Post-Pilgrimage?

Communion at the Sea of Galilee

I’m not sure one can ever be “post pilgrimage” which is the beauty of this experience, I suppose.  I find myself answering the inevitable question, “how was your trip?,” with three words that cannot even begin to capture my two weeks:  it was amazing. 

I began this journey with the words of Herman Haggedorn – keep open, oh keep open, my eyes, my mind, my heart but what became so formative for me throughout the journey in Galilee were the words from the song we sang as we “cruised” the Sea of Galilee – Jesus draw me close, closer Lord to you.  Let the world around me fade away…  Wow, did it ever.  I had identified what I needed from this journey without even realizing it in my application: 

There will always be more that can be done:  people to visit, letters to write, staffing situations to resolve, sermons and bulletins to prepare but what must happen first is the nurturing of my own relationship with the God who has called me to this place.

I was given the gift of making that connection anew.  On our first full-day in the Galilee, Deb (a Lutheran pastor from the Atlanta area) begain reading from Matthew 14:13 now when Jesus heard this…  The tears welled up as I realized that I was here… my feet were on the land, I was breathing the air and I there was nothing I HAD to do other than be. 

Each day was filled with new connections – with my own soul, with the biblical text as it literally came to life as we walked in Holy places (more the land than the churches that have been built to mark them), with pilgrims whose paths we crossed each day (a group from Nigeria became our “choir” as they would often be singing), with the fellow pilgrims in my group (I haven’t laughed and cried that much in a long time!) – it was an experience that will live within me and shape me for years to come. 

I really don’t think the CF Foundation will ever fully understand how transformative this gift is and will be for me.

 

On the plane to Atlanta there was a quote from John Steinbeck that captured the experience:  A journey is like a marriage.  The certain way to be wrong is to think you can control it.  It was a reminder to me that I didn’t need to be in control – and I was surprised how easily I gave that up.  The synchronicity of watching this man on the plane get so worked up with one of my fellow pilgrims as he listened to his IPOD while we were taxiing and wanting to control him was a not-so-gentle nudge that I do the same darn thing in so many ways.  And here I was on a trip where I didn’t have to control others! 

 

Nancy shared a poem with us before we left that concluded with these words:

For each of us there is a desert to travel

A star to discover

And a being within ourselves to bring to life

The gift of life – it can indeed happen without returning to the womb.    

There are more musings to bring to life, including some thoughts about the political strife that you breath and live when walking through Jerusalem.  Those are for another time.

 Oh, and the pictures will eventually be on our smugmug site.  Stay tuned!

 

Pilgrimage

On Sunday I depart for a two week pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Early in the fall an email came across my screen with an invitation to apply for this experience.  “Might as well give it a try”, I told Jeff.  Along with 19 other mid-career pastors, I will spend a week at the Sea of Galilee at the Scots Hotel and a week in Jerusalem where we will explore different sites each morning.  Each afternoon will be free for reflection, journaling, prayer, and resting.  We’ll meet with our small groups each day and with the group as a whole each evening for reflection.  I’ve done my reading, made my packing list, prayed, pondered and now it is upon me.  To be honest, I’m not sure what to expect.  A friend of mine has asked me two questions:  what am I most looking forward to and what am I most anxious about?  There is so much to both responses that I’ve yet to narrow down an answer for her. 

In the meantime, I keep thinking of this quote from Herman Hagedornn I have used when leading groups and pray that I might use it for myself during this pilgrimage:

Keep open, oh keep open, my eyes, my mind, my heart. 

 

If you are interested, here is my itinerary:

Day 1 – February 17
Depart:  Cleveland to Atlanta to Frankfurt to Israel.  I’m tired already!   

Day 2 – February 18
Arrive at Lod Airport and drive directly to the retreat location in Galilee, The Scots Hotel.. Theme: Thanksgiving and awareness through prayer, listening, seeing. Group worship. Introduction of the big question: “God, why am I here?” 

Day 3 – February 19
Walk a trail to the top of the Cliff of Arbel for a panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee. Visible in the distance are the Plain of Gennesaret, Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes and Tabgha.  Descend the trail and drive to Capernaum. Theme: “Walking” as a practice in prayer, meditation, and spiritual formation. Overview of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Scripture:  Mt. 4:18-22, Mt. 9:33-50. 

Day 4 – February 20
Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha (traditional site of the loaves and fishes), and the Chapel of the Primacy of Peter (traditional site of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples while they were fishing, “Cast your nets on the other side.”) Theme: Jesus feeds us. Scripture:  John 21:1-24, Mt. 14:13-21. 

Day 5 – February 21
Journey to Kursi on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee (traditional site where Jesus healed the demoniac and cast the demons into swine) and return across the sea by boat. Theme: Stilling the storms of life.  Scripture:  Luke 8:22-25, John 6:16-21.  (I am leading worship this day). 

Day 6 – February 22
Drive through Galilee to Nazareth and, after exploring Nazareth, return by a different route that offers a better view of Mount Tabor (traditional Mount of Transfiguration). Theme: The Pilgrim from Nazareth.  Scripture:  Luke 2:39-40 and 51-52, Mt. 13:53-58. 

Day 7 – February 23
Drive north to Banias (Caesarea Philippi) and the foothills of Mount Hermon. Along the way pass Tell el-Qedah, the site of ancient Hazor. Scripture:  Mark 8:27-30, Mt. 16:13-20 

Day 8 – February 24                                                                                                                 Sunday morning worship. Spend the day in Galilee.  Sabbath rest and evening communion. 

Day 9 – February 25
Transfer from Galilee to Jerusalem.  The drive is not so long, but there are three important places to visit along the way:  Megiddo (Armageddon), Mount Carmel, and Caesarea.  Theme:  “This is the day the Lord has made.”  Scripture: Psalms 120-134. 

Day 10 – February 26
Morning walk into Jerusalem: from Mount of Olives via the Garden of Gethsemane and the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  Theme: Praying in the Garden, touching the tomb.  Scripture: Mark 13:32-52, Mark 15:1-39. 

Day 11 – February 27
Jerusalem. Garden Tomb, the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu on Mount Zion, and the Western (Wailing) Wall. Theme: City of David.  Scripture: Mark 14:53-72 

Day 12 – February 28
Morning excursion to Bethlehem.  Theme: “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  Scripture: Luke 2:1-20. 

Day 13 – February 29
Full day excursion to the Dead Sea (Masada, Qumran, Jericho.) Theme: The two seas of the Jordan. Scripture: Luke 10:25-37. 

Day 14 – March 1
Free time.  Closing service/session for the experience. Theme: The Journey of Faith. Why did God want you here? What is God calling you to do? 

Day 15 – March 2                                                                                                                       Arrival in Atlanta and then home to Cleveland.  Yeah!

 

A Connectional Church

We Presbyterians are a “connectional” church.  That means lots of things from the ways we govern ourselves together (rather than independently) to our collaborative work in ministry and mission.  But there is another aspect of “connectional” at the very heart of who we are and what makes being Presbyterian something really cool…  We are connected with people and, though we’re 2.5 million people in this denomination, we find serendipitous ways that those connections happen and get nurtured over time.

Take these past 2 1/2 weeks at Montreat as an example.  We shared those weeks with more than 2000 people in our roles as keynoters.  In the midst of the crowds, we were able to make new friends and pick up old friendships right where they left off.  From sharing a meal with a youth group from Greensboro or Philadelphia or Charlotte, to crazy conversations in the make-shift “cyber cafe” on the 3rd floor of Assembly Inn (where the conference leadership and planning team stayed), there were spaces and time for friendships to be nurtured.

We hadn’t seen some friends for a few years — Bruce, Frank, Vicki & Danny, Kim, Christy, and so many others.  Working with other leaders we have known – Scott, Robin, Jeff, Bob, etc — brought us even closer.  And so many new friendships formed.  People like Lindsey, Margaret, Erin, Marybeth, Katie, Greg, and so many more who blew us away with their incredible gifts and talents, and whose friendships we now cherish.  All of these friendships strengthened because of our time together at Montreat.

And where else could our 7 year old daughter make and build friendships with kids from literally across the country?  She loved her time with Abby, Anna, Evelyn and the rest of the 3rd Floor gang, all of her friends at Clubs, and the adults in her life from around this church that are participating in her growing up.  And just think — half of her birthdays have happened at Montreat!

Montreat becomes a meeting place and a “reunion” place for so many of us.  What a gift to have time with our dear friends Nancy, John, Rachel, Mira, Mary, Brigid, and Morgan.  Where else would we run into Lynn or Michelle who are there not for the conference but for some personal get-away time?

I love being part of this church, this corner of Christ’s body.  Being Presbyterian means that these kinds of friendships happen — because we are connectional.  Thanks be to God for the Presbyterian Church!!!

 

Montreat Youth Conference 2007 Photos

 

The Gates of Montreat

Jeff and Kerri were keynote leaders for weeks 5 and 6 of the 2007 Montreat Youth Conferences.  Here are a few pics.  Thanks to Margaret and Geoff for the photos.  Many more MYC 2007 photos can be found here:

mymontreat.org 

 

Jeff & Kerri keynoting

1000 young people in Anderson Auditorium for keynote 

 The game show “Identity” with Jeff and Muffy Snortsberger

 The “strangers” in the game show “Identity”

 

Kerri during keynote

 Jeff during keynote

Another view of the auditorium

 

Jeff’s Celebrity Look-Alikes

Ok, this is WAY too funny!!! www.myheritage.com will create your own “Celebrity Look-alike” collage for you… and here’s mine!

Sean Bean and Gary Sinise — not bad company! I think it’s cool to have Michael Jordan as a look-alike, thought not sure too many people meeting us both on the street would see the resemblance. But my favorites — Kristin Cavallari and Meg Ryan! I’m flattered and I now have a crush on myself!

Thanks, Bruce, for the link to MyHeritage Celebrity Look-Alike.

 

Montreat Youth Conference 2007

We’ve finished our first week of keynoting at Montreat Youth Conference and are getting ready to begin our second week. While we’re exhausted (and have enjoyed most of a Saturday to recoup a little bit), it was an exciting and wonderful week. Nearly 1000 youth and their leaders gathered in Anderson Auditorium each morning. It was our job to help bring to life the theme (“Turning the Page”) and the daily scriptures. We did our best with video clips, skits, a daily blog (projected on the big screen), and lots of storytelling. “Proclamation of the Word” took lots of different forms. Our biggest hope is that it connected with the young people, challenged them in their faith, helped them think a new thought, and inspired them to take a new step as disciples of Christ.

We won’t post much detail about the week yet (we don’t want to give away our secrets before we’ve done the second week!), but if you’re interested you can see more about the Montreat Youth Conferences here:

Montreat Youth Conferences

And in the next day or so you can see some pictures from Week 5 (our first week as keynoters) here:

Montreat Photos

It is a humbling thing to offer the good news of the gospel in this setting. It’s overwhelming to imagine all that God has in mind for these young people. I can only hope that our ministry here these weeks will help them in their journeys…

Katie, of course, is having a ball. She has 1000 new friends each week! She’s having so much fun with the host of kids on the 3rd floor of Assembly Inn. Bruce and Robin’s kids — Evelyn, Abby, Annie — are her new best friends! She’s loving the Clubs program and is disappointed this weekend that she has to wait until Monday for it to begin again. What a treasure to have these kinds of communities and experiences for our daughter. They are irreplaceable.

Pray for us in the week to come!

 

Risk and the Gospel

  Rancho el Paraiso (mg photo)

I learned the news last night.  3 members of a mission team from the Atlanta area were killed while riding in a truck on their way to a village in rural Honduras.  I’ve been in those trucks and on those roads.  My prayers continue … the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the mission team, the staff at the Ranch and the HOI staff in Decatur, the churches involved…

As people of faith we are called to live out God’s love and justice in the world.  For me, that call is reflected when Jesus opens the scroll and reads the words from the prophet Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4)

Even though I speak of the risk involved when we head out on a trip, the reality of the news is a gut punch.  I remember a conversation Jeff and I had with a member of a congregation regarding insurance issues surrounding youth ministry.  He was requesting that we never leave the church grounds due to the liability involved.  Jeff and I listened (as best we could!).  We understood where he was coming from.  It was his job to make sure we were “covered.” It was a matter of perspective and we attempted to explain that ministry – following God’s call – was inherently risky.  Although we would do all we could to insure the safety of the young people we were working with, staying on the church grounds was really not an option. 

I continue to hear those concerns and I bet they are intensified after the news today.  “That’s why we shouldn’t be going to foreign countries to do mission work – besides, there is plenty to do in our own neighborhoods.”  Yep, that’s true – there is plenty to do in our own neighborhoods but to stay “home” because it is “safe” is denying the risk that is involved in any act of life much less faith!

But we can’t stop doing what God is calling us to do – wherever that might be.

The Church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.  (Book of Order, PCUSA, G-3.0400)

The life of Christ – is there any better example of the risks involved in being faithful?  Of course, we’ll set limits.  Some of us have higher risk thresholds than others.  Life in community demands that we listen to the concerns and desires of each member and discern God’s voice.  We will continue to hold each other accountable and live within the constructs of human organizations but we can’t turn inward because of this news. 

Measure the risks but don’t lose sight of who is calling us and what we are called to do.

 

The Life of a Pastor…In Ohio

Here is your image for the day.  We woke up to a snowy blanket and it hasn’t stopped.  As I sit at my desk, I can watch the cars arrive dropping off their kids for the afternoon session of preschool (yes, I have windows in my office here!), folks bundled up (although we’ve been told this isn’t a cold snow), and driver’s using these long brushes to clean-off their cars (hmmm, mine is in the trunk – should be interesting later today!).

There is a unique sound that goes along with the shoveling of snow, long scrapes across the icy sidewalk followed by the thump of the pile landing off to the side.  Guess who is doing the shoveling?  Yep, Jeff – no gloves, no hat – he didn’t even pull the hood up on his jacket.  There is a snow blower at the church and I’m sure Jeff will find out how to use it before long and won’t allow me to get near it - powertools, har-har-har!

 This pastor?  I’m working on my sermon before I head to preschool pageant number 4. 

What a great life!

 update

When I walked out to my car a pathway had been cleared and the snow had been scraped off my car.  Jeff told me later that you couldn’t even see my car when he left to meet the school bus.  Max Carey, one of the saints of Pioneer, cleared off my car – thanks Max.  Of course, he did tell me that he was going to find a big box and send me back to Georgia certain that we had brought this snowfall with us! 

 

Our First Sunday — a “thin place”

 

Jeff’s reflections on our first Sunday at the new church…

Yesterday was our first Sunday at Pioneer Church.  What a day!  There wasn’t energy at the end of the long day to blog, so I’ll get to it now.  Some of the highlights of the day…Morning worship blew us away.  We were ready and looking forward to our ONE worship service (that made for a much less hectic morning than we were used to at
Pleasant Hill).  While we prepared for a larger than normal crowd (we are well aware of the “freak show” intrigue of coming to see the new pastors…), we underestimated the excitement of this congregation — while worship attendance is normally around 200, we had 253 on Sunday morning!  The parking lot was filled to capacity and the deacons were frantically photocopying more bulletins as we began the service.  Talk about an energetic, enthusiastic, and responsive congregation!

Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Luke 3:1-6 led me to preach about “thin places” — those places, times, experiences, etc. where the dividing line between God’s realm and the ordinary becomes very thin and we catch glimpses of the grace of God.  Some of my own “thin places” that I shared about:

• Yosemite

• Copeland’s “Appalachian Spring”

• Accompanying Tommy P. in his dying and death

• Silent Night on Christmas Eve

• Saturday morning at Pioneer Church – men’s breakfast, a dozen volunteers decorating the church for Christmas, lots of stories about favorite decorations and Christmases past at PMPC

In the manger in Bethlehem we experience the most profound “Thin Place” of all — the mysterious divide between heaven and earth was crossed completely.  God entered our world and became one of us, demonstrating grace upon grace to all of God’s people.

Especially during this season of Advent we have the opportunity to be awake and alert to the “thin places” around us.

For me personally, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper later in the worship service was truly a “thin place.”  In our last worship service at Pleasant Hill a month ago we celebrated communion.  Kerri and I led the service and then served the broken bread to the congregation as they came forward to receive the elements by intinction.  Needless to say, it was a poignant and tearful time with the people we love so dearly.  What an amazing way to conclude our ministry there…

And so it was that we also began our ministry at Pioneer.  We presided at the table, and then served the bread to the congregation as they came forward to receive the elements (again by intinction).  It is always humbling to serve the Lord’s Supper and is often a “thin place,” but these two experiences were profound and essentially indescribable.  It was truly a sacramental moment as we realized that this is our new congregation, a group of people we are already coming to love.

Following worship there was a reception to welcome us — I think we greeted all 250+ people that were there on Sunday morning!

So we crawled home, had a quick lunch, and then on to the afternoon activities.  Kerri went to the Solon Historical Society’s open house.  The museum is housed in the “original” church building of the Pioneer Church — a beautiful “Western Reserve” style building in the center of town.  Several members of PMPC are cornerstones of the Historical Society, and they were very proud to show Kerri the facility and displays, and to introduce her to half of Solon.

While Kerri was doing the historical thing, I was working to get rid of some of the history in our new home.  The guest room was obviously a boy’s room for the previous owners.  Blue.  Dark royal blue.  With a sports-figure wallpaper border wrapped around the center of the walls.  A hockey stick was used as the curtain rod.  Cute, though somewhat “loud” if you’re not a 10-year-old boy.  Most of our guests who will sleep in the room aren’t.  So Saint Dave came over AGAIN to help me paint.  He helped me transform the master bedroom from dark mauve (can you say “cave?”) to “Abingdon Putty” (basically the color of half my closet — khaki).  That took two days.  Now he’s back.  And he’s doing all of the “cutting-in” with primer.  I think it’s going to take 18 coats of primer to hide the blue.  It’s REALLY blue.  But Dave and I prepped the walls and painted our hearts out.

The day wasn’t over yet, though…  Dave and his wife, Lauren (who was on the Pastor Nominating Committee), had us over to their place for dinner.  Kim and her son Kyle also joined us.  Kyle is one of Katie’s new boyfriends — he’s a junior in high school and clearly “her type” — he’s a boy!  Lauren made this great dinner and we were having a ton of fun together.

And now check this out…  Remember that Dave had spent the afternoon with me painting.  He left our place 1.5 hours before the dinner party.  As we sat down to dinner, I hear this familiar music playing.  “Appalachian Spring.”  Aaron Copeland.  Remember the “thin place” I had described in my sermon earlier that day?  Dave heard that, remembered it, and actually went to the local library after her left our place to find a CD recording.  He found it — and played it for us as we ate dinner.  Blown away.  I can’t describe how amazing it felt to know that he and Lauren were tapping into this “thin place” and extending such friendship.  And to top it all off, in addition to the trip to the library, Dave drove to Stow (a town about 45 minutes away) to get a couple of quarts of their favorite ice cream to send home with us.  They had listened to our “favorite ice cream flavors” and found them at Handel’s.  But the local Handel’s is closed for the winter, so he drove to Stow.  For us.  I am humbled by their amazing generosity and care.

Oh, and there’s more!  Kim brought us one of her infamous apple pies!!!

Needless to say, we had an amazing day.  Looking back on it, the whole day seemed to be a “thin place.”  Glimpses of God’s grace in the celebrations, generosity, and new friendships…  It was an amazing day.

 

Day 1

Jeff and I spent our first day at Pioneer Memorial doing all those normal pastoral tasks:  moving the Advent/Christmas decorations out of storage, chatting with folks who were dropping off their kids at the preschool, figuring out the computer system (Jeff was right at home!), choosing hymns for the next couple of Sundays, scheduling lunches with two neighboring pastors who called to welcome us to the area, going through mail that had already stacked up, and unpacking a couple of boxes so we wouldn’t get out of practice.  No wonder I’m tired tonight! 

 Katie is doing great and discovered last night that the Tooth Fairy knows how to find her in Solon, Ohio!  This was tooth number three and number four won’t be far behind.  She is loving school, can’t wait to go to her new church, and already has all sorts of new friends (what a surprise).  We are so grateful for our flexible and easy-going daughter! 

Thanks to those of you who have dropped us notes, called us and sent us emails.  As transitions go, we’re doing pretty darn good!