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A few days ago I returned again to one of my favorite books – Walking on Water: Self-Esteem and a Journey of Faith* by Robert Ball. Earlier today I read the following words which I offer to you because they say exactly what I think needs to be said this day – at this time and in this place. With deep gratitude to Robert Ball:

So the mainline churches today are in a state of decline, both in numbers and in public respect. At the same time we’re witnessing an amazing growth of what are called Twelve-Step programs: communities modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve-Step programs exist for many groups: the spouses of alcoholics, the children of alcoholics, compulsive gamblers, overeaters, those suffering from suicide in their families, drug abusers, the families of drug abusers, people reared in fundamentalist churches, ex-clergy, ex-prostitutes, and so forth.

Alongside the increasing popularity of the Twelve-Step programs, many people are registering their feelings of having been abandoned by their churches. Dissappointed and hurt with the churches’ failures to provide what they are charged to give, and what we need so desperately, many respond by reciprocating: abandoning the church. Unfortunately, those who leave sometimes carry with them their unresolved feelings of hurt and outrage. They may remain needy and needing, still unsure and doubting that there is any hope. In leaving they abandon, for themselves and for the world, what we all most need: a human community of love and acceptance that is able to put us in contact with a love and acceptance that are truly unconditional and eternal. In such a community there is hope. Nothing matters more. (146-148)

Again, I am reminded of my favorite line from Fred Kaan’s powerful hymn text, Help Us Accept Each Other: “Teach us to care for people, for all not just for some, to love them as we find them or as they may become.” That is our calling – and – that is where we find genuine hope!

*Ball, Robert. Walking on Water: Self-Esteem and a Journey of Faith. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books, Inc., 1992.

One of my favorite musicals is Gypsy – one of three shows that for many years I have characterized as “perfect” shows – perfect in that no production has any excuse for not starting on page one and continuing through to the end without any changes, additions, or subtractions. By the way – the other two are Fiddler on the Roof and Guys and Dolls. One of the songs from Gypsy has lyrics that speak with eloquence toward our current topic on this blog. The song is “Together Wherever We Go” – and following are a couple of excerpts from those lyrics

Wherever we go, whatever we do,
we’re gonna go through it together.
We may not go far, but sure as a star,
wherever we are, it’s together.

Through thick and through thin,
all out or all in.
And whether it’s win, place or show.
With you for me and me for you,
we’ll muddle through whatever we do.
Together, wherever we go.

I have recalled this song often during the turmoil and divisions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in recent years. There is no reason for us to further divide while preaching the diversity of the body of Christ. Many of the comments made during these years have been anything but loving and inclusive, however, I was thrilled when I read a letter written by four of the leaders of our denomination as a call to unity in the face of struggle and division. The text of that beautifully written letter follows:

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

May your Spirit of peace be present with us in difficult decisions, especially where relationships are strained and the future is unclear. Open our ears and our hearts to listen to and hear those with whom we differ. Most of all, we give thanks for Jesus Christ, our risen Savior and Lord, who called the Church into being and who continues to call us to follow his example of loving our neighbor and working for the reconciliation of the world. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Cynthia Bolbach
Moderator, 219th General Assembly (2010)
Linda Valentine
Executive Director, General Assembly Mission Council
Landon Whitsitt
Vice Moderator, 219th General Assembly (2010)

http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/5/10/presbyterian-church-us-approves-change-ordination/

Years ago when I was serving at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas my high school choir sang a wonderful song – “Take Time For Love” – composed by Linda Spevacek. I still have wonderful feelings about this song and the memories created by that high school choir.

Today – I simply offer the text with great gratitude to Linda Spevacek and the inclusive nature of the language of love:

One day when I was dreaming, searching for my own happiness,
I heard a voice cry out, “You’re such a fool, you need to take time, take time for love.”

Take time for understanding, take time for tender caring, take time to share your feelings,
you need to take time, take time for love.

© 2003 LINDA SPEVACEK
All Rights Reserved.

Grace and peace – and – love!!

The time has come to begin to discuss what seems to me to be the most discussed and least resolved matter facing the church in recent years and continuing today – human sexuality. I am sad to report that I have been part of a number of discussions on this matter where the inclusive language of love has quickly been replaced by the exclusive language of who is right and who is wrong. Many of the divisions in our denomination – Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – have been very well documnted during recent years – and – it does not make me feel any better to report that we Presbyterians are certainly not the only people struggling with these issues.

Today – in a manner of introduction – I want to turn to a book that has become a very good friend and near-constant companion during these times. The book is Faithful Disagreement: Wrestling with Scripture in the Midst of Church Conflict* by Frances Taylor Gench, Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Gench is an ordained Presbyterian minister and served on the denomination’s Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. Following is some background information written by Dr. Gench about the work of that task force which I hope will open the door for us to begin to have an inclusive conversation about the issues that have confronted the church in the past, presently confront the church, and which will likely continue to confront the church for years to come.

“In 2001 the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) decided that our deeply conflicted denomination needed a theological task force to wrestle with the issues uniting and dividing us as Presbyterians, praying that with the help of the Holy Spirit we might lead the church in discernment of our Christian identity and of ways that our church might move forward, furthering its peace, unity, and purity. Three of its moderators – Jack Rogers (2001), Syngman Rhee (2000), and Freda Gardner (1999) – were directed to appoint members. So in their infinite wisdom, these three former moderators collared twenty Presbyterians as different from one another as they could possibly be – twenty Presbyterians who under ordinary circumstances never would have dreamed of hanging out together! So much of the diversity within the PC(USA) was reflected on our task force that when he first met with us, Stated Clerk Cliff Kirkpatrick told us that his office had received no complaints about the makeup of the task force, but had been asked repeatedly, ‘How will they ever get along?’ Most of us were wondering the same thing when we first got together. I for one was not at all sure that I wanted to be drafted. But friends and comrades in the pitched battles in which we found ourselves engaged exhorted me to take it on, to get in there and ‘speak the truth.’ So I put on the whole armor of God and flew to Dallas ready to knock heads and ‘speak the truth.’ This was going to be my opportunity to set some very misguided Presbyterians straight.

Over the course of our five years together, we task force members received a great deal of mail, representing the entire spectrum of opinion in our church – much of it exhorting us to ‘speak the truth’ – a lot of that exhortation accompanied by biblical quotation and commentary and threats of hell and eternal damnation. Indeed, one of the most important things I learned from the whole experience was that we have all been so busy ‘speaking the truth’ to each other that nobody has been listening! We aren’t actually having a conversation! We’ve all got truth by the short hairs, everyone else is in denial, and we have to set them straight. I came to recognize an important form that denial often takes in my own life, perhaps in yours as well; the denial that people I disagree with have anything to teach me.

It was a hard lesson to learn, but one for which I am grateful and for which I have twenty diverse Presbyterians, to whom this book is dedicated, to thank – people with whom, as it turned out, I had more in common than I had imagined. Every one of us entered our journey together with trepidation, not at all sure it would be a joyful part of our service to the church. But it turned out to be the most powerful experience of the Holy Spirit I had ever had, as a genuine sense of community formed among this very diverse group. An important part of our work was learning how to lower the decibel level – to speak our truths with love and respect, but also to listen to each other, to engage in genuine conversation, to really try to hear and understand another point of view.

The Bible had much to teach us about that and was indispensable to our engagement. Indeed, daily Bible study together whenever we met played no small role in the genuine sense of community that emerged among us and in our recognition of each other as fellow disciples of Jesus Christ. It was also an essential resource for our discernment on matters uniting and dividing our denomination. Every one of us experienced anew its power to shape and transform us as a community of faith.” (x-xii)

It was my distinct privilege and honor to lead a summer study group through the Introduction and seven chapters of this book a couple of summers ago. Like the denomination’s task force, we also were able to again discover that the language of love is always inclusive – even when we agreed to disagree.

More – much more – to follow. Please join in our community conversation.

* – Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.

The caption with this picture was, “If you will teach me to swim, I will teach you to climb a tree.”

A very brief post today – just a single picture . . . but a point made . . . love always includes!

Today – with deep gratitude – I post these words written by my friend and colleague at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church – The Reverend Ilene Dunn – utilized in our worship services this morning:

There’s a sacred space, calm and quiet, where you can be yourself fully and freely, where you don’t have to measure up, to be deemed smart enough or good enough or faithful enough or enough of something else, because it is enough simply to be who you are . . . There’s a sacred space, full of compassion and care, where you don’t have to wear a mask or play a societal game or pretend to be somebody you’re not, where you don’t have to hide your wounds and your pain behind a pasted on “I’m-doing-just-fine” smile, where neither do you have to hide your faults and failures and mistakes, not even the wrongs you’ve done, because the you that you are is always, always accepted and always, always cherished . . . There’s a sacred space, filled with kindness and gentleness, where no one will label your dreams childish or foolish, where no one will label your fears cowardly or silly, where no one will label your questions stupid or bad, where no one will frown because your dreams and fears and questions are different from those of others, because the uniqueness of who you are is treasured . . . There’s a sacred space, full of tending and feeding, where you can go when the deepest part of your soul hungers and thirsts, where you can go even when you’re not at all sure what you really need, where there’s bread, a cup, a table set, a place at the table prepared especially for you, because you are wanted and celebrated and so very much loved.

Come no into sacred space . . . to breathe in Love’s unconditional welcome . . . to be centered in Love’s wondrous light.

Love ALWAYS includes!!

Several years ago a congregation that was not too far from the congregation I was serving at the time built a new facility. I was not surprised to learn that the new facility was going to be large and state-of-the-art – but – I was curious about one thing. The plans for the new facility included a family life center – complete with bowling alley, restaurant, and a number of other incredible amenities – also – the members of the congregation were going to be charged a substantial annual membership fee to use the center. I inquired of a colleague – who was also a friend – what the thinking was that led to the inclusion of this portion of the building plan. My friend responded, “The desire was to build something that would keep the members of this congregation from needing to mix with and be with the people in the outside world.” I remember thinking at the time – that is in interesting response to Matthew 28:19 to go into all the world and make disciples.

In retrospect it seems to me that this and many many other examples of exclusive behavior by communities of faith is primarily based on fear – fear that the promises of the Gospel are actually not really true – fear that it is difficult to actually believe what we say – and declare – that we believe.

It seems to me – sadly – that much of the recent and current stress and divisions in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are based on the same fear. There is a fear that God actually is calling us to live in communion with people with whom we disagree – people who are not the same as us – or – people we find disagreeable. I have found from talking with people that much of that fear seems to be based on the idea that God is calling us beyond our own comfort zone – calling us to act in a way that means that we are no longer in charge – calling us to be open to God’s new creation – calling us to actually believe what we declare with our words that we have believed for years and years – even prior to the time of our birth.

As I have read and studied I have never found any portion in the biblical witness that would assure me of God only expecting to leave me in a comfortable living situation. I have learned that we are assured that we are never alone but never that we will have the pleasure of life as we would choose to determine it if we were in charge of all that is and will be.

Once again, I am reminded of Robert Shaw’s comment that we declare that we believe in an all powerful and all knowing God – but – that we live in a manner that demands that that same God has had nothing to do since day six.

Again I say – love always includes and actions and words that exclude are not done or offered in love but in fear.

Sometimes I think that I have just about heard it all – and then – something like this comes around. The only response that comes to mind is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

This makes me so sad and also so embarrassed for the state of Texas. Normally I would choose to not pass along something like this – but – this time our “governor” has outdone even his own ridiculousness! I wish that I were able to say – “unbelievable” – but sadly it is believable!!

May 8, 2013 article by Judy Molland (http://www.care2.com/causes/rick-perry-says-gay-is-the-flavor-of-the-month.html)

Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas known for his extreme right-wing views, suggested last Sunday that the Boy Scouts have to get rid of gay people just like America got rid of slavery.

And if we change and become more like pop culture, young men will be not as well served. America will not be as well served, and Boy Scouts will start on a decline that I don’t think will serve this country well as we go into the future.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/rick-perry-says-gay-is-the-flavor-of-the-month.html#ixzz2SpgI0X00

Holy God, save us from words and actions that exclude!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post – I have become more and more convinced of the necessity for fully inclusive language – including the use of non-feudal language – as I have matured. Some phrases and terms that I used for years and years now make me shudder – and very sorry that I did not know any better in earlier years.

Today I want to highlight two brief sections from the Inclusive Language statement from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church here in Austin, Texas. Just a reminder – this statement is available on St. Andrew’s website – http://www.staopen.org – follow the tab on the right hand side of the homepage labeled “About Us” which provides a drop-down menu – then click on “Philosphy and Mission” – the link to the statement is on that page.

The first section I would like to highlight today reads: “we must not minister to one group by using language that excludes another group.”

Our calling is to care for all of God’s creation – not even just the human createds – but – all of God’s creation. It seems to me that our unintentional exclusions are probably more abundant that our intentional exclusions – but – they are still very much exclusions just the same. As I have said and quoted very often from the hymn text of Fred Kaan – “Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some, to love them as we find them or as they may become” – or – as Jesus taught – “love your neighbor as yourself” – including your enemies. It is very important for us to remember that love does not exclude – love always includes!

The second section reads as follows”

“In theology we are not really describing God, because God is beyond human words and comprehension. In theology, we are building a bridge to the sacred through our human images. In theology we are envisioning an ideal world where God’s will for each of us is fulfilled, so it is important not to limit God to a gender. In theology we are putting a face on the sacred. It is important not to say that some faces look more like God than others. Inclusive language for God and people is an important and tangible way to make us all aware of our sacredness.”

A question for prayerful consideration: How do our human images of God impede the building of a bridge to the sacred for ourselves and for others? Do our human images of God contribute to love or stand in the way of love?

Our journey continues – I hope that more of you will join our community conversation!!

Yesterday – my copy of the Spring 2013 edition of Windows – a publication of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary – arrived in my mailbox. As usual I took a few minutes to flip through this current issue looking for a word that I need at this particular time and place – and – I found it.

A brief article by Theodore J. Wardlaw, President of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, titled “The Church: Communal, Diverse, and Hopeful.”

Following is an excerpt from this article which offers a very good word for us as we continue in our consideration of an inclusive language of arts for and in the church:

Many understand Christianity in fundamentally individualistic terms – as a matter between self and God. By contrast, the Reformed traditions insists, distinctively Christian spirituality is irreducibly corporate and communal – in short, ecclesial spirituality.

Meanwhile, we practice the faith together in community; we become – again, in community – a “telling presence” out in the larger world, both in terms of our words and our deeds; and we nurture, as a community, a confident hope that even the future belongs to God! (9)

With thanksgiving and gratitude!