Next Steps Update

As readers of The Shiloh Insider by now know, Shiloh Church is progressing on its 3.7 million dollar facility improvement plan. A few years back, about the time that the recession hit in 2008, Shiloh decided that it would be better to pursue the facility plan in phases rather than attempt an overall capital campaign, doing all the work at once. Shiloh has already achieved nearly one million dollars' worth of improvements since inception.

Earlier this year, Shiloh applied for and was granted the funds necessary to replace the congregation's aging organ console. Thanks to the Fred Luther Memorial Foundation, Shiloh Church has removed its old console, and has shared that console with our brothers and sisters at Oak Creek UCC. In cooperation with the console replacement, Shiloh determined that this was a perfect time to take next steps in the facility plan by renovating the chancel.

Work began several months ago, but has been on hold until the removal of the old organ console. The chancel renovation includes extending the area backward an additional 12 feet and forward another 4'. It also includes movable monitor boxes, new electrical and audio/visual accessories, and an altered configuration for the front of the chancel area.

Work is now again well underway. The old console has been removed, and is in the hands of Oak Creek. The back wall and side walls of the rear of the chancel have been framed. Much of the electrical work has been completed. The front steps have been removed, and we are just starting to frame the front chancel expansion.

A word of appreciation is due for those who have helped with the project, especially Ed Kanaga, David Saelens, Larry and Carol Oldham, Sheldon Carr, Jo Anne Orihood, and staff members Jay McMillen, John Rabius, Mark Barnhill, Aaron Sheaffer, and our project coordinator, Sid Manley. Others can help. As soon as we schedule a framing and electrical inspection, we can begin to dry wall and mud. We are looking for a few skilled persons to assist us. If you are interested, talk with Sid Manley or myself. We are also looking for crews who are willing to come in on Saturdays and remove the dust that has accumulated throughout the week. 

The flooring has been an issue. The crew had to alter the plan for the flooring by removing an additional layer of subfloor. We thank the Women's Board for agreeing to cover much of that additional cost. By the way, it looks as though the project will come in around the budgeted $25,000, if we continue to receive some outside support form members and organizations within the church.

There has been one semi-serious injury, with an unnamed volunteer stepping on a nail. It penetrated the bottom of his foot, even through thick soles. This is a reminder, then, to exercise great care in moving through the construction area. Nails and screws are everywhere. It is very dusty. If you walk through the area, you are likely to step on nails and screws and become dusty.

Next Steps is certainly progressing. Our goal is to coordinate the end of the chancel renovation with the arrival and installation of the new organ console. Dedication of both the new organ console and the chancel expansion will take place on World Communion Sunday, October 7.

See You Sunday!

What is the United Church of Christ?

It is a question that I am asked repeatedly. People have heard of the Church of Christ, they have heard of the United Methodists, they know of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Universalists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Catholics. Few, apparently, have heard of the United Church of Christ. So, what is the United Church of Christ (UCC)?

A wee bit of historical background helps. The United Church of Christ is the offspring of four previous Protestant denominations. The ties stretch back to the 17th century European Reformation. The Evangelical Church and the Reformed Church were early players in European denominationalism. Each movement came to America fairly early, and those two denominations merged, in 1934, to form The Evangelical and Reformed Church. Coming from the European/German religious environment, this denomination formed around beliefs, orthodoxies and common practices. An opposite side of the theological coin is represented by the other two ancestor denominations of the United Church of Christ. They are the Congregational Churches, which follow Calvinist, Puritan and congregational beliefs, and the Christian Churches, which were spiritual movements. These organizations of churches merged, in 1931, to form the Congregational Christian Churches.

No foundational bodies could have been more distant in relationship. The E & R Church was firmly dogmatic and formal, while the CC churches tended toward spirituality and an energetic experience of authentic faith. But these groups merged, in 1957, to become The United Church of Christ. The denominational motto, "That they all may be one," is derived from the notion that all Christian denominations could be unified by the larger issues of following Christ instead of being divided by diversity of practice. The structure arrived at for the new denomination followed basic congregational lines, while forming wider church opportunities and ministries.

Part of that wider church structure is the bi-annual meeting of representatives from the entire United Church of Christ, called "General Synod." The most recent general Synod meeting was held in Tampa, FL in 2011. At that meeting, representatives from around the denomination wrestled with the issue of what it means to be The United Church of Christ. Their work is represented in three basic statements of what it means to be The United Church of Christ.

The United Church of Christ subscribes to "a continuing testament." Following on the heels of the UCC "Stillspeaking" campaign, a continuing testament suggests that the church today is an ongoing witness to a God who still acts, still speaks, remains relevant, forms the ongoing story of God in relationship with God's people. Our testament is not exclusively recorded in the canons of Old and New Testaments. It resides, too, in the stories of men and women and children who continue to hear and make manifest God's will in our contemporary context. We are a developing, reforming, reshaping institution, constantly seeking to hear new words that God may speak.

The United Church of Christ offers "an extravagant welcome." No matter where you are on life's journey, no matter where you have been or what you have done, despite what you may do, every person is welcome here. The united Church of Christ seeks to be open to every person, regardless of her or his background, orientation, color, race, creed, conduct or context. The United Church of Christ is, at its best, not simply "Open and Affirming," but actively welcoming. The UCC is about the empowerment and calling of every person. Persons are the means by which God continues God's work in the world. The UCC attempts to welcome all.

The United Church of Christ is "changing lives." Since God is still active in our world, and since the means of God's grace in the world rests with God's people, it is necessary for the church to be in the business of changing persons. The United Church of Christ seeks to shape persons as conduits through which flow God's grace. This sometimes means overcoming the hurt and rejection of those who have been shut out by creeds, dogmatism and orthodoxy. It sometimes means inviting persons to unlearn the systemic tendency to settle on certain acts and beliefs as sacred and holy. It sometimes means doing whatever it takes to help persons develop an authentic relationship with the God of Jesus Christ.

Readers of The Shiloh Insider will notice straight away that each of these descriptions of the United Church of Christ are actually actions. They are verbs. How congregations and people of the United Church of Christ go about the work of discerning a continuing testament, providing an extravagant welcome and changing lives is not nearly so important to the denomination as the simple fact that these three describe what the churches and persons are doing. Each person is called to minister. Each is called and equipped to serve. Each is called to follow a continuing testament, provide and extravagant welcome and change lives.

If this is work in which you might be interested, I urge you to seek out a neighborhood UCC congregation. Shiloh Church is very intentional about its work to be The United Church of Christ. So are many others of our local congregations. Plan to visit this Sunday!

Sinclair ASL Club Recognition

During its graduation recognition ceremony, held this past Friday evening, the Sinclair Community College American Sign Language (ASL) Club recognized Shiloh Church as an asset to Dayton's deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Not only was Shiloh recognized during the ceremony, the congregation was gifted $200 by Sinclair's ASL Club.

The gift and recognition arose from Shiloh's ministry of hosting ASL Club events, namely the two silent game nights and its annual auction, the ASL interpretation of its 10:30 worship service, and the support of students in the Sinclair ASL program.

I think that the recognition and the gift call Shiloh to take even more responsibility to the Sinclair ASL program and the Dayton deaf and hearing impaired community. Though Shiloh no longer has students in the program, Shiloh can take steps to better serve students who are learning ASL interpretation and build a stronger relationship with the community that those students will serve. Three things come immediately to mind:

1. Shiloh can continue to offer ASL interpretation at its 10:25 service. That interpretation could probably include each year a student intern from Sinclair Community College who would work with Casey Robinson, or other interpreters, to better learn ASL interpretation and provide interpretation service to the community. Shiloh can now begin to advertise that its 10:25 service is welcoming to the hearing impaired and deaf community.

2. Shiloh can continue to open its doors to the Dayton deaf community and the ASL Club at Sinclair Community College. Shiloh can continue to distinguish itself as a place where these members of our wider community are both welcome and served. Use of the facility goes a long way in building that relationship. Shiloh can host game nights and the annual auction, as a start.

3. Utilizing the skills of our own members, especially Karyn Sleppy and Casey Robinson, Shiloh can learn more about American Sign Language. In preparation for Shiloh hosting the Sinclair ASL Club silent auction, Casey offered a beginning class for alphabet and numbers. Several members attended the auction and purchased items in support of the ASL program at Sinclair. Imagine how welcome members of the deaf and hearing impaired community might feel if they were welcomed at Shiloh by people who have gone out of their way to learn, even rudimentary,ASL.

I believe that recognition from the Dayton deaf community, in form of the Sinclair ASL Club, calls Shiloh to greater accountability. Can the congregation support these three initiatives as a way of building and growing the budding relationship? I certainly think and hope so.

See You Sunday! 

SONKA News

Members and friends of Shiloh Church have very likely noticed that all sorts of information is now posted every week in Shiloh's "Information Gallery." Among the items posted across from the all-member mailbox system are notes and letters that Shiloh receives from persons and agencies in our community and around the world, the Conference newsletter, fliers that feature upcoming events, and the weekly Association newsletter, "Snippets."  I hope that everyone who is part of the life of Shiloh Church avails themselves of the information that is posted. Some of it is very important.

Shiloh Church is an active part of the Association. Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association (SONKA) is a joint ministry of 80-some churches that are located from Sidney in the north to miles within Kentucky in the south and from the Indiana State line to the west and nearly half-way across Ohio in the east. SONKA is a spectrum of traditional/progressive congregations, Evangelical and Reformed/Congregational Christian backgrounds, large/small communities, diverse identities, variant theological perspectives and different make-up. We are unified by shared ministry, common vision and mutual labor.

Several recent events define our shared Association ministry. One of those items is the retirement of Association Minister, Ruth Brandon. Ruth has done a fabulous job of helping the Association be a better organized and much more unified body of Christ. Ruth has served us remarkably well, and we wish her the best in what we hope is many years of happy retirement.

Another of those important recent events is the calling of a new Interim Association Minister. While I am not certain that I am at liberty to announce the name of the person called to the position, I can certainly state that the Association is in fine hands, and continues to be served by excellent leadership. There will be no gap in wonderful service to and in SONKA.

Yet another key to the ministry of the Association is the work of the Strategic Planning Team. After more than six months of work, this team is now prepared to begin listening sessions with every congregation of the Association. After that initial phase of hearings, the planning process will shift to Association Teams and Clusters, Authorized Ministers and the Ohio Conference. The content of the hearings will determine to a great extent any new formulation of Association structure.

Members of the Strategic Planning team are committed to helping SONKA be more effective in working with the ministries of our local churches, our Teams and Clusters (in whatever form they may take), our authorized ministers and whatever judicatory bodies SONKA may minister.

The current Association structure, now about seven years old, marked a step toward strengthening the ministry of the Association by strengthening its component parts. Whatever form the Association might take in this structural revision is a further step in that direction. The ministry of the Association IS the ministry of its component parts. The Association is the tide upon which all component parts rise. The process of strengthening the Association, then, lies in strengthening its component parts.

The means of strengthening the component parts of the Association rests in our ability to form a network of shared strengths and challenges. The Association is best understood as a network matrix through which the component parts of the Association are strengthened, not "from above" but "throughout." The resulting structure will, hopefully, reflect the already-existing strengths and challenges of our congregations, teams, clusters, authorized ministers and Conference.

The process will necessarily impact the search for a new Association Minister. For whom we search in leadership is very much determined by what the Association requires to achieve the network matrix by which each part is best served. 

This is new and exciting work. It reflects an innovative direction. I hope that you will join me in being excited about the potential of this new direction, not just for the Association but for all of its component parts.

See You Sunday!

Year of Two Halves

The Liturgical Church Year begins in Advent, usually the last Sunday in November (though it starts this year on the first Sunday in December). The entire first half of the church year consists of the story of Jesus, his earthly ministry in Galilee, his trip to Jerusalem, his Crucifixion and Resurrection, and his post-Resurrection appearances and Ascension. The first half of the church year contains both Christmas and Easter. By and large, the Church loves the first half of the Liturgical Church Year.

The second half of the Liturgical Church Year is another story altogether. The twenty-six weeks of the season after Pentecost have a completely different focus, lack significant theologically-based holidays, and just happen to fall when the weather is better and when the (grand)children are out of school. The second half of the Liturgical Church Year is based on the power of the Holy Spirit, at work in the Church. The Church does not at all seem to embrace the second half of the church year. Based on empirical evidence, like worship attendance and congregational activity, one would have to conclude that the bulk of Church focus lies in the first half of the year. The second half goes mostly ignored.

I find that fact odd. While the first half of the Liturgical Church Year, roughly December through May, focuses on the story of Jesus and God's Sacrament in him, the second half, June through November, focuses on the Spirit of God, which is at work in the Church that bears Jesus' name. The second half is sacramental. The same work is being done. Both halves are about God accomplishing the work of salvation for all people. Both halves of the year involve holy work, sacred calling, divine empowerment.

Why, then, does the Church of Jesus Christ mostly ignore the importance of the second half of the Liturgical Church Year? Unfortunately, the evidence would suggest that the Church of Jesus Christ embraces the first half and ignores the second half because the means by which God accomplishes salvation for all people differs.

The difference is stark. In the first half of the church year, Jesus is the means by which God accomplishes universal salvation. It is in Jesus' earthly ministry, his teachings, his miracles, his sacrifice, his death and new life that God works salvation. In the second half of the Liturgical Church Year, God works universal salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is put to work in the ministries and mission of the Church of Jesus Christ.

While we in the Church love to claim that the Church is the body of Christ, we are uncomfortable with the idea that God works universal salvation in the world by actually empowering us. God enables us. God calls us. God sends us. God relies on us. God waits on us. And we do not like it. God's call to us makes us accountable for the advent of God's kingdom in the world. God's empowerment makes it potential for the world that it may be God's kingdom. God's reliance on us makes it incumbent upon us to move with God's will toward the fulfillment of that kingdom.

The Church does not like the pressure. It does not like the idea that it is a crucial part of God's sacred work on earth. It does not appreciate the fact that God will not do God's work of salvation without the hands and feet of the Church as its vehicle.

We blame it on summer. We blame it on vacations. We blame it on yard work. We blame it on tee times or soccer games (which clearly are more important than God's work in the world).We blame the decline on the (grand)kids being out of school. The reality of the situation is that we do not want to be accountable for God's work. We do not want to be its vehicle. We do not want to be the means by which God brings God's kingdom to actuality. So we stay away. We pull back.

The Liturgical Church Year is a tale of two halves. The Church of Jesus Christ may as well admit that it likes the Sacrament of God in Christ Jesus, where all the pressure and responsibility is on him, but dislikes, and stays far from, the sacramental work that makes the kingdom manifest. We do not want to be responsible for the work. We want to receive the blessings of the first half, but we do not want to bear the sacrifice of the second.

Forgive us, Lord.

See You Sunday!   

Universal Call

I sat, listening, while clergy colleagues discussed the strengths and challenges of the contemporary Church. There was a general understanding in the room that each pastor present shared a passion for the present and future of the Church of Jesus Christ. The strengths were grouped around people and their potential...even sometimes their actions. The people of the Church fuel its programs, projects, mission and ministry, after all.

Hours passed as the clergy in attendance celebrated the contributions made by faithful men and women. The stories were uplifting. Many of the contributions were miraculous. The morning passed rather swiftly.

After lunch, the topic shifted from the Church's strengths to its challenges. Amid the general negativity around congregational program and planning came a comment that commanded the attention of every present pastor. A young(ish) woman, who had recently graduated from seminary and had only a few years ago begun serving her first church, lamented the fact that she has to fight the church that she serves in order to get the members to accept their universal calling.

There was a general acknowledgement in the room. There was a shared understanding. Pastors have to fight the churches that they serve over the theology of universal calling.

Perhaps folks are more familiar and more comfortable with the Reformation notion of "The Priesthood of all Believers." This is the notion that claims that every person who accepts Christ Jesus is empowered, equipped and enabled to represent Christ in ministry and service. Every believer is priest.

Universal calling goes deeper. Universal calling is the idea that every person, by virtue of being saved in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, is equipped, enabled, called and sent to represent Christ's grace in the world. Calling is a product of our salvation. It is not restricted to those who will be educated, earn titles, be professionals, make money or suffer the indignities of being clergy in the post-modern age.

By afternoon's end, there was almost unanimous agreement around the room. The great challenge of the post-modern church is its refusal to embrace universal calling. Theologically, universal calling is a foundation of the progressive church. Practically, the future of the Church lies in the ministries and missions of men and women in our churches.

Clergy have contributed to the reluctance of the church to accept its universal call. Instead of serving as networkers of the natural gifts and talents of the congregation, and instead of seeing the clergy role as better equipping the persons who portray the gifts for ministry, clergy have become experts in doing all facets of congregational ministry. Instead of calling congregations to accountability for utilizing their own gifts and accepting their own calling, too many of us have done all the work for our churches. In so doing, we rob the men and women of the church of their natural, universal calling.

The church is reluctant now to acknowledge that each is called to ministry and service. For far too long, the work has been done for the men and women of the church by clergy who seek to please, or who seek to demonstrate their professional status, or to be Messiah. The toll taken by doing so has been destructive to the person-in-ministry. Worse, it has usurped from the good men and women of the church their own empowerment, sense of calling, and accountability for doing the work of ministry and mission.

Shiloh focuses on universal calling. We say, and I sincerely hope that we believe, that each of us is called, equipped, empowered and sent. The power of God's Holy Spirit rests equally upon and within each of us. While the great challenge of the church might be its refusal to accept and practice universal calling, Shiloh is attempting to make manifest a community of called and empowered agents of Christ Jesus. The work is both daunting and exciting. Come and join us!

See You Sunday!   

Shiloh and the Dayton Deaf Community

It is mainly due to the career paths chosen by Casey Robinson and Karyn Sleppy that Shiloh has revived an old relationship with Dayton's deaf community. Years ago, no one is certain quite when, the deaf community of Dayton used to hold community events at Shiloh Church. Now, thanks to a few of our members, that relationship has been renewed.

Most active Shiloh folk can tell you that Shiloh has been providing American Sign Language Interpretation at its 10:30 a.m. service for nearly a year now. Shiloh has also provided interpretation at many of its public events over the past several months. It did so at its annual Christmas musical, where we saw a number of deaf community members in attendance.

Shiloh will continue to provide ASL interpretation at its 10:30 service as long as the congregation has available the talents of Casey and Karyn and others.

Shiloh not only provides interpretation at its worship services and public events. The congregation has also opened its doors to the activities of the Dayton deaf community. On Saturday night, May 19, members of the Dayton deaf community will gather at Shiloh Church for a game night. The event is sponsored by the Sinclair Community College ASL Club, which Casey Robinson serves as president. For roughly four hours, members of the deaf and hearing-impaired community will have fun, playing group, board and interpersonal games. The event is called "Silent Night," and also serves as an opportunity for Sinclair students to interact with members of the deaf community. I personally attended a portion of the previous "Silent Night" event at Shiloh and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

The second Dayton deaf community event that will be hosted by Shiloh this Spring is the "Silent Auction." Scheduled for Friday night, June 1, the Sinclair ASL Club will hold its major annual fundraiser here at Shiloh Church. The "Silent Auction" involves both live and written-bid auctions for donated items, including Dragon and Reds tickets, a Kindle Fire, spa treatments, gift cards for hundreds of businesses and local restaurants, gardening items, and assorted baskets from Sinclair groups.

In preparation for anyone who might be interested in attending the Silent Auction, or any event of the Sinclair Community College ASL Club, or for those who have an interest in expanding your knowledge of ASL, Casey Robinson will be offering an introductory session here at Shiloh Church. The session is scheduled for Sunday, May 27, in the Large Conference Room, starting at 12:00 noon. Pizza will be served. Cost for the event is $5.00 per person, and will be used to offset the cost of pizza. If funds are left over, they will be contributed to the Next Steps chancel renovation project. 

Join the Sinclair Community College ASL Club at Shiloh Church for any of its activities. Hopefully, Shiloh can become a meeting place for the Dayton deaf and hearing-impaired community. Thanks Karyn, Casey, and others for renewing this old relationship.

See You Sunday!

Why the Chancel Renovation?

Last week's Shiloh Insider gave rise to an interesting comment. The question is the impetus of this week's blog. "Why is the chancel renovation project being done?" a reader asked.

The majority of the project's motivation lies in its connection to the wider Shiloh Church facility plan.

More than five years ago now, as a result of the all-congregation vote to remain in its current facility, Shiloh determined that it had to either move or upgrade its current facility. Staying here and doing nothing was not a reasonable option. Therefore, the congregation took a full year in establishing a $3.7 million facility plan. It included a new main entrance, an elevator, upgrade of restrooms, refurbishing of all gathering areas, replacement of boilers and windows, and significant upgrades to the worship space.

Much of the overall plan has been achieved. Shiloh has already replaced its ancient, non-efficient boilers with new, much more efficient ones. The congregation replaced its old windows with new, more efficient ones. These two projects have saved the congregation quite literally tens of thousands of dollars per year, and have significantly reduced the congregation's carbon footprint. Shiloh has already remodeled the Christian Education wing, mainly due to the ministry of The Kid's Institute, and has redone the Omega Hall.

The chancel renovation project belongs to the phase of renovation that encompasses Shiloh's worship space. It is a necessary "next step." A large portion of the sanctuary upgrade is the placement of a new lighting system, one that utilizes current LED technologies instead of the old incandescent system. Projections tell us that our sanctuary lighting will use in excess of 40x less electricity than with the present system. Currently, the old Colortran system fails to provide any usable lighting to what had been the choir loft. Since Shiloh plans to replace the entire lighting system, it makes sense to configure the chancel appropriately before the lighting is replaced.

The chancel renovation is also taking place in order to accommodate the new organ console. As most know, Shiloh applied for and was awarded a grant of $141,000 to replace its old organ console with a new digital system. Part of that upgrade allows the organ to move throughout the chancel space. In order to utilize that improvement, and in order to place the chancel choir back on the chancel (along with bells and puppets), it was necessary to expand the chancel.

On a more practical level, the chancel renovation was necessitated by the condition of the carpet in the front of the sanctuary. Every time the chairs in the front are moved, the carpet is snagged and tears. The chairs are entering into considerable disrepair because of the movement. The expansion of the chancel will, we hope, greatly reduce the necessity of moving the sanctuary chairs. There are additional media-related reasons for expansion of the chancel, but I do not pretend to understand them thoroughly enough to explain them.

The congregation will raise more than the anticipated $25,000 that the project will cost. Direct contributions, fundraising events, and special events have been very successful. Combine the level of giving with the idea that doing the project with volunteer labor, saving Shiloh Church an estimated $50,000, and the chancel renovation is a great starting point for ongoing sanctuary renovation.

It is an ideal "Next Step."

Thank you for all your support and assistance.

See You Sunday!   

Next Steps Chancel Renovation

The congregation met Sunday, April 22, and approved the chancel renovation project. This project consists of removing the existing choir loft and expanding the floor roughly 4' into the sanctuary. We hope to complete the project to coincide with the installation of Shiloh's new organ console.

The steps in the process are quite simple. We will be removing the choir loft as soon as the church receives the necessary County permits. The electrical, safety/security and organ wires will have to be rerun by licenced companies. Once the choir loft is removed, the framing of the floor and walls will begin. The congregation will then replace the chancel flooring and put finishing touches on the project.

Because the congregation is doing the work itself, Shiloh is saving in excess of $50,000. Even if you do not have construction or demolition experience, you can still assist the church. We need people to haul debris to a rented dumpster and others to keep the area as clean as possible. We will likely have a number of work days, where refreshments and social time are appreciated.

Sid Manley is Shiloh's project coordinator. A projected time-line is in the process of being created. Thus far, we have removed the two giant air handlers that had previously filled the space underneath the choir loft. We have stripped the loft of valuable oak trim. We have enclosed the project in its own "room," intended to greatly reduce the mess.

It is also crucial to remember that Shiloh is doing the entire chancel renovation through raised funds. With a combination of the funds available through the organ fund and fundraising projects, along with personal contributions, Shiloh should be able to pay for the total project.  

Just a word about the title for this project. Next Steps  comes from the notion that the chancel renovation is part of Shiloh's overall facility plan, which had been approved five years ago by the congregation. As the congregation tackles subsequent phases of the overall plan, we can expect to see the Next Steps moniker on many upcoming projects.

I hope that members and friends of the church are as excited as I am about seeing this progress being made. I hope that you will help with prayers and words of support. I hope you can give some time and expertise. And I sincerely hope that you can appreciate the efforts being made in order to benefit the entire congregation and community.

See You Sunday!

Big Black Box

Those who attended any of Shiloh's three worship services this past Sunday likely noticed that the chancel is now filled with a big black box. That big black box is actually a room. It consists of wall to wall, and ceiling to floor, containment of dust and debris that will be produced by Shiloh's chancel renovation. In order to protect our organ pipes and to reduce the amount of dust in the sanctuary, the planning process included the construction of this room.

In case you are wondering, the room does have a covered ceiling. While those who sit in the pews or the chairs cannot easily perceive it, the ceiling is roughly 39' x 16', built of 2" x 6" studding on roughly 4' centers, and covered by very thick, black plastic. A design alteration had to made in order to accommodate our projector, so the room is not a perfect rectangle.

Jay McMillen and I assisted Sid Manley in the construction of the big black box. It was built over two days, Monday and Tuesday, April 9 & 10. The big black box will worship with us until Shiloh receives the necessary permit to continue our demolition of the choir loft. Once the permits are received, and the congregation votes to complete the project, we will begin removal of the existing choir loft. Sid estimates that the demolition may take up to two weeks. After removal and cleanup, we plan to remove the big black box and use its wood to construct the floor and wall framing.

Thanks mainly to Connie Neef, the chancel remains appropriate for worship. The chancel paraments add a great deal to the look, as do the screens on either side of the rather stark backdrop.

If you have not yet seen the big black box, or if you want to know more about the chancel renovation project, call or stop by. We would love to show you what is planned, what is happening, and to explain how it is all being accomplished. The best way to see it, of course, is to join us in worship each Sunday, 8:30 a.m. for a quiet Meditation Service, 10:25 a.m. for a Liturgical Service, and 7:00 p.m. for an alternative Praise Worship Service.

See You Sunday!

Holy Week

The more I read from the Gospel According to Mark, the more I am convinced that the foundational Jesus stories portrayed him as an active instead of a passive player in the events of Holy Week. While the Church has grown accustomed to understanding Jesus' Crucifixion as something that happened "TO"  him, I believe that we are led, in Mark, to think of these events as occurring "BECAUSE" of Jesus. Jesus forced the hands of the authorities, both Jewish and Roman.

On Sunday, Jesus finally reaches Jerusalem. While residing in Bethany, perhaps with a leprous family that he knew, Jesus decides how he will enter Jerusalem. The choice was not made innocently. Jesus decided that he was going to enter Jerusalem as a new king, coming for coronation. It is an ancient symbol, promised in Zechariah 9:9. This is Messiah. This is the new political hope of the burdened. This is alternative to the broken systems under which the poor and disenfranchised lived. This is your new king.

Jesus knew that this act was likely to rile the passions of those who sat daily, begging at the gate. They would embrace any alternative to the evil empire of Rome. This form of entry would have been immediately recognizable. Jesus borrowed the symbol purposefully, to incite their passions.

This is especially the case as the Judaic world approached Passover, the highest celebration of its liturgical year. Passover was the celebration of the ancient emancipation of the people from the slavepits of Egypt, from the injustice of the Pharaoh, from Egyptian empirical power. (Readers will recall that Passover is named for the spirit of death, which passed over the homes of those who had placed the blood of a lamb over their doorways. It killed the firstborn of all the families in Egypt.)

When a new king comes riding into town, in the course of the ancient celebration of emancipation from empirical power, the governing power has reason to be sensitive. So does the officially recognized religion. Temple Judaism had so compromised the faith, so weakened its practices, rituals and celebrations, that a line was then drawn between religious practice and everyday life. While the Temple celebrated Passover, it had ceased to be a political reality. It belonged exclusively to the world of ritual and liturgy. It had no application to practical life.

Jesus brings Passover into the realm of the practical. He makes the remembrance political. He frees the teachings of the Temple from liturgy and ritual. He embodies the promise of emancipation. The gate-community immediately sees and understands, just as Jesus intended. The crowd does not celebrate Jesus' coming to Jerusalem, but the advent of a new king, a new kingdom, new systems of justice and equality. I am convinced that it is the symbol that they celebrate. It is not Jesus.

Because Jesus finds himself alone at the Temple, he knows immediately that the gate-people and Jesus' followers are too rapt by fear and too self-concerned to follow him. The revolution has failed. There will be no claim from those at the gate, on either the Temple or the State. In what seems like a moment in Mark, Jesus decides that he has to do even more to force the hands of the authorities, hoping to foment in those at the gate the zeal necessary for revolution. 

On Monday, he attacks the economic infrastructure of the Temple. Jesus is violent and angry. On Tuesday and Wednesday, he teaches that the Temple is to be destroyed, that the ways of the Temple are about to be replaced by those who will follow him. On Passover, Jesus sits Seder with his students and compatriots, shares with them a new ceremony of bread and wine, goes out to the Garden of Gethsemane, and is there arrested. Just as Jesus had planned.

If they arrest the new king at Passover, if they put down the revolution by removing the head of its leader, then surely the people at the gate will arise in response. The Temple Authorities manipulate the situation to arrange for a Roman Crucifixion. Imagine the body of a would-be king hanging upon a cross, the symbol of empirical power in reaction to a threat, during a season of celebration for ancient emancipation from empirical power. Surely, the people will not tolerate this affront! Surely, they will arise!

Jesus looks out from the cross, over the gathered few. He anticipates a crowd of angry bystanders, or at least the sound of distant battle. Instead, there is silence. He can hear the breeze whistling around him. Jesus realizes the profound folly of his plan. He feels the emptiness and loneliness of the cross. His entire mission has failed. No one has noticed. No one cares. His beatings and humiliation have meant nothing. The people at the gate barely notice, as their former hope dies. Even Jesus' followers have abandoned him. All is quiet. There is peace. Jesus dies.

None of it worked as planned. Damn them. Damn those people at the gate. To Hell with his disciples. Why did they place the sole responsibility for their salvation on his shoulders? How dare they? They are so weak...so afraid...so complacent in their suffering. They will not raise a finger to help themselves.

Has this all been for naught?

Maybe not.

See You Sunday!     

Church in the Wrong Place?

Shiloh Church believes that it is "Living the Word by Serving the World." Part and parcel of that bold claim is the obligation of going out into the world, perhaps even into strange territory, in order to "Live the Word." The odd circumstance that I have noticed is that the world is sometimes uncomfortable with the Church that comes into it.

Several weeks back, volunteers from Shiloh Church served beer at the outside St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Boston's Bistro and Pub. Dozens of patrons commented on the curious presence of the Church. Why would a church be part of our St. Paddy's Day celebrations? Why would a church be serving beer? To be doing so seems contrary to what many have come to understand as the Christian ethic.

While it may have been appropriate to note that St. Patrick's Day was, at it roots, a religious recognition, we have to admit that our role was not related to the Saint. We were spared that conversation. Shiloh was attempting to accomplish two things: 1. We were trying to raise funds to support our chancel renovation project. and 2. We were attempting to be a church presence to an alternative community, one that we might otherwise never serve. Shiloh raised over $1,300, and the volunteers were certainly in an unexpected place.

During the event, and afterward, I have begun to feel an unanticipated discomfort with the church's presence at Boston's and elsewhere. The discomfort does not come from the religious community. It does not come from our membership or our volunteers. The strange feeling comes from the community. It comes from the public. It comes from precisely those whom we were there to serve and meet. While no one blatantly stated the possibility, I discerned the feeling that folks who were drinking at Boston's thought that the Church was in the wrong place.

It is a strange expectation, I think, that the Church will keep to itself. It is a surprising discovery to learn that the public can be made uncomfortable in the presence of the Church.

It is similar, I think, to what I witnessed in seminary. In the life of the seminary that I attended, more than 25 years ago now, there were those who thought that the more austere their personal life-style seemed, the more they seemed in solidarity to the poor and the needy. The problem was that most of these persons came from affluent backgrounds. Their education was being paid for by family or from ready finances. They seemed to be in solidarity with the poor, but the facts of their circumstances differed widely from what was being projected.

In the alternative communities to whom Shiloh wants to be present, there is a similar disconnect. Some believe that the Church should be a holy place, and that it should stay in its holy place. While many would refuse to step foot in the Church, they are uncomfortable with a church that comes to them. They are suspicious of a congregation that would serve them beer. They are leery of a religious group that would dare be part of their secular celebrations. Some certainly hold that the Church should stay "over there," in religious and spiritual territories. To be part of their secular world is the Church being in the wrong place.

At Shiloh Church, there is no such disconnect between form and intention. This is not like the seminary, where some pretend to be in solidarity with the poor by choosing to live austere life-styles, while being fully able to live affluently. Shiloh does not intend to make the community uncomfortable by being where some feel that the Church should not be. On the contrary, Shiloh seeks to demonstrate to the community that the place of the Church is in the community. The Church certainly belongs with those whom we might serve, even where and when presence in those environs seem to make some uncomfortable.

The challenge of the Church today is to narrow the gap between what is seen as sacred and what is thought to be secular. The process is not to demand of the secular that it become more sacred, as has been the aim of the Church in recent decades. The process must be to allow the sacred to participate in the secular, to allow the service rendered by the Church to impact how we live in the secular realm. That means that the Church must get out into the world, even if it makes the world uncomfortable. The educational process goes both ways.

You can help narrow the widening gap.

See You Sunday!   

St. Paddy's Day Fundraiser

In order to raise funds for Shiloh's chancel renovation project, the fundraising team scheduled Shiloh members to serve at Boston's Bistro and Pub throughout this past weekend's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. On behalf of those who planned the event, I want to thank everyone who took part. While profits did not quite meet expectations, more than $1,300 was raised toward the renovation project.

I was on site for 15 of the 18 hours. The people who represented Shiloh Church did a fabulous job. Many had a good time, as well.

Judging from the comments that some of us heard throughout the weekend, it must be unusual for a church to serve at a bar. The clientele commented repeatedly on how pleased they were to help out a church while having fun. A few even caught onto the church motto, saying that Shiloh is "Living the Word by Serving the World.....Beer." Beer? Yes, even beer.

Can a church serve beer at a bar without judgment or criticism? Can a church be part of the fun and remain a faithful gathering of persons? Can a church alter the public image of religious organizations enough that we can make an impression on a population that we might not otherwise ever even see?

Shiloh can. Shiloh may. Shiloh did. Judging by the wealth of conversation and interaction that I witnessed, Shiloh brought church presence to an alternative community. We did not preach or judge or proselytize. We were just part of the community. We were part of the fun. Hundreds of people, some of whom have never had a positive experience with religious organizations, saw something in the Shiloh group that they may not have expected. We joined them. We did not stand apart or above. We did not look down our superior noses. We were there, with them.

I want to thanks those who underwrote the expenses of the weekend, those who gave up their time to be there, and those who planned the event. Special thanks go to Tia Smith, who coordinated the event, to Dave Boston, who bent over backward to shape the event to our benefit, and to the remarkable members of the Boston's staff, who made our efforts enjoyable.

This was the second year that Shiloh served at Boston's St. Paddy's Day celebration. Perhaps the hundreds who were there, both last year and this year, learned something about Shiloh Church. Maybe we are teaching people about the radical welcome and acceptance of progressive church organizations. Maybe we are teaching something unusual, unexpected and unfamiliar about Christ Jesus.

I have to add that there was not a single problem with the clientele. No one got too far out of hand. There were no fights, no destructive behavior, no huge arguments. People simply had fun. In my opinion, it was good for Shiloh, and for the community, for Shiloh to be a part of it all.

See You Sunday!

Rooted or Entrenched?

The poster hangs in the busiest hallway at Shiloh Church. It is from the Still Speaking Campaign of the United Church of Christ, and reads: "Our faith is 2000 years old, but our thinking is not."

This past Sunday, Jesus, in the lectionary text from John, turned over the tables of the money changers and cast the sacrificial animals out of the Temple courtyard. He did so, I think, because the marketplace that was held in the Temple courtyard was based in injustice and inequality. It resulted in societal separation and cultural bias. It favored those who had assets, property, provision and possession over those who had just enough for their survival, or even less.

Jesus did not reject the Judaism of the Temple. Jesus rejected the tendency of persons to become complacent in the face of injustice and inequality because they are fostered in religious organizations. Religious injustice and inequality result from the inability or unwillingness of religious organizations to question their own policies and practices.

There must be a relationship between the foundational, core values of a religious institution and the policies, procedures and structures that are derived from them. In what is the Church rooted? In what ways have these organizations become entrenched? "Our faith is 2000 years old, but our thinking is not." 

How many church meetings have the readers of The Shiloh Insider wherein the line between rootedness and entrenchment is blurred? In how many of those meetings has some unwitting victim of the organization's bureaucracy uttered the famous phrase, "But we have always done it this way?"

It is certainly true that congregations and religious organizations benefit from being rooted in a solid tradition. Many saints have come before us. Their ways are not necessarily sacred, however. Their practices have not brought God's kingdom on earth. Their policies did not always match their core values. Even when they sometimes did, their core values are not necessarily our core values.

The contemporary Church is being challenged by shrinking populations and diminishing dollars, by a cultural agnosticism that functions in the whole without God, and a practical rationalism that denies the practice of what seems mystical and metaphysical. The Church is increasingly irrelevant to the developing culture.

To stem the tide of shrinkage, and to reverse the trend of diminishing dollars, the Church has devised all sorts of marketing approaches and practical approaches that are meant to attract others. Some have been met with some success. Some have worked, at least to meet the sociological and psychological needs of the culture.

None of the fancy marketing approaches or practical sociological or psychological methodologies will work in the long run, however. Only one approach will, I think.

The Church today must determine its own core values. In the past sixty or so years, we have learned so much about Christ Jesus, and about the development of the early Church, that old core values no longer apply. Old practices, procedures, policies and structures no longer work. The contemporary (Progressive) Church must re-examine and determine anew a core ethic for the Church. It must reinvent itself. Once the Church articulates the core ethic(s), it can begin to shape new policies, practices, structures and procedures.

In my humble opinion, the conversations should have started a few decades ago. They could have resulted, by now, in new formulae for what the Church is to be, what it is called to do and how it does its work. Even if some conversations started then, they were thwarted by organizational and bureaucratic entrenchment. The ongoing supply of money allowed the institutions to continue to protect their traditional configurations and practices, even if they resembled the market place of the Temple in Jesus' age.

Now the money has fallen short, and religious organizations are being forced to reconsider what they do and how they do it. This might be great news for the Church of Jesus Christ. Perhaps we can use the opportunity before us to narrow the gap between the core values of our faith and the ways that we have organized ourselves and the practices that we have adopted. Maybe this is the advent of the kingdom.

Let's hope and pray.

See You Sunday!  

Crucial Conversation

On this coming Saturday, march 10, leadership from the Associations of the Ohio Conference will gather in Columbus to begin some very important conversations. These upcoming conversations come from an initiative within the Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association (SONKA), of which Shiloh Church is a part. SONKA's Strategic Planning Team has been working for months to help the Association shape a thorough self-study that would, hopefully, result in reforming the ministries, structure and organization of the Association.

The work was progressing well, when, several weeks ago, Ruth Brandon, current Association Minister, announced that she would resign her position on June 30, 2012. As the Strategic Planning Team continued its work, and as it called upon Bob Molsberry, Ohio Conference Minister, for guidance, the team discovered that four of the five Ohio Associations were in nearly the same place as SONKA. Vacant or losing leadership, the Associations now find themselves struggling for dollars and vitality.

Since most of the Associations join SONKA in transition, and since Association leadership recognizes that this is a transitional period in the life of our churches, denominations and middle judicatories, this time calls for us to be in serious dialogue about the models/structures/organization of the Ohio Conference and Associations.

The conversations are not new. Structural reformation was suggested about a decade back, but was never acted upon. In that attempt, the planning group recommended that Ohio break into three regional Conferences, similar to the model used in Pennsylvania, around population and centers of church concentration.

The present conversations are likely to be multi-dimensional. Certainly, the team will consider the polity of the United Church of Christ, where the local church is the basic unit of power and authority. The conversations will have to consider the roles of Conference and Association middle judicatories, examine redundancy, potency, and the impact of those ministries on our local congregations. Of course, the conversations will necessarily extend to the national/denominational level, where we will have to consider wider church impact and the possibilities that lie within organizational change.

Is this a time for the local churches and Associations/Conferences of the United Church of Christ to boldly pursue organization along the lines of The Progressive Church Movement? What about those congregations that are not currently pursuing growth or expanded ministries? What of those congregations that are in the process of dying? What kinds of structures, initiatives, programs or approaches might serve them? Is there a different way of doing the business of the Church, one which meets the needs of our local congregations in the midst of changing culture?

I am happy to be a part of these conversations, representing SONKA and Shiloh Church. What we decide now has the potential to impact our local churches, our middle judicatories, and our denomination for a long time to come. Pray for wisdom and insight into God's will. These conversations may be the beginning of something new.

See You Sunday! 

   

Next Steps Process

The planning team for the chancel renovation project has determined that the attempt should be labeled, "Next Steps" The title is particularly appropriate for several reasons. Firstly, "Next Steps" implies that this project is the continuation of something already begun. Five years ago, Shiloh began the process of shaping an overall facility plan. Since then, the congregation has accomplished some major steps in the plan. The Christian Education wing has been remodeled. The Omega Hall has been redone. There are new boilers and new windows throughout the facility. Shiloh has already done nearly $1 million worth of renovations and updates. Secondly, "Next Steps" suggests that there are additional steps to follow this one. Certainly, this is the case in pursuing Shiloh's facility plan. Particularly, there are additional renovations to be made in the worship space, a new general entrance, an elevator, and updating throughout.

"Next Steps" is an ideal moniker for a project that lies somewhere in the middle of an overall facility plan. The particular project at hand is the expansion of the chancel and the replacement of the organ console. Thanks mainly to a grant from the Fred Luther Foundation, Shiloh is able to replace its organ console, at the cost of $141,588. The expansion project, which piggybacks perfectly on the organ console replacement, will cost the congregation somewhere between $10,000 to $20,000. Work has begun, in the form of removal of the massive air handlers that had been located beneath the present choir loft. There have also been working groups formed to: 1. Plan the ending design; 2. Raise funds for the project; 3. Communicate with the congregation and community.

The money for the project is coming in. There was nearly $7,000 in an organ fund when the congregation received news of the Luther Foundation grant. The committee leadership has donated almost $3,000 worth of seed money, and I have designated $2,500 from my contracted designated spending fund toward the "Next Steps." The rest will rely upon a handful of fundraising programs and events and the contributions of Shiloh's membership.

Another means of raising funds, though modest, is recycling of materials. We are currently looking for a few volunteers to come in this week to dismantle the coil mechanisms that we have removed from the departed air handlers. The coils are copper, and may be worth around $300 if recycled separately. If you can help to do so during normal business hours, call the church and talk with Sid Manley or me. We are also looking to coordinate with someone who might own a trailer or truck for transporting the coils to a local recycling center. Again, if interested and able, call.

The demolition is at a standstill until the church designs a final product, until Shiloh presents technical drawings for permit approval, and until we can post permits. Some of the work will need to be done by electrical professionals, our security and fire alarm company, and, depending on how far we extend the design, a professional plumber. Each of these professionals will need to acquire permit for the project as well.

An interesting snag has surfaced. If we extend the chancel an additional 4', the congregation will have to provide alternative office space for its Business Manager. This space will need to be secure. It would also be good if the Business Office were placed within the everyday flow. Again, if Shiloh extends through the additional 4', Shiloh will need to have some plumbing redone, requiring an additional permit and taking on additional expense. Are there any ideas for how Shiloh might solve these two issues? If so, or if you want to part of the conversation, respond to this post.

It is exciting to see progress taking place, as Shiloh Church pursues the "Next Steps" in its overall facility plan. It is not too late to be involved. Look for fundraisers at Boston's Bistro and Pub over the St. Patrick's Day weekend and through a proposed upcoming casino night. Any other ideas for fundraising can be shared with Tia Smith.

See You Sunday!

  

Hospitality Team

I sat with Shiloh's Hospitality Team last evening, Monday, February 13. The Team discussed a variety of upcoming events, shaped strategies for providing an exceptional welcome to those and more usual church events, and formulated an entirely new program for the life of Shiloh Church.

Among the upcoming events discussed were the Senior Living Fair on Wednesday, February 15, The Day of Caring Pancake Brunch, on Sunday, February 26, Easter, The SONKA Spring Meeting at Oak Creek, Shiloh's April 29 fundraiser at Sandi's Clothes Encounters, Election Day, the Annual Garage Sale, Shiloh Live on June 2, the Annual Golf Outing on August 25, and the Fall Association meeting, to be held here at Shiloh on November 3. The Team determined that it would be available to groups and organizations in the congregation, providing guidance, input and advice about how events might be even more hospitable. If your group or organization is organizing an upcoming event, and if you want the assistance of the Hospitality Team, talk with Glenna Higgins or Joanne Orihood.

The Hospitality Team is particularly eager to strategize for the November Fall Association Meeting, to be held here at Shiloh Church. We already know that we will be pursuing volunteer cleaning groups around the facility, but we also need to work at additional signage and means of identifying those from Shiloh who would be available for assistance and way-finding. The welcome that we provide will be particularly important, as it is very likely that parts of the sanctuary might at that time be undergoing final construction of the chancel updates and the new organ console. Again, if you want to be involved in the preparations, talk with Glenna or Joanne.

The new Hospitality Team-sponsored program will kick off on Easter Sunday, April 8. From that Sunday, Shiloh will offer and open opportunity for fellowship and light breakfast, from 9:00 a.m. through 10:15. It is possible that the hub of activity will take place in the mailbox area, with a table for food/drink and information posted on the wall. The information will include Association Newsletter, called "Snippets," information from the Conference and national UCC, and internal notifications. The idea here is to intentionally invite people into fellowship and information-sharing. The information wall will build on the tremendous success of Shiloh's "Green Table." That table has increased communication and reduced Shiloh's use of paper. The information wall should assist us to extend our ministry in both ways. Once again, if you want to be part of providing leadership for the intentional fellowship time, I encourage you to talk with Glenna or Joanne.

Shiloh's Hospitality Team continues to provide a wonderful welcome to those who use our facility. If you would like to help greet, whether in the parking lot or inside the facility, or if you want to take part in Hospitality Team activities, talk with those mentioned already, Dawn McMillen, Jay McMillen, Bud Brown, Kimbal Ragan, or me.

See you Sunday!

    

Personal Salvation

As many of those who read The Shiloh Insider are aware, I have been teaching a class at the University of Dayton Osher Lifelong Learning Center, entitled "A Bible Toolbox." The class is made up of persons who are 50+, who have a desire to expand their education and extend their knowledge. The class is made up of persons of many different faith expressions and backgrounds. Thus far, the class has been a rousing success, with participants learning to use historical and literary contexts as a means of studying and understanding Biblical literature.

Today, Monday, February 6, several of the class participants remained after the class was completed in order to engage in discussion. The discussion resulted from a series of comments that I had made during an investigation of the New Testament historical context.

During the class, I suggested that Jesus was concerned with shaping a particular ethic, one that, if lived faithfully, would repair, from the bottom upward, the broken social systems of Jesus' age, which functioned from the top downward. We pictured that ethic as the "downy/uppy" of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. In that image, Jesus embodies a way of life in which persons willingly and intentionally sacrifice themselves in order to serve others. This service is embodied in order to free those whom Jesus served from obstacles to their service to others. Virtue takes place when followers of Jesus embrace the ethic, live in service to others, empowering them, enabling them, removing the obstacles that keep them from serving others.

The conversation that took place after class today centered on that ethic as "works," and how those works lead to an understanding of salvation. The question was, "How are we saved by practicing that ethic?" The qualifying statements demonstrated that the person was asking about the difference between salvation by grace or salvation by works. "Which is it," he wanted to know.

The same gentleman had asked a similar question earlier in the day. He asked, "If Jesus were living today, would he be Republican or Democrat?" I told him that I seriously doubted that Jesus would have had any stake in the political process, and would therefore be neither. Jesus worked by weaving the fabric that ties each of us to the other, from the bottom up, as it were. Jesus would have believed that the political processes were broken, and that the means of repairing them lay exclusively in developing the space that exists between each person and each other. The ethic determines how we fill that space and what we do in the developing relationships.

The same answer holds for the question of personal salvation. I do not think that it was much of an issue for Jesus. Jesus may never have asked, or wondered, whether persons are saved through grace or works because personal salvation was never an issue for Jesus. Heaven or Hell, or how we achieve either, is not a concern for him. Salvation by either works or grace miss the point of a salvation that is established in relationship between one's self and every other. Jesus embraces communal salvation, qualitative, historical, practical. Salvation comes in the way that we live with one another, establishing, from the bottom up, a way of life that is then demanded of the systems that form social culture.

So, questions of personal salvation are likely as foreign to Jesus as those of political association might be. Would Jesus be a Republican or Democrat? Well, neither, because Jesus did not work that way. Would Jesus support personal salvation through grace or works? Well, again, neither. Jesus probably did not work that way. His concern was how we lived together, as a community, as a family, as children of the same creator.

That such a conversation takes place at all is testament to the success of the University of Dayton Lifelong Learning Institute, and the curiosity and openness of those who continue to pursue greater understanding. I am proud to take part in the process.

  

"No Guns = No Money"

Yesterday, Sunday January 29, just before the 10:30 service of worship, I was handed a business card. It came from a member of the congregation, one who is actively involved in the life of the church. The card has made me rather sad, and I want to share it with you.

In bold white letters, in a large font, across the bottom, against a stark red background, read these words: "No Guns = No Money" On the right side of the card was the now-familiar "no guns" sign that we have seen posted at public buildings throughout our communities. Printed from the left side of the card, the bulk of its message read: "Your 'no gun' sign prevents me from patronizing your business. So I, my family, and other gun owners will spend our money with your competitors." Then it read: "Look on the back to see why you should remove your sign," with an arrow that directed me to reverse the card.

On the reverse, the card bore a symbol from Buckeye Firearms Foundation, with an email address: www.BuckeyeFirearms.org The reverse side of the card read, "Your 'no gun' sign is bad for business. It does nothing to make you safer. It simply tells criminals you're an easy target and drives away good customers with a concealed carry license."

It continued, "Unlike most people, license holders have passed a criminal background check. Statistics show we are far more law-abiding than the general public. Our numbers are growing every day. We are ideal customers and will patronize your business if you let us. Remove your sign and I, my family, and many other gun owners will gladly return."

Really?

I am incredulous!

You want the Church of Jesus Christ to allow you to carry weapons to worship and public activities? You want the Church to condone the presence of guns? You are willing to practice blatant extortion to bring about your political ends? And you want churches and pastors to capitulate?

I know nothing whatsoever about the Buckeye Firearms Foundation. I am disgusted by their practices, however. I do know about the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. I can tell you with every confidence that firearms have no place in worship, ministry or mission that bears Christ's name. His ministry is about peace and love and compassion. His mission is the extension of grace. Worship in his name must take place without the threat of violence or coercion.

In my opinion, firearms have no place in the Church. The matter is theological. It is about the integrity of the Church. If we dare to bear the name of Christ Jesus, then we simply cannot allow the presence of firearms. If that means that you take your "business" elsewhere, so be it.

The Church is a place of God's empowerment. It is the training ground for ministries of peace and harmony. It is about education in the mission fields of God's grace and love. No guns. No way. If the Church gives in to this kind of pressure, then it isn't the Church at all.  

Can the Church Make a Difference?

I have listened carefully over the past few weeks to the language of the political "Primary Season." There is something very strange going on here.

Except for one particular candidate, those with concrete proposals are gone already from the process. Most of the language of the campaigns, as far as I am able to ascertain, is combative, polemical, reactive and argumentative. There is little being proposed of any genuine value. Little hope of improvement of the situation of those who struggle and suffer is being offered. Even within political parties, the language of campaigns is no longer ideological or philosophical but personal and judgmental.

What is happening here? What is the current political campaign atmosphere saying about who we are as a culture and a people? More to the point, is there anything that the Church can do about the situation? Do those of faith have a role to play in political discourse?

Political discourse is being reduced to the lowest common denominator of human interest. Like the popular television production of a type of program that we have come to call, "Reality Shows," the political process now hinges upon personal behavior, scandal, innuendo, whispered accusations that fly beyond the scope of reason, name-calling, anger, hatred and violence. Ironically, the public seems to be accepting the degradation of the political process. It is possible even that the public relishes it, embraces it, loves it.

This is not right! Something here is broken! The patient is sick, and we have to begin to wonder what any physician might do to make us well again.

Our culture is ill. One need look no further than the current political process to see it. One need only to listen for a moment to the hyperbole. One need only watch for a short while the realm of entertainment, sports, or social networking to understand that there is a shared disease of our life and times.

Of course politics replies to the lowest common denominator of our culture. Certainly entertainment and sports reflect our communal disease. Social networking is a perfect reflection of who we have become and what is wrong with us.

Might I be so bold as to suggest that the Church is being called to be our culture's physician? Is it possible that the Church would, for once, separate itself from its culture and stand over and against the illness of our age? Can the Church teach people to live together in love, acceptance, integrity and compassion?

I believe that the Church has a distinct role in curing the ills of our culture. The medication, in abundant store, is the love of Christ. Application is the work of the Spirit in the Church of Jesus Christ. It is time for persons of faith - no matter which or what we call ourselves - to embrace the core of our spiritual lives and live from the foundations of that which we are called to practice. It is time for us to be less religious and more faithful, to be more socially engaged and more communally active.

Culture has no physician other than its people of faith, who could be courageous and honest enough to call the illnesses of our culture by name, to address their root causes, and to seek their treatment. But we have to get out of our churches, synagogues, mosques, covens and places of worship and begin the work of curing our social ills. Only if we are able to so engage ourselves will we mean anything to the culture in which we live. If we fail, we will continue to disappear as a meaningless and irrelevant product of the past.

  

Political Rhetoric

When Barack Obama wrote The Audacity of Hope, and when , from across the aisle, John Danforth wrote Faith and Politics, I was hopeful of transformation on the political front. Both books argued for an end to the broken political process of partisanship, a rejection of the kind of rhetoric that resulted in a widening of the chasm between the competing points of view, and closure to the influence of the religious right.

In short, both politicians, one Democrat and the other a Republican, argued for a new kind of political approach, one that diminished partisanship through focus on the common good. Danforth and Obama painted a rosy picture of a dawning new day. Both promised action. Both made perfect sense.

Unfortunately, contemporary history has not proven the advent of a new political day. Be certain that I am not supporting in this article any particular political point of view. I am not promoting any issue, cause or politician. In fact, I refuse to do so. The system is so broken that it has ceased to work for the common good, and all those within it, though good intentioned, are caught up in a wheel that will not spin.

The art of politics is no longer (if it ever truly was) improvement of shared life. Politics is now about being properly positioned in order that one be electable or re-electable. The process is about power and influence that may be traded for votes on bills of competing importance. The question is far less often how voting on a particular bill serves the public good than how one's vote positions one within that person's party or with the media. The process has diminished to the point of sound bites and posturing.

I am disappointed in those who could have acted to repair the process. I am even more disappointed in the rhetoric that has been used to protect the old partisan system from transformation. The words have been ugly, childish and judgmental. Like children on a third grade playground, the process is to tear others down in order to build up one's self. The name calling and innuendo are ridiculous.

The question is whether or not the citizenry can act to change anything. Will it help to vote out all incumbents? Is the system so inexorably broken that it would taint any who would dare or aspire to enter it? Can we do no better?

I would love to hear from readers of The Shiloh Insider about what actions we might take. What are we to do to put into place a working political system, one that functions for the benefit of all of its citizens and serves as a light to the nations of the world? Is there a reasonable and practical course of action? Can we change anything?

Music and the Message

A can of worms, once opened, is difficult to close again, especially neatly.

I made a comment at the beginning of yesterday's 10:30 message and again during the discussions at the 7:00 service that there was a disconnect between the message and the service music. The disconnect took place in the difference between the theology of spiritual baptism - what happened to Jesus after he exited the waters of ritualized baptism - and baptism by water, which was highlighted in almost all of the service music.

Was Jesus baptized by the ritual of John the Baptist? Was he subjected to a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins?

I believe that he was. I also happen to believe that such a baptism as part of the Jesus narrative, especially in Mark, is beside the point. The point of the story, I think, is that, once he emerges from the waters of ritualized purification, Jesus' genuine baptism takes place. It is a baptism performed by God. It is not performed by John. In Mark, Jesus' spiritual baptism enables him to fulfill the ministry to which God calls him. Without it, if he would have been baptized with water alone, Jesus would not have been able to faithfully and perfectly perform the ministry to which he had been called.

In Mark's baptism, the ritualized water rite of purification is transformed into a spiritual experience, one over which God presides and one for which only God provides.God pours out God's Spirit. God allows that Spirit to be embodied in Jesus. Jesus becomes the Spirit's incarnation. The entire message highlighted the fact that the spiritual baptism by God is far superior to the human rites of water purification.

So why did the music celebrate water? If Jesus' spiritual baptism eclipses the significance of John's water purification, why did we sing about gathering at the river, or about entering the waters? The topic is of particular interest when readers of The Shiloh Insider recognize that I am part of the group that sits and selects hymns and music for our worship services. How in the world could such a disconnect be allowed to take place?

The answer is both simple and dangerous. I made the comments at both 10:30 and 7:00 in order to draw attention to the main issue. Most hymnody, whether traditional or contemporary, embraces the imagery of water for baptism. There is little available for the Church to sing of and celebrate the spiritual aspects of baptism. Now, there are plenty of hymns/songs about the power of the Spirit. Few of them have a direct link to baptism, however. (I am well aware that there are a few of these examples in contemporary praise music, but, even in those cases, the spiritual side of Jesus' baptism is diminished.)

Did the disconnect between service music and the message make any difference? Unfortunately, probably not. Like the community that came to John in the Jordan, we have grown accustomed to rote ritual and familiar practices. Few would have noticed the disconnect had it not been mentioned as theme for the day.

All the more reason to mention it. The comments about there being a disconnect challenge the notion that we should take for granted what we sing, play, hear, say or preach. Those elements of worship which tend to become rote, unconscious recitation, meaningless traditions with no clear or reasonable purpose behind them need to be challenged. Especially in Epiphany, we could be aware of all that we do in worship. Worship can be an intentional exercise of praise and preparation instead of a cuddly recitation of familiar, traditional rites and liturgies.

So, there was a disconnect between the message and the music this past week. That disconnect gave us occasion to challenge our complacency. Until some amazingly creative folk write new hymns and service music (hint, hint), that situation will not improve. At least we can be aware of it and take it as a serious call for reform. This, after all, is Epiphany.

See You Sunday!   

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2012!

I will readily admit that, at my age, the turning of another year is a mixed blessing. While a new year invites each of us into new opportunities and new adventures, it is also a sign that time moves more swiftly as the years pass. One would think that the quickened passage of time might encourage those of additional years to hasten the process of change. Oddly enough, I find the opposite to be the case.

The older I become, the more entrenched I seem to get. The gravitational pull of increasing age has settled me in some very particular ways. I am more certain than ever of the desperate state of the Church of Jesus Christ. I am more convinced than ever that, if what used to be the Mainline Church is to survive the current cultural shifts, it will have to change drastically. I thought that I would take this issue of The Shiloh Insider to highlight just a few changes that I am convinced that the Church must make if it is to survive.

1. The Church must be about God and Christ: The Church is not about its members. It is not present in order that those who are members might be served by it. Instead, the mission of the Church must direct its efforts outward, into the neighborhoods and communities that the Church might serve. The Church is to be a light to nations, a lamp whose light may not be hidden, the salt which retains its taste. It is present to represent Christ Jesus to the world.

2. Members are servants: Church members must therefore see themselves as servants who are equipped, inspired and sent out by God's Holy Spirit. Energies, talents and time of church members must be directed toward service to others. Membership on congregation boards and committees does not necessarily equate to outward service. There are cases in which boards and committees can lead persons to wider service, but service to the organization of the Church is not automatically the service to which God calls us.

3. Service takes place within context. To serve Christ Jesus in the church's communities and neighborhoods means that most excellent service takes place within simple contexts. Instead of engaging in support of things far away, from which we are isolated, persons must learn to engage in the mission of Jesus Christ in the everyday course of life. Christian service is more about the way we live, day in and day out, than what missions and ministries we support. How do we serve those whom we encounter in the course of our most common days? How do we treat others? What do we do for them?

4. Faithfulness is measured by ethics. Faithfulness of those who might be considered as practitioners of Christianity is tied to the ethic of Christ Jesus. We are called upon, and equipped by God's Holy Spirit, to live as Christ lived. Because he sacrificed himself in service to others, we are to sacrifice ourselves. Because Christ Jesus treated with kindness those of low social, economic and political standing, the Church must join him in working for their benefit. That ethic must translate to everyday practice and social decision-making. While the issues are not economic or political, faithfulness must inform political, economic and social decision-making.

5. The purpose of the Church is empowering servants. The Church therefore has the obligation of motivating and equipping persons for practicing the ethic of Christ Jesus. The educational efforts of the church must be geared to personal spiritual calling. Its fellowship must be molded by the necessity of unity in vision and mission. The Church must be consistent in everything that it does to equip persons for practicing the ethic of Christ Jesus. The Church is not an institution of membership hatch, match and dispatch, but of community transformation through personal spirituality.

May this be the focus of Shiloh's 2012. May it be the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ. I am more convinced than ever that this is the form in which the Church will survive...and thrive.

See You Sunday!