much reading and relaxation and even some fishing done there.

So, I may get some stuff up here, but if not, I will see you in early August.

a hero falls?

I have heard a rumor of one my mentors/teachers/heros having a "fall" in his personal life. I had heard rumors surrounding this for close to two decades. But then, I remember of my "falling" times in life too. Then I think of the stories that surrounded Martin Luther King and Paul Tillich and Karl Barth about their extramarital sexual relationships. And what of...? There are so many. This is not to justify, but to wonder. Who is to be the one to cast the first stone? Yet, go and sin no more!

good emergent blog

A blog that I find to be central for a lot of emerging church info is http://faithmaps.blogspot.com/ with the title of emergesque . Another good one is Bob Robinson from Canton.

emerging church on PBS

The PBS program Religion & Ethics Newsweekly has a two part series on the emerging church.* The first part was yesterday and next Sunday will be a full interview with Brian McLaren. Check for your local station and when this will be shown. For folks in our area it is Channel 25 Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and Channel 49 Sunday at 2:00 p.m. I have a copy of the first part.

*the ooze also

end of UCC General Synod

I wound up with mixed feelings about the General Synod. I am ecstatic over the resolution passed to reaffirm that the central faith within the tradition of the United Church of Christ is that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. I know, isn't that what it means to be a Christian? But within the UCC some folks were becoming more focused on what we humans can do especially for social justice more than affirming the overriding, sovereign power of God in Jesus Christ to save and thus transform all humanity, including every social justice issue.

I am supportive of the resolution calling for equity in marriage rights for people of the same gender. We clergy function more these days in weddings as agents of the state than as officiants at worship services covenanting the vows of two followers of Jesus Christ. Gays and lesbians are not granted the same civil rights when it comes to rights as partners. So, if we clergy are going to work on the side for the state in weddings, then I figure we should enable all couples to have those civil rights. In the past I have officiated at three union services for two lesbian couples and one gay couple. One of the men in the latter was in my first youth group 30 years ago in southern Illlinois and a few years ago he tracked me down (he was in Chicago at the the time) because he said my affirmations for him as a teenager were so powerful in his life and he couldn't imagine anyone else performing his ceremony. An Episcopal church in the Ravenswood section of Chicago where the other man was an active lay leader was the site and the priest there assisted me.

I am very disturbed by the final actions around reolutions about Palestinians and Israelis and particularly that a national staff person worked to supplant a compromise resolution. The committee of delegates assigned the original resolution that spent three days starting with the original which called for divestment from Israeli related companies. It came up with a more evenhanded resolution that called for using multiple ways to work for leveraging for peace. However, after the committee ended its work, the national staff person didn't like it, drafted another resolution more like the original and the floor after 1 hour of discussion, deferred to the "expert" and passed the ones condemning of Israel and calling for divestment. This is another indication in the UCC of how the "tail wags the dog" of national staff speaking for and doing in place of assisting the local churches of this denomination to grow stronger in their discipleship and witness. The focus is more on the "witness" of the national UCC and how it is perceived than the staff seeing that they are called to help the grass roots of the UCC to grow stronger in as disciples of Jesus Christ in all facets.

Darfur vigil

We will be hosting next Sat, July 16th at 6:00 pm one of the nationally organized vigils to heighten awareness and to organize folks to advocate for more US and international response to the genocide in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

Save Darfur
description of the situation from Reuters News
information on the vigil - organized thru Sojourners and Cedar Ridge Community Church

we can change!

Two recent reports from the UCC General Synod are very encouraging!

Middle East-related committee rejects divestment but presses broad strategies

Committee recommendation lifts up Christ as UCC’s Lord and Sovereign

Both of these reflect some accomodation within what I think are reasonable parameters in working for justice and in proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In the first, the pain of struggle for both Israelis and Palestinians is acknowledged and efforts seem to be more clear in working for reconciliation. In the second, in our UCC structure we can't force creedal statements, but we can make clear what are the norms and boundaries of our practice. This statement makes it clear that in the national leadership portion of the UCC, the proclamation of who is Jesus Christ is central.

I am also pleased to see that the marriage equality resolution is on track to pass.

freedom!?

Its the 4th of July.

Are we simply remembering a historic action and dream that has lost its truthfulness in the human use of power or is there yet a living vision that is stronger than any military or beaureaucratic function?

I don not envision that the G8 Conference will make much of a difference. (I enjoyed the Live 8 concert though).

I don't think that either the US left or right wings convey any true meaning of justice and hope for the world. They are more engaged in a battle of who is right and who will prevail than really seeking to change the values that make the world go round.

I put my trust more in groups like Heifer International which is really changing lives. Even 60 Minutes think so.

are we mature or immature?

This is an email I sent to our congregation wide listserv this morning...

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A couple of different conversations I have had or I have heard of have led to the comments I share here. I think each one of these reflect a portion ofhow the "church" has become less spiritual and more secular and materialistically oriented. And they reflect how that is changing here atFairlawn-West which is why some folks are expressing frustration. When folks have become accustomed to the "church' in the more secular and materialistic fashion, it is hard to shift back to the spiritually focused organization!

1. "We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the HolyScriptures, ..."

This is the first line of the Covenant that all members say with all the other members who are present and with God when they "join" this church. It is article IV of our constitution. What we have bred, though, is more reliance on democratic process and Robert's Rules of Order than on scripture. Our folks don't know the scriptures!!!! Many are taking "remedial classes"thru cell groups and study groups, but many, many more aren't. Yet, they presume that due to "their right" to speak (to be listened to by the rest ofus) and vote, that that will trump what we have covenanted to as members. And the rest of us have had NO accountability with our "members" over this. As long as we defer to the weakest among us in spiritual life in the way we run the church, then the church will move down to that level even though individuals among us are seeking to grow spiritually stronger. That means those of us growing stronger will eventually move on while the organization defers in its functioning life to the more immature spiritually. This is what the apostle Paul is writing about in his letters. There is a difference between ministry to the weak, and deferring the functional life ofthe church to the weakest among us.

What does scripture tell us about our experience here since it is at the beginning of our Covenant (which is the traditional Congregational Church covenant) of what we have agreed to in our common life?

2. Some folks have said they can't come to worship here any more since the pews were removed from the sanctuary. That is a very materialistic expression. As I said a few years ago, the way folks are lifting up the importance of pews, maybe we should remove the cross at the front of the sanctuary and hang a pew instead! If not having pews keeps people from coming to worship, then our worship life was based on a perversion that says that worship is all about us. The removal of the pews now allows for more versatile worship styles to be able to host a variety of worship experiences.It reaches out wider rather than to a narrower and diminishing number of traditional "church" cultured folks.

We who are the long time disciples and spiritually mature should be willing and able to give up all of the "material" of church life, if necessary, to be able to worship God in spirit and truth and to be willing to reach out to novices and infants in the faith. What material is your stumbling block...you are holding on to...in the worship of God?

3. "I've been a member here for ___ years." "I'm a long time member of this church." So? Jesus and Paul challenge those in scripture who claim length of time or ancestral priority in being deferred to in the life of the church. Paul gets very upset with those who hang around the church for years expecting that length of time around the church to give them prerogative. He tells those folks to grow up, quit being like nursing infants at the breast and start to grow and mature spiritually. 1 Cor 3:1-4. Jesus challenges those who claim the length of time they have been in the tradition as making them to be better than or to deserve more attention and deference . Mt 3:8-10 - It's your life that must change, not your skin! And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire. (don't count length of time around the church as giving you rank. is your life changing? that's the priority.)

4. "I have my right to speak up in a business meeting, to be heard and to vote." (or "Its all about me. My first identity is not as a baptized child of God, a humble servant of Christ, but as a member of this church where my priveleges as a member trump everything else.") The holy grail becomes my rights as a member rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And this becomes laughable when you look at our present constitution and what is the basic requirement for membership - the 1 penny, 1 Sunday rule. Within a year that you have given an "offering" to the benevolences of the church and you have worshiped and communed 1 time. 1 penny and 1 Sunday. That's all it takes to be considered an active member of this church! And we have people complaining that we expect too much of them and that they have their"rights" as a member to be heard and to vote!!!! This is a major indication at how secular the American church is. If I belonged to the Boy Scouts or to the Kiwanis, there is more expectation of me as a member than at this church! If I join the country club or the swim club or whatever, I am expected to pay higher "dues" than what was the average giving of the members of this church until a year ago. This church clearly had the highest per capita income of any church I have served. Yet, it had the lowest per capita giving of any church I had served. That is changing. And that is a sign of the maturing spiritually of the leaders of this church and of the church as a whole. But it also means that those who were accustomed for years or came to assume that the church would defer to them are upset because they have not been challenged at this level in their spiritual journey before. Fairlawn-West had very low expectations for those who were part of it. That culture is no longer present. Ministry is to all people. It is not dependent on membership. But membership/discipleship/leadership has high expectations.

Well, that's it. That I am able to share this with you as blunt as it is is an indication of our growth. The sad part is, all of this is based on scripture, but I have been afraid to share it because of the reactions that I would get. That shows my spiritual leadership immaturity. I am grateful for the deep mature faith that our leaders have. And by leaders I don't necessarily mean those who are elected. Rather, those who lead because they know God has called them to offer their spiritual gifts.

Thanks be to God,
David

comments on UCC blog site

I have weighed in on some of the discussions via the UCC General Synod blog site. Here are links for those pages.

http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202&Itemid=50
a page about other bloggers commenting on GS.

http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=188&Itemid=50
a resolution to change to offer multiple ways to prepare for ministry...which has generated controversy for some

criticism of the extreme conversatives of the UCC for criticizing the UCC president
http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=200&Itemid=50

confusion by the media of "who" the UCC really is
http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185&Itemid=50

UCC national gathering

For 56 years I have been a part of the Church which has called itself the Evangelical & Reformed Church and then the United Church of Christ. (a merger with the Congregational Christian Churches in 1957 is what led to the shift in the name). For 26 of those years I was a UCC parsonage rat. That means my father was a minister. Since then I have been a UCC minister. Over that time both before and after ordination my identity has been very wrapped up in the UCC. Particularly in planning and action to provide for a more just world. Through the UCC I visited East Germany and Hungary before the iron curtain fell to talk about human rights with our sister denominations. Through the UCC I visited Nicaragua in the midst of the contra war. Through the UCC I was a representative on CORA (Commission on Religion in Appalachia). I have worked on numerous issues before our national General Synod as well as ongoing ministries and programs.

YET, these days I find myself feeling sideways to the predominant themes within the nationally projected image of the UCC. Over the next five days the UCC General Synod will be meeting in Atlanta. There is a lot of fanfare about a resolution supporting gay and lesbian marriages...which I encourage. However, for me the most vital one is about Jesus being proclaimed as Lord. The UCC president, John Thomas, took issue with the assertion made by the supporters of this resolution that the Lordship of Jesus Christ is fuzzy across the denomination. I would agree with what John has written. But I would also agree with the commentary that it is fuzzy across the denomination. Both within my own congregation and in conversation with a variety of folks including clergy, the confession of Jesus is Lord, is not a slam dunk. I have been told time and time again that in the UCC "we can believe what we want" and that includes that Jesus is a nice fellow and a good model along with a variety of other good models in history, but "don't give me that salvation, sovereign Lord, resurrection, ruler of God's empire" gunk. I heard it here in being asked not to preach about Jesus, but some good social issues and at a number of funerals for the WW II generation "Mom/Dad was loyal to Fairlawn-West UCC, but please don't preach about the resurrection because she/he didn't believe that stuff." Both in our "liberal" and "conservative" strands of social/political idealogical warfare we have avoided the central truth that we are united in Christ. Even now in the national UCC God is Still Speaking campaign the emphasis is on unity in the UCC rather than that it is in the body of Christ that we are called, serve and offered life that never ends. We have supplanted in our practice what we claim with our mouths. No wonder the world around is confused about what is our purpose/mission. How we are different from any other social/political advocacy group?

I don't agree with the statements in the original resolution. I also get the feel that they are more interested in trying to control others than to enable a corporate confession across the UCC. Yet, I find myself leaning more towards what they are doing with this resolution than against it. And if it does not pass...we shall see. Right now the national campaign is saying our name as "the UNITED CHURCH...of Christ". The emphasis is more on our unity than the Christ who makes us one. It sounds to me like we are putting more trust in what we humans can accomplish, with God on our side, than that transformation that takes in all life in Jesus Christ. I like what the Confessing Christ group which is within the UCC is saying in regards to this resolution.