This morning I'm on campus early. We had an 8:30 rehearsal for commencement, and in an hour or so I'll be giving the invocation for the graduation of Kenyon's class of 2012.
In the down time, I came across a good article about how the church can learn from the ways Apple Stores work. The article is by David Lose, one of the regular contributors to Sermon Brainwave which I use most weeks in my sermon preparation. David translates well from Apple's business model into church work. The one addition I have is to #8. Apple uses an acrostic of APPLE to remind their workers how to serve well. I'd suggest that we use an acrostic of C-H-U-R-C-H in our work:
Come to church every week.
Have a relationship with God outside of Sunday morning.
Use the gifts God has given you to improve the world.
Recognize God in the other.
Create your own way to invite others to church or into an experience of God.
Help the leaders of your church: pray for them, support them, and take your part in the ministry of the church.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Utilizing "Transforming Christian Theology"
This term I have five books assigned as pre-reading for my Doctoral course coming up in June. One book in particular, Transforming Christian Theology: for church and society, has really inspired me about ways it could be used in this ministry. Philip Clayton's premise is that we have done a disservice to all Christians by making "theology" something that only professionals do. He argues that every Christian (every person of any faith) has a theology and they're quite diverse. It will make stronger Christians if each of us examines our own theology and learns how to articulate it. Two ways I can imagine these ideas used in my ministry is with the BSRL and Youth Ministry.
Kenyon's Board of Spiritual and Religious Life
I am beginning a 2-year term as chair of Kenyon's BSRL. This group began about 15 years ago and now includes a variety of Christian leaders as well as leaders in the Jewish, Buddhists and Islamic faiths. When it began, there were parallel groups, one for students and one for professionals. We merged the groups seven years ago and it's been a great benefit to meet as a single, large group.
Some years we have spent a few minutes each meeting learning about a particular belief system, engaging in a prayer or practice, or reflecting on articles about spirituality. Next year, I wonder if we might use some of these questions as introduction questions at each BSRL meeting, and/or use them to create a larger college-wide forum "Thinking of Faith". Some questions I developed while reading this book are, "When you think about your personal/individual faith..."
-Is there a book or set of books that guides your faith?
-How do you understand that book and its contents?
-What is the central point of the book that guides your faith?
-What are the other sources for your belief?
-Is there a central person to your faith?
-What was most important about this person?
-What is one way your faith has changed?
-What is one way your practice has changed?
-How do you practice your faith?
Youth Ministry
Harcourt Parish has had a difficult time sustaining a youth group because of the small number of teens we have. Seven years ago we had a handful of teens and had a weekly youth group that worked. I'm hopeful we've reached critical mass again and can start a youth group in the fall. One of the exciting things about now is that these new youth have known my husband (a seminary trained youth minister) and I most of their lives--we have a level of familiarity and trust that doesn't exist in all youth groups.
Reflecting on this book, I realized that teens are at the perfect point in their lives to examine and articulate their theology. I wonder about the possibility of using Luther's Small Catechism as a base text--not to teach the youth what they should believe, but rather as a guide post, "This is what one church leader believed. What parts make sense to you? Where do you see things differently?" Other questions that would be interesting to grapple with in Youth Group include:
-What do you most believe about God?
-How is your life and action based on your understanding of God or the Bible?
-What are the central Bible verses and ideas that matter to you?
One way to organize a year or tow of the youth group would be to examine each of the Seven Core Christian Questions:
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is humanity? What does it mean to be human?
What is the problem of sin, and what does salvation mean?
What is the nature and function of the church?
What is the future in which we hope and for which we long?
And for each question, make a four-quadrant answer space that includes: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. Youth could brainstorm and research these for areas for each question. I think this could create a deep, rich youth group experience.
Kenyon's Board of Spiritual and Religious Life
I am beginning a 2-year term as chair of Kenyon's BSRL. This group began about 15 years ago and now includes a variety of Christian leaders as well as leaders in the Jewish, Buddhists and Islamic faiths. When it began, there were parallel groups, one for students and one for professionals. We merged the groups seven years ago and it's been a great benefit to meet as a single, large group.
Some years we have spent a few minutes each meeting learning about a particular belief system, engaging in a prayer or practice, or reflecting on articles about spirituality. Next year, I wonder if we might use some of these questions as introduction questions at each BSRL meeting, and/or use them to create a larger college-wide forum "Thinking of Faith". Some questions I developed while reading this book are, "When you think about your personal/individual faith..."
-Is there a book or set of books that guides your faith?
-How do you understand that book and its contents?
-What is the central point of the book that guides your faith?
-What are the other sources for your belief?
-Is there a central person to your faith?
-What was most important about this person?
-What is one way your faith has changed?
-What is one way your practice has changed?
-How do you practice your faith?
Youth Ministry
Harcourt Parish has had a difficult time sustaining a youth group because of the small number of teens we have. Seven years ago we had a handful of teens and had a weekly youth group that worked. I'm hopeful we've reached critical mass again and can start a youth group in the fall. One of the exciting things about now is that these new youth have known my husband (a seminary trained youth minister) and I most of their lives--we have a level of familiarity and trust that doesn't exist in all youth groups.
Reflecting on this book, I realized that teens are at the perfect point in their lives to examine and articulate their theology. I wonder about the possibility of using Luther's Small Catechism as a base text--not to teach the youth what they should believe, but rather as a guide post, "This is what one church leader believed. What parts make sense to you? Where do you see things differently?" Other questions that would be interesting to grapple with in Youth Group include:
-What do you most believe about God?
-How is your life and action based on your understanding of God or the Bible?
-What are the central Bible verses and ideas that matter to you?
One way to organize a year or tow of the youth group would be to examine each of the Seven Core Christian Questions:
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is humanity? What does it mean to be human?
What is the problem of sin, and what does salvation mean?
What is the nature and function of the church?
What is the future in which we hope and for which we long?
And for each question, make a four-quadrant answer space that includes: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. Youth could brainstorm and research these for areas for each question. I think this could create a deep, rich youth group experience.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Buildings for Tomorrow Symposium
Earlier this week, our senior warden, a vestry member and I attended a symposium from the Episcopal Church Building Fund. Since the reality is we currently have more buildings than we need in the Episcopal Church, they are broadening their mission. This symposium was about creative ways to find new uses for our buildings and new income streams for our parishes. Our congregation, like many others, is currently wrestling with a budget deficit and the three of us found this symposium to be energizing and helped spark some creative ideas. Here are a few of my favorite things:
Diocese of Massachusetts
The Diocese of Massachusetts gave a wonderful talk and shared their resources about church merging and closing. They have had a number of church closings/mergings and will continue to do so for a while. Their diocese has done much work in this area and were willing to share what they have learned. You can see information they have developed about Vitality, Viability, and Mutuality here. Good stuff!
Diocese of Iowa
Last year the Diocese of Iowa was part of a coaching program with ECBF. The diocese invited congregations to take part in this "Recasting of Building Assets" program. Twenty congregations were interested, four were chosen to participate, and three have had success using the process. It was a delight to listen to the stories of these parishes transformed. One parish began selling toffee to bridge the gap in its budget. Another is working on gourmet dog treats. But more than simply hearing what they were doing, we could hear and see the life and vitality in these people. We could feel how energized they were from being a part of new life in the church.
It was also affirming to be in this workshop because the process these churches went through is very similar to what we are currently doing here at Harcourt Parish as we consider our assets, our strengths, and our calling.
You're Never Far From Home
This symposium was at the Maritime Institute in Baltimore. As we were walking to a workshop, we were surprised to notice a photo of Old Kenyon on the wall. We had to stop and take our picture by the memorial to the SS Kenyon Victory:
Diocese of Massachusetts
The Diocese of Massachusetts gave a wonderful talk and shared their resources about church merging and closing. They have had a number of church closings/mergings and will continue to do so for a while. Their diocese has done much work in this area and were willing to share what they have learned. You can see information they have developed about Vitality, Viability, and Mutuality here. Good stuff!
Diocese of Iowa
Last year the Diocese of Iowa was part of a coaching program with ECBF. The diocese invited congregations to take part in this "Recasting of Building Assets" program. Twenty congregations were interested, four were chosen to participate, and three have had success using the process. It was a delight to listen to the stories of these parishes transformed. One parish began selling toffee to bridge the gap in its budget. Another is working on gourmet dog treats. But more than simply hearing what they were doing, we could hear and see the life and vitality in these people. We could feel how energized they were from being a part of new life in the church.
It was also affirming to be in this workshop because the process these churches went through is very similar to what we are currently doing here at Harcourt Parish as we consider our assets, our strengths, and our calling.
You're Never Far From Home
This symposium was at the Maritime Institute in Baltimore. As we were walking to a workshop, we were surprised to notice a photo of Old Kenyon on the wall. We had to stop and take our picture by the memorial to the SS Kenyon Victory:
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Appendix A, FC.710 Ministry in Context
I am about to send in my final project for my first DMin course, FC.710 Ministry in Context, from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. There are a few online resources that might make this paper more interesting to read for someone who hasn't visited Gambier, so I am listing them here and putting a link in my paper.
Acclimating to Life on the Hill
Here is an interactive map of Kenyon College. Both the Church of the Holy Spirit and the Parish House are listed.
KCpedia has a wealth of interesting information about the Church of the Holy Spirit (although its information under the listing of Harcourt Parish is only somewhat accurate.)
Here is a link to the Harcourt Parish website, a link to our Homestay@Kenyon program, and a link to our Facebook page which includes photos of recent events.
I hope these links help you readers imagine life in Gambier, Ohio.
Acclimating to Life on the Hill
Here is an interactive map of Kenyon College. Both the Church of the Holy Spirit and the Parish House are listed.
KCpedia has a wealth of interesting information about the Church of the Holy Spirit (although its information under the listing of Harcourt Parish is only somewhat accurate.)
Here is a link to the Harcourt Parish website, a link to our Homestay@Kenyon program, and a link to our Facebook page which includes photos of recent events.
I hope these links help you readers imagine life in Gambier, Ohio.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Time With God
So many people have feelings of inadequacy or guilt around their own prayer lives. For a majority of these folks, the inadequacy is not from themselves but rather from the people who taught them about prayer.
If you believe that prayer is either formal words addressed to God or silence listening for God, your understanding of prayer is so small that it is difficult to keep up a full prayer life. But prayer, more fully understood, is simply time spent with God. That time might be spent gardening or running or talking with a friend or making dinner. Prayer includes inviting God into whatever is going on in your life, and noticing God in the midst of your day.
These days of early spring, God is so clearly present in the quality of light in the mornings. God is present in the buds and flowers beginning to burst forth. God is in the noises of spring--from robins to peepers to turkeys and bats. And it is my prayer, and God's joy, when I notice these things.
This morning creating was singing forth God's beauty and so I took the long way to work on my bike. I got in an hour of prayer before I even set foot in the chapel.
When we are aware, we are at prayer. Thanks be to God.
If you believe that prayer is either formal words addressed to God or silence listening for God, your understanding of prayer is so small that it is difficult to keep up a full prayer life. But prayer, more fully understood, is simply time spent with God. That time might be spent gardening or running or talking with a friend or making dinner. Prayer includes inviting God into whatever is going on in your life, and noticing God in the midst of your day.
These days of early spring, God is so clearly present in the quality of light in the mornings. God is present in the buds and flowers beginning to burst forth. God is in the noises of spring--from robins to peepers to turkeys and bats. And it is my prayer, and God's joy, when I notice these things.
This morning creating was singing forth God's beauty and so I took the long way to work on my bike. I got in an hour of prayer before I even set foot in the chapel.
When we are aware, we are at prayer. Thanks be to God.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
A Nazarene, A Baptist, A Methodist, and An Episcopalian Walk Into A Bar
OK, so we didn't walk into a bar. We actually were the panelists for a forum on alcohol usage put on by Mount Vernon Nazarene University last night. Each of the four of us church leaders were chosen to give four different points of view on alcohol usage by faithful Christians. We panelist respected and enjoyed one another, and the students seemed engaged.
It was nice to have four different panelists, but for the most part we fell into two camps. All four of us agreed that although there are many biblical injunctions against drunkenness, there really is no biblical injunction against drinking alcohol. The Nazarene and Baptist ministers went on to explain their denomination's social choice to abstain from alcohol. UMC pastor Rod Buchanan and I talked about how alcohol could be a part of a faithful Christian's life.
Going into the chapel that evening, I was nervous about being put on the spot, about being judged, or about sticking my foot in my mouth. But none of that happened. The only even slight disagreement we panelists had was at the very end of our time together. MVNU students and staff sign a policy that they will not be in the presence of alcohol. Their chaplain explained the policy by saying he hoped his sons would never be the designated driver at a kegger. I responded from my own experience of being the designated driver in high school and much of college, and how I always make sure there is a designated driver when drinking is involved. I said that for me, being a designated driver was a form of ministry and that I hope my boys will be designated drivers regularly. The Nazarene minister respected my view, and said that if a friend called his son in need of a safe ride home, he hoped his son would drive the friend. But he restated his hope that his children will not expose themselves to any situations where they would need to be designated drivers.
I think the students enjoyed hearing a diversity of views from faithful Christians on the subject of alcohol usage. And I enjoyed being part of the panel. I would love to be part of a regular series that might include environmental concerns, premarital sex, homosexuality, and a variety of other topics on which faithful Christians differ in our understanding and belief.
I was charmed to see that one of the students tweeted a quote from me as I tried to explain what alcohol usage is like in our home, "Alcohol is just like peanut butter. We have it in the house, I try not to eat too much of it, but it is very good."
It was nice to have four different panelists, but for the most part we fell into two camps. All four of us agreed that although there are many biblical injunctions against drunkenness, there really is no biblical injunction against drinking alcohol. The Nazarene and Baptist ministers went on to explain their denomination's social choice to abstain from alcohol. UMC pastor Rod Buchanan and I talked about how alcohol could be a part of a faithful Christian's life.
Going into the chapel that evening, I was nervous about being put on the spot, about being judged, or about sticking my foot in my mouth. But none of that happened. The only even slight disagreement we panelists had was at the very end of our time together. MVNU students and staff sign a policy that they will not be in the presence of alcohol. Their chaplain explained the policy by saying he hoped his sons would never be the designated driver at a kegger. I responded from my own experience of being the designated driver in high school and much of college, and how I always make sure there is a designated driver when drinking is involved. I said that for me, being a designated driver was a form of ministry and that I hope my boys will be designated drivers regularly. The Nazarene minister respected my view, and said that if a friend called his son in need of a safe ride home, he hoped his son would drive the friend. But he restated his hope that his children will not expose themselves to any situations where they would need to be designated drivers.
I think the students enjoyed hearing a diversity of views from faithful Christians on the subject of alcohol usage. And I enjoyed being part of the panel. I would love to be part of a regular series that might include environmental concerns, premarital sex, homosexuality, and a variety of other topics on which faithful Christians differ in our understanding and belief.
I was charmed to see that one of the students tweeted a quote from me as I tried to explain what alcohol usage is like in our home, "Alcohol is just like peanut butter. We have it in the house, I try not to eat too much of it, but it is very good."
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Liturgical Evangelism: Ashes to Go
This year Harcourt Parish decided to engage in some "Liturgical Evangelism" on Ash Wednesday. I (in my chasuble) and 2-3 lay folks opened the church doors and stood out on Kenyon's Middle Path in between classes around 10, 11, 12, 2, and 3 today. My hope was that we would talk to or give ashes to 20 people. The reality was much better! About 50 people came and asked for ashes and we spoke to about 50 other people. That's 100 people we had contact with on Middle Path today!
I thought Ashes to Go might impact the attendance at our services at 12:10, 5pm and 5:30. It did--but in a surprising way. Our noon service grew by 50% from last year, and our evening services held steady.
I believe Liturgical Evangelism is the way to go for the Episcopal church. Liturgy is something we do really well. It's something that most Episcopalians are comfortable with.
Ashes to Go was a great success. I'd love to come up with some other easy Liturgical Evangelism to do throughout the year.
Lenten Blessings!
I thought Ashes to Go might impact the attendance at our services at 12:10, 5pm and 5:30. It did--but in a surprising way. Our noon service grew by 50% from last year, and our evening services held steady.
I believe Liturgical Evangelism is the way to go for the Episcopal church. Liturgy is something we do really well. It's something that most Episcopalians are comfortable with.
Ashes to Go was a great success. I'd love to come up with some other easy Liturgical Evangelism to do throughout the year.
Lenten Blessings!
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