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Rector's Messenger Articles for 2008 Article for November
One of my favorite artifacts from
our parish history is an old newspaper clipping that is almost crumbling with age. It has no date, so I have looked carefully
on its back to see what other news is being reported to try to place it in time. The description of international events found
there implies that it comes from very early in the life of St. Matthias, as it seems to be around hundred years old (our parish
was started in 1892).
The brief article is about
the people of St. Matthias taking large pots of soup down to the railroad tracks to feed hobos riding on the transcontinental
railroad line that came through town. The article reports that not only were people from St. Matthias feeding these travelers,
many of whom had not eaten for days as they would not have wanted to leave their valuable free perch on a train from the midwest,
but that other Whittier residents were objecting, saying the soup would merely encourage others to become hobos and travel
to California.
If these events took place in
the 1890's, it would be easy to understand why people were hopping freights to survive. The economic life of that difficult
time saw 20 percent unemployment and numerous other challenges for people trying to survive unprecedented financial conditions.
California was a land of opportunity, or at least land developers were saying so in national advertisements. The advent of
modern transportation in the form of the vast web of railroads around the country meant that companies were leaving regions
for greener pastures hundreds or thousands of miles away, and workers had to find ways of keeping up or face destitution for
themselves and their families.
Knowing this historical background
makes that newspaper clipping all the more significant. It reminds us that the earliest members of St. Matthias were aware
that helping others, particularly in the midst of a national crisis, was a core part of being a Christian. They did so in
the face of community opposition, probably more a product of fear than selfishness, even as the parish was struggling to grow
and secure its own future. It also reminds us that in the face of seemingly overwhelming economic forces, the simple acts
of compassion and generosity Jesus told us about are good places to start our responses as Christians.
The Whittier portion of that
transcontinental rail line has just been transformed into a beautiful bike path through town. Government programs help people
in ways unimaginable to the unemployed of the 1890's. Yet our responses as Christians remain the same, to see who around us
is hungry, who around us is unclothed, who around us is alone. Then we help them, for it is in doing so that we are loving
Christ. Each weekday at our Soup Hour we do so for dozens, on Thanksgiving Day at noon we will do so for hundreds, and thereby
we continue the parish tradition of offering soup to the stranger and unwanted in the name of Christ. So if you are troubled
by our current economic times, know that God has given us a response to make, to look for someone who could use our help and
then reach out, doing what we can with the generous compassion with which God deals with us all.
Article for October
Labor Day weekend Cathy and I were in the San Francisco area to visit family and enjoy a variety of
activities. One of the highlights was our visit to the Charles Shultze museum in Santa Rosa. It is dedicated to the creator
of the Peanuts comic strip, so of course Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the gang are very evident in a variety of
forms, including many original comic strips. One of the
reasons I was motivated to learn to read was so that I could read the peanuts comics myself, and so for most of my life the
daily reading of the strip has been a highlight of my day. There was one that I saw at the museum that I was surprised I did
not remember. It was the last one in the multiple year series of Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown to try and kick.
For decades she had pulled it away at the last minute, often after Charlie Brown had built up his hopes that this year would
be different and he would kick the football a mile. Charles Shultze drew this strip in October of 1999, a couple months before
his retirement and subsequent death. It is a
fitting climax to the football kicking series. As Lucy is kneeling down holding the football, her youngest brother, Rerun,
comes out to tell her she is needed inside. After some discussion, she realizes she has to go in, and assigns Rerun to hold
the ball in her place. One again as in years' past Charlie Brown says to himself that this is the year he will kick the ball,
especially since Rerun would never pull it away. The next panel shows Charlie Brown running towards the ball, followed immediately
by the scene of Rerun handing the ball to Lucy. She of course is anxious to know if Rerun pulled the ball away as she had
always done, or had Charlie Brown (after decades of trying) finally gotten his big kick. Rerun simply replies, “You'll
never know”, followed by Lucy uttering the Peanuts' classic cry of “aaugh!!” It's not hard for me to picture Rerun as God. Many great Christians (and for that matter,
wise people of other faiths as well) have taught us to turn over to God the big issues of life, and focus ourselves primarily
on whatever little piece we discern that God has given to our care. Yet even when we do that, it is hard not to show Lucy's
anxiousness about what might have happened with all the other pieces beyond ourselves. I also think that Lucy might be worried
that Rerun showed more mercy than she would have, a worry that Jesus knows we sometimes carry as shown in his many parables
about how much more merciful God is than humans choose to be. So I bought in the giftstore a copy of this cartoon strip, a simple reminder of a complex
spiritual reality of how much life is beyond our control, of how much more merciful God often chooses to be than we would,
and how hard it is to give up our concerns and false sense of control over outcomes in life. Once again Peanuts is motivating
me to be a better person, this time not by wanting to learn to read, but instead wanting to be better at leaving things that
belong there in the hands of God, even Charlie Brown's football. Article for September
On the window above my desk at home sits a small blue tile.
It is a simple bathroom tile, not a fancy decorative one or of a distinctive color. It is special to me, however, because
it is one of the few surviving pieces of the Bishop's Lodge at Camp Stevens, destroyed in a forest fire a year ago. My family
and I had spent many happy days and nights in that lodge, which had one various design awards when it was built about fifteen
years ago. It also had the best views of any building at the camp, with panoramas of surrounding mountains that were breath
taking, and ever changing through the seasons of the year. Many evenings in the summer we sat on its deck watching shooting
stars, and a few winter evenings sat by the fire inside while watching the snow pile up on that same deck. So seeing the building
burned to its foundation, with just some twisted metal and bathroom tiles surviving, was difficult for me to see last year. As you read this, reconstruction
on the Bishops Lodge will have finally started. Payment from the insurance company combined with contributions from around
the diocese and beyond will mean that in March or so it will be once again hosting groups for retreats, outdoor education
experiences, and a wide range of other programs. I was part of the committee that went over the plans with a close eye, making
various changes to help it function better, be up to date with current environmentally friendly practices, and be more accessible
to people with movement challenges. Essentially, it will be the same building with just a small difference here and there. Therefore I wonder
what I will feel when it is all done. I anticipate I will walk through it in its various stages of construction, getting a
feel for it once again, but I also anticipate that it will be very different when I open the door for the first time and experience
it when it is completely done. I do not know if my memories will transfer to the new building, or if I will have to start
fresh. I do not know if my missing what was gone will overwhelm my appreciation for what has been restored. There's no way
to guess whether I will be happy enough with the small new features to let go of what is left of my grief for what was lost
to flames.
These same types of conundrums face us frequently as Christians, as God is constantly enacting the cycle of death and resurrection
all around us, and even within us. And like my feelings about a mere building, we sometimes resist the resurrections God offers
because of our holding on too tightly to that which has passed away, or should be allowed to be lost. God is constantly doing
something new, something bold, something healing, something joyful yet too often the humans for which God is acting choose
to ignore the new creations springing up all around. Yet to ignore such gifts is as if we were standing outside the empty
tomb of Jesus on Easter morning wishing Jesus had stayed in there instead of bursting forth to change the meaning of life
and death. On that morning God made clear to humanity that we should never limit what God will do, that we should never think
all is lost, that we should never believe that we know how a difficulty may be resolved. Often God is much more forgiving, generous, and loving
than we anticipate, and at least sometimes than we deserve. So it is very important, spiritually speaking, to step onto the
new deck that God has provided, and once again take in the marvelous view of how beautiful life can be.
Article for August
In June I had quite the educational
experience when I participated in a debate about Gay marriage at a conservative Christian church nearby. I presented the perspective
that one way of supporting lifelong sexual monogamy as an ethical standard for everyone in our society is to allow Gay marriage
to continue in California. Everyone was very polite to me, but few if any seemed to agree, which did not surprise me. I should
also say right here that no one at St. Matthias has to agree with me, since one of the primary strengths of the Episcopal
tradition is the acceptance and respect we have for a wide range of opinions and perspectives on any given topic.
The reason I participated
in the event was in part to allow people to experience a real live liberal Christian, and for me to have the experience of
getting to know real live very conservative Christians. In many ways it is easier for me to talk with and work with liberals
of other faith traditions than it is for me to be close to fellow Christians who are very conservative (and by this I mean
they do not believe in evolution, women being in leadership, the possibility of God allowing into heaven any non-Christians,
infant baptism, and a long list of other differences). Consequently I try to challenge myself to find ways of understanding
better, of finding connections, between myself and that corner of Christianity so that I can be a more loving person towards
people different than myself.
I think this kind of task
is part of the work of reconciliation to which all Christians are called. Jesus prayed in the Gospel of John that we all may
be one, and ever since the followers of Jesus have struggled to be close to one another. Not long after that prayer of Jesus,
Judas turned him in to the soldiers, reminding us that many images of unity among the original twelve apostles we carry in
our minds are false. Similarly, being members of a congregation dedicated to St. Matthias, the one who replaced Judas after
the Apostles felt their incompleteness, reminds us that we are expected by God to help bring into the world at least some
healing of the brokenness of Christianity both historically and locally so that the contemporary Christian community can be
more complete, less broken.
In the coming months we will
hear increasingly in the wider society perspectives attributed to different Christians, often portrayed as “the”
Christian perspective on issues and candidates. While we may be tempted to react with anger or sarcasm if that perspective
is different from our own Christian viewpoint, it will be important for us to allow God to fill us with understanding or at
least tolerant hearts. We should still disagree with what we think is wrong, and still speak our opinions with courage, but
to maintain our integrity as Christians we must do so in ways that, to quote our baptismal vows, respects the dignity of every
human being.
No matter how much we may
wish it were different, no issue is decided simply by voting, as we have learned many times within the Episcopal Church with
our democratic structures. So no matter what sides or candidates win the elections in November, we will have much work to
do in order to find ways of living together within Christianity and the wider society, reconciling to one another because
we are all beloved children of God regardless of our perspectives, and God very much wants us to live out that reality by
loving one another as God loves us. Article for
June
As more and more channels become available through cable, satellite, and HD
TV, I have begun to notice that I am seeing many of the same commercials regardless of what channel or show I am watching.
Part of what that tells me is that I am faithfully fulfilling the predictions of marketing experts about what my demographic
is likely to watch and therefore what products could perhaps be successfully advertised during those programs. The other thing
I have learned is that my demographic is not seen as very diverse in what interests us. Cars, high tech toys, food, beer,
financial products, and various health products to restore hair and such seem to be all I am offered. Consequently I get a
lot of light reading done during the commercials.
One thing I have noticed, however,
is a frequently used theme of these ads, in which people from all over the world are joined together by the product being
advertised, be it iced tea, beer, a credit card, a television, or life insurance. The people in the ads are smiling to each
other, gifting each other with the product, being motivated to help someone else. The ads tell me that this product will make
me part of a wide movement, at times world wide, of unity, generosity, and joy. The offspring of the old “I'd like
to teach the world to sing” Coca-Cola commercial of some decades back (which Coke redid recently) offer a hopeful view
of a world living in peace, if only we drank the right beer.
Marketers are very clever, which
means that probably they have captured, dissected, and analyzed the deepest longings of my demographic and are trying to
sell me stuff by manipulating those longings. What I find encouraging in this realization is that we as Christians can also
offer to satisfy such desires, but in a healthy, open, and effective way. A credit card will not give us what is priceless,
but God will, and does on a regular basis. We may think that churches in general are becoming irrelevant, but if we watch
at least some of the commercials on TV these days, we can see that we have much to offer the people around us who are hungry,
but do not know how to satisfy their longing. We have to offer the genuine path towards peace, meaning, and joy so we should
never be discouraged about who we are and what we have to offer. The beer companies unintentionally are reminding us of how
needed and wanted we are by our communities, and how important it is that we respond to those longings with open hearts and
widespread arms, just as God is doing constantly. Article for May
Recently I went to an Angel’s baseball game with a friend, and as
we were sitting in the cheap seats in the outfield he turned to me and said, “You know, there is not much difference
in watching a game with major leaguers and little leaguers.” Before I could respond the angels mounted a rally which
helped them win the game, but his statement stayed with me. I know part of my affection for baseball is that the rules, strategies, and challenges of the game are the same
at every level to one degree or another. Yet having seen my share of games on every level from little kids to fellas in their
80’s (playing softball) I know there are differences in both obvious and nuanced ways. A major leaguer can hit and
throw the ball farther, that much is obvious, but more subtle is how a major league center-fielder can almost anticipate where
a ball may be hit, while the rest of us would have to wait until the ball has been in the air for a while to know where it
will end up. Our spiritual walks are
similar, where the basics are all pretty much the same, but with intention and effort we can develop the gifts God has given
us to do much better than when we started. We may not become spiritual major leaguers, but we do not have to stay little
leaguers either. We can strive to know more, see more, understand more about our lives with God so that we can both have
a closer relationship with God and also be of greater service to the people around us. Fortunately, God does not ask us to win some fictitious spiritual baseball championship, but simply
to do the best we can with who we are, and even when we cannot do our best, God is gracious and forgiving. Neither do we
need to be better than anyone else at such things, since God has created each of us to be unique and incomparable with anyone
else. Yet we are not alone, since like baseball, Christianity is a team sport, in which God invites us and expects to share
the journey with others. Baseball is a warm weather sport, and similarly Christianity is a spiritual path that calls us to embrace the warmth
of the world, to find the joy in creation, to stand up and sing boldly and joyfully with one another of how wonderful it is
to be alive, and not simply during the seventh inning stretch. Article for April
You may have heard the very minor
news that “oldies” rock stations are updating their play lists by including songs from the 1980's. This news is
far from earth shaking, but it has shifted what songs I am hearing as I run errands and listen to the car radio. I was still
hip and happening enough in the 1980's to listen to radio stations that were playing top 40 songs so when I switch from NPR
news to music stations, I am hearing once again songs I listened to while driving twenty or more years ago.
What is amazing to me is how
many lyrics I had totally wrong. Admittedly in many of the songs the words are not what is important or memorable, so this
is not a huge gap in my cultural education. But it does make me wonder why now I am hearing clearly words that before I heard
incorrectly. One factor I know is air conditioning. I did not own a car in the 80's that had air conditioning, so much of
the time I would be driving with the windows wide open and the wind blasting through the car. Another factor is that I never
had anything better than a autoparts store $20 radio and similarly cheap speakers, so the sound quality was lousy from the
start, and only got worse as the volume went up. Probably the most important factor is that I was not paying attention to
the radio all that much, as my number one distraction from safe and focused driving would have been Diane and William in their
car seats with various needs. Of course they both often had more interesting things to say than any of those lyrics.
But I also wonder whether my
middle aged hearing is more attuned to the frequency the vocals are recorded in than when I was younger and could hear the
whole spectrum of sound without paying attention. Hopefully no major health foundation will waste money studying this possibility,
but nonetheless I am aware that I am hearing some things seeming more clearly in my everyday life as my hearing ages and the
distractions of the sounds I no longer hear are lost. Maybe adding insult to injury is suddenly hearing clearly those vapid
80's lyrics.
It is not hard to draw a spiritual
analogy. Some periods of our lives, and not necessarily at any particular life stage, the distractions of life drowned out
the voice of God like too much wind whistling through a car. Sometimes when we are at a different stage of our lives, we access
the better spiritual tools available to us, allowing us to hear more clearly God's messages. Sometimes the circumstances of
life itself make it easier to hear God in our lives, perhaps to our own surprise.
There were some good songs in
the 80's, such as many by Bruce Springsteen, but God's love for us is so amazing that hopefully we will not wait years to
realize how much God loves us, is immediately present with us, and wants us to be in longing conversations with God. Not just
listening, but God wants us interact with us in our every day lives, and be with us forever.
Article for March
Easter
will soon be here, and with it the promises of new life. In climates more harsh than ours, the symbolism of spring connected
with Easter is much more evident, with plants just beginning to show their green and spring bulbs just starting to bloom at
Easter. In Southern California, it takes things like the Academy Awards or baseball's spring training to nudge us into awareness
that we in a different season of the year.
Perhaps this means
that we need to be more intentional about seeing signs of Resurrection around us. On Easter we celebrate the Resurrection
of Christ, but we should not leave it there, in a single day remembrance of a distant event. Instead God asks us to see the
world around us through this lens, this perspective, that thinks which seem dead are being raised up, that things which seem
lost are being found, that things that seem broken are being restored. Seeing those things happening in nature after a long
cold winter can help folks to wake up the reality of God's ongoing resurrection work happening around them and within them,
but for us in Whittier, we have to work at it a bit more.
The Apostles did not
expect Jesus to be resurrected, which gives us one clue as to the walk of the faithful. We are not told by God where to look
for resurrected life, nor do we get to decide. Instead, we are called, like Mary Magdalene or Peter, to bear witness to others
of the ways we are experiencing God's resurrecting grace in the world around us and within ourselves.
It is happening. In
people finding a place to live after being in our Cold Weather Shelter for months. In people being fed, getting medical help,
reconnecting with lost family, and the other miracles we see daily in our Soup Hour. In children in the Sunday School learning
how to express the ways in which God loves them and always will. Every Sunday at St. Matthias, whether in a sermon, a choir
offering, or simply in receiving the blessed bread and wine, people experience new life, resurrected life, Easter all over
again.
So as the gold statues
are handed out at the award shows, as the baseballs are tossed around once again, remember this is the time of year to sharpen
our vision so that we can better see the new life of spring, the new life of Christ, the new life in ourselves, all gifts
from God for all of creation. And when we do see them, we are called to bear witness with Mary Magdalene and Peter to our
friends, to let them too see that God is continuing to offer the gifts of new life, of resurrected life, of spring time blossoms
and renewed people, if we only would open our eyes to see it happening all around us.
Article for February
In January St. Matthias had a wonderful field trip to the Getty Art Museum,
to see the traveling exhibit from the Cleveland Museum of Art. We had over twenty parishioners participate, with a nice
mix of newcomers and veteran parishioners. Our next outing will be to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, so listen for news of that trip.
At the Getty, I had a bit of a personal revelation,
epiphany, insight, or maybe just a “duh, why didn't I think of that before” moment. I was in the room with art
from the 1300's, most of it Christian in its themes, and was once again thinking that some of the paintings and statuary were
not very sophisticated in their depictions of Jesus. I then stopped in front of a stature called “ St. John Resting
On The Bosom Of Christ,” which is by an unknown artist but thought to have been carved in the first two decades of the
1300's in Germany.
It is fairly large, though not life sized, and Jesus is sitting upright while John sits next to him, leaning his head on Jesus'
shoulder. Jesus has his arm around John's shoulder, and also has a sort of goofy look on his face, while John's face is one
of peaceful rest. In the crowded gallery I was almost forced to spend extra time looking at this statue as all the surrounding
pieces had crowds around them.
As I stood there longer than I had planned, I had my “ah-ha” moment.
The reason I thought this piece was not sophisticated was that Jesus looked happy. He looked happy even though this scene
from the Gospel of John takes place at the Last Supper. Something in me expected, when looking at art from the European Middle
Ages, to see a suffering Jesus as a great work, and the other depictions as something less if not downright trivial, especially
if the piece was showing something from Holy Week.. But here before me was a work that confronted my preconceptions. What I took to be
a goofy look was really one of deep joy, and suddenly I was pondering an interpretation of how Jesus feels about his disciples,
some two thousand years ago but also today. It occurred to me that even as I usually think of the Last Supper as a time of
almost disappointment for Jesus as Judas heads out the door, there is the possibility that Jesus also felt happiness as he
shared this important meal with his apostles. Perhaps he reflected on some on the amazing things they had experienced together,
and took comfort from the love of this disciple to the end (since in the Gospel of John the beloved disciple is at the foot of the cross and does not
abandon Jesus even in death).
I don't think I have ever been much of a “make Jesus happy so he will like you”
sort of Christian, instead, I hope, taking to heart the Good News that God loves us through God's freely given grace. But
still, sometimes it is good to renew the sense of God's passionate love for us, and how God wishes us to be motivated by the
joy we feel in that love rather than out of fear of disappointing God. Part of the power of art is that it can sneak around
the various defenses, or at least distractions, we create within ourselves, so at the gift store I bought a simple postcard
of that statue and now have it propped up on my desk. That way I can be reminded repeatedly of this not-so-goofy Jesus who
was happy to be comforting the beloved disciple not long before Jesus' arrest and subsequent crucifixion. This image will
serve for me through Lent as a reminder of God's generous love for each of us, and the
gifts God gives us of comfort, rest, and peace even at the most difficult times, and I hope it can serve a similar function
for you as well to help us all have a blessed Lent.
Article for January
Despite some merchants and such thinking the Twelve Days of Christmas
are the final shopping sprint to the big gifty day, hopefully we remember they are actually the days between Christmas and
Epiphany (January 6), the day we remember the Magi visiting the baby Jesus. Consequently I feel free to write a bit about
St. Nicholas, the precursor of Santa Claus, even as his feast day is in early December.
It is easy to remember that Nicholas is a patron saint of children, but
less known in the United States is that he is also patron of sailors and others associated with seafaring life. There are
various stories and legends to justify this connection, but there is one connection between children and sailors and others
favored by St. Nicholas that we can overlook and therefore miss out on something important for Christians and churches today.
In the time of Nicholas, and for centuries afterward, sailors were people
who would disappear beyond the safety of the harbor, or perhaps beyond the horizon, and from then until time unknown would
be lost to the community. Hopefully they returned safely, but that was far from guaranteed. Similarly, Nicholas’ connection
with children, depending on your favorite legend, is with young people who were lost through crime or war, or who were in
danger of being lost because of their poverty.
The connection I draw is that St. Nicholas is a saint for anyone who is
or is in danger of disappearing to his or her community. The meaning for us today can be our need to be like St. Nicholas
by being willing to look beyond the horizon of our own sight so that through the insight provided by God, we will see those
around us who are, or are in danger of, becoming invisible to the church and the wider community. Like the various groups
associated with Nicholas, some may be moving purposely beyond our vision, perhaps in search of new spiritual lands and adventures,
or maybe in search of friendlier shores. We need to reach out with very long arms to touch them, and let them know they are
always welcome to return, and that we too are open to ways of experiencing God’s love that are beyond our past experiences.
We need to reach out with gentle arms to touch those close by who are being overlooked because of who they are, or perhaps
because of who they are not. We must be open to the prodding of God to overcome our preconceptions of what people are “our
people,” and allow our hearts to be opened to new ways of loving our newly noticed neighbors.
In other words, as we try to live out being the Body of Christ,
we must be willing to take on the attributes of the eternal and resurrected Christ, whose arms can embrace all, whose vision
is unlimited by prejudice or preconception, whose heart is open to everyone. Then we will be able to live lives, individually
and as a church, of divine generosity through the love God gives us, surpassing even the most supernatural and energetic images
of Santa Claus.
The Rev. Bruce W. Gray
Rector Messenger Articles From 2007
Article For January 2007
This past December St. Matthias once again hosted the Whittier Community World AIDS Day Service, and
for the second time I was asked to give the sermon. Having heard many of the other clergy preach and from the St. Matthias
pulpit at this service through the years, I felt a little intimidated since they were all so moving. I was going to be the
first “re-run” among the preachers, and wondered if I had already done my best AIDS sermon the first time I preached
for this service some years before.
Fortunately, in the weeks leading up to the occasion my clergy
friends in town were very encouraging, and as it turns out I did fine. Perhaps because I placed so much anxiety on it, the
sermon is still ringing in my mind. I talked about how when it comes to AIDS we had talked for years about what we should
do about it, sort of like those bracelets and tee-shirts that used to be so popular which either had the initials for or spelled
out “What would Jesus do?” Today in Whittier there are still lingering questions about what we should do, but
the answers are for the most part ones we know or can easily learn.
So, instead, I said in that
sermon, we should ask ourselves “Who would Jesus be with?” Some weeks later the question lingers with me, bad
grammar and all, about who would Jesus be with in any given situation as the standard of ethical behavior. Christianity, after
all, is a faith based on relationships in community more than on individual accomplishments. Jesus was and is more about “who”
rather than “what.” The people around Jesus were certainly amazed by his words and actions, and yet also many
times remarked about who he chose to have close to him. When others sought to discredit Jesus, they pointed out the disreputablepeople
who were with him. Both in the Gospels and afterwards, people have written and talked about the personal experience of Jesus
in their lives, and how that experience draws everyone closer together, helps us to see the bonds of our common humanity.
Then we begin to behave better, begin to do as Jesus would do because of our deeper understanding of who God loves and therefore
that we should love everyone!
So it may not be the next big selling tee shirt, but it seems
like it is going to stick in my brain for a while, the question of with whom Jesus would be? And, therefore, with whom I should
be? And if it is ever going to be on a tee shirt, it probably will ask “Who Would Jesus Be With?” despite the
cringes the grammar could produce.
Article for February 2007
Recently I have discovered another dimension of the generation gap between my children and myself and it is literally
dimensional. It is the dimensions of our MP3 players. I was quite proud of the deal I had gotten at the local Frye’s
electronics, where I had been able to buy last year’s (okay, I admit it, two years’ ago) model of a music player
that would hold more than all the music I currently own or could hope to own. The price was the same as many introductory
models of music players, so I was pleased to show off the great deal when I got home. A major portion of our brood was home
for college winter break, and rather than be amazed or maybe even envious, they laughed at how big it was. Then when I passed
it around for everyone to examine, they laughed even more at how heavy it was.
I already knew
it was much larger and heftier than any current Ipod or other state of the art MP3 player, but I actually saw this as an advantage,
and here is where the generation gap comes in. I am glad that it is big enough to have a display I can read without my reading
glasses. I am glad it is big enough that I will not lose it in my brief case or car. I am hopeful that it is heavy enough
that I will notice it in my pocket, and therefore avoid sending it though the washing machine accidentally. These are not
the concerns of college kids, but by rough experience they sure are mine.
Besides, I like my new music
player’s size because it reminds me of my first transistor radio (which even came with an earplug) and hearing the Beatles
hits over it when the songs were new. But I cannot complain too much, since as I loaded my CD’s music onto my new MP3
player, I realized how much every one of our kids likes the Beatles as I had to retrieve the family copies of their albums
from them. Even if we prefer different media, we still share some of the same music.
And that
is important to notice around church as well. We may have different ways of hearing God’s song in our lives, but it
is the same tune carrying the same message of God’s love and compassion for each one of us. Some may hear it best in
silence, others in a form hundreds of years old, while still others hear it most clearly through something that is new right
now. I am not simply talking about music, but also other forms of expression from all the different arts and even different
forms of interpersonal communication. And sometimes, we can hear something new through someone else’s favorite avenue.
So as we begin Lent this month, be open, be attentive, and expect to be surprised by hearing the same divine message in a
new form from God’s loving voice.
Article for March 2007
Starting when Diane was a newborn, I have been driving my kids around for about half my life.
Starting with car seats, then booster seats; baby bottles then sippy cups and now Starbucks mugs; and so many other pieces
of offsprings' equipment have filled the back seats of my cars for about twenty four years. I am not complaining, at least
not at this point as my days as a daily chauffeur approach their end, when Kelsi heads off to college in the fall. I have
great memories of times like driving through the back roads of Indiana, going to the three scattered congregations I served,
with Diane at age five talking about various theological perspectives while also pointing out the squirrel nests in the roadside
trees.
In more recent years, being the driver has been a great position from which to ease drop
on the latest teen matters being discussed among the passengers. I have learned through the years to find subtle ways of finding
out just who was being discussed and then gauging my level of worry or celebration accordingly. But most of the time each
of our children have been very welcoming of me into their conversations and their lives as we drove along. One of the recent
highlights was last spring, when Kelsi had the idea of using our ancient (almost 30 years old and looking it) RV as her group's
“limo” for a formal dance. So there we were in the long line of stretch Hummers and Cadillacs, squeaking along
awaiting our turn to let out our passengers. When we pulled up at the formal entrance, we received a lot of laughter and a
bit of applause from the chaperons supervising the traffic flow.
Being a Californian, all
these memories of driving serve as a metaphor for the journey shared with each of our children, of the school days, ball games,
doctor appointments, shopping trips, that add up to what life is and becomes. Children are not our only fellow travelers as
Christians, as God gives us so many companions for the journey. Sometimes we may not even realize who is accompanying us until
key crossroads are navigated, when our hindsight indeed becomes 20/20 and so we clearly perceive the people who have been
key to our spiritual formation.
That being the case, we once again learn why it is so important
to hold in love and respect every person we encounter, so that the first impression can be the foundation for perhaps a life
long relationship. God's teaching on this is not pie in the sky idealism, but rather practical guidance on how to have
the fullest life possible. To put it simply, the next stranger you encounter may well be the greatest gift God has ever tried
to give you, so accept the gift graciously by being open and attentive to that perhaps new found companion for this portion
of your journey. And like that ancient RV, with just a little maintenance and care, thirty years later, give or take decades,
that spiritual friendship may generate laughter and a bit of applause as you arrive at the big dance, the heavenly banquet
of Jesus Christ.
Article for April 2007
For Christmas Cathy, my wife, gave me a very nice San Francisco Giants jacket, warm enough to
wear to a chilly baseball game in San Francisco. Since we had such a mild winter, I wore it only a few times around
Whittier, yet each time I did I was very conscious of the rivalry between the Giants and, really, both local teams, since
the Dodgers have been rivals since the New York days and the Angels since they beat the Giants in the World Series not long
ago (at least not long ago for Angels and Giants fans). No one said a word to me about wearing a Giants jacket outside
the Bay Area, no dirty looks were cast my way, yet I still felt self-conscious about so publicly being a Giants fan in the
Los Angeles area.
The simple reason for this feeling is how
obnoxious I have found some baseball fans from out of town areas. Some members of my family will no longer go to an
Angel game when the Red Sox play there after a group of Sox fans spent way too long being too loud. And since they recently
finally won a World Series, one can no longer simply say “Babe Ruth” to them for a bit of temporary quiet, since
that Series victory put to rest the belief in
the “curse of the Bambino” which stated that Babe Ruth was keeping
the Red Sox from ever again winning a championship. Of course, some of our finest parishioners are Red Sox fans, as
well as some of my best friends.
Which leads me to my point
for this month, which is that too often Episcopalians do not say anything about being believers for fear of being grouped
with Christians who express their belief in public in obnoxious ways. We may shy away from conversations about Holy
Week and Easter this time of year, or generally keep to ourselves that we go to church. But like the fine Red Sox fans
of our parish, it is important that Christians like ourselves make our faith known appropriately so that the rest of the world
can know about approaches to be a Christian that are compassionate, open to intellectual inquiry, humble, and so many other
attributes that counter the negative stereotyping of Christians today.
So as we begin to enjoy singing “Take me out to the ballgame” once again throughout the land, celebrate even more
that “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” is being sung,and wear the team colors in public—the colors of love,
forgiveness, peacefulness, and hope.
Article for May 2007
For me, May is one of the most forward looking months. It is the time our family begins to plan
our summer activi ties, which at this point in our lives are anchored by when different offspring have to move into college
dorms at the end of summer and when different aspects of parish programing will be starting up or at least being formed for
the fall. Campground reservations often have to be made months in advance, so we find ourselves around May first already visualizing
what we want to be doing at the end of August. At times it feels almost like a time warp, and it certainly makes the year
feel like it is going by in a flash.
This whole looking forward makes me feel sorry for May. It
is the month that in our household is overlooked, neglected, and ignored. If not for a couple of family birthdays and Mother's
Day, we would probably not think much at all about what is taking place within it. Even though it has many fine qualities,
including a three day weekend, in some ways we wait for it to be complete so that the real summer fun can begin.
May's self-esteem perhaps could be saved by a very important spiritual discipline, of being present in the moment rather than
always be looking forward (or backward, for that matter). While not unique to Christianity, it is still central to our
faith and practice that we do our best to be thoroughly grounded in the here and now, in what and who is around us. Not only
is this perspective a good way to reduce stress by letting go of the future and the past, it is also the best way to be aware
of God's loving presence in our lives. While Scripture and other methods of remembering God's action in the past can be inspiring,
those helps can never replace the experience of God right now. Looking to the future is often a practical exercise to undertake
and can give us a good and holy hope about what is to come, but we cannot allow it to overshadow the wonderful ways God is
embracing us right now.
So I hope to treat May better this year, even as I plan for the summer
and occasionally bask in happy memories of past vacations to help us decide what to do this year. I will try to pause in the
planning to allow God's grace, wisdom, and peace to seep deep within me. And the wonder of that dynamic is that it will help
me to plan both leisure and parish times all the better, because the plans will have a foundation in God's love.
Article for July 2007
Once again it is time for some summer reading suggestions, and here are ten books I have read and enjoyed in the past
months. As you look for books, do not forget the new and improved “Little Old Bookshop” bookstore on Greenleaf
just a few blocks from St. Matthias. It for years has carried a great selection of used books, and its new larger location,
a block from its former one, has new books as well.
This year's list will be all non-fiction,
simply because it was the easiest way for me to edit it down to a reasonable length, plus I know that through our parish Book
Group we hear about a good novel every month. So in no particular order, for your reading pleasure...
The Know It All-One Man's Humble Quest To Become The Smartest Person In the World by
A.J. Jacobs I loved looked through the Encyclopedia Britannica when I was in elementary school, through in intimidated me
greatly. So when I heard about this book describing one person taking a year to read all 32 volumes of the 2002 edition, I
had to find out more. The book is full of laughs and trivia (some of it rather odd), even as the author shows a wonderful
love of knowledge and learning.
A Walk In The Woods-Rediscovering America on the Appalachian
Trail by Bill Bryson A book about walking seems perfect for summer, and this one is full of humor and interesting observations
about American life and culture. Bryson is an earthy writer who loves to look into the history of what is around him, so in
addition to a travel adventure there are fascinating sections about the history of parks and recreation in the United States.
Ballad Of The Whiskey Robber-A True Story Of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling,
Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts by Julian Rubinstein The subtitle says a lot about this book, which takes place
as the Iron Curtain falls and Eastern Europe society is transformed. It is a book that tells us much about the new Europe
through a true tale that kept me up late to see how it ended.
A Great Improvisation-Franklin,
France, And The Birth Of America by Stacy Schiff This book tells in engaging detail the struggle during the American Revolution
to gain France as an ally, with Benjamin Franklin being the central figure. It is full of interesting details of life in the
1700's as well as the political intrigues of that era.
Zarafa-A Giraffe's True Story, From
Deep In Africa To The Hearts Of Paris by Michael Allin This book could be a part two to the Franklin book, as it describes
life in France, and beyond at the end of the 1700's through the event of the first giraffe to arrive in France. I was intrigued
that an author would be driven to write about this event, and my impulse buy was rewarded with a good read.
Learning Joy From Dogs Without Collars-A Memoir by Lauralee Summer This book is an autobiography by a still-young person
who grew up in homeless shelters, yet was able to graduate from Harvard. It is a book of full of hope and optimism that left
me wanting to know what this creative young woman will do with the rest of her life.
Lenten
Lands-My Childhood With Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis by Douglas Gresham A very moving account from the little boy who lived
with C.S. Lewis following his mother's marriage to Lewis (as shown well in the movie “Shadowlands”). Gresham writes
well of faith, grief, and love in difficult circumstances.
Beneath The Cassock-The Real Life
Vicar Of Dibley by Joy Carroll This autobiography by one of England's first female priests is both insightful and enjoyable,
especially for Episcopalians, and gives one an insider's look into how the contemporary Church of England deals with change.
Luckiest Man-The Life And Death Of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig This is the most in depth biography yet written on one
of the greatest baseball players ever, and goes well beyond what happened on the ball field, including a moving account of
Gehrig's struggle with his disease.
Take This Bread-A Radical Conversion: The Spiritual Memoir
Of A Twenty First Century Christian by Sara Miles. If you want to see why someone who is a life long atheist becomes an
Episcopalian at mid-life, read this book. As Miles found food to be an ongoing theme in her life, she became a Christian through
receiving the blessed bread at the Eucharist, and went on to start a huge food program for the poor of San Francisco. Anyone
who has volunteered at the St. Matthias Soup Hour will relate to her journey and how God moves through meals.
Article for August 2007
You may have heard Cathy, my wife, or I jokingly say that one of the keys to selecting
an appropriate college is that it be a good place to visit for Parents' Days. While that was never a key consideration for
our children, we have done well in that category, with children graduating from colleges in Washington D.C. and various great
locations in California. Now our last child, Kelsi, is getting ready to leave for her freshman year at the University of Montana,
in Missoula, another beautiful part of the country to visit.
It helps Kelsi that she has aunts
and uncles in the area to give her backup in case of crisis, and a regular home cooked meal when the dorm food becomes boring,
but she is nonetheless heading out far from home for this phase of her life. Perhaps, as one of her high school teachers warned
her against, she will fall in love with a cowboy, and therefore settle down in Montana. It could be she will get an irresistible
job offer from a Missoula employer recruiting U. of M. graduates. Maybe her affection for the area will deepen, and she will
simply stay because she wants to live out her life there. Even as she is adult enough to move across many states, she is young
enough that it is impossible to predict her future.
Which raises the question for me of whether
someone is ever old enough to predict his or her future? In our youth centered culture, we are inclined to forget that God
can be presenting new choices to anyone at any time in one’s life. Adventures are not just for the young, and novel
possibilities, ideas, and places are not restricted to those under thirty. I think the same applies to the church as well,
where God does not restrict new and exciting ideas, ministries, and people to the new kids on the block, but also has life
and energy to share with every congregation.
Like a college choice, the new gifts from God are
suited to each person or place and are not “one size fits all” presents. Instead, God has ready for every congregation,
and every individual, just the right thing for this particular circumstance, whatever it may be. All we have to do is summon
up the courage to say yes to those gifts, and see what adventure God has for us next. It may mean moving to Missoula, or simply
greeting a newcomer Sunday morning, but most of all, we leave it to God what the gift is and what it means. Also like Kelsi,
we can be assured that even if it seems like we are heading far from home, God is providing aunts and uncles in Christ to
support us in our new adventures, as no Christian ever travels alone. God is always with us, and provides faithful humans
to remind us that truly we never walk alone, no matter how far we go.
Article for September 2007
“Religion beat became a test of faith” was the title of an article by William Lobdell, in the Los Angeles
Times on July 21, 2007. In it Mr. Lobdell traces his spiritual journey and how it was shaped by his years as the religion
reporter for the Times, particularly how the bad news within the Christian tradition undermined his spiritual life as a new
Christian. After reading the article in the paper, I went to the L.A. Times website to read responses to it. There were
dozens, and many seemed to be either an “I told you so, God is fake” comment, or a “read this verse (there
were many offered) and you will believe again.”
Fortunately, there were a handful that seemed
more in line with my view of spiritual struggles and doubts, and they centered on finding a church that was living out the
faith rather than just preaching it, and even then do not base one’s faith on the institutional church but instead have
it anchored in God alone.
This very public conversation, even if it is taking place in the anonymous
space of an internet site, is a reminder to us of how important it is to be Christians of integrity, of practicing what we
preach as we live out our lives individually and corporately. As our own and other Christian traditions are rocked by various
forms of public scandal or conflict, it is crucial for the everyday lives of Episcopalians and Episcopal congregations to
be filled with words and deeds that reflect the values and teachings we espouse. People without church homes are watching,
some very carefully, to see how we are living so that they can decide whether their own leanings and longings can be addressed
by the Episcopal Church, or will we be another place of disappointment if not betrayal of the love and compassion expressed
by Jesus Christ both 2000 years ago and today.
Part of what we have to remember as well is that
Christ is not overwhelmed by the huge misdeeds or slight missteps of Christians. Instead, Christ keeps on loving people, touching
people, converting people both within and outside the church. Part of our task therefore, as Christ is doing that heavily
lifting, is to not let ourselves be overwhelmed or discouraged by the failings of the church or its members, but instead to
do our best to discern where Christ is working and then doing our best to join in that work. It may be a bit humbling to think
of it in that way, of joining rather than creating God’s ministries, but it also takes some of the pressure off of us
to do it all perfectly and by ourselves.
At this point, Mr. Lobdell is discouraged and perhaps
even burned out by all the terrible things he has seen as a religion reporter. Yet I think he is still doing God’s work
by writing publicly about his doubts and disappoints, both so that Christians are reminded to turn a critical eye on ourselves,
and so that Mr. Lobdell can hopefully hear those few voices on the webpage and elsewhere that are saying that Christianity
can be lived out with integrity, that doubts are part of a faithful walk with God, and that being in love with God does not
mean unreflective allegiance to any given institution or tradition. Hopefully we can all hear those voices as well, and through
the grace of God be those voices with our actions as well as our mouths. As St. Francis is credited with saying, "Preach the
Gospel at all times-with words if necessary."
Article for October 2007
Recently in doing some sorting of my bookcases I came across a little book of church cartoons
entitled Lapses in the Apses. It was published in 1954 and was part of the series of “Fun In Church” cartoon collections
created by the Rev. Henry Beck, an Episcopal priest in New Jersey, and a fellow Episcopalian and professional cartoonist,
Bolte Gibson. Glancing through it brought back memories to when I was a little boy and our family’s Sunday morning schedule.
My brother and sister, both older than I, had various Sunday morning responsibilities that meant we had to go to church about
an hour earlier than the start of the service. My mom would volunteer with various tasks during that time, and my father and
I would go to the parish library until it was time to head to a pew. Judging by the dust patterns we were the only ones to
use the room week to week, and my father would read various journals and books, while I would read and read again the “Fun
In Church”cartoons.
Being in second grade, I did not understand at first the jokes about
vestries and bishops and such, and my father would with patience (and then laughter after I showed him a cartoon in question)
explain to me the workings and oddities of Episcopal Church life. While I hope you get a sense of the warmth and love that
little story holds, it also gives some insight into my first exposures to Episcopal Church structures, traditions, and personalities
and therefore how frequently I still see us, as an institution and as personalities within it, with a good amount of humor.
Committee work, fundraising, vestments, rummage sales, and so many other aspects of day-to-day parish life I first learned
from the pen of humorists and my father’s corresponding laughter. I should also be explicit that priests are often the
objects of these cartoons, so even before I ever thought about maybe being a priest, I did not see the priesthood with an
inappropriate amount of seriousness and already knew quite a few clergy jokes that showed the humanity explicit in the strengths
and weaknesses of most clergy.
In other words, if I today begin to take myself too seriously,
I just have to remind myself that even a second grader can have a good chuckle about who I am and what I do. Not only does
that give me a healthy dose of humility, it also reminds me to laugh at myself, to enjoy the humor in both good and difficult
times. That way, things are kept in better perspective, and life can have more of the joy that God wants us to have. So we
all should take some time to find the humor in our failures and successes, in our big and little moments in life. Thereby
we can have a happy chortle that puts things in their proper places, with nothing more important than God’s love for
us, and our call to share that love with the rest of the world, often with joy and laughter.
Article for November 2007
Anyone who has been in my office at St. Matthias probably remembers books. There are lots of
books, on tables, in bookcases, and usually a couple on my desk. While it may look disordered to some (as some have commented,
I must admit), there actually is a system I use. Books I have not yet read are sitting on the tables. Books I am reading currently
are on the desk, and the ones that are shelved are ones I have read, or at least finished using for now.
What this system does is give me a window on what interests me these days. On the tables today are books focused on
peace makers such as Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero, and Desmond Tutu. Also are some on new church movements in the United
States. A couple are on emerging Latino theologies, and there is also a mix of books on the Bible with various approaches
and foci.
I also have a window into my life by the blank spaces in the bookcases, which despite
their appearances are fairly carefully organized by subjects. Looking at them, I can see that I have pulled from the shelves
many books on the Gospel of Luke, that I am using both for sermon preparation and for the Thursday evening Bible Study. There
is also a blank space in the theology area, as I have been looking at a couple books in response to a question that a parishioner
has. The education and formation area has blanks as we have been designing the St. Matthias programming for the school year.
And the liturgy section has some space as I pulled books to help me write a short service for use at our diocesan camp this
past weekend.
If you are what you read, this brief inventory gives a glimpse of myself in the
fall of 2007. But it also gives me a little kick in the pants that I have been ignoring some shelves perhaps a little too
long, such as those holding the volumes on history and ethics. The way the spirituality shelves are jammed with books old
and new shows me that I have been very interested recently in how individuals write about their walks with God. The shiny
spines of the books on the interfaith shelf show how over the last two years or so I have been doing a lot of reading (and
teaching) about our relations with other religions, particularly Judaism and Islam.
As the computer
gurus used to say, “Garbage in means garbage out”, so I am careful about what books I read. I want to make sure
I do not simply read authors with whom I already agree so that I can then footnote my own prejudices. I want to make sure
that I am reading books that are in conversation, so to speak, with a wide range of approaches and ideas both in their fields
and ideally beyond, so that I can learn about lots of different aspects of the world from them. And I want to read books that
are well written, so that I can be inspired to be a better writer, teacher, and preacher.
As the
days grow shorter and the library or bookstores sing their siren songs to us, November is an excellent time to pause and reflect
on what we are reading, and how those books and articles are shaping us, and most of all, how they are helping us to open
ourselves up more and more to God’s loving presence in our lives and the world around us, both now and in history.
Article for December 2007
Months ago the Washington Post had an interesting article entitled “Pearls Before Breakfast.”
You can still read it on the internet, where I first discovered it, and it makes for interesting reading. The Post convinced
world renowned violinist Joshua Bell to take his priceless instrument and play as any street musician might in the lobby of
a D.C. subway station. Bell usually plays in packed concert halls with expensive prices, but on this busy rush-hour morning
he made $32.17, with only a handful of the 1097 people who passed by even pausing to listen. Most did not even turn their
heads, and one person interviewed apparently considered calling the police, but then decided this street performer’s
skill was high enough that the police were not needed, even though, that listener thought, the music was too loud.
As the article pointed out, we should not judge harshly the busy commuters who streamed past, as they probably had very pressing
and important work to accomplish, and few presumably had the luxury of deciding for themselves when they had to be at their
desks that morning. One person who did stop carefully timed how long he had to listen, and used his extra three minutes to
take in the beautiful music, even though he had never heard any of those pieces before and was not a classical music fan,
but knew this was a special moment.
In the month of December it is easy to let the pace of life
accelerate beyond comfort, to let both the outside and self-imposed demands on us become overwhelming. At such times it is
crucial that we stop and listen for the music, perhaps literally if we are lucky enough to have a world class performer playing
nearby, but more likely symbolically, as God is always providing an atmosphere of peace and joy that we merely need to inhale
to experience.
As is easily guessed, the people paying the most attention to Joshua Bell in that
subway station were the children, who had to be scooted along by the adults trying to get them to school or daycare. Similarly,
we can remember how to best experience the wonder of Advent and Christmas through the examples of children. Not in anticipating
presents, as the commercials try to tell us, but rather in the wide eyes of youngsters looking at Nativity scenes, or in the
energetic bouncings of children singing about the newborn Jesus. The music is in the air, not to get us to rush faster or
buy more, but to remind us of God’s abiding healing love for us all made flesh in Jesus Christ, and still real in the
world around us, even in subway stations at rush hour when inspired hands play beautiful music.
Rector Messenger Articles For 2006
Article For January 2006
Camp Stevens, our diocesan camp and conference center near Julian, has been
near and dear to my heart since I was a youngster. But these days I do mostly very grown up things with the camp, co-chairing
its board, serving on committees, helping to raise money-all very adult. One committee I am on has the responsibility of planning
the new buildings for some of the camp staff to live in. So I arrived at the camp one day last spring ready to spend the afternoon
looking over blueprints and renderings spread out over a dining room table, as we had been doing for a few months on a regular
basis.This time, however, as I pulled into the small parking lot, I saw furniture gathered at one end, with lines of masking
tape on the blacktop. After parking, I walked over to see what was going on and realized I was looking at a full size outline
in masking tape of the latest proposal for the new building. And I saw gathered within it the types of furnishings we anticipated
the building holding.
Soon all the committee and many camp staff members had gathered, and we spent
the afternoon arranging furniture and tape, sitting in the arrangements, looking out imaginary windows, and otherwise getting
a feel for what this building really be like if it was constructed in the way we had been planning. Since the building site
was only a few feet from the parking lot, it was not hard to see in our minds what the finished building would be like if
we went ahead with our current plan.
It was a creative, playful and effective afternoon, during which we made some
crucial changes that we had not thought of when looking at numerous plans and elevations but became obvious when we were sitting
in the proposed spaces. It also gave us renewed energy for the mundane but important tasks that remained for our committee
before construction could begin. The experience also gave a chance for more literal minded thinkers to understand the project
better and therefore offer their insights to better the final plan.
Sometimes God can work with us in a similar way. We can plan within ourselves
all sorts of ideas about how to be a better Christian, but only when God shows us the outline of what may be can we become
creative, imaginative, and yet simultaneously practical about what God may be calling us to become and do. So look for the
tape on the floor and the gathered furniture within your own spiritual journey, and listen for God’s voice saying to
you "Imagine what could be right here…"
Messenger article February 2006
My favorite program on television these days is "Mythbusters" on the Discovery
Channel. On the show Jamie and Adam, two special effect specialists for movies and television, test various urban legions
and common wisdom to discover the truth behind such matters. Recent shows have tested the myth that jumping up just before
a crashing elevator hits the basement could save one's life (false), swimming underwater can save someone from bullets being
from a boat or the shore (true if at an angle), and buttered toast falls butter side down (false, butter side up is much more
common). Perhaps the last test is the only one that would affect my daily life, and even that is a stretch since I prefer
a bagel with cream cheese. Nonetheless, I am captivated by this show.
One reason is that these two men and their staff
are very inventive, so it is interesting to see what machines they will build to test each situation. Another attraction is
that they have engaging personalities with good senses of humor. But mostly, I enjoy the zest for life that they show in allowing
themselves to be challenged by questions that many of us let slide unchallenged and perhaps even unnoticed in our lives.
The
spiritual dimension to these fellows is that they can be models for how we are called by Jesus to be attentive to life, to
be curious about why things are the way they are, and therefore we pay more attention to God, who is present in our everyday
lives in ways too easily overlooked. A good sense of curiosity, wonder, and humor can be the primary tool of discovering God's
active hand in the wider world and in our own everyday lives as well, as we see more clearly the people and things around
us. Then hopefully we will also see more clearly how much we are loved by God, shown through the created order, and therefore
how much we are able to love the world around us, whether it is falling butter side up or butter side down.
Rector’s Article March 2006
In February I got to attend the annual Trinity Institute, presented by Trinity
Episcopal Church, Wall St. in New York City. I was not in New York, but rather West Cornwall, Connecticut, where alum of Trinity’s
Clergy Leadership Project had been invited to experience the Institute at Trinity’s conference center. We watched the
presentations via the internet, and then met in person with some of the presenters from New York. Since we were few in number,
less than a dozen, it was a great gift to each of us.
In particular I was moved by spending time with Miroslav Volf, a professor
at Yale Divinity School. His presentation in New York was very insightful, and our small group discussion even more so. Fortunately
he is a skilled author as well as teacher, and so you can experience him through his most recent book, Free of Charge-Giving
And Forgiveness In A Culture Stripped Of Grace. It is one of those books that has a great quote on every page, and even
the title can set one’s mind on a fruitful path. The Archbishop of Canterbury has named it his official study book for
Lent this year, and we will have an opportunity to discuss it at some of our Lenten College sessions.
In this book Volf looks at our contemporary lives in which we are encouraged
to give only to get, forgive only when it is to our advantage, and spend years hustling to survive and thrive. One image he
uses is that humans can look like "black holes of self-absorption." Volf counters that image with multiple ones of God’s
loving generosity (including forgiveness), and if we take seriously that we are created in God’s image and redeemed
through Jesus’ most generous gift of his own life, then we both have access and a call to be people of deep love, generosity,
and forgiveness. I will not try and summarize the book’s 230ish pages, but can recommend it highly for the ways in which
Volf addresses complaints against the Christian life as being naïve and unrealistic with concrete examples pulled from his
life as well as Scripture, literature, and history.
This book is perfect for Lent as it helps us to both take seriously God’s
forgiving of our sins as well as pushing us to respond faithfully to that great gift. Even if you just read the postlude,
"A Conversation with a Skeptic," your Lenten journey will be enriched by spending some of it with Miroslav Volf.
Messenger Article for April 2006
Hopefully you are aware that St. Matthias is one of the leaders of the Whittier
Cold Weather Shelter. We do the screening for people who want to stay there, as well as sharing our parish hall, volunteers,
staff, and other resources on a regular basis. This season we were able to recruit enough other congregations to participate
that we only hosted the shelter one week, and the spirit of the whole ministry was truly inspiring to anyone who participated,
whether as a guest or helper.
On one of its last nights, in March, one of the Los Angeles T.V. stations
phoned to say they wanted to do a story on it. So I went to the shelter that night to join the volunteer chairperson, and
we waited for a crew that never arrived (so much for our 30 seconds of fame). But as we waited we naturally chatted with some
of the guests and other volunteers, and I want to share two stories. The first is that of a young man who first stayed in
the Cold Weather Shelter and then entered First Day, the residential homelessness recovery center that St. Matthias helped
to create five years ago. He grew up in this area, and said he never thought he would be homeless, but various circumstances
landed him on the street some four years ago. Because of the emergency assistance that the St. Matthias Soup Hour gave him
to keep him fed, and the Shelter gave him to keep him warm and safe overnight, and then the life skills training (as well
as a home) that First Day provided, he turned his life around. He now is earning $8,000 a month in a good, long term job,
is married, and, to help others as he was helped, volunteers multiple nights each week at the Cold Weather Shelter. His story
is truly one of resurrection and new life.
To remind us of why these ministries are still needed is the unfolding story
of two people who were in the Shelter this winter. They are a mother and teenaged daughter, struggling to put their lives
back together after various set-backs. When the daughter talks on the phone to her friends from school, others can overhear
her explaining that the friends cannot come over or spend the night because her mother is too strict to allow it, giving the
daughter a way to hide that they have been living in a shelter for four months. Yet she keeps her studies up, and through
one of the churches supporting the Cold Weather Shelter she and her mother were able to move into a simple but clean apartment
when the Shelter closed for the season in mid March. Volunteers from the Shelter have promised to stay in contact with this
mother and daughter to help them successfully make the transition from life in the Shelter to life restored in the wider community,
a transition that will be full both of challenges and possibilities.
In Lent we prepare ourselves for celebrating the new life opened by Jesus
on Easter. Through the outreach ministries of St. Matthias, in partnership with so many others in Whittier, we get to see
the loving hands of Christ give new life to people who otherwise would be otherwise overlooked and forgotten. If you ever
doubt that God still loves and moves in this world, simply watch as the hands of our dozens of Soup Hour volunteers, Cold
Weather Shelter helpers, and First Day supporters reach out as the loving hands of Jesus to all who come for help. Then see
as those recipients of Christ’s incarnate love sometimes are surprised that God does not just help them survive, but
to find meaningful lives full of new possibilities.
Rector’s Article May 2006
I hate our church fax machine. I realize Lent is long over so public confession
is not the style, but I think many of you could relate to the reasons why it is such an annoyance in my life. Mechanically
it is not bad, as it only jams occasionally, but as an instrument of communication it is a failure. Perhaps once a month we
receive a fax that has some value and importance to the life of St. Matthias. Meanwhile, we average two junk faxes a day,
asking us to buy cruises or mysterious stocks that are being newly offered. Weekends are worse, when it can run out of paper
because of the offerings for low cost medications that seem closer to snake oil cures than 21st century treatments. For awhile
I tried phoning the numbers on some of the faxes to request we be removed from their lists, but discovered that only takes
you to a single company, not to the wholesaler who is probably daily selling our fax number to someone new.
Consequently I have taken to leaving the machine disconnected unless someone
phones or emails to say they need to fax us something. Since that is about once a month, I am hoping and counting on St. Matthias
not missing much more than aggravation while we save on paper and ink. Yet I realize as I do this disconnection that I have
to be careful to stay connected in the alternate ways of reaching St. Matthias in a hurry, such as email and cell phone. Since
my email has a good spam filter and my cell phone so far does not get telemarketers, this approach is working.
As our lives get busier and more distracted, we have to make sure we are taking
similar spiritual steps. Few of us live by the ancient rhythms of coming together for prayer daily, so we must be careful
to develop and maintain alternate patterns of prayer that keep us ope
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