Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Calling All Calvary UMC Young Adults!
Calling all young adults at Calvary UMC! Chris and Sarah Schlieckert (i.e., me and my husband) would love to get to know you better and hear your ideas for ministries with young adults at Calvary UMC. Over the coming months, we will be hosting a series of gatherings for young adults, and we want to start with some small dinner before the end of the year (don’t worry if you can’t make one of these—there will be more and other types of gatherings in early 2010). E-mail me (pastorsarahumc@gmail.com) to sign up for one of these dinners. We invite you to bring a side dish to share. Main course, drinks and dessert will be provided!
Tuesday, December 8 (6:30 pm)
Tuesday, December 15 (6:30 pm)
Thursday, December 17 (6:30 pm)
Saturday, December 19 (5 pm)
All of the dinners will be held at the our home in Knoxville, MD. Space is limited (by, you know, the size of the house), so it’s first-come, first-serve. Contact me for more information!
Please feel free to pass this invite along to anyone who might not have received it but who might be interested.
Tuesday, December 8 (6:30 pm)
Tuesday, December 15 (6:30 pm)
Thursday, December 17 (6:30 pm)
Saturday, December 19 (5 pm)
All of the dinners will be held at the our home in Knoxville, MD. Space is limited (by, you know, the size of the house), so it’s first-come, first-serve. Contact me for more information!
Please feel free to pass this invite along to anyone who might not have received it but who might be interested.
Prosper the Work of Our Hands
This week i have been reading through the daily Advent readings appointed in the lectionary--and which we included in the study guide for this year's Adult Advent Sunday School class. (Follow the link HERE)
For the first few days of the week, the three-a-day readings included Psalm 90. You know, one of the really cool things about scripture, and I think one way we understand the Bible as be living, is the way we find new nuances or meanings each time we read the Bible--even the same scripture. I have read Psalm 90 before, but what really grabbed my attention this time is the very end of it: "Prosper the work of our hands."
I have to admit this this has been a somewhat overwhelming week for me. Nothing bad, but there has just been an avalanche of things to do, issues to ponder, and meetings to attend. I've gotten home after 9 a couple nights (and after 8 the other night so far this week), and after a while that really starts to get to you. I've been shorter with people, especially my husband, and I have relied upon every stress-management tactic I know to stay focused and somewhat balanced (I've had some really good workouts this week!). Fortunately, this intense pace is not the norm. I mean, there's busy, then there's frantic. And this first days of this week were the latter. The good news is things are calming down somewhat...the bad news is I know the pace will be more hectic than normal--as it always is--from now through Christmas Eve. And that's fine. It's the pastor's version of the Superbowl :-) We train all year for this...:-)
In the midst of this though, those words "prosper the work of our hands" have really been encouraging and supportive. You see, some days, once I get my schedule and to-do list laid out, the hours fly by and sometimes I reach the end of the day and wonder where all my time went. All of us have those days. There are days when my work seems trivial, and the tasks minor but necessary. There are days when it is hard to see the fruit of all the business. Those days are days it is good to be reminded that what we do (in fact, ALL we do) is only significant because it is done in the name of Christ, and only by the power of the Holy Spirit do our efforts create any lasting and beneficial impact. We could be the greatest and most efficient at whatever we're doing, but it means nothing if God is not at work in and through what we're doing.
Think 1 Corinthians 13...the part about if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love...
The incredible thing is that we are not independent contractors in this. No. We are part of God's work, and God is able to take our focused days and our hectic days, our major accomplishments and our small victories...and yes, even our failures, and prosper that. All of that. Make it all into something that matters, that helps build up God's people and kingdom.
One of the truths about life, and certainly about ministry, is that we do not always see the results of our work. We do the best we can, and we trust God to make of our best something that matters.
Today, I'm hoping to slow down a bit at least. And in the midst of the never-ending to-do list, to be grateful to be part of what God is doing. And I pray, with the psalmist, that God will continue to prosper the work of our hands.
For the first few days of the week, the three-a-day readings included Psalm 90. You know, one of the really cool things about scripture, and I think one way we understand the Bible as be living, is the way we find new nuances or meanings each time we read the Bible--even the same scripture. I have read Psalm 90 before, but what really grabbed my attention this time is the very end of it: "Prosper the work of our hands."
I have to admit this this has been a somewhat overwhelming week for me. Nothing bad, but there has just been an avalanche of things to do, issues to ponder, and meetings to attend. I've gotten home after 9 a couple nights (and after 8 the other night so far this week), and after a while that really starts to get to you. I've been shorter with people, especially my husband, and I have relied upon every stress-management tactic I know to stay focused and somewhat balanced (I've had some really good workouts this week!). Fortunately, this intense pace is not the norm. I mean, there's busy, then there's frantic. And this first days of this week were the latter. The good news is things are calming down somewhat...the bad news is I know the pace will be more hectic than normal--as it always is--from now through Christmas Eve. And that's fine. It's the pastor's version of the Superbowl :-) We train all year for this...:-)
In the midst of this though, those words "prosper the work of our hands" have really been encouraging and supportive. You see, some days, once I get my schedule and to-do list laid out, the hours fly by and sometimes I reach the end of the day and wonder where all my time went. All of us have those days. There are days when my work seems trivial, and the tasks minor but necessary. There are days when it is hard to see the fruit of all the business. Those days are days it is good to be reminded that what we do (in fact, ALL we do) is only significant because it is done in the name of Christ, and only by the power of the Holy Spirit do our efforts create any lasting and beneficial impact. We could be the greatest and most efficient at whatever we're doing, but it means nothing if God is not at work in and through what we're doing.
Think 1 Corinthians 13...the part about if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love...
The incredible thing is that we are not independent contractors in this. No. We are part of God's work, and God is able to take our focused days and our hectic days, our major accomplishments and our small victories...and yes, even our failures, and prosper that. All of that. Make it all into something that matters, that helps build up God's people and kingdom.
One of the truths about life, and certainly about ministry, is that we do not always see the results of our work. We do the best we can, and we trust God to make of our best something that matters.
Today, I'm hoping to slow down a bit at least. And in the midst of the never-ending to-do list, to be grateful to be part of what God is doing. And I pray, with the psalmist, that God will continue to prosper the work of our hands.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
VISION
I'm about to head over to the sanctuary for my final practice for Sunday's sermon. People often ask me how I can preach without notes. Well, practice, practice practice (and of course, sometimes I do leave stuff out...the trick it to keep going!).
I'm really excited about this sermon (I love to preach, so I get a bit dorky about it and such). I'll be walking us through the new vision statement--Calvary seeks and invites all to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and our world. I'll be explaining what we're already thinking of (a lot of which you can read on my blog) but also pointing out what we have yet to do. For example, we need to set some goals and in a more specific way, the exact vision we have now. Our overarching vision may be transforming our community and our world, but what would that look like?
I came (back) across a quote from Andy Stanley, a church leadership writer, "Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. These are the ones with vision." (Visioneering, p. 8)
I think that's the crux of this issue for us. Calvary will end up somewhere. 5 years. 10 years. 50 years. Something will have happened. But we want to get there on purpose. We can't control life, that's true. But we can certainly influence our lives and Calvary's future in powerful ways.
Let me propose a few ideas I have, to get the conversation going...and invite you to share your ideas with us! I'm using as a guide for this the principles of SMART goals, which our conference uses when setting personal and corporate goals:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
I believe Calvary can and should:
-Average over 500 in worship attendance within the next five years.
-Have at least three projects that we are active and deeply engaged in that transform our community.
-Have at least two projects that we are actively and deeply engaged in that transform our world.
-Involve 60% of our worshipers in some sort of small group.
Those are some ideas. And some, honestly, we're not very far from. But to really accomplish we would need to figure out how to get there (and, honestly, the middle two are probably not the easiest to measure). But it's a start, and there are no doubt more, as well as ways these can be drawn out even future into the future. What do you think?
I'm really excited about this sermon (I love to preach, so I get a bit dorky about it and such). I'll be walking us through the new vision statement--Calvary seeks and invites all to become disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and our world. I'll be explaining what we're already thinking of (a lot of which you can read on my blog) but also pointing out what we have yet to do. For example, we need to set some goals and in a more specific way, the exact vision we have now. Our overarching vision may be transforming our community and our world, but what would that look like?
I came (back) across a quote from Andy Stanley, a church leadership writer, "Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. These are the ones with vision." (Visioneering, p. 8)
I think that's the crux of this issue for us. Calvary will end up somewhere. 5 years. 10 years. 50 years. Something will have happened. But we want to get there on purpose. We can't control life, that's true. But we can certainly influence our lives and Calvary's future in powerful ways.
Let me propose a few ideas I have, to get the conversation going...and invite you to share your ideas with us! I'm using as a guide for this the principles of SMART goals, which our conference uses when setting personal and corporate goals:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
I believe Calvary can and should:
-Average over 500 in worship attendance within the next five years.
-Have at least three projects that we are active and deeply engaged in that transform our community.
-Have at least two projects that we are actively and deeply engaged in that transform our world.
-Involve 60% of our worshipers in some sort of small group.
Those are some ideas. And some, honestly, we're not very far from. But to really accomplish we would need to figure out how to get there (and, honestly, the middle two are probably not the easiest to measure). But it's a start, and there are no doubt more, as well as ways these can be drawn out even future into the future. What do you think?
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
To become a disciple of Jesus Christ
I have to admit it's tempting to just turn to video blogs from now on. No typing. Say whatever comes to mind. But, I think perhaps it is indeed a good thing to have a bit more deliberation, at least from time to time. So, here I am, back to old-fashioned typing. At least until I can get my video editing skills polished up...:-)
My progress moving through Calvary's vision statement slowed more than I would have liked, but I want to pick back up with the next section of it..."to become disciples of Jesus Christ."
Now first, let me preface this by saying that this one statement I think mostly captures, well, Christianity, at least the living-out part of it. So there's a lot packed into that. Who is Jesus? What is the meaning of the title Christ in reference to him? What is a disciple, and why would this Jesus have any? What does it mean for us to be his disciples, and when do we know we've accomplished that? The questions go on and on.
I want to highlight, briefly, a few thoughts though:
BECOME
I think this idea of becoming is really quite key. I hope it reinforces for us that we're always in progress. At a recent meeting, after several questions were answered by saying "it's ongoing," it almost become a point of humor. But you know what? At our best, we are ongoing as disciples. Always growing, always becoming. So at the heart of this, I hope we remember that this is a process, that all of us are at different points, and that in this life we can never say, "Now I've done enough."
DISCIPLE
Merriam Webster defines a disciples as: "one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another" or a "follower". There are other definitions, but they all refer to Jesus' disciples, and as my mother made sure I learned, you should never define a word with itself.
My understanding of disciples is more than this, based on what I've learned from my studies. Being a disciple, especially in Jesus' day, was a big deal. It didn't happen overnight. You see in the gospels how Jesus' disciples traveled around with him for three years. It's like apprenticeship meets fan-status.
Too often today our understanding of being a disciple suffers the fate of being cheapened and relegated to the one or two hours we spend at church on Sunday mornings. But being a disciple is about a lifestyle, a way of living that testifies to the one whose message we have adopted and proclaim. One of the challenges for us, as for Christians of all times and places, is to really flesh out what we mean by being a disciple. Does it include worship? Study? Service? Fellowship? Sharing? Outreach? Yes. All of those. Our discipleship is only really progressing when we don't limit the areas God can have, but in fact constantly expand our understanding of how we can live out our discipleship.
JESUS CHRIST
Okay, this one is, well, major. The early church father, great councils of the church, and every subsequent general of Christians have both challenged and clarified our understanding of Jesus Christ. So, well, I'll refer you to them. But that's not lightly. We stand in the line of generations of people whose reading of scripture, life together in faith, thinking through of God and God's promises, and sharing together in the legacy of the faith, have all shaped their lives. In the United Methodist Church, we talk about the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (scripture, tradition, reason, experience). Our understanding of Jesus DOES quite deeply shape everything else we do. This is an area that needs much greater depth as well, but for now, check out this summary on the UMC's website (there is a lot more out there, so let me know if you're interested in a specific aspect of this).
My progress moving through Calvary's vision statement slowed more than I would have liked, but I want to pick back up with the next section of it..."to become disciples of Jesus Christ."
Now first, let me preface this by saying that this one statement I think mostly captures, well, Christianity, at least the living-out part of it. So there's a lot packed into that. Who is Jesus? What is the meaning of the title Christ in reference to him? What is a disciple, and why would this Jesus have any? What does it mean for us to be his disciples, and when do we know we've accomplished that? The questions go on and on.
I want to highlight, briefly, a few thoughts though:
BECOME
I think this idea of becoming is really quite key. I hope it reinforces for us that we're always in progress. At a recent meeting, after several questions were answered by saying "it's ongoing," it almost become a point of humor. But you know what? At our best, we are ongoing as disciples. Always growing, always becoming. So at the heart of this, I hope we remember that this is a process, that all of us are at different points, and that in this life we can never say, "Now I've done enough."
DISCIPLE
Merriam Webster defines a disciples as: "one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another" or a "follower". There are other definitions, but they all refer to Jesus' disciples, and as my mother made sure I learned, you should never define a word with itself.
My understanding of disciples is more than this, based on what I've learned from my studies. Being a disciple, especially in Jesus' day, was a big deal. It didn't happen overnight. You see in the gospels how Jesus' disciples traveled around with him for three years. It's like apprenticeship meets fan-status.
Too often today our understanding of being a disciple suffers the fate of being cheapened and relegated to the one or two hours we spend at church on Sunday mornings. But being a disciple is about a lifestyle, a way of living that testifies to the one whose message we have adopted and proclaim. One of the challenges for us, as for Christians of all times and places, is to really flesh out what we mean by being a disciple. Does it include worship? Study? Service? Fellowship? Sharing? Outreach? Yes. All of those. Our discipleship is only really progressing when we don't limit the areas God can have, but in fact constantly expand our understanding of how we can live out our discipleship.
JESUS CHRIST
Okay, this one is, well, major. The early church father, great councils of the church, and every subsequent general of Christians have both challenged and clarified our understanding of Jesus Christ. So, well, I'll refer you to them. But that's not lightly. We stand in the line of generations of people whose reading of scripture, life together in faith, thinking through of God and God's promises, and sharing together in the legacy of the faith, have all shaped their lives. In the United Methodist Church, we talk about the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (scripture, tradition, reason, experience). Our understanding of Jesus DOES quite deeply shape everything else we do. This is an area that needs much greater depth as well, but for now, check out this summary on the UMC's website (there is a lot more out there, so let me know if you're interested in a specific aspect of this).
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