The 7:00 p.m. worship service at Shiloh is a mix of contemporary, alternative and raucous worship styles. It is Shiloh's own creation, but it works quite well for the gathered community.
Over the past several weeks, the community has considered the difference between an imminent understanding of God's kingdom on Earth or a delayed understanding of God's reign. The issues are all tied up in concepts of salvation, fulfillment, mission and ministry, as well as theologies of stewardship, evangelism and pneumatology. (I heard someone yawn out there...just hang with me.)
An imminent understanding of God's kingdom implies that God's reign is established on Earth when those faithful to Christ Jesus embrace and embody the ethic that Christ established, lived and taught. It is fulfilled when we live in the conditions that God may intend for each of us. It is an ethical system that presumes that God's realm is possible, potential and ultimately qualitative.
A delayed understanding of God's kingdom implies that salvation comes only externally to human history, as a result either of heaven-induced apocalyptic, wherein a new world is created, or a post-historical system of reward and punishment, where we spend eternity in either heaven or hell. Either formula works simply. One is either qualified morally or disqualified morally from eternal reward, whether that of participating in the new world order, under God's command, or of earning one's way into heaven as ultimate reward. The corollary is also true. One may live morally enough to escape being on the outside of God's realm or being consigned to eternity in the fires of hell.
At the 7:00 p.m. service, there is an occasion built into the service where the community discusses the message, texts, points or directions. This happens every week. Over the past several weeks, we have asked whether persons hold to an imminent or delayed understanding of God's kingdom. The decision matters because that decision, and ones associated with it, determine how we spend our time, talent, energies, money and concentration.
If we believe that God's kingdom comes imminently, as the result of faithful actions of those who seek to embody the ethic of Christ Jesus, then we believe that we co-establish with God a way of life that reflects God's will, even here on Earth. Ethical action leads to establishment of God's kingdom, and salvation is, therefore, conditionally established. The Church of Jesus Christ spends its time, talent, energy and money in establishing God's kingdom on Earth.
If we believe that God's kingdom is delayed, placed beyond human history, that it comes only when God defeats all evil on the face of the Earth or that Heaven and Hell are established as places outside the human arena, then we believe that we have to live morally, following the dictates and principles of our religions, ensuring that we are rewarded, either after death or post-apocalyptic. We spend our time, talent, energies and money in getting ourselves, and others, morally right. We avoid the punishment of hell and prepare for the paradise of heaven, to defend against being left out (or behind) and being, instead, included in God's realm.
So, we asked Sunday, which is it? What do you believe about salvation and the establishment of God's kingdom? How have you decided to spend your time, talent, energy and money?
Monday, May 18, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Diversity in Action
I was attending a summit meeting of leaders from the Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association (SONKA) and the Central Southeast Ohio Association (CSEOA) when I heard a very interesting metaphor for embracing diversity, one of which I had never thought.
Another clergy representative from SONKA made the point that diversity actually makes things better. By mixing different elements, the whole improves. He made the point by saying something like this:
I like Long Island Iced Teas. Now, those particular drinks are a combination of five, potent alcohols, none of which, left to themselves, are very tasty or desirable. A Long Island includes Tequila, Gin, Vodka, White Rum and Triple sec. It is mixed with lemon juice and a splash of cola, over ice. At the face of it, it would seem that a Long Island Iced Tea is bitter and powerful, consumed only by those who seek a quick drunk. But that perception is mistaken. A Long Island is actually quite tasty and refreshing. While I would almost never enjoy any of the elements of the drink by themselves, I really enjoy them when they come together in my favorite adult beverage.
Mixing diverse elements makes the whole better. It does not require that component part become like the others, nor that the component parts cease to have individual function. It is simply this: the whole is improved by combining the component parts. That is a remarkable model for diversity, I think. Human life is improved when we combine the individual, differing components that comprise it.
The summit meeting between SONKA an CSEOA is an example of diversity in action. The summit group is comprised of three or four representatives from each Association. We have met to investigate ways in which we might improve our ministry and mission by working together. Now, I must confess that the two Associations are unique entities. They are organized differently, led differently, staffed differently and they operate differently. But they share a common ministry and mission. Each is called to equip, empower and provide resource to, with and for its member local churches. The question of the summit is simple. How can we better fulfill our mission by sharing the load of Association possibility?
The steering committee has identified two areas wherein we might begin better serving both Associations. The first is a Church and Ministry function. Anyone who has served in the Church and Ministry function is Associations of the United Church of Christ knows that the tasks are wide-ranging and daunting. It is this group that deals with persons in discernment, those who are investigating and in the process of becoming professional ministers. This group also deals with those who are authorized in ministry leadership, those who are licensed or commissioned for specialized and/or ministry that is limited in scope. This group is also responsible for those who qualify as post-ordination, ministry professionals who have the continual need of boundary training and occasional professional review and censure. A working group of three persons from each Association is investigating ways that we might work together to better serve our local churches.
The second area that the steering committee has surfaced is communication technology. Both Associations recognize both the challenges of and potential for communication technologies in, through and with the Associations and their local churches. How can we help one another to best utilize the ever-expanding world of communication technologies? How can we supply and train local churches is use of technology? How can we improve cross-Association communication of opportunities and workshops that one or the other Association is offering.
We are hoping that, as we mix these potent ministries together, we come up with something sweet, something that makes the whole even better than its component parts.
Another clergy representative from SONKA made the point that diversity actually makes things better. By mixing different elements, the whole improves. He made the point by saying something like this:
I like Long Island Iced Teas. Now, those particular drinks are a combination of five, potent alcohols, none of which, left to themselves, are very tasty or desirable. A Long Island includes Tequila, Gin, Vodka, White Rum and Triple sec. It is mixed with lemon juice and a splash of cola, over ice. At the face of it, it would seem that a Long Island Iced Tea is bitter and powerful, consumed only by those who seek a quick drunk. But that perception is mistaken. A Long Island is actually quite tasty and refreshing. While I would almost never enjoy any of the elements of the drink by themselves, I really enjoy them when they come together in my favorite adult beverage.
Mixing diverse elements makes the whole better. It does not require that component part become like the others, nor that the component parts cease to have individual function. It is simply this: the whole is improved by combining the component parts. That is a remarkable model for diversity, I think. Human life is improved when we combine the individual, differing components that comprise it.
The summit meeting between SONKA an CSEOA is an example of diversity in action. The summit group is comprised of three or four representatives from each Association. We have met to investigate ways in which we might improve our ministry and mission by working together. Now, I must confess that the two Associations are unique entities. They are organized differently, led differently, staffed differently and they operate differently. But they share a common ministry and mission. Each is called to equip, empower and provide resource to, with and for its member local churches. The question of the summit is simple. How can we better fulfill our mission by sharing the load of Association possibility?
The steering committee has identified two areas wherein we might begin better serving both Associations. The first is a Church and Ministry function. Anyone who has served in the Church and Ministry function is Associations of the United Church of Christ knows that the tasks are wide-ranging and daunting. It is this group that deals with persons in discernment, those who are investigating and in the process of becoming professional ministers. This group also deals with those who are authorized in ministry leadership, those who are licensed or commissioned for specialized and/or ministry that is limited in scope. This group is also responsible for those who qualify as post-ordination, ministry professionals who have the continual need of boundary training and occasional professional review and censure. A working group of three persons from each Association is investigating ways that we might work together to better serve our local churches.
The second area that the steering committee has surfaced is communication technology. Both Associations recognize both the challenges of and potential for communication technologies in, through and with the Associations and their local churches. How can we help one another to best utilize the ever-expanding world of communication technologies? How can we supply and train local churches is use of technology? How can we improve cross-Association communication of opportunities and workshops that one or the other Association is offering.
We are hoping that, as we mix these potent ministries together, we come up with something sweet, something that makes the whole even better than its component parts.
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
One of Those Days
Have you ever had "one of those days?" You know them, I am sure. These are days in which everything that possibly can goes wrong. Nothing seems to work as planned, prepared or designed.
It began early. I could have sworn that I had my cell phone when I left for work this morning. When I arrived at the office, I could not locate the phone. I spent about fifteen minutes searching every nook and cranny of my car, computer bag, office and areas in between. No phone. I am at a loss.
Upon arriving at Shiloh Church, I was quickly approached by a member of the Shiloh staff who had been experiencing conflict with the representative of the Board of Elections who is in charge of the Shiloh polling precinct. Seems that the precinct representatives wanted in the facility earlier that their contract with the church specifies, that the rep. asked this member of the staff to be here earlier, and that, when he came earlier, no one from the precinct was present until the normal agreed-to time.
Then, about 9:00, the same precinct representative smelled gas in the facility and called the fire department. She notified no person from Shiloh that she was doing so. The facility was evacuated in order for the fire department, who arrived quickly, to check for a gas leak. Some members of staff first heard of the situation when we heard sirens in the parking lot. We were outside, on this, thankfully, gorgeous day, for about 30 minutes. We were not notified that it was safe to return to the facility, but from a member of the staff who had been communicating with the fire department.
I have had three lengthy discussions with representatives of the Board of Elections, more than a few discussions with staff members and volunteers, and even one with a concerned citizen. None of them had located my cell phone, and I was finding myself squeezed between "he said" and "she said."
I had five meetings yesterday and was feeling a need to concentrate on the stack of responsibilities that were piling up in my office. Not to be.
I write all this because I am seeing a need in my day to shift my personal perspective, to alter my attitude, to amend my mood and treat the day differently. Firstly, it is a beautiful day. The temps are to reach in the neighborhood of eighty degrees, the sun is brightly shining, and Shiloh's grass is being mowed by a very faithful and professional group of people who showed up in the midst of the chaos. They were unaffected. They went about their business on the church grounds as if nothing had happened.
I can replace the phone. It is well out of its two-year contract, so it should not cost me much. I will lose the contacts and the information that I had stored there, but that is minimal. Things are pretty well worked out with the Board of Elections, though members of staff remain troubled. There is nothing that we can do about it today anyway.
It is Tuesday. That means that Shiloh has Bible study tonight. That is always great news. As evidenced by my writing this blog post, I am getting to the stack of things on my desk, despite the interruptions of the day. All in all, despite the bumps in the road, it is a splendid day...and I get to shop for a new phone. Thanks be to God for such a beautiful, marvelous, fabulous day.
Namaste.
It began early. I could have sworn that I had my cell phone when I left for work this morning. When I arrived at the office, I could not locate the phone. I spent about fifteen minutes searching every nook and cranny of my car, computer bag, office and areas in between. No phone. I am at a loss.
Upon arriving at Shiloh Church, I was quickly approached by a member of the Shiloh staff who had been experiencing conflict with the representative of the Board of Elections who is in charge of the Shiloh polling precinct. Seems that the precinct representatives wanted in the facility earlier that their contract with the church specifies, that the rep. asked this member of the staff to be here earlier, and that, when he came earlier, no one from the precinct was present until the normal agreed-to time.
Then, about 9:00, the same precinct representative smelled gas in the facility and called the fire department. She notified no person from Shiloh that she was doing so. The facility was evacuated in order for the fire department, who arrived quickly, to check for a gas leak. Some members of staff first heard of the situation when we heard sirens in the parking lot. We were outside, on this, thankfully, gorgeous day, for about 30 minutes. We were not notified that it was safe to return to the facility, but from a member of the staff who had been communicating with the fire department.
I have had three lengthy discussions with representatives of the Board of Elections, more than a few discussions with staff members and volunteers, and even one with a concerned citizen. None of them had located my cell phone, and I was finding myself squeezed between "he said" and "she said."
I had five meetings yesterday and was feeling a need to concentrate on the stack of responsibilities that were piling up in my office. Not to be.
I write all this because I am seeing a need in my day to shift my personal perspective, to alter my attitude, to amend my mood and treat the day differently. Firstly, it is a beautiful day. The temps are to reach in the neighborhood of eighty degrees, the sun is brightly shining, and Shiloh's grass is being mowed by a very faithful and professional group of people who showed up in the midst of the chaos. They were unaffected. They went about their business on the church grounds as if nothing had happened.
I can replace the phone. It is well out of its two-year contract, so it should not cost me much. I will lose the contacts and the information that I had stored there, but that is minimal. Things are pretty well worked out with the Board of Elections, though members of staff remain troubled. There is nothing that we can do about it today anyway.
It is Tuesday. That means that Shiloh has Bible study tonight. That is always great news. As evidenced by my writing this blog post, I am getting to the stack of things on my desk, despite the interruptions of the day. All in all, despite the bumps in the road, it is a splendid day...and I get to shop for a new phone. Thanks be to God for such a beautiful, marvelous, fabulous day.
Namaste.
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