Church

The Church as an institution has been the most significant influence in my life, outside of my family. I was born into the Church. My extended family for several generations were very much involved, even as leaders, in the Church. All of my education after high school, except for a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, has been in the Church’s educational schools. Even in my grade, junior and high school experience, many of my teachers attended the same Church as my family. I have been on Church staff several times and have been a Pastor for 3 years while in college and, later, 21 years in Lexington, Ky. I love the Church. However, I am now wondering if we are seeing some kind of a significant transition in the way we are and do Church. This COVID pandemic has motivated Churches to make use of the internet, ex., Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, etc. Even the two Seminaries where I have taught now meet with their classes on-line. You can attend their classes from any place in the world. There are no geographical limitations. I have not been inside our Church’s sanctuary for a worship service since March (7 months). I have, however, “attended” most Sundays during this time. I have also “attended” several other Churches during this same period; often two or more services on the same Sunday. I have been able to “attend” Churches in several other States. I have also “attended” Churches not of my denominational background. I miss the personal contact that was available when I worshipped in person. Nevertheless, I confess that I have enjoyed and spiritually profited by the ability to “attend” various Churches during this period. I plan to continue to “attend” various Church via the internet. A friend tells me that she, her daughter, and their families are now able to “attend” their home Church. She lives in Kentucky, the daughter in New Jersey and their home church is in Massachusetts. Another friend, who is a Children’s Minster on a Church staff, says that her present task is to provide families the materials/resources, ideas, and help they need to provide spiritual formation for their children. Parents with responsibility to do spiritual formation with their children--that sounds Biblical. A serious question seems to be: Is Church primarily about personal contact or spiritual worship and formation? If the Church’s primary purpose is worship and spiritual formation as I believe, I wonder if we will continue to need all of the Church buildings. Those buildings consume much of a church’s budget. Perhaps, without large buildings the Church would be able to assist those with significant needs in some material ways that the Church’s present budget does not permit (see Matthew 25). Could it be that God is making the Churches simplify and downsize and this internet is more than an interim way to be and do Church? Perhaps we are not going back to former ways. If any of this is true, future Church leaders will be those with new visions and a great sense of creativity. There will be many who deny or avoid this new prospect and seek to return to the former “normal.” There will also be those who are so anxious that they will seek to sabotage any new paradigms. I hope there will not be red ball caps that say, “Make the Church great again.”

You can’t pour from an empty cup

You can’t pour from an empty cup. I like this phrase and it is a good explanation for my continual reading. I graduated Seminary in 1968 and, again in 1977. Much of what I learned in Seminary is now out-of-date. So, it is crucial that I keep up in my fields of psychology and spirituality if I am going to continue working as a therapist and spiritual director. So, I read, especially in my two primary fields. I read journals as well as books. My issue is that it is time in my life to begin to downsize and my largest issue are all of my books. Several years ago, I was given a Kindle. It is great. I can continue to give away some of my books and still purchase books on my Kindle. Kindle books don’t require shelf space and I can continue to fill my cup of information and knowledge.

Morning Quiet Time

For a long time, I have tried to keep a morning quiet time. For me this involves reading some scripture which always includes a Gospel reading. I read the scripture expecting they will speak to some issue which is on my mind. I also read the “Word of the Day” from Gratefulness.org; Richard Rohr’s ‘daily devotional’ and, also, listen to “Pray-as-you-go.org.” I also keep a journal. My prayers are quick thoughts about those whom I know are ill, facing decisions, traveling, etc. I ask God whom we need to pray for this morning and then I listen to my thoughts believing God’s Spirit is guiding my prayers. I try not to tell God what I think He needs to do about these situations as I hope He already knows what is needed. I also try to sit quietly without giving attention to my thoughts that flow through my mind, i.e., mental silence. All of this takes me twenty, maybe thirty or forty minutes each morning. I do not always have a morning quiet time. Sometimes, I sleep too long and other times I just do not want to—so I do not. I hope God does not mind my skipping at times. Surely God does not want me to become obsessive and compulsive about it.

I've Been Thinking About The Protests

I’ve been thinking about the protests. My thinking is prejudiced by my personal observations of protests about Open Housing in Louisville in the 1960s. Judy and I were in Louisville at Southern Seminary from 1964 – 1968. I was in Dr. Henlee Barnette's Social Ethics class and we were looking at protests as a social/moral ethic. The class went downtown one afternoon to observe and/or participate in a protest around the Court House for legislation favoring open housing. Open Housing was that anyone, especially someone of color, could legally purchase a house anywhere in Louisville. The protestors sat on the steps, prayed and sang hymns. When the Police arrived, the protestors went willingly to the police vans. The protestors were not loud, shoving, disorderly, etc. In fact they would often ask the name of the policeman so they could pray for them, which they did on-the-spot. I wasn’t on the steps of the building so I was not going to be arrested. Those 1960s protests were about moral or ethical persuasion. Before we went downtown, we were reminded of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi’s peaceful protests. We prayed before we drove downtown. We pledged to each other a peaceful protest and cooperation with the authorities. Today’s protests seem different than those of the 1960s. Today’s protests bother me. I’m not so certain their methods are seeking moral persuasion. They ask for justice, which is an appropriate request and one I support; that’s the legal ground of he protests. There is, also, a moral ground for protests. That moral ground is asking that we treat all people as you want to be treated because all of us are one family, created in God’s image.