We HAVE to add this song to our Church Repertoire

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

I got an unsolicited advance review copy of Donald Miller’s new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Apparently I’m supposed to blog about it. Of course, I will. The title intrigues me. Look for a review in the next couple of weeks.

But I’ll be upfront. I didn’t like his first book Blue Like Jazz. I know it’s almost heretical to admit that, and I have to turn in my po-mo, hipster credentials, but the book bored me into a coma.

He didn’t say anything new. For Miller, drinking beer and dropping the occasional f-bomb was evidence of a rebellious Christianity. It felt like he was trying WAY too hard to put his conservative past behind him, without really knowing what to put in front of him.

People compared Miller’s writing to Anne Lamott’s. He could only hope. Lamott has been to alcoholic hell and back. Miller simply grew up in a rigidly conservative church. Lamott is a poet, creating worlds filled with pain and grace, often in the same moment. Miller writes well, has a good turn of phrase here and there, but is still tethered to the world he came from. Lamott made a clean break. Miller has trouble cutting the cord.

But I have hope for this new book. It’s not that I think he’s a bad writer. He’s not. Just a touch over-hyped. That’s all.

What I REALLY wanted from Blue Like Jazz, was more righteous anger, more spitting bile, more fury at authoritarian Christianity. And growing from that anger, a broader vision of what his faith meant for his life.

I guess I’m reacting to my own frustrations with Christianity, specifically the church. And projecting them on to Miller. For me, my faith life often lacks passion, joy, life. Church becomes a matter of running an organization well. And faith becomes either a set of dry doctrines, or a system of behaviour, rather than a fiery encounter with Jesus and the kingdom he proclaimed.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Miller comes up with.

July Pastoral Letter

Dear Good Shepherd Family,

After Vacation Bible School is over, we’re going to try something different with our sanctuary. We’re going to try facing the west wall as we worship, simply as an experiment. This will NOT be a permanent change, but a trial to see how we can more effectively use our worship space.

Right now, in our shoe-box formation, people sitting at the back of the church have complained that they can’t see what’s happening at the front. It feels a 1000 miles away.

Also, as we integrate more technology into our worship services, the space needs to be re-configured to meet these emerging needs.

I and your church council would like to hear from you about how it is working. But perhaps save your comments until AFTER we’ve experienced the new arrangement. At first you may not like it. But after a few weeks, after the shock of the change has worn off, you might find yourself settling in, and entering into worship in a whole new way.

In Jesus’ Name,


Kevin

Convention - Final Thoughts

Final item of business was worship. The convention gathered in a wide circle as we prayed and sang together. I particularly appreciated Bp. Mike Pryse’s challenging and hopeful sermon, calling us to follow the undomesticated Jesus of the bible.

Then Bp. Susan led us as we shared holy communion together as a family. One thing about these gatherings is that we get to have the sacrament everyday. A National Church gathered in fellowship and sharing the meal Jesus gave us.

But now people are slowly making their separate ways home, trying to figure out what this convention means for our congregations. Not an easy task. We often ask out loud what the role the National Church office plays in our lives. At least I ask that question.

I often think that the programs of the National Church are irrelevant to my life as a parish pastor. I prefer that the local communities chart their own courses. My congregation has a better sense of our mission than someone three provinces away. And often national programs seem to fit another agenda, separate from what we feel our call is locally.

But I think the point of these conventions is to simply be together as a church family. National Church council can take care of the administration and housekeeping. Our job, as rank-and-file Lutherans in the ELCIC is to pray with and for each other, to share the sacraments, and listen to each other in love.

Then head out in mission for others, for the life of the world.

Convention Rant

“Why is it that when someone goes to the microphone to gripe about something, they’re usually from Alberta?”

Good question. It was asked last night. And as an Albertan I find that troubling because I see the truth of it. It’s not as if people shouldn’t say what they need to say. But I don’t understand the confrontational posture.

Session went late last night. Lots of discussion on the resolution regarding Palestine and Holy Land. Not to mention a few motions made by some congregations that had the same tone: that the National Church is the enemy; self-seeking and hostile to divergent opinions.

While I have my qualms about how National Church functions, its priorities, and were we’re going, I know that it is not the enemy, because National Church is US. WE set the agenda and steer the ship together.

Another way of saying it is that we’re a family. We’re stuck with each other. Now comes the challenge of actually getting along - or at least trying to.

Luther’s explanation of the eighth commandment says,

“We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.”

We might want to revisit this part of our tradition before anyone goes to the microphone.

New ELCIC Vice-President

Sheila Hamilton has been elected as VP. I have no idea who she is (I didn't vote her since I couldn't pick her out of a line-up). But I guess other people can since she received 45 votes on the first ballot.

After chatting with folks from the east about who she is and what she's like, it looks as if she'll do an excellent job. Whew!

Here's a bio of her's I found.

Bible Study No. 2: Munib A. Younan

I rarely weep during bible studies. But I came pretty close this morning

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Munib A. Younan, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land gave an impassioned bible study on being a religious minority in a politically volatile land. He says that Canadian Lutherans are also a religious minority, which means we can learn from each other. I think he’s right. But I think we can learn more than we can teach.

He was talking about “Signs of Hope” (the convention theme) where he’s serving. He shared about reaching out to his Jewish and Muslim neighbours, building bridges between the faiths, for the sake of the world. He calls it a “miracle” that they were able to achieve such positive, life-giving relationships between the faith groups.

The significance of Jerusalem: religion should be the driving force for justice. The path of forgiveness is the path to peace [in the middle east].” He said a journalist asked him if he was “optimistic or pessimistic” about peace in the middle east. He said he was neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but because of the risen Christ, he has hope.

Fred Hiltz Speaks

Last night Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz led a bible study for the convention on Luke 4: 16-21. He broke it down into 3 parts: Continuity, Hope, and Partnership. Then he asked that we reflect on these questions:

“Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4:21) Discuss some signs of hope whereby you see this scripture fulfilled in your local context:
- your parish
- your synod

From the perspective of our Full Communion relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada, discuss some hopes you have for ways by which our churches could work together in the spirit of this scripture.

What bold steps would you like to see our churches take in the spirit of this scripture?

I’ve said this before, but I think our relationships with other Christians happen, not because we’ve signed a special document, but because our people drink coffee with the folks from the church down the street. Whatever “bold steps” need to be taken have to happen at the local level. Otherwise this relationship doesn’t go beyond the hierarchy, and is therefore, somewhat meaningless.

The relationship with the Anglicans have brought about some (in my view) unwelcome changes to our ELCIC practice. Most specifically, the decision to stop licensing laypeople for sacramental ministry - even in areas where having a pastor is unworkable. So, these folks are denied the sacraments because of the influence of the Anglicans. In a time of the decline of clergy numbers, do we really want to go down this road?

On the Anglican side, I know that some clergy struggle with the Lutheran insistence on justification by faith ALONE. Many see us (and, at times, quite rightly) as theological pitbulls.

Full Communion is not all sweetness and joy. It’s becoming about how to live with tensions between two similar, but different church families. But that’s the challenge of Christian unity.

Friday Morning Eucharist

Morning Eucharist was good. Bp. Elaine Sauer from Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario preached a fine sermon with a wonderful story about a small, 12 person, church doing effective ministry - without a pastor. Who would’ve thunk it?

The music was great. Especially the choral backgrounds. VERY well written. Actually, ALL the convention music has been fantastic. Refreshing change.

Right now the stewards are handing out the ballots for National Church Council. This could be interesting as one interest group nominated a whole whack of people from the floor. But hey, that’s the way the game is played.

UPDATE: It was just noted that the ballot for NCC wasn't on the agenda, so Bp. Susan asked (ruled?) that we put the ballots away until this afternoon.

Convention Webcast

For these interested, here's the convention webcast (and who WOULDN'T be interested?). Now you can keep an eye on me.

Bp. Susan's Report

After Bishop Susan’s report I think I have a better sense of where she’s taking our church. She outlined the five pillars of National Church Council’s strategic plan:

Effective Partnerships
Focused Framework
Compassionate Justice
Diverse Faces
Spirited Discipleship.

While this looks good, and it sets a clear direction for our church, I wonder how this will filter “down” to the congregation. At LCGS, we’re busy coming up with our own strategic plan that looks somewhat different to this. And that’s okay.

However, one thing I worry about is that all these things are happening at the national and international levels, but the only way the grassroots seems to participate is by funding the programs and listening to the stories.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m delighted that Bp. Susan is so active as she is. This is no surprise. I’ve always known her as passionate advocate for ecumenical expressions of the gospel. She’s doing great work.

But I don’t know what this means for me and my congregation. And maybe it doesn’t need to touch my or Good Shepherd’s life. Maybe it’s enough to know that she’s doing all this on our behalf. And in doing so, opens all our eyes to God’s work in the wider realm.

Neda

I had written a post on this, but this sums up what's happening in Iran better than I ever could:

It seems to me that these brave young men and women have picked up their hand-held cameras to shoot those shaky shots, looking in their streets and alleys for their Martin Luther King. They are well aware of Mir Hossein Moussavi’s flaws, past and present. But like the color of green, the very figure of Moussavi has become, it seems to me, a collective construction of their desires for a peaceful, nonviolent attainment of civil and women’s rights. They are facing an army of firearms and fanaticism with chanting poetry and waving their green bandannas. I thought my generation had courage to take up arms against tyranny. Now I tremble with shame in the face of their bravery.

- Hamid Dabashi, Kevorkian professor of Iranian studies and comparative literature at Columbia University

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