Changed by Example

Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) wrote of the life of faith saying,

Once there was a devoted Indian Christian who was praying in his house alone, when three thieves stealthily entered and took away all they could get. When the man had finished his prayers he noticed that all his goods were gone, except for the box over which he had been bowing in prayer. This box contained all his money and valuables. He immediately took the contents and ran after the thieves calling: “Wait! Wait! You have left some valuables behind. Perhaps you need these things more than I.”

When the thieves heard this, they thought it was a trap. But when they saw that he had no weapon and that he was alone, they came back to him. The man said to them: “Why didn’t you tell me you needed these things? I would have gladly given you whatever you needed. Now, come home with me, and whatever you need you may have.” The thieves, seeing the strange life of this man of prayer, were so struck that their lives changed forever.

Honey Creek Summer Camp

The video above is a good introduction to the summer camp program at Honey Creek, our Episcopal Camp at the north end of Camden County. I highly recommend the Summer Camp at Honey Creek. I will be working as a spiritual director for the High School Camp session and know that all of the sessions will offer a quality program. The sessions will be:

High School Camp
June 8-14, 2008 (June 8-June 14)
For campers who have completed 9th-12th grades.
register online or contact us to sign-up

St. Joseph & Mary Camp
July, 6-12, 2008 (July 6-July 12)
For campers who have completed 3rd-5th grades.
register online or contact us to sign-up

St. Francis Camp
July 13-19, 2008 (July 13-July 19)
For campers who have completed 7th-9th grades.
register online or contact us to sign-up

St. Peter Camp
June 15-21-2008 (June 15-June 21)
For campers who have completed 6th-8th grades.
register online or contact us to sign-up

St. Gregory
June 22-28, 2008 (June 22-June 28)
For campers who have completed 3rd-6th grades.
The main focus of this camp is music, especially singing.

Please pass this information along to those you know who are looking for a summer camp experience for their children and grandchildren. All camp sessions are $350.00 for the week. At $50 a day, it is a bargain. Scholarship assistance is also available with the approval of an Episcopal priest who can verify the need for the Diocese and so finances should not be what keeps anyone away.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Layers of Meaning

"According to the grace of God given to me,
like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation,
and someone else is building on it.
Each builder must choose with care how to build on it."
I Corinthians 3:10
This is a confession. I have been seing other blogs. I blogged again over the Episcopal Church and the Visual Arts Sketchbook. It's a new reflection based on the photograph at left, which I took in Egypt in March 2004.

I consider the layers of meaning from early Egyptian Khufu, to the later Greek Ptolemies, to the Roman Tiberius, to early Christian graffiti, to my own contemporary photograph. The full entry is here: Christian Grafitti.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

King of Peace - video introduction

People involved in ministry

An average church is filled with people doing jobs.
A great church is filled with people involved in ministry.
—Frederick Buechner
Pick the person who sees his work as ministry in the following story:

A long time ago, a traveler came upon a site in England where swarms of workers were building a grand church. The traveler saw several men digging a ditch. He stopped to ask three of them what exactly they were doing. The first replied, "Hey! I'm just doing what they tell me to do. All I care about it making a living to support my family." The second replied, "Me? I'm digging a ditch from here to that stake over there." But the third worker stopped, leaned against his shovel, and with a gleam in his eye, said, "I'm helping Christopher Wren build a great cathedral."

Thanks to Lindy Black for the quote and story.

Meet the new boss

In tomorrow's Gospel reading, Matthew tells of Jesus' calling his first disciples,

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Sarah Dylan Breuer of Episcopal Divinity School writes of this passage saying in part,

First, meet the new boss—not at all the same as the old boss. Jesus is lord of this new enterprise. Maybe even then, the fishers to whom Jesus called could tell that Jesus was not going to use his power and his followers' labor simply for his own benefit. Maybe they were figuring that whoever Jesus was, he couldn't be as bad as the toll collectors to whom they answered. Little did they know at that point that Jesus would be calling toll collectors too, but they were right about what kind of boss Jesus is: the kind who uses power to empower others, rather than to increase his own honor, status, and wealth. They're not just going to work; they're going to work with Jesus. The new enterprise brings them into relationship with him.

Second, and maybe I'm off-target about this, but there's something about becoming "fishers of people" that sounds a lot less dehuman- izing than descrip- tions of the ancient fishing trade that I read.... Becoming a "fisher for people" is going to bring these Galilean fishers not only into relationship with Jesus, but into a whole new network of relationships with others. Their relationship with Herod Antipas and the powers of this world, with the hated toll collectors, with their neighbors, with their families, with Gentiles and Pharisees, with anyone who hears Jesus' call and, responding to it, becomes a sister or brother ...none of these will ever be the same.

In America, our culture exalts "being your own boss" and "being your own man," being independent. Even—or especially—those who seem to be closest to those goals often discover that they're illusory. The kings of this world answer to the kingmakers, the kingmakers to bosses of their own. Having Jesus as lord—as one's only Lord—frees us from the webs of ambition we make only to get caught in them ourselves. Working for and with Jesus, we can cast a different kind of net—one that frees and empowers rather than binds and dehumanizes. Answering Jesus' call, we start to hear the world's cries; we are drawn into relationship as we find what we need to serve as Jesus' co-laborers in the world. It's not easy work, but it's the work we were born to do. It's the vocation where we will become more fully human and understand better what the divine is up to among us.

The full text of her thoughts on this passage on online here: Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Bridging

Our Webelos began this evening by a camp fire with Cub Scouts, then crossed a rope bridge in front of the church to arrive at the Boy Scout camp fire. It was an awesome evening for our own Boy Scout Troop 226.

The Pulpit and Church Politics (humor)

Cartoons courtesy Dave Walker at The Cartoon Church

Today is the last of an annual eight days of prayer for Christian unity, which started with a group of Episcopal monks in 1908. My religion column for the Tribune & Georgia today is What follows prayers for Christian unity?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Bill Gates and the Yellow Pad of Paper

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others.
—Philippians 2:4
According to The Wall Street Journal, Bill Gates was returning from vacation in New Zealand about three weeks ago, he took out a yellow pad of paper and...

That is a true story. Three weeks ago, Bill Gates took out a yellow pad of paper to make notes on a flight home from vacation and this is big news. What he wrote that he hopes will be world changing after he delivers it in a speach today is this:

Companies should create businesses that focus on building products and services for the poor. "Such a system would have a twin mission: making profits and also improving lives for those who don't fully benefit from market forces...."

Mr. Gates sees a role for himself spurring companies into action, he said in the interview. "The idea that you encourage companies to take their innovative thinkers and think about the most needy—even beyond the market opportunities—that's something that appropriately ought to be done," he said....

Key to Mr. Gates's plan will be for businesses to dedicate their top people to poor issues—an approach he feels is more powerful than traditional corporate donations and volunteer work. Governments should set policies and disburse funds to create financial incentives for businesses to improve the lives of the poor, he plans to say today. "If we can spend the early decades of the 21st century finding approaches that meet the needs of the poor in ways that generate profits for business, we will have found a sustainable way to reduce poverty in the world," Mr. Gates plans to say.

The Journal article is quick to point out that he only became interested in the needy after he amassed billions. It's a point well taken. But what about the main premise. The self-described "Impatient Optimist" is suggesting that rather than merely making excess money and giving it to the needy, we might find business opportunities that help the bottom third in the economic scale, the two billion people living on a dollar or two a day.

But as to his central premise of finding business models and products that benefit the needy, as he believes that technology can solve seemingly unsolvable problems. No matter that it took billions of dollars of wealth for him to see it, Bill Gates, and his wife Melinda do have their hearts in the right place. But will this idea scratched out on a pad of paper a few weeks ago transform the world? I wish it could, but find that short of the Kingdom of God, we humans seem more geared toward oppressing others than lifting them up.

We learned painfully in the trenches of World War I and the gas chambers of World War II that advances in technology can have a dark side. I am glad to see someone trying to encourage much more positive use of new knowledge, but history teaches that a new oppressor will rise to take advantage of every new technological edge, from the chariot to the long bow to the tank and missile.

This is not pessimism, but realism. In a world turned away from God, advances in technology often find dark purposes. So, we need a Savior who can lead us to the epiphany of looking to the needs of others and not merely our own. And while many can find that altruistic part of their nature without a relationship with God, this concern for the needy flows naturally from loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. This is what can transform the world and then the technology can follow. But to have technical advances and changing business models lead the way seems unlikely.

I love the way he wants to try to do something about the big problems of the poorest people on earth. But while I hope he is right and I am wrong, the solution of talking business into putting its best minds on to the problems of the people with the least money seems unlikely to bear much fruit. What do you think?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.
—Jesus in Luke 4:18 quoting Isaiah 61:1

Church Discipline

This from an article in the January 18 issue of The Wall Street Journal:

Watermark Community Church, a nondenominational church in Dallas that draws 4,000 people to services, requires members to sign a form stating they will submit to the "care and correction" of church elders. Last week, the pastor of a 6,000-member megachurch in Nashville, Tenn., threatened to expel 74 members for gossiping and causing disharmony unless they repented. The congregants had sued the pastor for access to the church's financial records.

First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals, Ala., a 1,000-member congregation, expels five to seven members a year for "blatant, undeniable patterns of willful sin," which have included adultery, drunkenness and refusal to honor church elders. About 400 people have left the church over the years for what they view as an overly harsh persecution of sinners, Pastor Jeff Noblit says....

Scholars estimate that 10% to 15% of Protestant evangelical churches practice church discipline—about 14,000 to 21,000 U.S. congregations in total. Increasingly, clashes within churches are spilling into communities, splitting congregations and occasionally landing church leaders in court after congregants, who believed they were confessing in private, were publicly shamed.

The full text of the article is online here: Banned from Church.

Have no fear...King of Peace will not be taking up this practice. First, anything said in private, must stay private. Strictly speaking, I am bound only by confession and I have many more private conversations than actual confessions. But that division is somewhat artificial for me and I feel that private conversations are also confidential, whether they involve confession or not. I have been accused of violating this privacy when I did not speak to anyone of what was said, but I heard what I was told being told to others. So why the assumption that the pastor was the one to share the confidence when others knew as well? I don't know, but I remained and remain quiet and years have passed in the meantime.

Second, when humans seek to judge one another, we err and sin ourselves. When we leave judgment to God and make room for mercy, we fall much closer to Jesus' teachings. That's the short version of it.

But what does a church do when someone confesses sin, but neither repents nor seeks to change? What about the drug addict who keeps doing drugs. The thief who keeps stealing? Is it judgment to separate yourself from such sin? I know that I prefer to err on the side of love. But what is a loving response in these cases?

And what of the person who wants to change, but you don't want to set up a scenario that tempts the him or her to sin. Clearly, I think it is a good idea, and one I highly recommend, for an addict to separate him/herself from others who do drugs. It's the only way to kick the habit. And just as clearly someone who steals church finances can not remain in charge of church funds. The person who has molested children can never again be involved in children's ministries of any kind. Are these actions judgment? I don't think so. You are not damning the person to Hell, but removing him or her from the problem area.

I would never go the route of the churches in The Wall Street Journal article, which while defendable from some passages of scripture, it seems so counter to the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So what is a church to do when confronted with the penitent thief or the convicted child molester who says he has mended his ways. Don't we believe in redemption? How does a church walk the line between judging others and encouraging sin by placing someone back in temptation?

I think that Jesus words to the woman brought to him to be stoned for adultery. He both said, he did not condemn her and he told her to go and sin no more. I would not put the thief back in charge of finances or the convicted sexual predator around children, and would consider that love not judgment. What do you think?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Pray for Christian Unity

Cartoon courtesy Dave Walker at The Cartoon Blog.
On the night before he died, John's Gospel tells us that Jesus prayed for those who would come to believe because of the disciples' teaching, "Father make them one, as you and I are one that the world may see and believe."

In 1908, the Friars at Graymoor Monastery began an annual octave (or eight days) of prayer for Christian unity. This year, that movement of prayer is 100 years old. In the words of the official website Celebrating Prayer for Christian Unity,

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an expression of the ecumenical movement – a worldwide movement among Christians to heal the divisions within the Church; to promote dialogues among churches and Christian communities; and to encourage Christians everywhere to better understand and reflect the implications of "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Each year from January 18 – 25, Christians are encouraged to pray together as a sign of the unity that is already theirs in Christ and that that unity will become complete.

You may also find online the Graymoor Today newsletter with articles on the 100 years of prayer. Finally, there is an Episcopal News Service article, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Looking for the words to pray for this? There is a prayer in the Book of Common Prayer which is for the unity of the church:

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I do like the idea of praying for Christian unity. I like it so much that I find it odd to relegate this to eight days a year. It makes it sound like the other days can then be devoted to disunity. It would be like Delta devoting eight days to flight. Instead I think we should make sure that the whole year is so infused with our working with Chrsitians from all denominations, that the week of prayer seems like a quaint custom, but not needed by a church living into the unity for which we pray.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Bishop Michel at King of Peace

Bishop Rodney Michel, who is assisting our own diocesan Bishop Henry Louttit, was at King of Peace yesterday for a memorable visit which included eight confirmations/receptions/reaffirmations. Below are some photos of the 10 a.m. worship service. Click on any photo to see a larger version of it.

Diane is confirmed.

Rachel is confirmed.

Bishop Michel tells about his hat, a mitre.

Bishop Michel shows the pointy end of the crozier.


Bishop Michel speaking with the kids.

Hannah hugs the Bishop's bear, Basil.


Processing out and greeting at the door.

Following worship we enjoyed a covered dish lunch.


A Bishop's visit always includes a check of the church's record books.

Bishops

The Rt. Rev. Rodney Michel, (pictured at right) retired Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Long Island, who is assisting our own Bishop Louttit, will be at both worhsip services at King of Peace today. It reminded me to share a couple of quotes and a new story:

The happiest and most useful relationship for a Bishop or Priest is that of Friend to his people. It means trust—and service—and love. And beyond this there is nothing else.

—the Rt. Rev. Middleton S. Barnwell, fifth bishop of the Diocese of Georgia

It is high time the Episcopal Church rose from her dignified posture of waiting to be discovered...and went out into the byways and hedges seeking souls for whom her Lord died.

—the Rt. Rev. Albert Rhett Stuart, sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia

In a story told to me yesterday, someone recounted being a single mom at Christ Episcopal Church, Valdosta and her daughter on seeing Henry Louttit, then priest now tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia, said, "Look Mommy, it's Jesus Christ." Father Louttit replied, "I wish everyone could see Christ in other people the way she does."

peace,

Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Called by the Lamb of God

In tomorrow's Gospel reading John the Baptist points Jesus out to some of his disciples saying, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Katerina Whitley writes of this passage saying,

We have lovely pictures in this reading of John standing on a hill near the banks of the Jordan, flanked by his disciples and telling them, “See the one who is passing by? He is the one you should be following, because he is the Lamb of God.” Two of John’s disciples don’t hesitate. They leave John and run after Jesus.

Jesus hears them and turns. “What are you looking for?” he asks. An interesting question. He already knows they are following him. But what are they looking for from him? They don’t know yet. They are attracted by what John has told them, by that redolent phrase, the Lamb of God, which reminds them of the Exodus and of Isaiah’s words of personal sacrifice. They show the desire to learn. So they ask Jesus, “Where are you staying?” And Jesus offers them the concise call to those who seek: “Come and see.” They must have spent hours asking questions, listening. “They remained with him that day,” the gospel writer tells us.

For one of them at least, Andrew the fisherman, the day resulted in a passion for sharing the good news. By four o’clock in the afternoon there was no question left in Andrew’s mind that “this is the Messiah, the Anointed of God.” He runs to his beloved brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. The called becomes the caller. He becomes the light leading his brother to the Light of the world. And Jesus immediately calls Simon by his new name, “Peter.” This is the meaning of being called: we are changed and afterward we cannot, we must not, keep the knowledge to ourselves. We must share it with others for the salvation of the world.

May the light of Epiphany lead us to the glory and the responsibility of being called by God.

Recover Joy

It is only as joy that the Church was victorious in the world, and it lost the world when it lost that joy, and ceased to be a credible witness to it. Of all accusations against Christians, the most terrible one was uttered by Nietzsche when he said that Christians had no joy.

Let us, therefore, forget for a while the technical discussions about the Church, its mission, its methods. Not that these discussions are wrong or unnecessary—but they are can be useful and meaningful only within a fundamental context, and that context is the "great joy" from which everything else in Christianity developed and acquired its meaning.

"For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy"—thus begins the Gospel, and its end is: "And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." (Lk. 2:10, 24:52). And we must recover the meaning of this great joy. We must if possible partake of it, before we discuss anything else—programs and missions, projects and techniques.

—the Rev. Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983)

God laughs at anxious nonsense

Whether we acknowledge it or not, our conviction about the character of th universe directly affects our personal use of power. Thus leadership, at its core, is a theological issue, a matter of human belief about God: the universe is neither indifferent nor unfriendly. It is for us! God loves us better than we love ourselves.

God does not reject us because we are short, jug-eared, old, paunchy, and slow with numbers. Nor are we loved because we are tall, slim, and intellectually robust. God laughs at all that as anxious nonsense....

God bets on our capacity to respond to love and to live lovingly, never violating our freedom to choose, ready at all times to receive us as we are, as we have been, as we will be.

—the Rt. Rev. Bennett J. Sims, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta, quoted from his book, Servanthood

Episcopalian Great Debater

An article in Episcopal Life has 95-year old Henrietta Wells reflecting on her life and the movie, The Great Debaters, which was based on her college debate team. The life-long Episcopalian and wife of an Episcopal priest was the only freshman and the only female on the debate team. In the article she recalls,

Although growing up during the Jim Crow era was a challenge, Wells said she encouraged Washington to play down racial prejudice in "The Great Debaters." She remembers state troopers raiding her home in 1917 to look for black soldiers during race riots in Houston but said the debate team was more motivated to please their coach, "rather than a race issue."

"We worked hard and we weren't intimidated," she said....

The team practiced at the coach's home several times a week during debating season and since she was the only female on the team, the college's president arranged for a chaperone during tournaments.

"We would sit on the floor in the Tolson's living room and discuss topics," she said. "Mr. Tolson was very serious and very strict; there were no frills, everything had to be correct. It was fun being the only girl on the team, but it was a lot of hard work."

The Wiley team first beat almost every black college and eventually broke the color line, facing white law students from the University of Michigan. The team, Henry Heights, Hobart Jarrett and Wells lost only one debate out of 75 leading to the national 1935 championship.

They triumphed against the national champions, the University of Southern California, with topics of civil rights and freedom of speech at a time when lynching was frequent in the deep South.

She also takes credit for encouraging Denzel Washington, who was set to direct but not act, to play the part of her debate coach. She told him that he was the perfect Mr. Tolson and his acting in the film would cause more people to see the movie. Mrs. Wells was right. The full text of the article is online here Henrietta Wells remembers well 'The Great Debaters'—she was one of them.

Grace at Mealtime

I was asked about an appropriate form of saying grace. Here are a number of options for those looking not to improvise a prayer at the dinner table. Some are particularly appropriate for children:

From the Book of Common Prayer
Give us grateful hearts, our Father,
for all thy [your] mercies,
and make us mindful of the needs of others;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, thy [your] gifts to our use
and us to thy [your] service; for Christ's sake. Amen.

Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe,
for you give us food to sustain our lives
and make our hearts glad;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For these and all his mercies,
God's holy Name be blessed and praised;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Other
Bless O Lord this food to our use
and us to thy loving service;
and keep us ever mindful
of the needs of others. Amen.

Bless O Lord, this food to our use,
And us to thy loving service;
And make us ever mindful of the needs of others,
For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Dear Lord, bless this food to
the nourishment of our bodies
and us to thy service.
In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

For what we are about to receive,
may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen

Let us thank God for food when others are hungry;
for drink when others are thirsty;
for friends when others are lonely. Amen.

Be present at our table, Lord!
Be here and everywhere adored.
Your mercies bless, and grant that we
May feast in Paradise with Thee! Amen.

For good food and those who prepare it,
for good friends with whom to share it,
we thank you Lord. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, these gifts to our use and us in your service;
relieve the needs of those in want and give us thankful hearts;
for Christ's sake. Amen.

Grace with Motions
A brief grace with hand motions, as follows:
God bless us (hands on head)
God bless the food (hands around the plate)
Amen (hands folded)

This last one has the advantage of being able to hold the attention of a hungry, antsy 3-year-old for its duration.

Grace used at King of Peace Episcopal Day School
sung
We are thankful, we are thankful.
For our food, for our food.
And our many blessings, and our many blessings.
Amen. Amen.

What good is the institutional church?

I have often said that I don't really like organized religion, but I sincerely believe that it beats disorganized religion. That sounds flipant, but I mean it. Then I ran across this quote from Eugene Peterson that offers an interesting and perhaps helpful image even while acknowledging the apparent lack of life in an institution:

What other church is there besides institutional? There’s nobody who doesn’t have problems with the church, because there’s sin in the church. But there’s no other place to be a Christian except the church. There’s sin in the local bank. There’s sin in the grocery stores. I really don’t understand this naïve criticism of the institution. I really don’t get it.

Frederick von Hugel said the institution of the church is like the bark on the tree. There’s no life in the bark. It’s dead wood. But it protects the life of the tree within. And the tree grows and grows. If you take the bark off, it’s prone to disease, dehydration, death. So, yes, the church is dead but it protects something alive. And when you try to have a church without bark, it doesn’t last long. It disappears, gets sick, and it’s prone to all kinds of disease, heresy, and narcissism.
-Eugene Peterson

What do y'all think?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

All things give Him glory

It is not only prayer that gives God glory but work.

Smiting an anvil, sawing a beam, white-washing a wall, driving horses, sweeping, scouring, everything gives God some glory if being in His grace you do it as your duty.

To go to communion worthily gives God great glory, but to take food in thankfulness and temperance gives Him glory too. To lift up the hands in prayer gives God glory, but a man with a dungfork in his hand, a woman with a slop pail, give Him glory too. God is so great that all things give Him glory if you mean that they should

—The Rev. Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)

Full Solidarity

In tomorrow's Gospel reading Matthew recounts Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan River. We take Jesus' baptism for granted today, but it was not always such an easy fact to accept for John's baptism was for sin and Jesus was the sinless one. John Kavanaugh, S. J. of Saint Louis University has written about this saying,

Why was Jesus baptized? Even for the early church, as the canon of scripture itself was being formed, it seems to have been a controversial question. If Jesus goes before John for the “baptism of repentance,” it seems that Jesus himself is a sinner. The account from the Gospel of Matthew suggests as much when giving voice to John’s reluctance: “It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!”

...It is not only a special irony. It is a central image of the redemptive mystery. Jesus enters into radical solidarity with all men and women, taking upon himself even the condition of our sinfulness, himself having not sinned. The “one more powerful” assumes the position of weakness. It is precisely in this that he is beloved. And it is from this baptism sign that he is sent.

He was like us in all things but sin, the author of Hebrews reminds us when discussing Jesus’ high priesthood. And yet we balk at the statement. “If he did not sin, how could he really be like us? How could he be fully human?”

We misunderstand this because we misunderstand our humanity as well as our sin. Christ has come not only to reveal the divinity to us; he has come to reveal us to ourselves. Not only is he truly God. He is truly human. And he is truly human precisely because he does not sin. All of our sin is nothing other than the rejection of the truth of our humanity. Jesus’ utter acceptance of our humanity, his drinking of our cup fully, his sharing of our wounded condition, reverses our sinful rejection of our creatureliness.

His baptism, then, is at the heart of his mission to heal us. He enters even the wounds of our self-rejection, without having made the rejection himself. He accepts full solidarity with us even if it means being seen as sinner. Jesus’ baptism is one of his earliest great transformations of our human condition.

Prophetic predictions on the presidential election

The tabloids are great about giving us the latest prophetic updates such as “Ten ancient prophecies agree that the End Times began January 1, 2008.” Not to be outdone, I want to issue my own prophetic predictions for the coming presidential elections and presidency:

1) Between now and the November election, I will hear some Christian leaders assure me that a given candidate and that candidate alone is the only responsible choice for fellow Christians.

2) Various Christian leaders will give this unqualified support to more than one candidate.

This is one of the more vexing political issues for people of faith. We can read the same Bible, believe fervently in the same Jesus, say our prayers and decide to vote for different candidates. If all Christians readily agreed, then perhaps there would be a clear Christian choice. But all the people in the same church won’t even agree come the general election and this is an even more vexing issue during the primary season.

Perhaps this problem of even people of the same faith not agreeing with one another is why the framers of our Constitution steered well clear of the problem in enshrining the notion that no particular set of religious beliefs would be required of office holders.

The third paragraph of article six of the U.S. Constitution notes that members of each branch of the government, “shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

Those holding office are bound to support the Constitution, but not any given faith. Despite this prohibition of a religious test for those elected to office, I am going to go out on a limb and predict:

3) The religious beliefs and moral convictions of the candidates will receive increasing scrutiny between now and November.

This is perfectly appropriate as while no religious test may be given by the government, each voter is free to make his or her choice based on whether criteria is most meaningful to him or her. It’s the government that can’t use religious beliefs to determine who is in office and who is out. I may and will have my religious convictions inform my choice of candidate.

My beliefs make me who I am and inform all the decisions I make. Of course, my faith will be a factor in deciding for whom I will vote. I can’t do otherwise than to see political issues through my own biblical world view. And while I am a professional reader of scripture, I am not alone in that every one of us votes based on the issues that matter most to us.

Jesus taught his followers to take care of widows and orphans, to defend the poor and the outcast, and to live out the love we have for God in loving our neighbors as ourselves. Of course we will see these ideals as having implications for how we cast our votes. Yet despite this agreement that issues dearest to our heart will determine how we vote, I predict:

4) No matter who is elected as the next President of the United States of America, some Christians will be elated thinking that this is God’s will, while some others will wonder how it happened that God didn’t get God’s way with the electorate.


This is where we need to be in love and charity with our neighbor, extending the greatest possible charity. Politics has become increasingly divisive and talk of red state and blue state has come to sound so black and white when any given red state is usually only fifty-something percent for a republican, while a blue state is only fifty-something percent for a democrat. Yet they are presented as if a given state is in agreement about something.

Take our own state for example. The only thing most Georgians can agree on is that anyone who still wants to live in a state that measures its snowfall in feet rather than inches can’t be completely right in the head.

Clearly we are a mixed bag. This is fine as Jesus Christ is neither Republican nor Democrat as he is not even American in any exclusive sense. Perhaps the ultimate independent, Jesus stands beyond all political parties and systems as each party and system is human and therefore far from perfect. Political systems offer great benefits yet will always fall short of the Kingdom of God.

Each of us can get a little heated when discussing political issues dear to our heart. This is when it will help to remember Jesus’ admonition not to judge. For when you see someone else as being unchristian for supporting a given candidate, you are judging someone’s relationship with God based on some outward stand and not on the content of the person’s heart.

Paul wrote in the second chapter of his letter to the Romans, “Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself.”

Give the person with whom you disagree the benefit of the doubt, knowing that we can read the same Bible, pray to the same God and yet hold different views on government regulation, taxes and when and how to use military might.

My final prediction is the most problematic, but I believe it fervently and can’t let it go without saying:

5) God can use whoever is elected and that person will need the prayerful support of all people of religious convictions.

I want to name this early, before the campaign rhetoric gets too heated. In the second chapter of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, we are told, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”

These prayers were being offered for some decidedly immoral Roman Emperors. How much more should we pray for our own government which makes room for and protects our religious beliefs. Despite how divided we get during elections, we remain one nation under God.

(The essay above is my Tribune & Georgian religion column for today.)

Interruptions

My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered the interruptions were my work.

-Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

On Being a Christian Leader

In writing Why Leaders Blog at D-Tour, Bob Hyatt talks about the end of keeping leaders on a pedestal:

Bob also write about this at his church's website saying We will disappoint you. He is right. The era of the leader on the pedestal is over. Not that we shouldn't respect our pastors or leaders, but too many of us grew up being allowed to think that the pastor was a cut above, on some super-spiritual plane that we should aspire to, but probably would never reach short of becoming pastors ourselves (or missionaries... missionaries were even better in some cases). The problem is that leaders are only human and the first time they show that, those who enjoy the leader-on-the-pedestal are left feeling hurt and betrayed.

Better to let people know up front- I'm just like you. I struggle with self-doubt, with identity and motivation issues just like everyone. I struggle with sin. I get angry. I'm selfish too much of the time. Sometimes I don't want to spend time with God. I hate the fact that my hair is deserting me, but my stomach seems to be hitting a growth period. But in the midst of all that God shows me grace and forgiveness, God is my center and my ground.

It's possible to live this life and not be swept away, not be pulled under. And it doesn't happen because you reach a level of spiritual perfection where the waters calm and the clouds part. It happens because through those very things you struggle with you are driven time and time again to God Himself.

Of course, we shouldn't put leaders on a pedestal. Any leader is human and will let you down. That's why Christian leadership, like the whole Christian walk with Christ is not about saying "Look at me and how wonderful I am" but "Look at Jesus and how wonderful he is."

Many people who read this blog do not go to King of Peace, so I don't know who your pastor is or what she or he is like (unless I am your pastor and in that case you already know me to be imperfect). But I know this. He or she is human and he or she will let you down. It comes with the territory. The question is not whether a pastor will dissapoint you, but in what way and how will you (and he or she) respond.

Think of it this way. Outside of church you are the Christian others look to for an example of what Christians are like. Your co-workers who know you are a Christian will look to you for a Christ-like example, especially those who look for Christians to fail so they can feel better about not being as spiritual. And like any Christian, including the pastor, you too will get it right at times and fail at times.

Yes, I think it is fair to hold leaders to a higher standard. It is also fair to try to hold yourself to a higher standard (whether you are a leader or not), knowing that you will fall short at times. The more you keep God as your center and ground, the less you will say that vicious come back or that hurtful put down and the more you will turn the other cheek and show a loving response. This is the task of all Christians, as each of us seeks to lead others to Christ by quiet example more than public proclomation. That's my take. What do you think?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Way, Truth, Life

O Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the way, the truth and the life:

suffer us not to stray from you, who are the way,

nor to distrust you,
who are the truth,

nor to rest in any other thing than you, who are the life.

Teach us by your Holy Spirit what to believe, what to do, and wherein to take our rest.

—Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536)

Two Retreats Upcoming

My wife, Victoria, and I are working together on two upcoming retreats at Honey Creek and we hope you will consider attending one of them:



February 1 and 2 will be our pre-Lent retreat in the Journey to Wholness series. This is the third of three retreats we are leading at our Episcopal Camp and Conference Center, Honey Creek, which is 5.5 miles east of I-95 at exit 26. Each retreat stands along and you did not have to be at our earlier retreats on forgiveness and shadows in order to take part in and benefit from the one next month.

The Journey to Wholeness Retreats offer an opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of Christian spirituality along a given theme. The theme for the Lent 2008 retreat will be Water in the Desert. Desert spirituality is an important component of both the Old and New Testaments as scripture was written for people living in a desert land and used that imagery to teach about how to find spiritual sustenance for the barren places in our lives. Participants will discover proven methods for both nourishing spiritual growth and strengthening their faith so that when tough time come, they can be like trees planted by streams of water.

The all-inclusive cost is $80 for a single room, $60 for a double, $45 for a dorm room, or $35 for commuters. All fees above have tax added at Honey Creek. Some scholarship assistance is available. While registrations will remain open up until the weekend, we need as many of those who are planning to attend for sure to register by January 18, 2008 in order for Honey Creek to make plans for food and staffing. Late registrants are allowed up to the start of the retreat, but may be turned away for lack of space.

Schedule

Friday, February 1, 2008
5:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Reception
6 p.m. Dinner
7 p.m. Opening session
9 p.m. Compline (evening worship)

Saturday, February 2, 2008
8 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Morning general session
9:30 a.m. Time for the labyrinth/creating prayer beads/centering prayer
11 a.m. Final general session
12 noon Lunch
1 p.m. Eucharist
2 p.m. depart for home

For some sense of the setting, you may see photos of the Power for the Forgiving and Light from the Shadows retreats in the Journey to Wholeness series. To register, contact Honey Creek at (912) 265-9218 or honeycreekga[at]aol.com

Cursillo
The second retreat is Cursillo, a short course in Christianity being held from dinner on Thursday, February 21 through Sunday afternoon, February 24. A lay person led weekend on Christianity, with great food, and a chance to consider your faith serious in a fun environment. Cursillo is a wonderful experience that is difficult to describe. But talk to anyone who has been and they will let you know that it is worth your time. Victoria and I will be working on the team that puts on the upcoming Cursillo and we already have two people from King of Peace taking part, so this could be the time for you to go.

To register for this retreat, see me for an application and to answer your questions.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Burning of the Greens

About 120 people turned out for our 7th Burning of the Greens. From the steamed oysters to the low country boil and the kids playing football on the lawn to roasting marshmellows on the fire, the event offered fun for all.