Oops!

Monday mornings are usually consumed with "clean-up" from Sunday: checking through fellowship pads, a quick review of the offering, sorting through notes scribbled in the margins of my bulletin and randomly stuffed in my Bible, a mental "sorting" of conversations, and a post portem of the sermon.

This morning I realized that I forgot something. This isn't a novel experience for me- I all too often forget to pick-up a gallon of milk on my way home and there are days where it may take two (or sometimes three) trips to get out of the office. But this was something good, something that impacted me and I wanted to share in the context of the Palm Sunday sermon. This was a big "oops!"

Sooo.. here we go: New testament scholar Fred Craddock reflected on John's record of the triumphal entry as follows, "Jesus is Lord and King by virtue of who he is, totally apart from public praise. Faith does not make him who he is; faith recognizes who he is."

Lord, this Holy Week, give us eyes to see.

Praying for the Preacher

Sometimes folks ask me, "Pastor, how can we pray for you?"

Jonanthan Edwards- no, not "that" Jonanthan Edwards- the current General secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain helped me find words for my need:

We have a lot of facts and a lot of opinions. But amidst these facts and opinions we need wisdom.

That's how you may pray for your pastor today, and he will gladly return the favor.

Family

Last weekend we were in Jensen Beach, Florida to be a part of my niece's wedding. The bride was beautiful, the groom and his men appropriately anxious, and, though the priest kept mis-pronouncing Kristin's name, the ceremony was "just right."

My sister-in-law's tears as she was escorted down the aisle were a poignant reminder of the death of her and my brother's son, the bride's brother. Hugs were gifts of comfort and hope.

The reception was a grand celebration. Relatives and friends from across the state and across the years swapped stories and laughter. And of course, there was food!

I was amazed at how much my cousins' children had grown and changed- even since last summer's reunion! It was sad to see first-hand Pop's further decline- and I was reminded again about how strong Granny has always been.

Family gatherings are occasions of an incredible mixture of laughter and tears, young and old, past and future, memories shared and memories made. They are powerful reminders of where we came from, that past failures can become stepping-stones into a brighter tomorrow, and most importantly- who we are.

Church is a lot like family.

I Wonder

I shared the following prayer by Ruth Harris Calkin in Sunday's sermon. I first discovered it in "Improving Your Serve" by Charles Swindoll.

You know, Lord, how I serve You
With great emotional fervor
In the limelight.
You know how eagerly I speak for you
At the women's club.
You know how I effervesce when I promote
a fellowship group.
You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study.

But how would I react, I wonder
If you pointed to a basin of water
And asked me to wash the calloused feet
Of a bent and wrinkled old woman
Day after day
Month after month
In a room where nobody saw
And nobody knew.

Thankful for "the one"

The "buzz" after Sunday's vote on the motion to sell and relocate was "do you know who the one 'no' vote was?" In the very positive affirmation of a 122-1 vote, that "one" really stands-out.

Me, I'm thankful for the "one." It means the process worked and the way we choose to do church was affirmed. All along the way on this issue we have encouraged our members to pray, participate in discussions, and seek God's direction. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited by the outcome, and feel that the will of the congregation was clearly expressed. But, I am glad that one person felt the freedom to express themselves in a different way.

Congregational church polity (governance) is based on the idea of the priesthood of all believers: we all have equal access to God and all are equally accountable to God. The outgrowth of this bedrock baptist understanding of the Christian life is that everyone has a voice- and a vote- in the life of our church. We choose not to follow a model where entities outside our church have authority over the affairs of our congregation; nor do we have have small group of leaders who make decisions on behalf of the congregation; nor does the pastor have executive authority.

Congregational decision-making can be messy and time-consuming but ultimately it makes each member responsible for participation in the process and to prayerfully seek to gain an understanding of God's leadership. This week I am thanking God for the hard work of our Real Estate Committee (Scott Conti, Jerry Jansen, and Jim Smith); for the partcipation, discussion, and good questions of our membership through the process; and for the "one," who reminds us all that we have a voice and a vote.