Harry's Theology 101

Have been working on some writing.  Looking at the "Soiled and Sacred Saints" from my Ministry Journey....Here's one of them.

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

                I first met Harry as I was leaving from a “homebound” visitation at the subsidized senior apartment complex in Danbury, CT.  “Have a joyous day young man!”  The words were spoken in a proper Boston accent.  Turning to see where this pleasant greeting came from my eyes landed upon a seasoned citizen sitting on a green wooden bench in front of the apartment complex.  Attired in a white opened collar shirt and brown pants held in place by cordovan-colored suspenders  Harry Green sat with a smile on his face.  His arm-clasped crutches leaning on the bench announced the fact of what I was to learn later that he had polio as a child.  “Come join me.  You look like you’re rushing and need some bench sitting time” was his invitation.  In spite of a full schedule I accepted his offer of a little bench time.  I learned that Harry was a Massachusetts’ Yankee to the core.  He spoke fondly, yet sorrowfully, of the love of his life, his wife, Martha who had died several years earlier.  His face lit up when he regaled me with his “work” history.  “I was a piano player and entertainer.  I spent much of my life in vaudeville.  My claim to fame is that I know over 2,500 songs by memory.”  “Never made much money, never had anything all that fancy…….. but Martha and I were happy being together and I loved my music and the interesting souls I met along the way.”  After finding out that I was clergy, he offered his basic theology 101 truth which he had learned from growing up in “his” New England Congregational Church.  “Bob, I have had everything I need – I am one of those birds of the air you talk about.”

                His theology lesson made me feel a little uneasy, because in spite of all the words that I spoke about God providing for my every need, I too often had bought the prevailing belief of most people “Don’t be satisfied!  You need MORE if you want to find a fulfilling life.”  While I felt blessed to have many of the creature comforts that the world offered, there was  still a yearning for wanting more.  Harry reminded me again that my “wants” exceeded my “needs.”  The love of his wife; the companionship of friends he made from all walks of life; the shelter of a small subsidized apartment; and, oh yes, his music….from the melodic to the bawdy – Harry had “all that he needed.”  This Congregationalist vaudeville entertainer entertained God with his thankful heart.  Today let us go and do likewise!  Even if we don’t have everything that we think we want, God has given us everything that we need.

God, Composer of the melodies of the Spirit, instill in us the wisdom to know what we really need and to sing our praises to you because we have been blest.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

City Church Thoughts

Recently Cameron Trimble was the catalyst for a lively discussion on Facebook concerning the realities and vagaries of the urban church….particularly the United Church of Christ version. As is with most mainline denominations – those who say “Jesus” in two syllables, there have been few successes in developing a dynamic Christian presence in the city. Having been blessed to serve a parish in a midsize city, having been again blessed to serve in a large urban rim church which was open to making significant connections with churches in the city, and having been called to assist as a reflective resource with several urban churches in my conference and national roles, I have nurtured an increasing passion for the need for a progressive church presence in the city. Rather than abandoning the city – as I believe is being done by most mainline denominations, I am adamant in my belief that it is THE time to plant and renew some of the most import “mission outposts” that are essential for “well-being” – shalom – of the human race. I know what you are thinking – that sounds preposterous! The city is a microcosm of the global community and therefore provides insights on addressing the prickly realities of the world which seem beyond our grasp – ethnic, cultural, religious diversity, economic disparities / haves and have nots, quality educational and healthcare issues. The urban church needs to be the “sacred space” that ministers to the divergent populations of the city and offers an “insight place” where these global realities need to be openly and honestly discussed with grace abounding. It needs to be the safe space for dialogue on the issues of what it means to be human and to live in community with others.
At the same time that I was following Cameron’s Facebook thoughts a painful e-mail arrived. The first church that I had served was a struggling small city church. Over my ten year ministry there the congregation developed into a strong church with a commanding presence in the community. The e-mail from a former and current leader in the church announced the resignation of its pastor and the harsh suggestion that the church would die within the next half-decade. In close to 30 years membership had dwindled from over 1,000 members to a precious few and the pledge units had fallen from over 300 to under 50. What happened? If the truth be told with full candor, it was the choice of the wrong pastoral leadership at a critical time in the church’s ministry that led to a downward spiral. While I believe that a renewal could take place with some very strong pastoral leadership and significant risk taking on the part of the congregation, I am broken hearted about the state of decline that the church is experiencing.
Leadership – that is the key component for a vital church in an urban setting. My concern is that most mainline denominations (the UCC being my preference) do little in the identifying and training of clergy for urban churches. In large part most seminary education does not help candidates for the ordained ministry to discern whether she or he might have the gifts essential for ordained ministry in an urban setting……some of those gifts being – a passion for diversity; an optimistic openness to outlandish creativity; an uncanny ability to study the unique sociology of the urban scene; a gift for hearing the voices of others and often allowing the marginalized to bring their wisdom to the shaping of ministry; an ability in building alliances with other sacred and secular institutions – including government. While most of our seminaries do an excellent job in training those seeking ordained ministry in the “generic” local church – usually in a suburban, town, or rural setting, the nuances of ministry in the urban setting are given little visibility.
Alliances – this is the second key component to enriching the ministry of churches in urban settings. “We covenant together….” are foundational words on which the United Church of Christ is built. Yet too often “autonomy” is the operative practice by a majority of local churches. A covenantal, an alliance building ecclesiology is essential for the health and witness of the urban church. As I have alluded to, covenants with sacred and secular institutions who share the city-space are primary. Still I believe that alliances with churches on the sub-urban rim of the city are an often neglected opportunities for strengthening the ministry of churches in both settings. For the challenges of the city are real world challenges. The city church offers access to diversity training in a “micro” perspective. I remember well the relationships that allowed a large suburban church I was serving to gain a new perspective on living in a global world. A significant parabolic moment took place in a shared Bible study in a predominately African-American church. As we worked our way through the Beatitudes, one of the women from one of our partner churches said sternly without animosity in her voice: “This passage about blessed are the poor has little to do with you my friends who live in the suburbs – it ain’t about being poor in spirit – it’s about being poor. Jesus has a preference for the poor.” There was silence and then grace-filled, soul changing dialogue. The blessing of understanding from such alliance building took on a more humorous perspective among a group of five churches who were gathered together around racial tensions in the small city of my first church. Following a time of racial tension at the local high school, I challenged four other churches to join in a “Cross Connections” ministry. The connection partners were an African-American Baptist Church, an Orthodox Arabic Melkite Church, an Hispanic Baptist Church, and two “Anglo” (as we were called) churches. Along with establishing youth service programs together we covenanted together to have a series of Lenten meals with Bible Study. At one of these “heavenly banquet” feasts my dear friend and pastor of the Hispanic Church made a comment on the variety of foods on the serving table. “Bob the foods we bring might say a lot about the way we go about living out our faith. Notice that we Hispanics bring spicy foods. Our African-American friends bring some spicy and some earthy foods. Our Orthodox friends bring foods that are earthy and rich in flavor. And what do you Anglos bring – jellied salads and baked beans. Enough said? You folks might learn a little something about delicious food and rich and hot faith from the rest of us.” What touched my soul was the reality that amid the levity, there was an honesty he felt comfortable in sharing with me. And the reality that we had much to learned from our others brothers and sisters in Christ. An openness to listen was the only requirement. Alliances – covenant relationships lead to vitality and new understandings for all who are willing to risk setting aside their control needs and preconceptions in the pursuit of God’s justice and grace. Such alliances are particularly key for the strengthening of the ministries of the city church.
Let me offer a word of thanks for a Facebook posting that called me to remember the costs and JOYS of discipleship that I experienced in my times of ministry in the urban church. I hope this humble effort on ministry in the city – I feel like breaking out in the song by The Eagles – will foster further dialogue. And unlike The Eagles song, I hope the United Church of Christ will not seek to flee from providing its inclusive and justice based ministry in the city!