our spiritual leaders/elders at Fairlawn West UCC

Mother's Day was a historic day for us at Fairlawn West. I don't simply mean our hosting the Women Standing for the World. Rather, the women elders of our church were lifted up for their spiritual wisdom! Leaders in the past (predominantly men) were acknowledged for their business acumen, their financial management or their ability to lead us as an organization. The picture of Isabel Hershberger was on the screen this Mother's Day as one of the profound spiritual wise elders of our church. There were others present like Bonna Thompson, Marian Bickley, Dorothy Morra, Marilyn Hodge, Mary Mounts, Becky Hershberger, Sally Bowman, Chloe Ann Kriska, Dottie Pasher, Mary Beth Kluge, Donna Scott. (I know I am missing someones. I will remember and list them in future articles.)

Our church is focused on its mission of serving Christ. These women have committed their lives to studying scripture, praying and leading by their own example of being elders and learning much about discipleship of Jesus Christ later in their life. Their leadership models and personal journeys are a new cornerstone for us!!

As I talked about such women among us on Mother's Day, I realized how leadership in Christ has changed for us in such a profound way. In the past many of these women were overlooked or ignored. It was to our own demise and loss. God has granted us a reprieve! I am grateful for these wise spiritual leaders among us.

"yea for our club"

Been reading articles about churches. It sounds like car dealers promoting their cars over the competition's cars. "Yea, for our club! We will do more for you than those other clubs/churches." In the articles I've been reading not one mention of the power of God and of the reality of Jesus Christ in changing and saving us. It is more of the vein of what we did and how this particular church and/or denomination helped us to change or to survive.

In a lot of ways I'm not a traditionalist. But in some foundational things I am. I post below a few things that are at the core of this journey, in my experience, with Jesus Christ.

(the prayer John Wesley encouraged people to use annually in recovenanting with God and the community of faith...)
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by you or laid aside by you,
enabled for you or brought low by you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
you are mine, and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

(3rd Step prayer from the 12 Steps of Recovery used by Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 Step programs)
God, I offer myself to Thee--to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of Life. May I do Thy will always!

Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, p. 63

I am one who has been nurtured in the faith and reality of Jesus Christ in a more contemporary church tradition called the United Church of Christ. The UCC had before its origin in 1957 profound and practical theological, spiritual and pietistic traditions and practices dating back to the 16th Century. In this journey through the UCC I have come to confirm faith in the church as the body of Christ...both visible and invisible. Through this community I have been called to radical inward transformation of my own life by the saving power of Jesus Christ and to radical outward action in honoring God over all other gods through the resurrection to life in through Jesus Christ. My confession is not my own. I share it with all brothers and sisters who "speak" it in many different ways. Yet all reflecting and pointing to the power of God in Jesus Christ for the world.

This is not about the United Church of Christ/UCC/Fairlawn West UCC, though. It is about how through those avenues I am part of a wide community faith known as the body of Christ which is on a servant mission to the world to share this Life Gift. I love Jesus' commission to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. That covers both those in "my club" and those not in my club. Because if it is even about clubs...it is the community of all God's children. That's where we start and stop...no, no, no. We don't stop there. We really begin there forever.

since the last time...

Since the last time I posted I spent three wonderful days on Pine Creek in northern Pennsylvania (The Grand Canyon of the East) canoeing with the Fairlawn West Church canoe group. It was wonderful! Canoeing has been for 34 years for me an immediate and deep sense of serenity. Kate was elected president of the National Honor Society at Firestone High School (and got a 32 on her ACT). Molly was accepted into the dance part of the Visual and Performing Arts School at Firestone as a freshman in the fall. Kate will be a senior in the VPA with vocal music.

Kate's college search is about ended. We will visit Otterbein College on May 19th. She will be working on her applications over the summer so she can be elgible to do vocal auditions for the schools she is interested in by December. The list now: Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA; College of Wooster in Wooster, OH; Otterbein College in Westerville, OH; Heidelberg College http://www.heidelberg.edu in Tiffin, OH; Beloit College http://www.beloit.edu in Beloit, WI. Grinnell and Dickinson are on the page, but not as high due to not having music education programs.

Kate and Martha leave June 18 for the Summit Choral Society's Touring Choir tour in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Molly will be at soccer camp at Hiram College for the week of June 18th. And then...we will find some time to do somethings with the four of us.

I make great progress in finally fulfilling the landscape design that was made for us a year ago. Hard to believe, even starting to get unsolicited comments on the yard, bushes, trees and flower.