The Light in the Wilderness premiered with Dave Brubeck at the piano in our sanctuary at First United Methodist Church Bloomington on December 3, 1967.
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This popular and dynamic minister was fondly known to our congregation as Mac or Dr. Mac.
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Habitat is a place where people come together to work together to try to make the world a better place for their fellow human beings.
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We celebrate our recent church conference vote to become a Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) Congregation. On Sunday, Aug. 20, we agreed by 95% (89-2-3) to this important step on our journey of being a church that is open to all, especially those who are LGBTQIA+. This Sunday, Aug. 27 we will rejoice together at 9:30 and 11:45 a.m. with Rainbow Worship in honor of this decision and PrideFest the day before. We will take a congregation photo for RMN, so please wear either an FUMC T-shirt or a brightly colored shirt.
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“I need to tell you something,” my 104-year-old Grandpa said to me in a serious tone. I leaned in a little closer. “I can’t do it like I used to a year ago. One hundred and four isn’t 103!”
We both sat back at laughed. “I’ll have to take your word for it, Grandpa!” I told him. Most of us will probably never reach that 104-year mile marker. But we recognize on a regular basis that our bodies, minds, and spirits have limitations. I recently told a friend that I wish I had the wisdom I do now in my 25-year-old body. I’m sure many of you feel the same way.
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As a pastor, I’m sometimes invited to walk with people in very sacred spaces. The decision to transition genders is one of these spaces. This step is never taken lightly because it involves the entirety of a person – body, hormones, sex organs, mind, spirit, identity, and often a name and pronoun change. It is a very personal decision, and for youth, a family decision involving parents or guardians.
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When modern Christians say they wish they could go back to the good ole days of the early church, we have to break the news to them. There were no good ole days. From the beginning, the church faced debates, infighting, struggles, and division. Paul got wind of these storms and sent a letter of comfort and challenge to the young church. The letter is comforting because Paul reminded them of their unity in Christ. It was challenging because Paul refused to let them perpetuate lesser differences which threatened that unity. How might Paul challenge us today in our own fractured denomination that appears beyond repair?
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On Sunday, we’ll learn more about what gold, frankincense, and myrrh represented. For now, I hope you’ll reflect on this scene: Weary, stinky travelers from a far-off land who are outside of Jesus’ tight-knit Jewish community. They haven’t grown up hearing the stories of the Hebrew heroes. Yet they recognize the Divine when they find him. And their response is to rejoice, to worship, and to offer gifts that only they can give.
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The U.N. has proposed a rapid-action force, but it’s not clear that countries will participate. USAID has sent a disaster response team, but so much more help is needed. Please commit with me to pray for the people of Haiti to find hunger relief and hope for the future.
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Nothing makes me more spiritually nervous than people who claim to have a corner market on the Truth. “God said it, I believe it, that settles it,” may make a catchy bumper sticker, but it’s a very poor foundation for a nuanced faith in a complicated world. In fact, it is dangerously narrow-minded in light of the complex nature of our Scripture.
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Born and bred a Midwesterner, I’ve been conditioned to be nice. Even if I object to something or someone, the greatest offense I could commit would be rudeness. Well, I’m tired of being nice while my siblings of color live in fear of being gunned down in hate attacks at the supermarket or church.
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