As I write this, I am working "off campus" at Camp Wyoming outside Wyoming, Iowa. Here we are in beautiful Jones County, a county that Gov. Culver has asked to be declared a disaster area due to flooding. Already the news is talking about "the flood of 2010" while the camp counselors are sharing stories of the flood of 2008. I think it is one of the challenging things for us to comprehend--how nature can be so wonderful and so destructive at the same time.

Some of us react to flooding and other natural disasters by declaring "these things shouldn't happen," and we doubt the benevolence (or even the existence) of God. Other people react by not wondering about the big questions, but just start helping out as best they can. Other people say that humans are not capable of affecting any change and continue living their own lives as best they can. What do you think? How do you respond?

As thoughtful Christians, we find ourselves in the middle of transitions and crises, and we may not always be able to make sense of it all. Those of you who are currently suffering (or have suffered) loss, pain, defeat--you are the ones who have the perspective of faith. And the rest of us can love and serve in many different ways. I think there will always be things we don't understand. (That is a sign of wisdom--to know that we don't know and to be okay with that.) Calvin believed that our faith should teach us humility, gratitude and freedom from fear. In the mix of these three, I find my place in life. When the floods of life come, what works for you?

Peace like a river, David

219th General Assembly (2010) - Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Tonight the General Assembly elected a new moderator, Cynthia Bolbach, an elder from Washington D.C. Her two year term begins immediately. She will spend the bulk of her term traveling all over speaking to the church and also representing us to the world. Hopefully, she will be in East Iowa Presbytery soon, as her predecessor Bruce Reyes-Chow was.

This link should take you to the details of the election and a brief description of

219th General Assembly (2010) - Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Words That Mean Everything

Three verses:
"When the Lord saw the widow, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep." (Luke 7:13)
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:50)
"Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." (Luke 8:39)

These three simple verses are from the scripture readings we have used in worship June 6, 13 and 20. Spoken to a widow, an unnamed woman "whose sins were many" and a demon-possessed man who lived in the tombs--these words meant the world to them. Words gave them comfort in the midst of pain, pardon from guilt and shame, and direction and purpose. Words!

They mean a lot to me too. I have the great joy and responsibility of wrestling with these words and the Word on a weekly basis in preparation for worship. Weekly preaching is the hardest thing that I do; it takes a great deal of mental energy as well as lots of lonely time staring at a blinking cursor on the computer screen. But weekly preaching is also the best thing that I can do in response to the grip that God has on my life. My sermons may be good or bad, yet the Living Word always brings good news. Good news like "do not weep" and "go in peace." Good news that inspires us to go tell our friends what God has done for us.

My vision--actually God's vision--for this church is to be a community that is excited about the possibilities of encountering the Living Word in worship on Sunday mornings. Fruitful congregations are made up of people like you and me who are committed to hearing the "wonderful words of life" as often as we can. Our lives are filled with words--without spending time with God and God's people, where will you get the words of life? peace? hope? love?

God still speaks to people through the gift of Holy Scripture. God still speaks words that mean the world, that mean everything. I invite you to be a part of worship on a regular and customary basis this summer. Not because you want to, but because you can't live without it. Jesus says: "I have something to say to you." (Luke 7:40). We respond: "Teacher, speak!"

Gulf Oil Spill

Here is a link to a letter/prayer from the Presbyterian Church (USA) regarding the ongoing tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.pcusa.org/oga/newsstories/oil_spill_2010.htm

Nashville Surprise

This past week I had the great joy of gathering in Nashville for a week of continuing education at the Festival of Homiletics. (Homiletics is the art of preparing and preaching a sermon or "homily"). It is so good to be nourished, inspired and challenged through worship, lectures and conversations with many of the top people in this area. It is good to be reminded again of the joy and awesome responsibility that is preaching--the task of being a vessel for the Word of God in weekly conversation with God's people.

Of course this year's festival was special in part because we gathered in Nashville three weeks after historic floods devasted the city and surrounding areas. Signs of cleanup were all around us, and people had flood on the brain and on the tongue. The buses were running a reduced schedule because many MTA buses were damaged. The good news was that the bus was also free all week--the machine that opened the fare boxes was also damaged! We contributed to Nashville relief efforts through special offerings. Some of 1250 attendees spent Thursday afternoon volunteering in various parts of the city. My group ended up in the Bellevue area near Bellevue Presbyterian Church. We moved wet, moldy sheetrock, wood and household items out to the street for pickup. Nasty, smelly work. The shoes I wore that day remained in Nashville!

Our conference opened up with the news that one of the featured preachers, Otis Moss III of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, had received threats so he thought it best to stay home with his family. A reminder that the gospel is a scandal in a world that often prefers lies and violence. A highlight for me: John Bell of the Iona Community in Scotland (and the Wild Goose Worship Group whose songs we sing in worship) led a discussion (via Skype) on imagination and creativity as essential to ministry and spirituality. In the midst of floods and threats and Skype and songs and stinky sheetrock, the Word always sustains and inspires us.

Joyful in the Lord, David

What is God's Blood Type?

One of our cats is unfortunately not feeling well. During a visit to the vet, the doc drew blood to assess his health (results pending). The blood talk prompted Justin to ask, "What kind of blood do you have, Mom?"
"B+" I replied.
"Being positive is good, Mom," he responded.
As I started to explain a bit about blood types, he interrupted to say that he and his Dad both have brown eyes so they have the same type, and Jonathon and I have green eyes, so we're the same.
(I see that I'll have to circle back a bit...)
But before I could, Jonathon picked up on my comment about rare blood types and asked, "What kind of blood does God have?"
Hmm.....
He followed that up with, "Well, he's special and unique, so he has the rare kind, right?"
Now we know that rare with regard to blood types doesn't confer any special characteristics with regard to the bearer of said blood type.
Justin concurred. "God is DEFINITELY AB negative, Mom...and so is Jesus, even though Jesus was more famous than God."
(Sidebar: my boys frequently pull God into discussions as a measuring tool to talk about the "extreme" of something...ergo, I'm frequently flummoxed...).
In the end, we concluded our discussion of God's blood type with a vague, "I don't know, " and "Blood type doesn't determine the kind of person that you are."
To which they pulled the "God extreme card" saying, "Well God's must be the most rare, special blood..."
OK

Love Our Youth!

Our congregation continues to be blessed with our vibrant children and youth program. Natalie and Jennifer have led the children's choir again this year, and the children enrich our worship with their singing and their very presence. Kate and so many youth leaders like the ***, the *** and the *** keep our youth busy and growing in their faith.

Yesterday's Youth Sunday inspired me with the themes of Kids Under Construction and Shine for Christ. I was reminded of the song by Billy Joe Shaver (Texas outlaw country singer and songwriter) in which he sings: "I'm just an old chunk of coal, but I'll be a diamond someday." This is perhaps one of the best summaries of our doctrine of sanctification that I have ever heard. We are all under construction, adults and kids alike. And the Spirit of the Risen Lord works within us to strengthen us and guide us along the way.

There are many ways in which we as a congregation can be grateful for our youth program. One way is to express your apprecation to Kate and the other youth leaders who work behind the scenes in loving them and providing an anchor for them.

Another way is to support Camp Wyoming by donating to their annual fund--or to their 50th Anniversary Celebration fund. Make sure your children and grandchildren and their neighbors and school friends are signed up to particapate in this great camp.

Another way is to continue to express an interest in the youth, spend time with them, ask them questions and discover the many talents, gifts and ideas they have. Invite them to church on Sundays! Christianity is nothing if it is not a relationship!

Children and youth are a great gift to all of us. They remind us that we are all a work in progress, but God can use us, even in our incompleteness, to shine the light of Christ with love, compassion and grace each and every day.

Brightly, David