Reflections from Jan Rowell

    

  

  Jan Rowell
  Embury District Superintendent

 

Marathon Hospitality, April 21, 2010

Boylston Street was packed with runners last weekend for the Boston Marathon. Anyone trying to get to Old South Church for Sunday worship had to be very patient -- finding a place to park, winding around barriers, elbowing through the crowds, and waiting while Sunday morning mile racers lapped four times around the church. It wasn’t worship, but racing that was on the minds of the masses. The folks at Old South weren’t at all put out by that. In fact, they embraced the festivities happening outside their doors. Not for fund-raising, but for the ministry of sharing God’s blessing with strangers.

Dave was running the Marathon the next day, and we heard Old South would have a “Blessing of the Athletes” during their worship, so we made our way there. Over 26,000 runners come from all over the globe to run this 26.2 mile race, and at the church entry was a world map and an invitation to put a pin in the spot we call home. It was amazing to see the distance people had travelled.  At least 8 people were there to welcome us between the front door and the usher who gave us a bulletin.  A few in suits, many in sweats, the music of “Chariots of Fire” welcomed all. The athletes were told, “Many of you had to leave your supporters - family, friends, trainers, at home to come for this race. Let us be your support community as you prepare for tomorrow.” Clearly, the congregation was all about the people outside their church that day. People they might never see again. People they knew would need encouragement, and every ounce of strength they had to give, and then some. 

Worship was full of scripture, songs, and images about “running and rolling” (to include both foot racers and wheelchair athletes).  Those who had prayed and prepared to offer the “old, old story of Jesus and his love” wanted these athletes to experience the God who “comes alongside us” during the trials and victories of life’s long race. Their vision of welcome and blessing took preparation, teamwork, and the willingness to focus huge energy and resources on people they did not even know.  It was a wonderful gift to their “temporary neighbors.”

Not every congregation has the Boston Marathon outside their door. But every congregation does have folks in their community who are tested, who need encouragement, who need a community of people who will come alongside them and cheer them on.  In what ways you are cheering folks on? What are the opportunities you have for being God’s grace for your neighbors?

By the way, Dave finished the race. Time:  4 hours, 23 minutes, and 19 seconds.  I am now the very proud wife of a Boston Marathoner! Congratulations, my dear!

 

 

A Reflection from Jan, April 2010

Resuscitation, Resurrection, and Church

          In the days following Easter, Jesus’ followers were on the road to Emmaus, and later at a breakfast by the lake. In those places they met the Risen Christ. At first they did not recognize him, but soon came to know his grace, his abundance, his peace … so powerfully that they knew he was alive and present with them. It changed their lives.

          I’ve been thinking about their stories as I relate with congregations on our district.  I’ve visited some places where in the past there had been great discouragement, and the unspoken (or whispered) question was “How long can our church survive?” Yet, in some of those places, when I return, I see that energy has replaced sorrow, and excitement has replaced fear! New ministries are beginning, and the goal to survive has been replaced   by the goal to serve. Community suppers replace fundraiser suppers. Nearby   congregations come together to better offer support to neighbors. Church members cheer for local kids at their ballgames, rather than simply hoping the kids will find their way to the Sunday School.  In those places, folks are allowing themselves to be open to resurrection - a new life in Christ.

Sometimes we hope and pray for resuscitation, rather than resurrection. We want to return to what the church was that we grew up in. Are we expecting a resuscitated savior, or a resurrected one? Are we expecting Jesus to restore what was, or to change our live together in life - giving and surprising ways?  Can we give thanks for what was and treasure the ways the church has shaped us, guided us, a grounded us … and at the same time be open to new ways that God is calling and shaping the Church?  A caterpillar doesn’t emerge from the cocoon. A butterfly does. How will you recognize the “butterfly”- the new life? How can we help one another to recognize the resurrected life of Jesus leading us now?

 

Peace,

Jan

 

February 23, 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Embury District,

          Yesterday Bishop Hassinger announced new district configurations which will take place beginning July 1, 2010, including the moving of NY Embury congregations to the Adirondack and Albany Districts.  We have known for some time that Vermont churches of Embury District will become part of the Vermont District of New England Conference on that date. We have also known for some time that further district reconfigurations  could happen, perhaps in July of 2011, as Embury DistrictNew York churches become part of the Upper New York Conference.  Bishop Hassinger’s announcement describes the need for reconfiguration now, and the process the cabinet used to respond to that need.  I refer you to her statement for more detail.  Bishop Hassinger's Announcement

As your district superintendent I have been urging you in a variety of ways to pay attention to the community where your ministry takes place.  As you know, the vision of the Upper New York Conference is LIVING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST… BEING GOD'S LOVE WITH OUR NEIGHBOR IN ALL PLACES. In our Charge Conferences, we learned from community guests about the needs of your neighbors. I had the great opportunity to hear from all of these guests, and was struck by the number of times common needs were identified in adjoining communities.  As the superintendents considered including Embury congregations in the nearby districts, we considered how people sharing similar orientations for shopping, hospitals, schools etc., might have greater potential to be in ministry together.

The result is the assignment of WashingtonCounty congregations to Adirondack District and Superintendent Rev. Henry Frueh, and Rensselaer and northern SaratogaCounty congregations to Albany District and Superintendent Rev. Dr. Jim Fenimore. As Bishop Hassinger noted, the Redistricting Committee of the Upper New York Conference is still at work and will report their recommendations later this year.

Many of you have been in ministry together for some time, through District United Methodist Women, lay speaking, and other shared connections. Moving away from those relationships will not be easy.  As your superintendent I treasure many good folks on our district who have shown me glimpses of God at work among us. We give thanks to God for all those relationships. We give thanks also that God goes before us to make preparations for the next steps of our journeying.

Our district, named for Philip Embury, is the site of “firsts” for Methodism in both New York and Vermont. The First Methodist Society north of NYC was in Ashgrove, NY in 1770. The first Methodists to organize into congregations in Vermont were in Shaftsbury and Arlington. Philip Embury was what we now call a “church planter”, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God in new ways and new places as people had need.  I pray that we, as spiritual descendents who have carried his name, will also carry his zeal for living God’s love in ways that our neighbors today can understand. Whatever our district, we share that call.

It is a joy and privilege to serve among you as superintendent,  discovering God’s Spirit  alive in our congregations, and working with  people that long to serve God and all God’s people.   As I look ahead to serve as Superintendent of the Oneonta District, beginning July 1, 2010, I pray that God’s blessing of wisdom may light your path, and God’s blessing of courage may be present in the challenges and joys of our common ministry.

Peace in Christ,

Jan

     

 

 

                17 Terrace Street

 

                A few years ago it became my parent’s responsibility to care for the McClary homestead at 17 Terrace Street, Malone, NY. My father was born in that house. Four generations of children had stood up straight at the living room door frame to find out how tall they were. “You are as tall now as your dad was in 1933” the grownups would say. In the front room my grandmother would do my hair up in rags at bedtime and then lead me in nighttime prayers. On rare adventures to the attic, my sisters and I tried on beautiful Victorian dresses that we discovered there.

            It was not an easy task to prepare that house to be sold. You collect a lot of treasures in 100 years. Each treasure and each room had a story. The house was part of the family.

              But the house was not the family.  Difficult as it was to sell that house, and many of its treasured contents, it was time. To do otherwise would have meant the next generations were there to serve the house, rather than the house providing a home for the family. No one lived in Malone any more.  In the next generation, the family’s needs had changed.

       In this time of great change in the culture and in the Church, God is actively at work, calling people together to follow Jesus and bring hope to people in our communities and in the world.  Being ready to do the work of God in our day, includes prayerfully asking God and one another:

 

Ø      What is the future God is calling us to in this community?

Ø      What kind of “home” is needed to be faithful to this call?

Ø      Does our building realistically serve current and future needs, or has our focus shifted to serving the needs of the building?

Ø      What home is appropriate for the ministry needs of our community now -- including as expressed by people outside the church and people under 40?

 

            I know folks in many of our congregations are working faithfully and tirelessly to support, maintain, and improve the facilities of our churches.  And we do need space for some of the ministries we are called to. I know also that in the John Wesley family called Methodist, there are many times God did not require a building in order for the Church to be alive, at work, powerful, and life- changing.

            I don’t know what the answer is in your community.  Perhaps the questions above might prompt productive conversation for Administrative Councils, at the coffee shop, Trustees, in Bible study, or other gatherings.  We will learn what is right for each setting when we are open to God and asking the right questions.

 

Peace,

 

Jan

 

         Want to add your thoughts? You are invited to join the conversation via my facebook group called Grace Alone. Hope you will check it out! Click on this link: Grace Alone or, of course, you can always send me an email, emburydist@troyac.org

Archived Reflections on our Troy Conference web site: Reflections from Jan Rowell

Are we ready?
         January 27, 2010

It was the Sunday after Christmas. I was sitting in worship in Danbury, Connecticut, where we were visiting family. The church was beautiful. Lovely stained glass windows told the story of Jesus. Poinsettias adorned the altar. The music of the choir and organ was angelic.

The pastor was leading the people in prayers in preparation for Eucharist, when suddenly people started calling out, “Who has a cell phone?”, “Someone call 911!” A woman in the 4^th pew from the front had collapsed. Those around her came to her aid ... And the pastor continued without missing a beat.  I wondered, “Does he know what is happening? If not, surely one of those assisting must be telling him.” People stood in confusion and concern, and the pastor continued.  We prayed for the Church. We passed the peace. People came forward to receive the Eucharist.  The woman lay in the pew awaiting the rescue squad, and the pastor proceeded, with no acknowledgment that one of “the flock” was in need.

Thankfully, the woman recovered and was escorted to the back by the EMTs where they were able to check on her well-being. When all had been served, the pastor told us to go out and care for others as Jesus taught us to do, and we sang “Joy to the World.”

I did not go forward to receive communion, and there was no joy in my heart at the end of that service.  The instructions to care as Jesus taught us were hollow. It was heartbreaking.  How could the Church just keep going with the traditions, as if nothing was happening, and ignore the real need of someone right in front of them?  And then another, more challenging thought - When might I/we be doing the same? 

 How do I/we need to change and grow to be ready at each moment to follow Jesus authentically, living God’s love with our neighbors in all places?

Peace,

Jan

  Want to add your thoughts? You are invited to join the conversation via Jan’s new facebook group. Hope you will check it out! Click on this link: Join Jan's facebook Group: Grace Alone or, of course, you can always send me an email, emburydist@troyac.org

 

  

The Ambassadors
January 12, 2010

Every time I’ve visited Proctors Theatre recently, I’ve been enthusiastically welcomed by one of the Ambassadors, all dressed in sharp red and black coats. Opening the outside doors, greeting visitors with “Enjoy the show!”, holding the umbrella in the sleet, helping folks find a place to park or to eat, etc.  The Ambassadors are adding value and a sense of community to Proctors and downtown Schenectady, NY.

          I learned in Monday’s Schenectady Gazette (www.dailygazette.com) that these are the same folks whose presence in the city caused many to steer clear of downtown, and caused many businesses to want them moved “someplace else.” You see, the Ambassadors are also clients of City Mission, and other social service agencies with offices within blocks of the theatre. They were thought to be part of the problem of the city’s decline. Turns out they are part of the solution. They are helping create a welcoming and vibrant downtown while they learn job skills and grow in confidence. City Mission Executive Director Michael Saccocio describes the Ambassador Program as “one of the mission’s most life-changing programs.”

           Hmm… people on the margins being part of creating something new.  Wasn’t that Jesus’ vision as well?

We are rather accustomed to understanding ministry as helping others with “their” problems. Anyone have stories about ways those on the margins in your town are helping you live into God’s vibrant and hope-filled future? 

         Want to add your thoughts? You are invited to join the conversation via a facebook group called Grace Alone. Hope you will check it out! Click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=233820163135 or of course, you can always send me an email, emburydist@troyac.org

 

“Recalculating”                                                                                                        Epiphany  2010

                Do you have a GPS - Global Positioning System? How many times have you heard “The Lady in the Box” (as I like to call her) cry out to you “recalculating” when you need to change direction?  Matthew’s gospel tells the story of how the Wise Ones did some “recalculating” and travelled home by a different way when they learned Herod was fixed on destroying the fragile newborn Christ.

                Community guests in our congregations through the fall have helped us do some “recalculating” for ministry priorities.  Guests  included school nurses and the town doctor, farmers and a community gardener, a state legislator, rescue squad workers, a participant in Alcoholics Anonymous, a state trooper and  the school DARE officer, town clerks, directors of the Chamber of Commerce, the food pantry, and the Senior Center. They told us about the needs of our neighbors.  Several of the guests expressed deep appreciation at being listened to by the church and we saw Emmanuel, “God with us,” present through their work. 

                We learned some things about our communities. Anyone hear God crying out “recalculating”?  What are your ideas about travelling a different road so God’s love, which we celebrate in Christ, will grow and thrive through our congregations and our community?

Peace,

Jan

 

 When all the Advent Candles are Lit

                 When all the Advent candles are lit, the carols sung, and the Christ Child welcomed, we will be reflecting on how Christ’s birth makes a meaningful difference in our lives and in the world. The season of Epiphany will invite us to be alert for Christ’s Presence among us.

Some of our congregations, wanting to save money and fuel, will begin worshipping in the fellowship hall or other smaller space after Christmas. A few may even worship on some Sundays in members’ homes! I’ve heard from many of you that appreciate this more intimate setting, where folks sit next to each other and voices more easily blend in song. The smell of brewing coffee and goodies nearby encourages folks to stay for fellowship.

If your worship setting changes after Christmas, you have a unique opportunity. Since Christmas celebrates that Christ has come among us, how might that be expressed in the way you set up your worship space? How about making the communion table the center, with folks gathered around it - in a U shape or a circle, or in some other way?  How might it shape your congregation’s prayer life to see the faces of one another as you pray for each other?  A circle might be awkward at first, but Christians have been praising God and growing in faith in many settings - from catacombs to campfires - for centuries.

If your congregation continues to worship in the sanctuary, you may still have an opportunity. Do you have chairs or pews that are moveable? For a time might your seating help people experience community worship in a way that conveys the gospel in a fresh way? Our use of worship space is one way that we are shaped as a faith community.  Consider how yours will remind folks that God, in Christ, is not removed and “on high,” but living among us.

If your pastor or worship team offer a new way to experience worship, it is not just about chairs. It is about our growing understanding that God is among us. You’ll no doubt be back in the sanctuary by Easter, and that will have its own inspiration. In the meantime, however you gather, may your worship life together reflect Emmanuel, God with Us, as Christ, our Life and Hope.

Advent Peace,

Jan

 

 

Christmas Opportunity

          Brian McLaren, in Everything Must Change, asks two questions:

 

1. What are the biggest problems in the world?

2. What does Jesus have to say about these global problems?

 

          I love the carols and bells, the Advent wreath and special goodies, kids dressed for the Bethlehem pageant and gifts of the Christmas season. 

          Through it all, how will our worship and festivities address the questions McLaren poses? Will folks who worship only at Christmas -- whether seeking, invited, or dragged --- find clues that Jesus and his followers are paying attention to the world?  Will “Christmas-only” folks get a glimpse of the Peace that passes understanding, and the Love that does not abandon when someone is lost? Will they discover Christ in your congregation, engaging the world and offering deep hope?

          As we pray and sing “O Come Emmanuel,” may you be blessed.  May you, and your congregation, be a blessing for each child of God that comes to your door.

 

Peace,

 

Jan

 

Our United Methodist Bishops’ Pastoral Letter  God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action speaks to an important global issue.  This liturgical version is to use in worship in all our congregations. Please include prayers for creation during this Advent as leaders gather for the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, December 6-18.

 

What Did We Hear, and What Happens Next?

            Thanks to the guests who are joining in our Church Conferences this year, we have been learning   more about our communities.  As your superintendent, I have been privileged to hear each of our guests, and to get a better picture of the communities we serve as United Methodists -- with more to come for congregations looking ahead to their Church Conference. Here are a few snapshots so far:

o        A school nurse  told us about one of her kindergarteners who dresses  and gets on the bus by himself, arriving at school with no breakfast, because parents are not around  at home in the morning.

o        A rescue worker spoke about repeated calls from older neighbors who had no one to help get them up off the floor when they fell.

o        Springfield, Vt. folks met at the middle school (long time since I last sat at those cafeteria tables!) and heard the Chamber of Commerce director describe the challenges of getting businesses to move into the area and the need to develop a reliable workforce.

o        Homeless kids in some communities are “couch-surfing” -- staying with friends when they are not able to stay with family members.

o        Those serving our neighbors at risk have great compassion, and need a lot of support themselves.

o        God is already at work with compassion and grace beyond our own congregation.

So, what happens next?

Think prayerfully about what you heard. At your next Administrative Council meeting or Bible Study, ask others -- What did you learn? What stood out for you?  If you met outside the church building -- was that comfortable or uncomfortable?  How might we describe the life of our congregation as distinct from the building we occupy now?  How is God already at work in the needs we heard about?  How might these neighbors know God’s love because of us?  Are there others we might partner with to make that happen? Is there anyone else we can to invite to help us learn more about our neighbors?

 

            “Love the Lord with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” These are the greatest commandments.

 

Peace,

 

Jan

  

 

 

 

Where do you go to get directions to a new place? Check out reviews for a good restaurant or movie?  Catch up with a favorite show you missed last week?  Find out news of family and friends? My guess is, the internet is the way you are getting most of your information. I don’t call the theatre to find the movie times, I go to their website. There, I can preview the movie first to see if it’s one I’ll enjoy.  Before a trip, I look at photos of a hotel where I may stay.  Before buying a car, I got the online reviews.

The same is true for the church. People in populated and in rural areas will check us out before they ever venture inside. Your church’s website is the new front door. Check out the website of your congregation now and look at it as an outsider would.  (Go to http://www.troyac.org/districts/detail/3 and scroll down to find your church.)

Is it an inviting front door? Will someone get a picture of the people, activity, and most of all the spirit of your congregation when they visit your website? Will they understand something about how God is at work among you, no matter what your size, or whether you are on Main Street or off the beaten path?

Or is it a locked or broken-down door - with minimal or dated news? 

Talk about what you find with other leaders in your congregation. Consider who has the gifts that can convey your story online. Often in times of change, the gifts that are needed are present at the margins -- a grandson, a friend who has an online business and has set up their own website, etc. Sandra Brands, Troy Conference Communications Director (sbrands@troyac.org) is also available to assist in website development.

Would you like to fix up your front door? Recently, Trinity United Methodist of Montpelier won an award for best website from the United Methodist Communicators. You can check it out at http://trinitymethodistvt.org/ to find out why. 

 

Peace,

 

 

Jan

"Going the Distance"

I drive 20 minutes to get my haircut. You would be justified in criticizing me for the resulting carbon footprint. I try to make it worthwhile in other ways, such as combining it with other errands, but it’s still a drive just for a haircut. Why do I do it?

I do it because of Lisa. She has been cutting my hair for the last 12 years. Lisa used to be down the street, but she moved. In fact, she’s moved 6 times! So now, instead of convenience, I get a drive through the countryside. I get to stop at a farm stand for bittersweet in the fall. And of course, I get Lisa, who understands me and what I’m looking for in a haircut, and what I’m not!

A couple of times when Lisa told me she was going to move to another shop, I considered finding someone else to cut my hair. Was it really worth the drive? Each time so far I’ve decided it was, because I can literally “let my hair down” with her. In one way, I have refused to change. I’m still with Lisa. But I’ve also had to make a lot of changes in order to keep my focus on the real purpose -- looking glamorous of course!

Thoughts as I reflect on this drive?

People will make the drive to be where they have a good experience. That includes Church. Can they “let their hair down,” be themselves, be accepted and made to feel they are a beautiful child of God in your congregation? Really?

We can and do adapt when we can see the bigger purpose.  God is both ancient and new. We love the sound of “How Great Thou Art” on the organ, and the beauty of light through stained glass. Are we equally ready to discover God in people who are not like us, in languages we do not yet understand (from Spanish to Facebook)? For God is love.

For what do you “go the distance”? For what is God calling you to “go the distance”?

Peace,

Jan

Community Visitors to Church Conferences

     Around the Embury District, you might be hearing:

 

“What do we want to learn about our neighbors?  Who shall we invite?”

“Who’s going to be at your Church Conference?”

 

 So far I know we have made invitations to a teacher, social service provider, food pantry coordinator, state legislator, and even the editor of a local newspaper.

          Last week the Brownsville, Vermont folks took up the suggestion to hold their Church Conference someplace outside their church building -- a way of reflecting on our church identity as distinct from our building. It was a little confusing at first. Some parked at the church, and then walked down the short distance to the historical society. Upon entering, we had to figure out where to meet, where to sit. It was new terrain for a church meeting. Rethinking Church does involve adapting to new places as well as new people!

          Soon a great conversation began with Jim and Bill, members of the Fire and Rescue squads in town. We heard (anonymously of course) about Seniors living alone, neighbors who couldn’t afford to fill their oil tanks. We wondered together about ways the congregation is now and can be present to these folks.

          I’m told we have meetings scheduled for a local inn, a firehouse, as well as in our churches. A cluster of congregations in another district are holding their Church Conference at a local college under the heading “United Methodists Go to College.”! Their guests will be students on that campus. Wherever we gather, I’m looking forward to conversation and learning with you about new ways God is calling us to share love, mercy, and hope with our neighbors.

Peace,

Jan

June 24, 2009

 What's God Cooking Up?

I offer you the prayer that follows, used at the end of the reading of the appointments last Saturday.

Why I am Leaving the Church, and You Should Too
June 3, 2009

     “Why I am Leaving the Church, and You Should Too”
is the topic of an article by Cheryl Mugno, member of  Salem United
Methodist Church, West Sand Lake, in their current newsletter.
Is Cheryl burned out? Upset? Has she decided to spend Sundays
at the local café instead of in worship?

 

 Cheryl explains, "I will leave the church (sanctuary on June 7)
and show those beyond the walls and membership of Salem UMC
that God works through his people to build a strong community
of faith. The Lord has asked each of us to leave the comfort and
fellowship of our church building and church family to show that
the church exists for others. It’s not just about doing good deeds,
but to do them as the church, as the living feet and hands of God."

This Sunday (June 7), the folks of Salem UMC and neighboring Church
of the Covenant in Averill Park will have breakfast and
communion together, then leave the church to deliver lunches,
sing to the homebound, map the graves of veterans in the
community, wash cars and raise awareness about cancer, and more.
Then, they’ll gather for lunch. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Last Sunday on  Pentecost, we celebrated the power,
new life, and fire of the Holy Spirit which God pours upon
the Church.  What will be different for your congregation this Sunday?

“Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood,
making a home with men and women!

They are God’s people, and he’s their God.

God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death is gone for good -- tears gone, crying gone,
pain gone -- all the first order of things gone.”

The Enthroned continued, ”Look! I am making everything new.”

                                                     Revelation 21 The Message

Peace, 

Jan

 

Caring for God's Creation
                 April 22, 2009

                  It is Earth Week.  Our local newspaper,
Home Depot,  grocery ads, etc.,  fill us with ways to 
live  green --- change your light bulbs, dry your clothes
outside,  eliminate  Styrofoam cups for coffee hour, switch
to wind energy, don’t use plastic bags, etc.  We have heard
lots of ideas for a more healthy earth.   What motivates us
to change our behavior, especially when it seems inconvenient
or costs a bit more to do so? What will inspire us to live in
sustainable ways on this earth?

“If we are ever able to stop destroying our
environment, it will be because person by person we
decide, by God’s grace, to turn aside from greed and
materialism. It will be because we learn that joy and
fulfillment come through right relationship with God,
neighbor and earth, not an ever escalating demand
for more and more material consumption. Nowhere
is that more possible than in local congregations that
combine prayer and action, worship and analysis, deep
personal love for the Creator and for the Creator’s garden.”
 

Dr. Ronald Sider, Professor of Theology and Society
Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Executive Director, Evangelicals for Social Action
                                                                                                                                    

 It is God’s grace that can move our hearts
and shift our priorities toward sustainable living when
we bring these earth-concerns to our life of prayer and faith.

                 How might you and your congregation take
next steps as disciples of Jesus? I have attached a
bibliography of some resources you may find helpful.
The New York Interfaith Power and Light website
www.nyipl.org has tons of worship and educational
resources and links for congregations, usable for
Vermonters as well as New Yorkers! (In NY you can
become a member of NYIPL which provides further
resources, and strengthens the voice of people of faith
in related lobbying efforts). Vermont Interfaith Power and
Light www.vtipl.org  is a resource as well.  You might try
reading the new “Green Bible” which highlights in green
the references to creation.  Take another look at the ways
we are intricately bound with God’s Creation. In doing so,
God will inspire you, give you hope, and lead the way.

 Peace,

Jan

The eyes of the future are looking back at us

and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time,

They are kneeling with clasped hands that we might act with restraint,

leaving room for the life that is destined to come.    Unknown

CARING FOR CREATION

FAITH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Holy Bible, Read Genesis Creation stories, Psalms, Isaiah, Job, and Jesus’ teachings with particular attention to the role of the environment. You will discover God’s Word opening to you in new ways!

The Earth Story in the New Testament, Norman C Habel & Vicky Balabanski, editors

            Part of a series. Re-reading of the Bible in light of the Earth crisis.

Serve God, Save the Planet, A Christian Call to Action, Matthew Sleeth, MD

              As an emergency room physician, Sleeth cares for patients with asthma and other environmentally related illnesses. As a Christian, he is called to work toward change in the environment. He writes about how material downscaling led his family to healthier lifestyles, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual lives.

 Hope, Human and Wild, Bill McKibben

"A book about healing the land as well as our souls. McKibben opens the door to the twenty-first century with his belief in the coming era of environmental restoration." —Terry Tempest Williams, Refuge

The Comforting Whirlwind – God, Job, and the Scale of Creation, Bill McKibben

McKibben turns to the biblical book of Job to demonstrate our need to embrace a bold new paradigm for living if we hope to reverse the current trend of ecological destruction.

Last Child in the Woods-Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv

“Healing the broken bond between our young and nature is in our self-interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demand it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depend upon it."

 

Deep Economy, Bill McKibben

McKibben offers the biggest challenge in a generation to the prevailing view of our economy. For the first time in human history, he observes, "more" is no longer synonymous with "better"—indeed, for many of us, they have become almost opposites. He puts forward a new way to think about the things we buy, the food we eat, the energy we use, and the money that pays for it all. Our purchases, he says, need not be at odds with the things we truly value.

Earth Prayers From Around the World, Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, editors

 Brings together poems and prayers from all sorts of cultures honoring nature.

The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell

The author presents a new way of understanding why change so often happens as quickly and as unexpectedly as it does.

Radical Simplicity - small footprints on a finite Earth, Jim Merkel

God’s Universe, Owen Gingerich

            Argues that one can be both a creative scientist and a belier in divine design- and that the motivation for scientific research can be from a desire to trace God’s handiwork.

 A Message for Holy Week
April 7, 2009

 Dear Friends in Christ,

This week, as followers of Jesus, we break the bread and share the cup, we hear of Jesus’ trial, of his suffering at the hands of the soldiers who beat him, and as he hung on the cross and died. This is the faith story that shapes us. What might God have for us as we hear it this year?

Often with this story of Jesus’ death, we hear that he died for our sins, that, like a sacrificial lamb, Jesus was sacrificed to assure our place in eternal life in heaven. We are told, the hereafter has been taken care of for us.

However, we are not just passing through this world. We have a lot of big problems to deal with in the here and now.  People have lost their jobs.  Two wars are demanding much of soldiers and their loved ones, as well as of our nation’s resources.  The environment is at risk. Increasingly, people struggle with depression or stress-related diseases. What does Jesus’ story this week have to say about that?

Brian McLaren, in the book “Everything Must Change,” writes that the emerging view of our Christian faith is to consider what Jesus has to say about the mess we are in. This Holy Week is about God’s covenant with us as followers of Jesus. It is about Jesus not backing away from his love for God’s people when it became painful and hard. Jesus died not just because he was somehow destined to do so. Jesus died because he walked the risky path of forgiving enemies and caring for people who no one else bothered with. Jesus died because he challenged those who were misusing their power - in ways contrary to the will of God, whether it was religious, economic, or political power.  Jesus was faithful to that path even when his own life was threatened and indeed, sacrificed.

Jesus trusted God to the end. God created this world first of all good, and Jesus came to show us how to live here in a way that is whole and holy, balanced and blessed,  healthy, and  full of peace and joy for each and every one of God’s children.

This is our forming story as followers of Jesus. This is our forming story as the Church. McLaren says that rather than thinking of church as organized religion, let us be religion organizing for the common good. We follow Jesus through this Holy Week of breaking bread, suffering, and death, confident that he is leading us into a vision for that common good. We’ll be hearing more about that come Easter.

Grace and peace be yours in Christ,

Jan

 A Lenten Reflection: Ice Jam on the Mohawk River

(March 2009)
        Monday morning on my way to the office I passed by Jumpin' Jack's Drive-In in Scotia along the Mohawk River. The day before, the river had been covered with a smooth sheet of ice. All that changed overnight. Huge chunks of ice were piled in the river and along the swollen shores. The river was flooding. All who stopped by to watch it wondered- How high would the waters rise? How long would the ice chunks stay piled? When would they loosen their grip on the river?

       That day at 5 pm on my way home, I checked on the river again. This time, it was open, the ice gone. Some chunks stood on the banks, showing the high water mark from earlier in the day. But the river now flowed without barrier, carrying tree limbs and other debris swiftly downstream.

 Meeting the Needs of the Day
 February 2009

      What do you do with an old building that has far too much space for the folks currently using it? What do you do when there aren’t many new folks coming in? What do you do when the congregation is much smaller than in years past, and the elders no longer have an income that supports the facility?

God has moved into the neighborhood, making a home with men and women!

God's Creation offers lessons and wisdom for everyday living

 The day after Christmas I traveled with my family down the Taconic Parkway to Connecticut. Without the distractions of stores and stoplights, the trees along the route took center stage. Barren winter branches mixed with evergreens for a pleasant scene.

Soon, the damage began to appear.  Treetops had snapped off like toothpicks in the ice storm the week before.  Beautiful, stately trees  were now bending to the ground, straining so much that I wondered if they would ever recover and stand tall again.  Mile after mile of damaged tree limbs  seemed almost like a gathering of people with broken arms, some in need of crutches to hold them upright.  It would take those years to recover, and some never would.

I began also to notice what had remained intact. Thick trunks of trees, closest to the root system, had weathered the storm.  Smaller, flexible branches that could move and sway in the wind, and bow low in the ice, would recover. 

So often God’s Creation  offers lessons and wisdom for living. That day, as I watched all those trees through the car window, this truth surfaced for me -- Storms come.  Changes come.  As they do, be mindful of that which keeps us rooted.  Be mindful of the bending and adapting that will allow us to continue to live and grow.  

Some of those branches will blossom this spring. There will be new fruit. Thanks be to God.

Peace,

Jan
 

Fall 2008

           Underground Railroad Tour stirs the call to walk toward Truth

       Dave and I took the Underground Railroad Walking Tour in the fall in downtown Albany. Paul and Mary Liz Stewart have researched and documented many previously untold stories. The stories are of African American as well as some Caucasian Albany residents who assisted freedom seekers on their way to Canada, defied enslavers, and worked for the abolition of slavery. It’s a tour worth taking as we seek to understand more fully the history of race and white privilege. For more information and for the 2009 tour schedule, visit www.ugrworkshop.org

November 2008

Advent Wreath Liturgy offers insight into Christ's coming
as we reflect on God's creation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season of Creation
August 27, 2009
 

Dear companions in ministry,

                God’s grace and peace to each of you. I hope you have had some glorious renewal this summer, whether by a lake, in the mountains, or puttering in your backyard. How wonderful to watch Life around us unfold there, without any effort on our part! 

                As we all start to “move inside” and worship takes shape for this “ordinary time” ahead of us this fall, perhaps the newly emerging “Season of Creation” in the liturgical calendar (begun by the Aussies, now growing globally) will inspire you and your congregation to continue connecting with God’s amazing world around us.  It is suggested as a series of 5 Sundays in September, and may be modified to suit your congregation. From seasonofcreation.org:

By concentrating our worship on God's creation and our relationship with creation,

we can seek ways to heal rather than exploit creation.

The Season of Creation helps us care for our planet home rather than destroy it.

                The Prayer of Great Thanksgiving below is an example of the prayers on the website.

Peace,

Jan

Other places for lots of resources:

webofcreation.org   Established to foster the movement for personal and social transformation to a just and sustainable world from religious perspectives.

nyipl.org   New York Interfaith Power and Light supporting congregations of all faiths in their actions to curb global warming and protect the sacredness of the earth.

vtipl.org   Vermont Interfaith Power and Light serves Vermont faith communities in their efforts to address the climate crisis.

350.org   Bill McKibben’s work to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet

 

Prayer of Great Thanksgiving

seasonofcreation.org

The Creator be with you and all creation.

                And also with you.

 

Open your hearts.

                We open them to our Creator.

 

Let us give thanks to the Maker of heaven and earth.

It is right to join creation in thanking God.

 

It is right to give you thanks, loving Creator. Your word is the impulse for all things to be, for space, stars and stardust to appear, for Earth to emerge from the deep, for life to be born of Earth, and for humans to be born of Earth and the Spirit.

 

Your Spirit is the life impulse in all things, restoring the broken and healing the wounded, groaning in anticipation of a new creation, stirring with new life born of water and the Spirit.

 

You chose to be born a human being, to become a part of Earth, to suffer, die and rise from death to redeem humankind, to renew creation, and to reconcile all born of Earth and the Spirit.

               

Your presence is the living impulse in all things, the Christ deep among us, filling Earth—land, sea, and air; filling every element and place; filling the grain and the grape we share with you this day.

 

Therefore with angels and archangels, saints and sinners, ancient voices in the forest, high voices from the sky, deep voices from the sea, and the whole company of creation, we proclaim your presence among us.

 

Holy, holy, holy, God of all life,

earth and sea and sky are full of your presence

and glorify your name. Amen.

 

 

               

“Tell me again -- why are community people coming to our Church Conference this year? “

Checking Out Your Front Door