Ministry Ministry Matters ~ supporting Christian ministry with resources, community, and inspiration ~ This Sunday, 10 November 2013
AWOL Churches: How to Lose the Ghetto Mentality “See and Befriend” by George Hunter
Jesus sent out his disciples as “salt” and “light,” to befriend and minister to people on their turf and to make more disciples among all people. Paul said that we are “ambassadors for Christ”; God’s appeal is mediated through us.
Many Christians, in many generations, “got it.” Early Christians ministered to people, spread the gospel, and planted house churches in cities east and west. In the second and third centuries, urban Christians loved their neighbors, gossiped the gospel and, at considerable risk to themselves, ministered to sick people during epidemics. Eighteenth-century Methodism, likewise, took ministry to the neighborhoods and hospitals.
In the nineteenth century, C. T. Studd led a mission movement, announcing, “Most Christians stay within the sound of church and chapel bell; I would rather run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” More recently, lay armies have proliferated an incredible range of “outreach ministries”; of these, recovery ministries are the most visible.
But most churches have been AWOL in recent years. They have circled the wagons to protect their people from secular influences. Gripped by a ghetto mentality, they homeschool their kids, exercise at the church, shop with Christian merchants only, socialize with Christians only, and plan to retire in a community for Christian retirees only.
They have not completely forgotten the secular community around them. Their cars may play “witness” by displaying Christian bumper stickers. Their judicatories may pass resolutions on behalf of poor people or ethnic minority people—but without engaging them, or entering their world.
Once we could assume the church’s presence in the community. Today, when I suggest in field seminars that we reenter “the harvest,” people’s eyes glaze over. They typically ask what this would even look like. I find myself responding from experiences with two subcultures—the “muscle crowd” and the “mentalists.”
As a teenager, I pursued both “pumping iron” and performing as a magician. I discovered that both the body-building and magic-show populations are essentially secular people; they’ve never been substantially influenced by the Christian faith, although they are sometimes (very) nominal Christians who can tell you the name of the church they stay away from! The differences between the two groups are notable.
While everyone who lifts weights in a health club is an individual, the more hard-core they are, the more they have in common. As in my case, inferiority feelings may have first driven them to the gym. They may be more narcissistic than the population at large. They are certainly more “macho” than guys in general; their workout apparel from (say) “Intimidation Clothing” serves as a clue. Steroid abuse seems common; early deaths are not uncommon.
They believe in their folk wisdom more than in any scholarship. They learn to train from each other, not from exercise science. Likewise, they live their lives more informed by self-help gurus than by any serious psychology, philosophy, or theology. So the lifters in the Pain and Gain film declare, “Believe that you deserve it, and the universe will serve it!”
By contrast, mentalists may be rooted in nineteenth-century spiritualism, or in the “ESP” paradigm catalyzed by J. B. Rhine’s 1930s research at Duke. From either (or both) of these roots, many mentalists are skeptics. They have quick minds but seldom profound minds; their worldview is often scripted by pop science. Some are fundamentalists-turned-inside-out. Beneath the bluff, they are always interesting people; many of them have experienced personal tragedy.
From my involvement with these two populations, I have some insights about befriending almost any population.
Recall that God’s prevenient grace precedes you.
Be genuinely interested in other people and in what they do. (If stamp collecting is not your thing, don’t go there!)
Read what they read; be sufficiently informed to fit in as one of them.
Begin where they are—with their language, their needs and issues, and whatever they already know that you can build on.
Get into conversation with them. Do more listening than talking.
Record your insights.
Opportunities for ministry will surface—regularly but unpredictably.
~~~
Sudafed Christianity by Shane Raynor
A couple of years ago, I was dealing with a nasty cold, so I headed to my friendly neighborhood Walgreens for some Sudafed. This had been my over-the-counter decongestant of choice since college, and when I'd combined it with a decent antihistamine, I’d always been able to pretend I didn’t have a cold, even when I had a severe one. It just worked, and it worked well.
So I bought some Sudafed for my cold, started taking it, and… nothing. Maybe this is just a weird cold, I thought. The symptoms just aren’t responding to what’s always worked in the past.
Then I read the box. Active ingredient: Phenylephrine. Wait, that can’t be right. Sudafed isn’t phenylephrine, it’s pseudoephedrine. That’s why it’s called Sudafed! Hello, McFly?
So I went back to Walgreens to get to the bottom of this little pharmaceutical sham. It turns out, they had the “real” Sudafed behind the pharmacy counter. Apparently, some people like to take pseudoephedrine and make bad stuff with it. So laws have been passed to restrict the availability of it. And that’s why Pfizer started marketing the fake Sudafed (which, according to some research, is no more effective than a placebo.) I was finally able to get the real stuff, but only after signing nearly enough paperwork to close on a house. But it was worth it, because my cold symptoms virtually disappeared.
So what we have in the “fake” Sudafed is a product that looks real and still has the same name, but arguably isn’t anywhere near as effective as the original formula.
Christianity is a lot like that. More than two billion of us wear the “Christian” label, but how many of us aren’t really much different than the rest of the world? 2 Timothy 3:5 mentions people who “look like they are religious but deny God’s power.” (It also says, “Avoid people like this.”)
If we sin as much as the rest of the world, have as high of a divorce rate as everyone else, and insist on trying to solve the world’s problems using the world’s methods instead of Kingdom principles, what religion are we practicing?
Much has been written about why young people are leaving the church. From where I sit, lack of power is one of the biggest reasons anyone leaves. I want to see the power of God working more in my life, in the church, and in the world. That starts with a solid understanding of the cross, the resurrection, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Weak Christianity is boring and it doesn’t really change anyone. If people can’t tell that God is moving in a church, many of them will just go elsewhere.
And who can blame them?
Shane Raynor is an editor at Ministry Matters and editor of the Converge Bible Studies series from Abingdon Press.
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~~~
Do You See Them? A New Paradigm of Family by Linda Ranson Jacobs
Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Open the door and, wait . . . Where are all the people? The above is from a cute nursery ditty many of us grew up quoting, but how many of us ever realized it would one day come true? Unfortunately, churches all across America are closing their doors. “Where are all the people?”
Most of us realize we can’t do church like it was done back in the fifties and sixties. But how many of you realize you can’t do church like it was done just twenty years ago? How about ten years ago?
Our world is changing rapidly. With the advent of many new technologies, connecting with the people in our communities should be easier. Older people are living longer and babies continue to be born daily. With better health care and new advances in medicine, children who would have died years ago are surviving. In the United States, immigrants are arriving at staggering rates. And yet our church attendance in America is declining even though our population is continuing to rise.
Technology is changing our world and impacting our churches. There is another reason, a hidden and almost secret reason, churches are not growing. That reason is congregations not being fully aware of the kinds of families living in their communities and surrounding their churches. When was the last time you looked out the windows and doors of your church?
Outside the Walls of Your Church
View your community carefully through a new lens, because most communities will include the following family structures:
Single-parent families (nationally approximately 33 percent of children live in single-parent families)
Blended families
Intergenerational families and boomerang families
Grandparents parenting again, with some parenting second and third generations (approximately 15 percent of children are now being raised by grandparents)
Boomer families (a huge population of unchurched people waiting to be asked to attend church)
Singles (today there are more single than married people in the U.S.)
Culturally diverse families
Co-habitating families (a growing trend)
Many of us get so caught up in “ministry” in the church that we forget to minister to those outside our church walls. However, if we want the church to survive and impact the kingdom we are going to have to change the way we do ministry. Change doesn’t come easily, but tell me where in the Bible does it say doing church is easy?
There Are Many Issues Creeping into Society Today
I believe one of the big issues impacting families in our world today started back in the 1970s, when divorce headed like a speeding bullet straight toward the families of America. This bullet tore into families, shattering them to pieces and leaving serious open wounds.
We were told that the children were resilient. The children would survive. But we weren’t told at what cost the children would survive. Now the paradigm for schools and churches is children of divorce and children with never-married parents. It may be that many of your church members are second-generation children who grew up with divorced parents.
Society in general and churches in particular don’t want to admit this shift to what is now considered the new normal for our nation’s youngest population; nevertheless, the breakdown of marriages continues to negatively impact our society. As the children of yesterday become the adults of today, the breakup of their once-intact family is still haunting them.
What Do We Do Now?
If we want to build our church membership today and if we want to preserve the church of the future, we need to look at what kinds of families live in our communities and where they are.
It is not about programs or gimmicks.
It is about families.
It is about relationships.
It is about reaching out and sharing the love of Christ with a new and different generation in a culturally diverse world.
In order to continue to glorify God’s bride, the church, all churches must step up and regroup, rethink, retry, and search our hearts to find what God wants us to do.
Churches can be resilient if reliance on the Lord is maintained.
Churches can survive when they bow the knee in prayer.
Churches can and will move forward in the future when trends are evaluated and solution strategies are developed.
“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)
~~~
Communion of Saints by Katie Shockley
What Is the Communion of Saints?
When we gather in worship, we praise God with believers we cannot see. When we celebrate Holy Communion, we feast with past, present, and future disciples of Christ. We experience the communion of saints, the community of believers––living and dead. This faith community stretches beyond space and time. We commune with Christians around the world, believers who came before us, and believers who will come after us. We believe that the church is the communion of saints, and as a believer, you belong to the communion of saints.
The apostle Paul uses the Greek word koinonia for communion. The subtleties of koinonia embrace community and fellowship. He describes a community bound together in faith and common experience. Koinonia richly depicts believers coming together in the hopes of harmony and worship of God. This is the deep and rich unity we celebrate as the communion of saints.
Authors of the Hebrew Scriptures use two words that we translate as saint: khawseed and kawdoshe. The first speaks to one who is godly, holy, and merciful. The godly person reflects God’s character in his or her actions and life. In other words, a saint becomes a living testimony to God. Kawdoshe and the Greek word hagios, used by New Testament authors, mean “sacred” or “set apart.” Putting these ideas together, the Bible tells us that saints are people set apart by God who live their lives as a witness to the glory of God.
United Methodists understand saints to be believers who exemplify the Christian life. Hence, all Christians strive to be saints in how we live our faith. United Methodists recognize early followers of Jesus to be saints. For example, you may know many United Methodist churches named St. Paul, St. Andrew, or St. Peter. United Methodists do not pray to or worship saints. We also do not think of saints as those who serve as mediators to God on our behalf. All believers enjoy unmediated access to God. The United Methodist Church has no canonization process for sainthood. The church does not set saints apart as a separate group of specialized believers. Rather, it calls all believers saints.
What Are the Attributes of a Saint?
Make no mistake; God makes us saints. We do not make ourselves saints; it is God who does the work. Two attributes of a saint are holiness and righteousness. God calls us to a holy and righteous life. We call this process sanctification. Sanctification is God’s work of grace that helps us live according to God’s will and strive toward holiness.
According to the website Biblestudytools.com, to be holy is to be “set apart.” God sets us apart to be holy, to be sacred. As noted in the Common English Bible Study Bible, 1 Peter 1:15-16 quotes Leviticus 19:2 to encourage early followers of Christ to be as holy as God is holy. Through our relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit works in us and through us throughout our lives to make us holy. Our response to this process of sanctification is to live a holy life, a life set apart by and for God.
To be righteous is to be in right relationship with God, which leads us to follow God’s laws of justice and mercy. This relationship is possible through the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. God calls us into relationship with God, so God calls us to righteousness. As Christians, we live a righteous life by doing the will of God in our lives, by following Christ’s teachings. For me, Christ’s teachings in Matthew 25:14-30 and 31-46 give us the best direction for living a righteous life. When we use the gifts that God has given us to further God’s kingdom by serving others in need, we live in right relationship with God.
Holy and righteous living encompasses many attributes of a saint, including acts of mercy and piety. God makes us holy and righteous. How we live that out in our daily lives is how God makes us saints.
Holy Communion
During the sacrament of Holy Communion, the communion of saints becomes more palpable. Both ancient and modern liturgies include “with your people on earth and all the company of heaven.” We join our voices to sing God’s praise with all the saints, living and dead.
The last scene in the classic movie Places in the Heart portrays the communion of saints during Holy Communion. The audience sees Sally Field surrounded by people from her life. Some are alive and join her in worship. Some in the scene have moved out of town. Some have passed away yet appear in the scene as they did in life. All sit together, side by side, and participate in the passing of the bread. The visual reminds us that all believers of all time celebrate together the gift of God’s mercy and grace in Jesus Christ.
When we celebrate Holy Communion, we do so with all the saints. I celebrate with my grandparents who are among the company of heaven, and I celebrate with my parents and my brother’s family who live out of state. I celebrate with my congregation, those in attendance and those not. I celebrate with past, present, and future believers in the communion of saints. My belief in the communion of saints reminds me that God’s gift of salvation is for everyone, everywhere.
In this day of social media and Internet connectivity, the question of offering Holy Communion online has come to light. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry recently hosted a meeting of church leaders to discuss the possibility. Reverend Greg Neal of Northgate United Methodist Church in Irving, Texas, has offered Holy Communion online since 2003. Neal recognizes that receiving Communion “within a physically localized community of believers” is better. He notes that most people receiving online do so to “supplement and amplify” their experiences in local faith communities. Would offering Communion online enhance or detract from a sense of the communion of saints? While nothing can replace physical touch and physical presence, the communion of saints certainly extends to believers in cyberspace.
All Saints Day
Many churches today will celebrate All Saints Sunday, when we publicly recognize and honor in a variety of ways those saints who have passed away. Many churches read the names of their saints aloud. Some congregations stand as the names are read, and some congregations ring bells or place flowers to mark the occasion.
How do we honor our present and future saints? Every time we baptize someone, we honor a future saint. Every time we celebrate confirmation, we honor present and future saints. We encourage our future saints when we give children their first Bibles. Even openly welcoming children and youth in worship honors our present and future saints.
Saintly Inspiration
When we honor our saints, we recognize that they inspire us to live a saintly life. My father serves as the biggest saintly motivation in my life. My love of Scripture comes from him. He raised us not only to attend worship but also to participate actively as members of a local faith community. He serves the needy and spreads the love of Christ. All of his coworkers and clients knew he was a Christian. He never hides his faith. My father inspires me to live a Christ-centered life, just as his parents inspired him to do the same.
I also draw inspiration from future saints. My niece demonstrates the ease of evangelism. She has a friend who is not from the United States and has not been taught the stories of Jesus. My niece tells her friend all about what she learns at church. Now, her friend’s mother wants to know the stories of Jesus. Children are natural evangelists. They love to retell the stories they have heard, and they have no concerns or fears about inviting their friends to church. We all can learn from these future saints.
We believe in the communion of saints. We believe that we encounter and worship with a community of faith that knows no bounds of space and time. When we receive Holy Communion, we partake at Christ’s Table with past, present, and future saints. The saints in our lives inspire us to live in holiness and righteousness. On this All Saints Sunday, remember those who came before you in this Christian journey. But remember, too, the saints who surround you every day. How can you be a saintly example to them?
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups. FaithLink motivates Christians to consider their personal views on important contemporary issues, and it also encourages them to act on their beliefs.
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Now That You're a Parent by Gayle Peterson
My best friend had her baby a few months before I had my son. While I was in the hospital, she called and said, "Congratulations! Isn't it wonderful being a mother!" I didn't know whether to cry or slam the phone down.
I got home but I still didn't feel any more like a mother than I did the week before. I was tired and scared. I loved my baby, but wasn't I supposed to feel some magic bond and know what he needed? Was there something wrong with me?
Adjusting to the Changes
Parenting is not instinctual; it is learned from experience—your experience as a child with your own caregivers as well as your experience as a new mother or father. Motherhood or fatherhood may come easily to you, but even so, the changes it brings must be accommodated. The amount of family adjustment required during the year following birth is greatly underestimated.
Let's consider some of the adjustments you'll be facing as a new parent in the days and months to come.
The "Baby Blues"
Many new mothers experience postpartum depression, often called the "baby blues," during the first three months after childbirth. Although this increased emotional sensitivity is caused by hormonal fluctuations, the feelings that arise are real responses to real changes—both physical and emotional. Mild sadness may well up as the mother recovers from pregnancy and delivery and adjusts to the life changes that having a baby can bring. Fathers, too, can experience a period of sadness as they "mourn" the passing of their former lifestyle and adapt to new expectations, responsibilities, and schedules. Wnen depression becomes severe or lingers for more than three months, isolation may be the cause.
Reaching out for support from friends and relatives is important. Here are some ways to find the help you and/or your spouse may need:
1. Join a support group for new parents.
This can help you make contacts for babysitting, answer some of your needs for companionship, and banish the misunderstanding that motherhood or fatherhood is instinctual. Your hospital or obstetrician may be able to help you find a support group, or you can start one yourself by calling the parents in your birthing class or other new parents you may know.
2. Plan for help and interaction from friends.
Friends from church or work may be saying, "Let me know if I can help." Though sincere, they may not know how to give you or your spouse the help you really need. You might try asking a friend to:
bring a sack lunch and join you for half an hour midday—or a snack for another time that fits your schedules
come over and enjoy holding the new baby while you take a bath or nap
run errands, such as picking up dry cleaning or items from the store
listen while you share concerns or frustrations
pray for you and, as you are comfortable, with you
Your Identity as a Mother
As a new mother, it is necessary for you to sort through your childhood experience of your own mother; then incorporate into your own mothering those things you find to be positive, and plan to change those things you find to be not as helpful or even negative. This does not mean you do not love and cherish your mother. Rather, it is your job to discriminate about your own parenting style—in cooperation with your spouse—and raise your child accordingly. Building upon the beliefs and teachings of the Christian faith will give you a solid foundation.
Your Identity as a Father
With both parents contributing economically in over 80 percent of American families today, it has become necessary for husbands and wives to share more of the family responsibilities. Chief among these responsibilities is the task of nurturing children. When fathers participate in the nurturing role, both parents are more likely to have a greater sense of partnership and genuine appreciation for each other.
In order to share in the nurturing of your child, you may find it necessary to revise some of your preconceived ideas about a father's identity and role. For example, it may feel odd or "weak" in the beginning to assist with feeding and diapering your new baby or to rock your baby to sleep; remembering the rewards of intimacy you will reap generally helps. If you begin the habit of participating in the everyday care of your new baby, you will experience a special closeness with your child—now and in the years to come.
Your Identity as a New Family
As new parents, the two of you must sort through the expectations you bring from your own families and then form a new family identity. Your task is to come to an agreement about what constitutes "good parenting" and develop your own parenting plan, drawing upon your own experiences and observations as well as biblical guidelines and credible parenting authorities. This can be difficult if in-laws are critical instead of supportive when your choices or actions reflect a difference in values or parenting styles from their own. So it is important during this period of adjustment that you focus on strengthening your relationship, being careful to guard against any division that might be caused by extended family or other outside influences.
Strengthening Your Marriage—and Your Family
Your marriage relationship determines the emotional atmosphere of your family. Two important approaches can help you nurture your marnage:
1. Take time for each other.
In addition to taking time daily to express your needs and share your feelings with each other, be sure to schedule regular periods for simply enjoying each other. Even if you are able to spend quality time alone only once a month, you will reap great benefits from this special time together. Taking a night out for yourselves to nurture each other will help you to make your child(ren) feel loved as well.
2. Adopt a team approach.
Remember that no matter which one of you is carrying out a particular responsibility, both of you should share in the discussion and decision-making process. For example, both of you should share the responsibility of deciding how to care for your child or whether a job change is right for the family at this time. You will feel supported throughout your day if you share feelings as well as responsibilities with each other. This kind of team sharing and support will strengthen your marriage, making you less likely to turn to your child for emotional needs that should be met in your relationship with your partner.
Here are some suggestions:
Find ways to show that you recognize, appreciate, and value your spouse. Add your own ideas to these suggestions:
Offer verbal and nonverbal expressions of appreciation (hugs, kisses, notes, cards, occasional inexpensive gifts, etc.).
Make scheduling adjustments so that family may come first when necessary.
Make allowances in order to accommodate work schedules as you agree it is necessary and appropriate.
Call your spouse during the day to say hello and see how the day is going.
Offer to take care of the baby for a while so that your spouse may have some time away. (Both mothers and fathers need occasional breaks from the demands of family life.)
Express your appreciation for any family or household duties your spouse may handle alone—such as financial planning, laundry, grocery shopping, lawn care, and so forth.
Be sure that both of you are "in tune" with what's happening in the family. Here are some ideas:
Schedule activities around family needs on evenings and weekends as much as possible. Recognize that there will be times when this is not possible.
Discuss and share family and household duties.
Practice joint decision-making around childrearing, child development, household concerns, finances and budgeting, career goals, and family needs and plans.
Learning the Balancing Act
Every family struggles with the tension caused by competing demands, especially when those demands seem to put family and work in opposing corners. Even those families with only one working parent struggles to learn the "balancing act."
An important first step is to slow down. This is especially important in the first year of your child's life. Make your child and your new family the focus of your time and attention as much as possible. Your child will be older—and less in need of you—soon, and you will feel freer to pursue other things.
Next, place family (emotional needs) and work (economic needs) in equal relationship as much as possible. Of course, there will be times when family needs outweigh work needs, and vice versa. Making decisions and choices based on the best interests of your family will keep you on track.
Here are a few ideas to consider the first year:
Some new parents consider making a job change or taking out a loan so that one parent may stay at home during the first year. Other couples explore options such as flexible office hours, telecommuting, or part-time work so that one or both parents may spend more time at home than at work.
Keep in mind that a family has a "life cycle," and consider where you are in that cycle when making choices involving how much time to be away from your family. Some periods of your child's life, such as the first three years and adolescence, may be time-limited periods when your child's needs for your involvement are greater than at other times.
Men and women are different. Women may feel more drawn to nurturing, while men may feel more pressure to provide security by performing well economically. Recognizing these differences will help you to understand and respond appropriately to your spouse's feelings and needs.
Remember, whether or not you make your family a high priority will determine the health of your family relationships and the quality of your life together—both now and in the years to come. Recognize that the tremendous changes you are already experiencing will bring conflicts, and be resolved to handle them together. The church and Christian counseling services are always there to help if you need them.
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This Sunday, 10 November 2013
25th Sunday After Pentecost (Haggai 1:15b–2:9; Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38)
Don’t Be Fooled by Philip Wise
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Have you ever been fooled? I have, but I don’t like to admit it. I’ve been fooled by my friends. I’ve been fooled by some curve balls when I was playing baseball. I’ve been fooled by some con artists who worked on my automobiles. My hunch is that you have been fooled in various ways too. However, we don’t like to acknowledge our gullibility. That’s why it should be easy for us to understand Paul’s difficulty. He’s trying in this Epistle to explain to the Thessalonians that they have been fooled.
The Thessalonians have been fooled by some teachers who claim to have come from Paul. Their message has upset the church. These teachers have said that the “day of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 2:2) has already come. This was frightening to the Thessalonians because they feared that they had been “left behind.” Paul’s word is simple, “Let no one deceive you” (v. 3).
Every pastor can identify with Paul’s dilemma. How do you convince Christians that something they’ve been told by another pastor or teacher is wrong? How do you convince them that what you are teaching is right? Paul appeals to two things: his own personal integrity and the consistency of his teaching. Paul reminds the church of the time when he was with them and of the things he taught them at that time. The teacher’s message is always identified with the teacher’s integrity and consistency.
Paul’s excursion into eschatology is mystifying to many modern readers. His talk about “the lawless one” (v. 3) is at least as frightening as what the Thessalonians had been taught by those teachers with whom Paul disagrees. What are we to make of this discussion? Paul is trying to comfort the Thessalonians. He does it with the assurance that Christ will prevail. We may not understand biblical eschatology, but we can understand this simple affirmation: God will win.
Our best defense is to cling to the truth of the gospel—“in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself ” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Paul calls the Thessalonians back to that fundamental teaching. This seems like a good model for pastors and teachers who are bewildered by challenging issues in our own day. “I don’t have all the answers, but this one thing I know . . .”
In the second part of our text, Paul expresses thanks for the goodness of the Thessalonians. We appreciate goodness in comparison to wickedness. Here, Paul is comparing the Thessalonians to the lawless one and his followers. Paul is thankful that God has chosen them because they have demonstrated the wisdom of this choice by the fruit of their lives. They have believed the truth of the gospel, and as a result they have been made holy by the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. There is a connection between right beliefs and right living. Their goodness follows out of their belief in the good news Paul has preached to them.
It seems to be Paul’s modus operandi to always be clarifying the way of salvation. He wants the Thessalonians to know that salvation comes as a gift from God. It must be received by the individual, but the individual does not receive this gift as a reward for good behavior. Good behavior flows out of receiving the gift. Sanctification flows out of trust in Christ as the Holy Spirit does the work of transforming us into Christ’s image. The purpose of this process is so that we may share in Christ’s glory in eternity. This is Paul’s reminder to the Thessalonians that they have not “missed the boat.” They are still moving toward the goal of glorification.
How should the Thessalonians respond to Paul’s description of the salvation process? He contends that they should respond by refusing to accept any new ideas that are contrary to what he has taught them. They are to continue in the “traditions” that they were taught by Paul both in person and by correspondence. This is a reinforcement of the idea that Paul’s letters and other apostolic writings were to be regarded as authoritative by these believers and, for that matter, by us.
Paul concludes with a prayer. It’s instructive to notice how Paul prays for these first-century Christians. He entrusts them into God’s hands. Though he encourages them to “hold fast” (v. 15), he recognizes that they cannot do that in their own strength—they need God’s help. The same God who called them and loves them has the power to comfort and strengthen them. These Christians who had been losing hope have reason to be encouraged. Just as God gives us eternal comfort and hope, God can empower us to do the work that lies before us today.
The message in this passage is one that resonates with the challenges of today’s world. When many contend that we live in a post-Christian world and that belief in God is an absurdity, Christians need encouragement. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a reminder that God has not forgotten us. We have not been left to our own devices. To the contrary, God’s plan and purpose for the world are still on track. God is still using ordinary Christians to do his will in the world.
This message is also pertinent in today’s Christian community where aberrant beliefs and confusion abound. How do we decide who’s right? Paul reminds us to hold fast to the orthodox teachings of the faith—especially the teachings about salvation.
~~~
Worship Connection by Nancy Townley
25th Sunday After Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Haggai 1:15b–2:9; Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Haggai 1:15b–2:9; Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
L: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!
P: Each day God brings to us new opportunities to learn and grow.
L: God is near to all of us.
P: We will not fear to call upon the Lord.
L: Come, let us praise God who walks with us daily.
P: Let us open our hearts and spirits to God who loves and lives with us. AMEN.
L: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!
P: Each day God brings to us new opportunities to learn and grow.
L: God is near to all of us.
P: We will not fear to call upon the Lord.
L: Come, let us praise God who walks with us daily.
P: Let us open our hearts and spirits to God who loves and lives with us. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2:
L: Welcome this day to a celebration of hope and abundance.
P: We have come from a busy week in which we have been pulled this way and that, with demands on our lives, our time, our energy.
L: Come and rest in the Lord who heals and restores you.
P: We need this restoration in all of our lives.
L: Pour out your needs to the Lord who will always hear and respond.
P: Lord, we praise you and seek your calming spirit in our lives. AMEN.
L: Welcome this day to a celebration of hope and abundance.
P: We have come from a busy week in which we have been pulled this way and that, with demands on our lives, our time, our energy.
L: Come and rest in the Lord who heals and restores you.
P: We need this restoration in all of our lives.
L: Pour out your needs to the Lord who will always hear and respond.
P: Lord, we praise you and seek your calming spirit in our lives. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, p. 393, “Spirit of the Living God,” offer this call to worship as directed.]
[Using THE UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, p. 393, “Spirit of the Living God,” offer this call to worship as directed.]
Soloist: singing “Spirit of the Living God” through one time
L: There are times when our lives feel empty.
P: We pose questions to the Lord, questions of frustration and hopelessness.
L: Yet, God is patient and listens to our cries.
P: God is faithful to us and will help us to overcome our fears.
L: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on each one of us.
P: Heal our spirits. Change our lives into joyful service to you.
All: Singing “Spirit of the Living God”
P: We pose questions to the Lord, questions of frustration and hopelessness.
L: Yet, God is patient and listens to our cries.
P: God is faithful to us and will help us to overcome our fears.
L: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on each one of us.
P: Heal our spirits. Change our lives into joyful service to you.
All: Singing “Spirit of the Living God”
Call to Worship #4:
L: Even though we don’t always feel it, God is with us.
P: The darkness and doubt of the world can threaten to consume us.
L: Yet God is with us.
P: All around us there is fear and hopelessness.
L: God brings to us hope and peace. We place our trust in God’s abundant love.
P: Let us freely and without fear open our hearts to God’s healing words of hope. AMEN.
L: Even though we don’t always feel it, God is with us.
P: The darkness and doubt of the world can threaten to consume us.
L: Yet God is with us.
P: All around us there is fear and hopelessness.
L: God brings to us hope and peace. We place our trust in God’s abundant love.
P: Let us freely and without fear open our hearts to God’s healing words of hope. AMEN.
PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
Redeeming God, come and heal our lives this day. Open our hearts to receive your words of hope and joy that we may become faithful servants of yours in this world which you have loaned to us. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Redeeming God, come and heal our lives this day. Open our hearts to receive your words of hope and joy that we may become faithful servants of yours in this world which you have loaned to us. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
Faithful God, we come before you with many issues on our hearts. We get frustrated and angry at the way things are going in the world. We want your immediate intervention; and when we don’t see things happening the way we think they should be, we are quick to dismiss you and any thought of your presence. Help us stop our selfishness and our quick anger. Remind us that you will work with us and through us for peace and hope. Release us from the traps of quick tests of your faithfulness and help us see the “big picture” of your awesome love that spans all of time. Forgive us for our pettiness and our stubbornness. Bring us back to you, O Lord. Help us shout your praises and live lives of joyful service. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Faithful God, we come before you with many issues on our hearts. We get frustrated and angry at the way things are going in the world. We want your immediate intervention; and when we don’t see things happening the way we think they should be, we are quick to dismiss you and any thought of your presence. Help us stop our selfishness and our quick anger. Remind us that you will work with us and through us for peace and hope. Release us from the traps of quick tests of your faithfulness and help us see the “big picture” of your awesome love that spans all of time. Forgive us for our pettiness and our stubbornness. Bring us back to you, O Lord. Help us shout your praises and live lives of joyful service. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
Even though we get frustrated and angry, God still loves us and seeks to heal us. Open your hearts to receive God’s blessings and to feel God’s healing power in your lives. AMEN.
Even though we get frustrated and angry, God still loves us and seeks to heal us. Open your hearts to receive God’s blessings and to feel God’s healing power in your lives. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord, we are people who want instant answers to all our questions. We want to know how everything is going to work out throughout all of our lives. So we pose questions in which we do not necessarily seek answers but rather entrap you into giving us what we want. Help us understand the broader picture--the scope of your faithfulness and love for us. Remind us of all the times when you have lifted us and brought us to new opportunities for learning and growing. Let us place our trust in you totally, without reservation, for you are indeed faithful and just. As we have brought our prayers before you for our loved ones and for situations in the world in which pain and anger dominate, let us place our trust in your response and your healing love. Give us courage that our faith will be a witness to those who struggle; that our lives will bear the love you have lavished on us. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Lord, we are people who want instant answers to all our questions. We want to know how everything is going to work out throughout all of our lives. So we pose questions in which we do not necessarily seek answers but rather entrap you into giving us what we want. Help us understand the broader picture--the scope of your faithfulness and love for us. Remind us of all the times when you have lifted us and brought us to new opportunities for learning and growing. Let us place our trust in you totally, without reservation, for you are indeed faithful and just. As we have brought our prayers before you for our loved ones and for situations in the world in which pain and anger dominate, let us place our trust in your response and your healing love. Give us courage that our faith will be a witness to those who struggle; that our lives will bear the love you have lavished on us. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Reading
[The following should be done as “Readers’ Theatre” and should be rehearsed. I would recommend that each “reader” face the congregation while giving their speech. They should remain facing the congregation through the speech of the “voice” that follows their speech. The voice may be off-stage or over to the side of the congregation. It should be a strong voice, but not demanding or arrogant. Let the positive message of the voice come through with compassion. At the end of the reading, have the choir sing “Great Is the Lord," p. 2022, from THE FAITH WE SING.]
[The following should be done as “Readers’ Theatre” and should be rehearsed. I would recommend that each “reader” face the congregation while giving their speech. They should remain facing the congregation through the speech of the “voice” that follows their speech. The voice may be off-stage or over to the side of the congregation. It should be a strong voice, but not demanding or arrogant. Let the positive message of the voice come through with compassion. At the end of the reading, have the choir sing “Great Is the Lord," p. 2022, from THE FAITH WE SING.]
Reader 1:
I’ve been out digging in my garden. I bought all these bulbs and other plants that are supposed to be put in the ground in the fall or winter to ready for spring blooming. This is a tough and dirty job, but if I want the flowers in the spring, I have to plant the bulbs now. While I was planting and digging up the soil, I came across some bulbs already in the soil, clustered together, bunched up. I don’t even remember what they were, but here they were and they needed to be thinned out and replanted for better growth. They didn’t look too bad, so I planted them. Then my job was finished. All the plants and bulbs were in. Now I have to wait and hope for the best.
I’ve been out digging in my garden. I bought all these bulbs and other plants that are supposed to be put in the ground in the fall or winter to ready for spring blooming. This is a tough and dirty job, but if I want the flowers in the spring, I have to plant the bulbs now. While I was planting and digging up the soil, I came across some bulbs already in the soil, clustered together, bunched up. I don’t even remember what they were, but here they were and they needed to be thinned out and replanted for better growth. They didn’t look too bad, so I planted them. Then my job was finished. All the plants and bulbs were in. Now I have to wait and hope for the best.
Voice:
Wait on the Lord who has planted goodness and love within you. Trust in all God’s gifts, even though you may think that they are hidden and buried deep within. For they will bloom and give joy to all.
Wait on the Lord who has planted goodness and love within you. Trust in all God’s gifts, even though you may think that they are hidden and buried deep within. For they will bloom and give joy to all.
Reader 2:
I have been so frustrated with my life. It seems that everything I try to do doesn’t work out. I struggle and fail to make the goal I have set for myself. I have let people down and just don’t know if I have any energy in me to continue. I don’t know what to do. All around me there is emptiness and fear. Darkness floods in from everywhere, from all the news on television and in the newpapers, from the actions of others who want everything for themselves and don’t seem to care about anyone else. I give up. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
I have been so frustrated with my life. It seems that everything I try to do doesn’t work out. I struggle and fail to make the goal I have set for myself. I have let people down and just don’t know if I have any energy in me to continue. I don’t know what to do. All around me there is emptiness and fear. Darkness floods in from everywhere, from all the news on television and in the newpapers, from the actions of others who want everything for themselves and don’t seem to care about anyone else. I give up. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Voice:
Quiet your spirit. Do not fear, for God is truly with you. In your doubting, there is faith and a prayer for God’s intervention. Place your trust in God’s love and rest in the knowledge that God is just. Wait on the Lord, for God will surely pour God’s blessing into your life.
Quiet your spirit. Do not fear, for God is truly with you. In your doubting, there is faith and a prayer for God’s intervention. Place your trust in God’s love and rest in the knowledge that God is just. Wait on the Lord, for God will surely pour God’s blessing into your life.
Reader 3:
I believe in God. Truly I do. I come to church and hear the great words of faith and the stories about all those people whose lives God has touched and changed. Thankfully my life is just fine. I am doing well. Everything is going well for me and for my loved ones. The skies are sunny in my world. Yes, of course I know about the strife and hunger in the world, but that is somewhere else, not on my doorstep. I have done well in taking care of my own. Truly I am blessed by God.
I believe in God. Truly I do. I come to church and hear the great words of faith and the stories about all those people whose lives God has touched and changed. Thankfully my life is just fine. I am doing well. Everything is going well for me and for my loved ones. The skies are sunny in my world. Yes, of course I know about the strife and hunger in the world, but that is somewhere else, not on my doorstep. I have done well in taking care of my own. Truly I am blessed by God.
Voice:
In the midst of your rejoicing, may you find your heart tuned to God’s love for all God’s creation. May you find that you have been given gifts for helping others, for alleviating the pain and hunger around you. Open your eyes to God’s calling. Your blessings are to be used for healing and not to be kept for your own enjoyment. Step out of your shell into the true light of God’s love, which is service to others in need. That is truly what God’s blessings are about--serving, healing, hope, restoration for all God’s people.
Choir singing “Great Is the Lord,” p. 2022, THE FAITH WE SING
In the midst of your rejoicing, may you find your heart tuned to God’s love for all God’s creation. May you find that you have been given gifts for helping others, for alleviating the pain and hunger around you. Open your eyes to God’s calling. Your blessings are to be used for healing and not to be kept for your own enjoyment. Step out of your shell into the true light of God’s love, which is service to others in need. That is truly what God’s blessings are about--serving, healing, hope, restoration for all God’s people.
Choir singing “Great Is the Lord,” p. 2022, THE FAITH WE SING
Benediction
May the love of God, abundant through Jesus Christ, and freely given to us, be with you all your lives. Go in peace to serve God in all that you do. AMEN.
May the love of God, abundant through Jesus Christ, and freely given to us, be with you all your lives. Go in peace to serve God in all that you do. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color for this Sunday is Green.
Note: Today’s scriptures do not lend themselves easily to artistic interpretation. You have to dig deeply to visualize ways to enhance the scripture. The theme is hope beyond what we can see presently. My approach this day is to use a single flower, not a rose or some other elegant bloom, but a carnation, daisy, or local flower. The focus for the setting is new life and hope springing from desolation and fear.
Note: Today’s scriptures do not lend themselves easily to artistic interpretation. You have to dig deeply to visualize ways to enhance the scripture. The theme is hope beyond what we can see presently. My approach this day is to use a single flower, not a rose or some other elegant bloom, but a carnation, daisy, or local flower. The focus for the setting is new life and hope springing from desolation and fear.
SURFACE:
Place several risers on the worship center and in front of the worship center; they should be staggered. The taller riser should be placed at the left back portion on the worship center. It is on this riser that you will place a simple cross.
Place several risers on the worship center and in front of the worship center; they should be staggered. The taller riser should be placed at the left back portion on the worship center. It is on this riser that you will place a simple cross.
FABRIC:
Cover the entire worship center in burlap or some other earth tone rough fabric. The fabric should spill onto the floor in front of the worship center. Do not let the fabric hang in neat folds, it should look wrinkled and rough.
Cover the entire worship center in burlap or some other earth tone rough fabric. The fabric should spill onto the floor in front of the worship center. Do not let the fabric hang in neat folds, it should look wrinkled and rough.
CANDLES:
On the upper right hand side of the worship center, place a cluster of white candles of various heights--my preference would be to use pillar candles in a grouping of three or five candles.
On the upper right hand side of the worship center, place a cluster of white candles of various heights--my preference would be to use pillar candles in a grouping of three or five candles.
FLOWERS/FOLIAGE:
Only the single flower will be used in this setting. This flower should be placed in a container that will not be seen but can be hidden behind rocks and wood.
Only the single flower will be used in this setting. This flower should be placed in a container that will not be seen but can be hidden behind rocks and wood.
ROCKS/WOOD:
Use rocks and wood in clusters on the risers and in front of the worship center. However, focus on the cluster of wood and rocks in the middle of the worship center, from which the “flower will spring.” The wood should be broken branches, gnarled and rough. The rocks should be rough stones of various colors. Place the stones at the base of the worship center in clusters.
Use rocks and wood in clusters on the risers and in front of the worship center. However, focus on the cluster of wood and rocks in the middle of the worship center, from which the “flower will spring.” The wood should be broken branches, gnarled and rough. The rocks should be rough stones of various colors. Place the stones at the base of the worship center in clusters.
OTHER:
Use a simple cross for the worship center.
Use a simple cross for the worship center.
~~~
Worship for Kids by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: Haggai 1:15 b–2:9. This is a specific message for a specific time. Haggai encourages the people and their leaders to be courageous, to work hard, and not to be afraid as they rebuild the Jerusalem Temple after the Exile. Haggai promises that God will be with the people and that the Temple will be a rich and important center. It is a somewhat interesting but remote story for children, although the point of the text can be stretched to encourage children today to be courageous, work hard, and be fearless in doing God's work, whatever that may be for them.
Psalm: 145:1-5, 17-21, or 98. Both are general praise psalms. Both are meant to be experienced rather than understood, and thus children depend on dramatic upbeat presentations that communicate the psalms' moods. Because Psalm 98 includes more calls to easily identified parts of creation and to specific musical instruments, its content is more child accessible than that of the more abstract Psalm 145.
Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17. Verses 1-5 deal with first-century concerns about the return of Christ that are beyond the experience and interest of today's children. An exploration of Paul's practical advice and encouragement for his Thessalonian friends in verses 13-17 offers more for these children. With help, they realize that Paul's advice fits them too. God loves them and has put them in a place where they could hear the stories about God and Jesus. In response, they are to remember the stories and obey Jesus' teachings. When they do, God will be with them and help them.
Gospel: Luke 20:27-38. This is the story of another tricky question: "Whose wife will a woman who has been married and widowed seven times be, when all eight of those people get to heaven?" Children do not need to hear about leviratic practices or the Sadducee's motives to understand this question. They will need help with Jesus' answer in verses 34-36, but once it has been explained, it is one they readily accept. No one knows what life beyond death is like. That is one of God's secrets. What we do know is that God will still be loving. Therefore, we can expect only that life will be good. That answer puts the question in a familiar class of questions for which there are no answers—only mysteries.
The Sadducee's question is, of course, also a trap question. But to recognize that and to deal with Jesus' point about the God of the living (vss. 37-38) requires in-depth knowledge about the Sadducees and their logic. Explore this with the grown-ups.
Watch Words
Most children hear lyre (e.g., praise God with the lyre) as liar.
Children usually associate resurrection with Jesus and Easter. So for clarity, speak of life after death, rather than in the resurrection.
If you speak about the Sadducees at any length, point out that they were sad, you see because they did not believe in life after death. This will not help children understand the significance of this passage; it simply helps them recognize a name they will hear again.
Let the Children Sing
"Earth and All Stars" is based on Psalm 98 and adds calls for praise to modern groups of people and situations. (If this is used as an opening hymn, precede it with a call to worship based on Psalm 98:1, 4-9.)
Sing "Lord, You Give the Great Commission," especially if you worked on learning it as a congregation earlier this fall. This hymn also follows the prophecy and Epistle theme.
Sing, "God of Grace and God of Glory," with its repeated prayer phrase, for the Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem, the Christians who endured persecution in Thessalonica, and disciples at work today. Sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," but only after introducing it as a song to be sung by people who work with God. Though children do not understand the big words and complicated images, they do grasp its message in the drama of the music. So provide the most stirring, majestic instrumental backup possible. (Do remember that the chorus is the basis of innumerable children's taunt songs.)
The Liturgical Child
1. If you focus on the Gospel reading, display new-life symbols and banners in the worship center. Suggest that flowering bulbs (Easter lilies, if possible) be the flowers of the day. Then refer to them during the sermon.
2. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13-17, or the following paraphrase of the passage, as the Charge and Benediction:
Remember that God loves you. God chose you to hear the good news and to live among God's people. Do not forget what you have learned. Live by it. And may our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our Father, and the Holy Spirit give you the courage and strength to say kind words and do loving deeds today and every day. Amen.
Sermon Resources
1. The Jews struggling to rebuild Jerusalem and the Christians in Thessalonia had similar problems, which children can understand. God was busy doing big things in both situations, and the people were hanging back. The Jews were discouraged and frightened. Deep down inside, they didn't believe they or God could do the job. They were ready to give up. (Many children are just as pessimistic about their lives and worlds.) Some of the Christians, on the other hand, believed that God could do anything, but they were doing nothing to help. All they wanted to do was watch and cheer. (Many children are willing to hear about children's church activities, but are unwilling to get involved.) To both groups, and to hesitant disciples today, God says that great things are going to happen and that their help is needed.
2. Build a sermon recounting the great things God has done and describing the human work that was involved. Begin with biblical events (Haggai and the beginning of the church), but include other events from church history and from the recent history of your congregation. Conclude each story with a phrase such as, "Who did it? God did it! How did God do it? God worked through people!"
3. Devote the sermon to exploring ideas about life after death (heaven). Identify some ways we describe heaven: winged angels, harps, golden streets, an entry gate manned by Saint Peter, and so on. Invite people to flip through hymns about heaven or eternal life in the hymnal. Review key ideas and word pictures in several hymns.
Then work through the Gospel text to get to the fact that we really do not know much about what happens after we die. What we do know is that God, who loves us and cares for us on earth, will keep loving and caring for us after we die. We have God's promise and Jesus' promise about that. The cocoon that becomes a butterfly and the egg that hatches into a bird help children appreciate the change that happens to us at death.
~~~
Sermon Options
HOW TO STAND FIRM IN A TURBULENT WORLD
2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-5, 13-17
Have you ever tried to walk in gale force winds? That is what it is like to try to stand firm in our world today. There are many challenges that try to buffet us. It is difficult to keep our equilibrium. Paul brings to the attention of the Thessalonians and to our attention as well, two great concepts that can help us stand firm. Paul's discussion is in the context of concern about persecution, rampant immorality, and a coming man of lawlessness. Paul counsels them not to be overly concerned because they had a foundation in their lives that could not be destroyed. Since their battle and ours is a battle of ideas, our stability comes from remembering great ideas. We have not been thrown out into the battle with no resources.
I. Remember the Gospel You Believed (vv. 13-15)
Paul begins by reminding us that God took the initiative. God did not wait for us to choose him. He chose us. This choice is made evident through the work of the Spirit and our belief in the truth. It is the Spirit speaking through the word that we must respond to. This is the word that preachers have shared. When we respond we receive salvation from our sins and we are sanctified, that is made holy, that we might share in his glory. So there is both an earthly and heavenly benefit to receiving God's grace.
Paul begins by reminding us that God took the initiative. God did not wait for us to choose him. He chose us. This choice is made evident through the work of the Spirit and our belief in the truth. It is the Spirit speaking through the word that we must respond to. This is the word that preachers have shared. When we respond we receive salvation from our sins and we are sanctified, that is made holy, that we might share in his glory. So there is both an earthly and heavenly benefit to receiving God's grace.
We live in a society that often devalues doctrine. This is a shame because our doctrine shapes what we are. Every doctrine has some practical application. It does matter what you believe.
It is important to remember that the word gospel means good news. Preachers may tell the truth in their sermons, but still not have a note of gospel in them. This gospel gives us stability in a turbulent world.
II. Remember the Grace You Received (vv. 16, 17)
Evidence of the grace of God is the great love the Father has given us. This loving grace gives us encouragement in our present circumstances and an enduring hope for the future. We have a confidence that both empowers us and strengthens us to excel in word and deed.
Evidence of the grace of God is the great love the Father has given us. This loving grace gives us encouragement in our present circumstances and an enduring hope for the future. We have a confidence that both empowers us and strengthens us to excel in word and deed.
Grace is such a glorious concept that some people reject it because they feel undeserving. What a liberating moment it is when a person recognizes that grace is for the undeserving. That's why they call it grace. Just because we don't deserve it does not mean we can't enjoy it. This grace gives us stability in a turbulent world.
Do you remember the story of the little girl who bought a pair of ice skates so she could learn to skate? As she went out to try them she fell repeatedly. Her father, trying to be compassionate, said, "Do you want to stop for now?" "No," came the terse reply, "I didn't buy the skates to fall down."
We didn't become Christians to fall. We must stand firm. We can stand firm. (Michael Shannon)
A NEW TAKE ON REALITY
LUKE 20:27-38
One of the encouraging trends in our postmodern world is the new openness to faith and belief. Folks who operated from a modern rationalistic, scientific worldview who often rejected faith claims as being intellectually indefensible are now coming to the realization that such claims are not as indefensible as they had imagined. This is exciting news for those who proclaim the gospel. However much times may change and developments may warrant new openness to faith, there will always be those who rigidly cling to their preconceived notions of the way things ought to be. The Sadducees were such people.
I. The Rigidity of the Sadducees
In the Gospels, the Sadducees frequently did whatever they could to make Jesus' life miserable. I have often erroneously believed that the Sadducees were the liberals of their day because they denied a belief in the resurrection. In fact, they were the extreme conservatives of their day. Their rejection of belief in the resurrection was based on a strict interpretation of the Torah, in which resurrection is not mentioned. So when the Sadducees ask Jesus about the resurrection, they are not really interested in knowing about the resurrection or considering what Jesus has to say on the matter. Instead, they pose a riddle that is on the level of "Can God make a stone so big he cannot lift it?"
In the Gospels, the Sadducees frequently did whatever they could to make Jesus' life miserable. I have often erroneously believed that the Sadducees were the liberals of their day because they denied a belief in the resurrection. In fact, they were the extreme conservatives of their day. Their rejection of belief in the resurrection was based on a strict interpretation of the Torah, in which resurrection is not mentioned. So when the Sadducees ask Jesus about the resurrection, they are not really interested in knowing about the resurrection or considering what Jesus has to say on the matter. Instead, they pose a riddle that is on the level of "Can God make a stone so big he cannot lift it?"
They refer to the custom of levirate marriage and concoct a scenario that could conceivably happen but would be highly unlikely. Suppose a man with six brothers gets married and then dies. The wife marries the brother who then dies. This cycle repeats itself until the wife has been married to all seven brothers. In Mark's account, Jesus tells the Sadducees that their whole premise is wrong because they do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God.
II. The Newness of Jesus
Luke's account shows Jesus using an interesting hermeneutic to answer the Sadducees' question. Jesus tells them that the purpose of marriage in this life, which is fleeting and temporal, is to propagate the race, as well as to provide companionship. In the age to come, which is eternal, there is no longer any need to propagate the race. Therefore, the question of marriage becomes moot in eternity.
Luke's account shows Jesus using an interesting hermeneutic to answer the Sadducees' question. Jesus tells them that the purpose of marriage in this life, which is fleeting and temporal, is to propagate the race, as well as to provide companionship. In the age to come, which is eternal, there is no longer any need to propagate the race. Therefore, the question of marriage becomes moot in eternity.
What is interesting is the interpretation Jesus gives to the story of Moses at the burning bush. Jesus uses the Scripture that the Sadducees will accept as authoritative and "puts a spin" on it that they hadn't considered previously. Moses demonstrated the reality of resurrection. It was Moses who addressed God as the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Of what value would it be to address God as the God of a bunch of dead people. God is not the God of the dead but of the living.
Jesus gave such a compelling answer that he earned his critics' grudging respect.
"Well said, teacher," they replied. And from that time on, although they were plotting his death, they didn't dare try to test him anymore.
The Sadducees show us the danger of becoming so locked into a particular way of thinking and viewing reality that we are no longer open to anything new. Certainly the truth of the Scripture does not change. But changing times open new ways of viewing that reality. The rigidity of the Sadducees caused them not only to miss out on the joy of knowing Jesus as the Christ but also brought on them the condemnation of crucifying the Lord of Glory.
In all of the changing views of reality we face, let us also be encouraged by the truth that there will be a "great, gettin' up mornin' " when we are raised to spend eternity with the One who never changes and in whom there is no shadow of turning. (Mark A. Johnson)
~~~
Give Thanks
Thanksgiving graphics for worship and additional planning ideas!
Thanksgiving 2014
Thanksgiving~free graphics by Betsy Hall & Matt Orozco
Thanksgiving can easily get crowded out by the jump from Halloween to Christmas, plan a community worship service for a time to pause, stop, and give thanks to God.
Free graphics to assist your team in planning are in the downloadable zip file below. Graphics include: four background stills for tailoring to your worship setting and portions of the scriptures. There is even more great information if you have a Premium Subscription, links follow. Want even more free content?
Click here.
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"In addition to the Christian temporal and sanctoral cycles, there are days in the civil calendars that are marked by services in many Christian churches. Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s are the two days in the civil calendar that are widely enough celebrated with church services in North America to have been included in the common calendar. New Year’s is included in the common calendar as part of the Christmas Season, but Thanksgiving is included with the special days.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, which can occur between November 22 and 28 inclusive. It has a decidedly religious cast to it, but its religious character is broad enough to include not only Christians but Jews and others as well. Some have called it the chief annual celebration of American civil religion. It is the chief occasion in the year when significant numbers of communities hold interreligious worship services that include both Jewish and Christian congregations. The widespread custom of family Thanksgiving dinner, which may bring together a family reunion and be for many persons their biggest meal of the year, is often marked by a table blessing or other expression of thanks to God for the blessings of the year. While the secular ritual of football has made considerable inroads on more traditional observances, no realistic calendar of the American Christian Year can ignore Thanksgiving services, even if they are often moved back to Thanksgiving Eve or the Sunday before Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving Sunday).
Because most Thanksgiving (or Thanksgiving Eve or Thanksgiving Sunday) services are held by a single congregation or a group of Christian congregations, the majority of such services are Christian worship services. Many of them, especially when held by a single congregation, include Holy Communion."
—from The New Handbook of the Christian Year by Hoyt L. Hickman, Don E. Saliers, Laurence Hull Stookey, James White (©Abingdon Press)
—from The New Handbook of the Christian Year by Hoyt L. Hickman, Don E. Saliers, Laurence Hull Stookey, James White (©Abingdon Press)
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Deuteronomy 26:1-11
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
Psalm 100
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
Philippians 4:4-9
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
John 6:25-35
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
commentary from The New Interpreter's Bible
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Thanksgiving Day FREE Service by Nancy C. Townley
The free order of service, is excerpted from Praise Now! 2 by Nylea L. Butler-Moore and Nancy C. Townley.
The service includes a skit, welcome, prayers, suggested music, worship center or altar design ideas, and message movers (sermon starters).
Theme: The power of 'ordinary' days
Theme: The power of 'ordinary' days
Scriptures: Psalm 104:19-20; Luke 13:1-18
Use the service as is, or adapt it to your setting.
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Thanksgiving Sunday ~ Year C by Nancy C. Townley
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
L: Come, let us celebrate the wondrous gifts that God has given us.
P: Throughout all our lives, God has blessed us with love and hope.
L: Praise be to God who provides for us.
P: May our hearts be truly grateful, and may we show our gratitude by the ways in which we live and care for others.
L: Hallelujah!
P: AMEN.
P: Throughout all our lives, God has blessed us with love and hope.
L: Praise be to God who provides for us.
P: May our hearts be truly grateful, and may we show our gratitude by the ways in which we live and care for others.
L: Hallelujah!
P: AMEN.
Call to Worship #2:
L: The time of gathering is here.
P: We have come from far and wide to offer our praise to God for God’s many blessings to us.
L: Open your hearts to God’s compassionate words of love.
P: Help us, O Lord, to receive your gifts in gratitude and to live lives of helpful service to others.
L: In Christ’s Name, we pray.
P: AMEN.
P: We have come from far and wide to offer our praise to God for God’s many blessings to us.
L: Open your hearts to God’s compassionate words of love.
P: Help us, O Lord, to receive your gifts in gratitude and to live lives of helpful service to others.
L: In Christ’s Name, we pray.
P: AMEN.
Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2061, “Praise Our God Above,” have a soloist or small ensemble sing the verses as directed.]
L: Praise be to God who has given us the seasons of the year.
P: In these times we are witnesses to God’s creative power and the miracle of growth in all creation. Soloist/ensemble: singing verse 1 of “Praise Our God Above”
L: God surrounds us with love and mercy.
P: Even though we sometimes stray from God, we are still forgiven and redeemed."
L: In the presence of God, we are made confident and strong.
P: In the presence of God, we are loved and made whole.
L: Praise be to God who has given us the seasons of the year.
P: In these times we are witnesses to God’s creative power and the miracle of growth in all creation. Soloist/ensemble: singing verse 1 of “Praise Our God Above”
L: God surrounds us with love and mercy.
P: Even though we sometimes stray from God, we are still forgiven and redeemed."
L: In the presence of God, we are made confident and strong.
P: In the presence of God, we are loved and made whole.
Soloist/ensemble: singing verse 2 of “Praise Our God Above”
L: Open our hearts today, O Lord, to hear your words of redeeming love.
P: Open our lives today, O Lord, to help us become your disciples. AMEN.
L: Open our hearts today, O Lord, to hear your words of redeeming love.
P: Open our lives today, O Lord, to help us become your disciples. AMEN.
Call to Worship #4:
L: In the midst of difficulty, the Lord sets a table of rejoicing for us.
P: Though the world seems focused on turmoil, yet will we praise God!
L: Our lives should be witnesses to God’s goodness and power.
P: Our hearts should encompass compassion and service to God’s people.
L: Help us to be your workers and witnesses in today’s world, O Lord.
P: Enable us to be faithful and strong for you. AMEN.
P: Though the world seems focused on turmoil, yet will we praise God!
L: Our lives should be witnesses to God’s goodness and power.
P: Our hearts should encompass compassion and service to God’s people.
L: Help us to be your workers and witnesses in today’s world, O Lord.
P: Enable us to be faithful and strong for you. AMEN.
PRAYERS, READING, BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
Lord of bounty and blessing, we come to you this day in gratitude for all that we have been given. We are grateful for the blessings and for the opportunities to be of service to others in your holy Name. Bless each of us here, that we may become truly blessings to others. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Bounteous God, you have lavished your finest gifts on each one of us. We thank you for the many ways in which you have blessed our lives--with love, hope, friends, our church, and so many other things that we cherish. Help us be a blessing for others--that they may come to know you and rejoice in your love. Give us hearts of courage and confidence to step out into the world in service, bringing hope where there is doubt, peace where there is strife, love where there is discord. These things we pray in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
Patient Lord, we are rushing headlong into the holiday season, forgetting that the word “holiday” is actually comprised of two words: “holy and day.” Forgive us when we treat the “holiday” as a task and a burden, when we load ourselves down with tasks that do not enhance this day. Help us move past the busyness of the day into the attitude of gratitude we should display for all the many wonders and blessings you have poured on us. Forgive us when we grumble and gripe about the work and do not relish the delight in having family and friends together. Remind us that there are those for whom this day holds little delight and hope. Help us reach out to them with love, listening to their hearts and trying to meet their needs. Cause us to be people of Passion about the love you have given to us and about the joy of serving you by helping others. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
Though hosts encamp around you, uttering messages of fear and dread, place your trust and hope in God who lavishly provides for you and who calls you beloved. Rejoice, for God is with you. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
God of infinite patience and power, how it must try your patience to watch us hurl ourselves into a season of greed and grumbling. Your blessings, your bounty, have been poured out to us that we may be strengthened to be your people in service to others. Yet we persist in attaching ourselves to the great “gimmies” of our world--“gimmie toys, gimmie wealth, gimmie power.” Today we have gathered here with an opportunity to step out of the race to possess, to praise you and thank you for the wonderful ways in which you have blessed our lives. We spend a lot of time looking for the big blessings, when all around us are the delightful blessings of everyday living--family, home, friends, the ability to enjoy laughter and share tears. There are so many ways in which you have touched our lives with your love. Help us develop for all of our lives an attitude of gratitude, never failing to thank you each day for your love and your blessings. Help us reach out to one another and to all those in need with this compassionate love. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
READING
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2051, “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry,” offer this dramatic reading as instructed.]
Reader 1:
I don’t feel God’s presence. My parents never talked very much about God and we seemed to be all right. Yet there is an emptiness within me. When I hear others talking about the belief that God has been with them all their lives, I long to have that same feeling. I believe that there is something more than just going through the motions of existence.
Soloist: singing verse 1 and 2 of “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”
Reader 2:
As a child I believed that God was everywhere, but now that I have grown up, I have my doubts. I look at the world and wonder where God is. Why are things the way they are? How come God just doesn’t come down and fix up all the mess we have made? Where was God during my teenage years when I was struggling to find out who I was and what I was supposed to do?
Soloist: singing verse 3 and 4 of “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”
Reader 3:
Life is moving on too rapidly. It seems that there just isn’t enough time to do all the things I want to do. The burdens and responsibilities are weighing me down. Now age is rushing up on me--it’s not creeping, that’s for sure. I fear the times of inability or the moments in which I am no longer able to do all that I once was able to do. Where will you be, O God, during these times?
Soloist: singing verses 5 and 6 of “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”
Worship Leader:
Throughout all of our lives we have wondered where God is. We have cried to the heavens in our distresses and shouted to God in our joys. We are people of instant gratification; we want to know how everything will turn out in our lives, so that we can be better prepared. This demonstrates our lack of trust in God who has always, from the moment of our creation and into eternity, been with us. Where is God? Just look around. God is everywhere--forever--with love, forgiveness, hope, peace, and joy. May God’s blessings be always in your life. AMEN.
Soloist: singing verse 7 of “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”
BENEDICTION
Beloved of God, place your whole trust in God’s absolute abundant love. Feel the powerful presence of God in your life and know that God’s blessings are with you. Go in peace, and may God’s peace always be with you. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color may be the color of your choice, although Green is often used. I recommend autumnal colors. This holiday service has so many possibilities for worship displays. One display may be the placing of food gifts to be brought to a shelter or a food pantry. Another display may be the placing of autumn leaves, pumpkins, and such reminding us of the bounty of the harvest. Another display may be pictures of the congregation involved in the many opportunities for worship, learning, and service throughout the church. Each congregation may want to choose their focus for this service. Having said this, the following information may be helpful in setting the “stage” for the worship display.
SURFACE: Depending upon the focus you choose, you may want to place a tall central riser on the center back of the worship table. It is on this riser that you would place a brass cross or some other significant cross. Other risers may be placed on the worship center and in front of the worship center.
FABRIC: Generally speaking green is the color that continues in this season until Christ the King Sunday; however, I favor using a base of burlap or some other neutral rather rough fabric, on which may be placed colorful fabrics. Make sure that the fabrics do not compete with the artifacts to be placed on them. The purpose of the fabric is to enhance the design not dominate it. The fabric should cover the entire worship center, including any risers in front of the center.
CANDLES: I would use two large white pillar candles on either side of the cross. Depending on the focus you choose, you may want to place some votive candles around. A word of caution: don’t place candles near any dried arrangements or vegetation; it is very easy for things to catch on fire.
FLOWERS/FOLIAGE: These will be determined by the focus you choose.
ROCKS/WOOD: These will be determined by the focus you choose. I probably would not include rocks or wood in this display.
OTHER: Baskets, boxes, photographs, veggies--all these depend on the focus you choose.
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A New Realm by Sara Webb Phillips
Today is Christ the King Sunday, the last day of the liturgical year. More than a climax at the end, however, it serves as a transitional Sunday leading to the beginning of Advent next week. Today highlights that Jesus is Lord: he came in human form, suffered, died, and rose again that our sins might be forgiven and that we might live in God’s way on earth and beyond this life. Next Sunday we look forward to a season of expecting Christ’s coming again in sovereign glory. Many of us may find this a foreign image, since we live in a democracy that does not recognize a monarchy, even in a figurehead status. So what does saying “Christ is King” mean to us?
Our Old Testament heritage reminds us of the Hebrew people’s desire to be ruled by a king like other nations around them. The Lord grants their wish, but warns them not to place their ultimate trust in earthly leaders who will only disappoint them. Saul, the first king, went mad; not a good start! Next was David, the shepherd king, to whom all others were compared. He was a good king who brought unity, prosperity, and peace to the kingdom, though he did let his personal problems interfere with justice, as his affair with Bathsheba sadly illustrates. Every king after, even David’s own son Solomon, struggled with the corruption of personal power and wealth, all the while straying from the commandments and compassion of God. The prophet Jeremiah foretold of one who would reign as king to execute justice and righteousness in the land (Jeremiah 23:5). This prophecy points to Christ’s rule to come. In the New Testament Zechariah confirms this when he declares that his son John will be the prophet who prepares the way for the savior from the house of David (Luke 1:69, 76).
The birth of Christ ushered in a new era, a new understanding of “kingdom,” not seen in earthly powers and places, but in a way of living under God that will give “light to those who are sitting in darkness and . . . guide us on the path of peace” (Luke 1:79). Thus we say “Christ the King” to proclaim that our loyalty and trust lie not in rulers of this world but in Jesus. This Lord taught us to build an earthly realm of justice, righteousness, compassion, and peace that reflect God’s intention for creation.
devotion from: WordAlive ©2013 by Abingdon Press. Used with permission
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Gratitude Stories by Martin Thielen
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the following gratitude stories might be helpful to you. They all fall under the theme of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV). Of course, this verse doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is God’s will. It’s not God’s will that we lose our jobs, or get a diagnosis of cancer, or that our children make poor choices. What this verse does say is that it’s God’s will for us to thankful people in all circumstances, even in hard times—especially in hard times. Consider these three examples.
When Robinson Crusoe was wrecked on his lonely island, he drew two columns and listed the good and bad of his situation. He was cast away on a desolate island, but he was still alive. He was separated from humanity, but he was not starving. He had no clothes, but was in a warm climate and didn’t need them. He had no means of defense, but saw no wild beasts that threatened him. He had no one to talk to, but the destroyed ship was near the shore and he could get out of it all the things necessary for his basic needs. He concluded, therefore, that no condition in the world was so miserable that one could not find something to be grateful for.
When the late John Claypool lost his ten-year-old daughter to leukemia, gratitude was the only way he survived. He tells about that experience in his profound book, Tracks of a Fellow Struggler. After his daughter’s death, John walked down three different paths. The first path was to say, “Well, it was just God’s will. I have to accept it.” But that was not helpful. He could not believe that God willed ten-year-old girls to die of leukemia. A second path was to try to find an intellectual answer as to why this happened. He tried to make sense of it. But that didn’t work either. His daughter’s death didn’t make any sense. Finally, John walked the path of gratitude. He realized that life is a gift. We are not entitled to it. That we have any life at all is pure gift and pure grace. Therefore, John chose to be thankful for the ten good years they had together rather than being consumed with resentment for the years he did not have with her. This path of gratitude wasn’t easy, but it was the only path which offered any help.
Many years ago, an elderly English pastor was famous for his pulpit prayers. He always found something to thank God for, even in bad times. One stormy Sunday morning, when everything was going extremely bad in the community and in the lives of many people in the congregation, himself included, he stepped to the pulpit to pray. A member of the congregation thought to himself, “The preacher will have nothing to thank God for on a wretched morning like this.” The pastor began his prayer, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”
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Martin Thielen serves as senior pastor of Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee. A complete manuscript of his Thanksgiving sermon, “Choosing Gratitude,” is available at his preaching and worship website, www.GettingReadyForSunday.com. Martin’s most recent book is “What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian?” A Guide to What Matters Most. Complete information about the book, including a free Leader’s Guide for leading a seven-week congregation-wide initiative based on the book, can be found at http://thielen.wjkbooks.com.
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The Power of Gratitude by Greg Paul
The figures at the far end of the city park I was about to enter, lurking just outside the bright cone of a streetlight, had the hulking, rounded look acquired by homeless people wearing many layers of clothing. I assumed I would know the two people, and so personal safety never crossed my mind—I’m a pastor and member of the Sanctuary community, which makes a particular point of embracing people who are, as we say, “street-involved”. In other words, most of the “bad guys” are my friends. As it turned out, these two were men I have known for years. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that we love each other like brothers—brothers in a large, fractious, family where addictions and violence are too common.
We stood there in the cold dark bantering about nothing in particular. My pals were sober and at ease. They weren’t in a rush to be anywhere else; that little park was, in effect, their living room, and apart from some of the more colorful expressions, the tenor of the conversation was pretty much what you’d hear at a neighborhood dinner party.
After five or ten minutes, I said I had to go. Where was I going, one of my friends wanted to know? It was ten o’clock at night; in what I’m sure must have been an isn’t-it-obvious tone of voice, I said, “Home. I’m going home.”
My street brother gave me a cool look and said, “Must be nice.”
“It is,” I replied, after a short, awkward pause.
My brother’s coolness evaporated. He stepped forward, gave me a hug, and told me to go home. And have a good evening. He meant it.
Although I’m so fortunate as to encounter it with regularity, I am frequently astonished by the grace of my friends who have so little. Their grace leads me to gratitude—the generosity with which they bless me, eschewing bitterness or resentment of the good things I have, reminds me of how truly wealthy I am.
In this Thanksgiving season, it strikes me that we, the citizens of the wealthy First World nations, are a profoundly ungrateful people. I’m sure I’m not the first to point out that the 99% who are currently protesting North American economic inequity would almost all be numbered in the richest 15% in the world. (You could be making less than $3,000 US annually, and still qualify.) I know that’s a gross over-simplification, but still, we take for granted possessing more stuff than any people in history.
Lord Beaverbrook, the press baron of the past century, was once asked by a journalist how much a man required to be considered wealthy. Beaverbrook thought for a moment.
“Just a little more,” was his reply.
A truthful, insightful response, and one that reveals a core problem in our First World culture. We have come to expect a constantly expanding “more”; contentment with “enough” is almost an insult to our avaricious, entrepreneurial society. “Enough” does not serve the Darwinian drive of capitalism.
The people who make up the 1% are only the sharp point on this pyramid – the “fittest”, whose version of survival depends on their ability to dominate the 99%. But of course, the “survival” of the First World 99% depends on our ability to dominate, by one means or another, the 85% of the world’s population who live in a poverty so deep we can hardly imagine it. There’s no question that there is deep, and deeply disturbing, inequity within our First World culture, but it’s certainly a question of degree; in global term, we’re all complicit in the same game of greed.
I don’t believe trying to make people feel guilty about what they have is any kind of solution. Guilt just pushes people into a corner, where they feel compelled to protect themselves one way or another. (The exercise of power is only one option; there are a plethora of conscience salves to be cheaply bought as well.) I do believe that the practice of gratitude—thanksgiving!—has the power to transform us. If the 1% were truly grateful for what they have now, if they practiced acknowledging their wealth, and giving thanks for the specific goods and opportunities they have, it would undoubtedly defuse the sense of entitlement that drives greed, ameliorate their lust for more, and result in greater economic justice for the 99%.
If we, the 99%, also practiced being consciously grateful, more scraps would fall from the rich man’s table; more corners of more grain fields would be left for the poor to glean; the systems which put a foot on the neck of people struggling in multi-generational poverty would begin to weaken, and jubilee might break out. Entitlement propels a selfish acquisitiveness. True gratitude, I have come to believe, prompts a desire to see others similarly blessed, while also loosening the hold possessions have on the grateful one.
When I arrived home after bumping into my homeless friends, I stood for a minute beside my car (a vintage Corolla, but still, a car), listening to the ticking of the engine as it cooled, and looking at the windows of our house, glowing brightly in the night. Recalling the gracious blessing of my street brother, I was loosed for a moment from taking for granted all I possess, made aware of the enormous wealth of material and relationship that is mine. It was, for that moment at least, enough. I gave thanks. And committed myself, with fresh conviction, to seeking justice and blessing for my homeless brothers and sisters.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Greg Paul is a pastor and member of Sanctuary (Toronto), a ministry where the wealthy and poor share their experiences and resources daily and care for the most excluded people in the city. A former carpenter, Greg is the father of four and married to Maggie. His latest book is Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, and he is the author of two previous critically-acclaimed titles, The Twenty-Piece Shuffle and God in the Alley.
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Blessing Discovery by Missy Buchanan
A few years ago, an older friend lost his wife to a sudden, unexpected illness and death. He was overwhelmed with grief and wondered how he would go on living without her.
One of their old friends phoned him when she first heard the news. She was living in Europe at the time and had been unable to return for the memorial service. They talked for a while, and she voiced her heartfelt condolences before making an unusual request. She asked my friend to send her an e-mail each day listing three blessings that he had experienced during the last twenty-four hours.
My brokenhearted friend said it was not something he really wanted to do. It was difficult to think about blessings when he didn’t even feel like getting out of bed. Still, he tried. Over the next few days, he began to list things like the morning sunrise, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and a bowl of homemade soup shared by a neighbor. A few days later he noticed the first bloom on the rose bush and the way golden light spilled across his wife’s photograph in the late afternoon.
After weeks of emailing his friend a list of daily blessings, he says he felt his spirit slowly being lifted from the pit of despair. It didn’t happen overnight, but one day he realized that he was actually enjoying looking for simple blessings. Though he still misses his wife terribly, he says the blessing activity was key to helping him want to live once again.
There are many other older adults who are also grieving losses. For some like my friend, it is the death of a spouse or loved one. For others, it is the loss of independence and mobility that accompanies aging, including giving up the keys to the car. Some may also mourn the loss of their homes and belongings, and all that is familiar as they transition to new living situations.
As Thanksgiving approaches, it seems the perfect time to invite older adults to discover blessings that often go overlooked. When I speak to senior adult groups at churches or at residence centers, I encourage the older adults to keep a blessing book, a journal in which they write a set number of blessings each day. Being intentional in keeping a written account of blessings helps one to create a habit of looking at life with eyes of gratitude.
The church should not forget that even the most faithful saints grow weary under the weight of depression or sadness that often comes as they grow frail or experience loss. Helping seniors actively look for blessings in their midst is an important part of ministry to the aged. I can’t help but think of how wonderful it would be if every church provided a special blessing journal for each of its older adults? Or if churches developed a blessing buddy ministry in which seniors share their blessings with another person like my friend did?
May we be people who will come alongside our elders who are struggling in the journey. May we help them to see God’s faithfulness in their lives. For if we do, we, too, will be blessed.
Each month, Missy Buchanan shares insight and strategies for rethinking 50-plus ministry. Her latest book, Aging Faithfully: 28 Days of Prayer, is now available. You can find Missy online at www.missybuchanan.com.
~~~
Good Enough by Matt Appling
God created everything, and he saw that it was all good.
And ever since then, people have been trying to make things that are good too.
It’s a pursuit that has driven humanity for eons. We try to transform bad things into good things and good things into great things. Even things that turned out to be very evil and destructive were motivated by the desire for good results. The drive for “good” has been the source of our greatest triumphs…
…usually. Unless, of course, we just become lazy. Then the pursuit of “good” is replaced by our pursuit of “good enough.”
And there is an incredible difference between the two.
Steak and Salad
It took me a long time to understand the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer, and Abel raised livestock. But when the brothers came to worship God with sacrifices from their harvests, God responds favorably to Abel, but not to Cain.
God’s reaction to the brothers seems kind of arbitrary. Why did he like Abel’s offering of steak but not Cain’s salad?
The answer isn’t about God being a meat eater or a vegetarian. It’s a question of good versus good enough.
Abel had carefully selected the marbled cuts of steak from the firstborn of his flocks. Cain, meanwhile, merely picked out some of his fruits with no attention to the quality of his offering. His offering wasn’t exactly fit for the grocery store. Some of his fruits and vegetables were perhaps blemished or weird sizes and shapes. Maybe some bugs had chewed on them. A farmer today would call those “B” fruits. They’re good for making fruit juice or feeding to animals, not taking to church to make an offering.
Abel’s offering was good. Cain’s offering was good enough.
“Good” Versus “Good Enough”
The funny thing is Cain and Abel both came to God hoping for approval. A pat on the back and a “well done” from God would be a nice boost. Cain obviously expected a favorable response from God. So he was offended and angry when God didn’t react the way he expected.
Cain was able to convince himself that his offering was good, and the best he could produce. But God saw right through it. God has a knack for that. When Ananias tried to upstage Barnabas by selling his property and giving part of the profit to the apostles, he pretended he was giving the whole amount. God saw through that too. Barnabas’ generosity was good. Ananias’ was just good enough. There are dozens examples in the Bible of good and merely good enough.
Not Good Enough
As an elementary art teacher, I hear one question dozens of times a day.
Students will hold up their work to show me their progress. There is a look of anticipation in their eyes. They want my approval. They ask me again and again every day…
“Is this good?”
It took me a while to catch on, but what many of them are really asking is not, “Is this good?” but “Is this good enough?”
In other words, “Can I stop working now?”
But the question, “Is this good?” does nothing to answer the question, “Is this my best?” And I have told students ten times in a single hour, “No, it’s not good enough. Keep working.”
So many of us are in that same mode, having trained ourselves since third grade art class. If we can trick other people into thinking we are doing “good,” then we are satisfied. If other people think that we’re kind or generous or spiritual or hard working, that’s where we stop. We never strive for our best. We stop at good enough.
A Good Life
When God creates things, they are good.
And when he made us in his image, we were given the ability to make good things too. Maybe that’s why God isn’t impressed with things that are just “good enough,” or offerings that are “good enough,” or lives lived “good enough.”
We can always convince ourselves that we are doing our best. We can go to church or pray and expect God to give us a favorable response. But God sees through our “good enough.” He wants our best. He wants our best work, our highest efforts, our firstfruits.
Giving God our best is the only true expression of sincere gratitude. A life lived without sincere gratitude isn’t really blessed. It’s not really good. It’s just good enough.
~~~
Thanksgiving Quotes Countdown
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504024383
Retail Price $12.99
This countdown features powerful Thanksgiving quotes that are sure to inspire. Surely a perfect addition to place just before your Thanksgiving services!
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Thanksgiving: A Heart Fully Alive
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504023256
Retail Price $16.99
Thanksgiving is more than department store sales and parades... Thanksgiving is vitally important to cultivating a humble and faithful heart.
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Thanksgiving Wise
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504023249
Retail Price $16.99
This Thanksgiving video features wise sayings, quotes and Scriptures over beautiful autumn imagery. A perfect addition for your Thanksgiving services!
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Thanksgiving Wise Countdown
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504024413
Retail Price $12.99
This video features wise sayings, quotes and Scriptures on Thanksgiving. A perfect addition for your Thanksgiving services!
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- Thanksgiving
The New Handbook of the Christian Year - eBook
Based on the Revised Common Lectionary
Author Hoyt Hickman
Publisher Abingdon Press
Publication Date 10/2010
Binding E-Book
ISBN 9781426730740
This item is available through subscription only
Available In
The New Handbook of the Christian Year: Second Edition, by Hoyt L. Hickman, Don E. Saliers, Laurence Hull Stookey, and James F. White. Lectionary, prayers, responses, and Communion services updated for consistency with books of worship from several denominations. Includes: glossary of Christian symbols, glossary of liturgical terms, annotated bibliography, index of Scripture readings, index of Psalms, and an ecumenical service for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
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Holidays~~Thanksgiving
Just in Time! Ministry Matters Subscription
Author Cynthia Danals
Publisher Abingdon Press
Publication Date 9/2011
Binding E-Book
ISBN 9781426751004
Retail Price $204.00
This item is available for a one-time purchase individually, or as part of a Ministry Matters Premium Subscription.
Also Available In
The Just in Time! series will help you plan worship services and other elements of worship. Busy pastors or worship leaders, as well as creative worship planners will find lots of ideas that can be used as is or used to tailor to their worship setting from entire services to individual prayers and more. Just in Time! series includes individual volumes of the series for Ministry Matters.
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Thanksgiving
New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible
General Editor Katharine Doob Sakenfeld
Publisher Abingdon Press
Publication Date 4/2011
Binding E-Book
ISBN 9781426741845
This item is available through subscription only
Available In
This digital version makes the content of The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible truly portable and fully searchable! Search by Book of the Bible, Article Title, Article Body, Contributor, Illustration and more.
The most complete coverage of theological topics
This dictionary is the definitive starting point for research on any topic, place or person in the Bible, with emphasis on the crucial theological concepts. Based on the NSRV.
This dictionary is the definitive starting point for research on any topic, place or person in the Bible, with emphasis on the crucial theological concepts. Based on the NSRV.
Unparalleled quality of information
Written by 900 scholars, experts in their fields, from 40 nations and a variety of perspectives and diverse theological commitments.
Written by 900 scholars, experts in their fields, from 40 nations and a variety of perspectives and diverse theological commitments.
Totally new entries
7100 fresh, original articles. Also contains 1300 distinct cross-reference entries.
7100 fresh, original articles. Also contains 1300 distinct cross-reference entries.
Balanced and relevant content
For any pastor, rabbi, preacher, teacher, or student who is preparing to serve the congregation. Theological content and thorough discussion of various interpretations is tailored for congregational use.
For any pastor, rabbi, preacher, teacher, or student who is preparing to serve the congregation. Theological content and thorough discussion of various interpretations is tailored for congregational use.
It will become your most trusted companion!
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Circuit Rider Online
A magazine archive is available online at Ministry Matters.
Circuit Rider
Who Are They? Serving the People Within Your Reach (Nov/Dec/Jan 2013-14)
In this issue, learn how an outwardly focused, missional understanding can transform your ministry, your congregation, and—most importantly—all those "others" within your…
In this issue, learn how an outwardly focused, missional understanding can transform your ministry, your congregation, and—most importantly—all those "others" within your…
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Where Two (or Two Thousand) Are Gathered (Aug/Sept/Oct 2013)
The challenges experienced by a tall-steeple church of one thousand members are very different from the challenges experienced by a rural congregation of just a few families. This …
Where Two (or Two Thousand) Are Gathered (Aug/Sept/Oct 2013)
The challenges experienced by a tall-steeple church of one thousand members are very different from the challenges experienced by a rural congregation of just a few families. This …
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Families in the Family of God (May/June/July 2013)
Families are central to a vibrant, intergenerational ministry, and individuals of all generations come together to form the congregational family of faith. This issue explores…
Families in the Family of God (May/June/July 2013)
Families are central to a vibrant, intergenerational ministry, and individuals of all generations come together to form the congregational family of faith. This issue explores…
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The Ultimate Sermon Series Issue (Feb/Mar/Apr 2013)
This issue offers ideas and outlines for sermon series you won't find anywhere else, plus tips and insights on designing visuals, planning long-term series, preaching…
The Ultimate Sermon Series Issue (Feb/Mar/Apr 2013)
This issue offers ideas and outlines for sermon series you won't find anywhere else, plus tips and insights on designing visuals, planning long-term series, preaching…
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Outreach 2013 (Nov/Dec/Jan 2012-13)
Ideas for mission and evangelism the whole year through! From getting Christmas visitors to come back in January, to Easter outreach, community-wide VBS, after-school programs…
Outreach 2013 (Nov/Dec/Jan 2012-13)
Ideas for mission and evangelism the whole year through! From getting Christmas visitors to come back in January, to Easter outreach, community-wide VBS, after-school programs…
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Justice in the Church (Aug/Sept/Oct 2012)
How do we as God’s people uphold the biblical ideal of justice in a fallen world where sin, death, violence, and abuse often make the absence of justice more noticeable than its …
Justice in the Church (Aug/Sept/Oct 2012)
How do we as God’s people uphold the biblical ideal of justice in a fallen world where sin, death, violence, and abuse often make the absence of justice more noticeable than its …
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Camp 2014
A series of articles for outdoor ministries.
For many people the word “curriculum” calls forth images of a print resource, but the original meaning of the term is “the course to be run.”
Everything that happens at camp—Bible study, community building, worship, games, hikes, singing—is part of the course to be run while there. A printed or digital curriculum resource is meant to be a partner, a guide, helping you choose what course to set for your campers.
Having such a partner and guide is a boon, making your job so much simpler. But how do you choose the right one for your camp? As you examine the offerings available, here are some criteria to keep in mind:
Is it faithful?
Is it fun?
Does it fit our needs?
Are the benefits worth the financial investment?
Faithful
A good camping curriculum starts with scripture. The choices need to be appropriate for your campers and interpreted both in Bible study and in other experiential activities in a manner that is both understandable and theologically sound.
A good camping curriculum creates Christian community. Campers of all ages need to experience being welcomed, included, respected, and honored. They need not to just talk about being loved and forgiven, but to feel it touching them in the warmth of the community at camp that looks to Jesus as Lord.
A good camping curriculum honors God’s creation, inviting campers to be outdoors, to see its wonder as a gift of God, and to recognize their role of caretakers and stewards. The activities introduce, deepen, and teach appreciation of the world God has created and entrusted to humans.
A good camping curriculum helps campers explore the scriptures, connect as a community, see the divine all around them, and discover meaning for their lives.
Fun
“Faithful” will be the gold standard for adults in choosing the right curriculum, but “fun” will be how campers will evaluate it!
Campers come with high energy. They need to move, to play, to throw themselves into learning. Do the daily plans engage that wholesome energy and build on it?
Campers come with a variety of learning styles. Some have “aha’s” through discussion, others have to see or move and touch. Still others need time alone or opportunities to sing or create a new song. Do the daily plans provide a variety of activities and approaches to Bible study and worship that build on these multiple intelligences?
Campers come with needs to feel safe. Not only must the proposed activities be attentive to the campers’ physical safety, as well as care for the environment, but they also need to create a sense of security for campers. Competition that stays friendly, teams that include each member and work together, responses that call for respect and elicit affirmation are essential for helping everyone—and especially the tentative campers—feel safe and free to have fun.
Campers discover through their experiences the fullness of God, who they are created to be, and what they are called to do. They are changed from the inside out. Worship opportunities give them ways to express their growing love of Jesus Christ. They call all that, “fun”!
Fit
Camp settings are as diverse as the Creator could possibly make them! Large, small, and in-between, with lakes, rivers, wetlands, amid forests, mountains, flatlands, hills, populated with tents, rustic cabins, covered wagons, lodges, graced with an historic tabernacle open to the music of the breezes, a soaring sanctuary with brilliant colors streaming through the stained glass, an outdoor chapel with a simple wooden cross and a grand, sunrise or sunset vista, courtesy of the Creator.
Camp programs are as diverse as creative people like you can make them! Goals, groupings, themes, traditions, additions of challenge courses, horses, archery, canoeing, and so forth give each camp its unique style.
How does a curriculum resource fit such diversity?
A good curriculum has input from people who represent the diversity of settings and programs. Planners, writers, and editors from different backgrounds and church traditions and varied camping experiences create the vision and bring it to life. Reviewers read the manuscripts from their particular perspectives and contribute more ideas. A good curriculum is not the product of only one person’s thinking. Investment by multiple people assures multiple connection points for local planners and leaders.
A good curriculum offers age-level plans, plus all-camp opportunities. The daily guides take into account the range of abilities within an age-level and the possibilities of groupings across age-levels.
A good curriculum provides choices. Local leaders are the experts as to what their camp program needs. So a good curriculum provides options—plenty of them! The hallmark of quality comes from leaders who are unhappy they can’t use more of the suggested activities—because they are all so good! There’s just not enough time in the day to do them all.
A good curriculum makes staff training easier. Camp leaders depend upon counselors and other staff to connect with campers and bring the learning to life. So a good curriculum gives leaders tools for preparing staff to be more effective in their crucial roles.
Finance
Especially in times of economic stress, the temptation is to save money. Trying to be faithful stewards, camp planners think “we can just write our own” or they opt to simply do “some fun things we’ve always done.” But they are asking the wrong question.
The starting point for consideration is what is lost by not having a good curriculum.
Writing good curriculum with all the criteria enumerated above is demanding. One or two people, usually volunteering their time on top of everything else they do, simply cannot create the quality of resource that fulfills these essentials.
When campers don’t have a fun time one year, they don’t come back. And the word spreads.
When leaders and staff struggle and lose the sense of being effective, they don’t come back. And the word spreads.
Camp numbers decline. Then camp programs get cut. Vital ministry opportunities are gone. Is that faithful stewardship?
The more appropriate questions are
How can the resource help us do more and better?
Are those benefits worth the financial investment?
Choosing the right curriculum for camp and day camp is ultimately a sacred act. Now you have criteria for choosing with confidence.
Crys Zinkiewicz is the Editorial Manager for Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus a camping curriculum. Download the free sample below, order information can be found in Related Products, visit the Get Real website.
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Articles
Embracing the Day Camp Model by Brad Lyons
Articles
Embracing the Day Camp Model by Brad Lyons
At Heartland Center, Camp Director Michael Megraw knows their mission clearly focuses on their overnight camp. To achieve this mission, he and his team spend a lot of time and energy where you might not expect it: running a successful day camp. After all, a parent must really trust an organization to send their child overnight. Building these relationships takes time as caring parents worry about everything from bullying, disease, and separation anxiety (and not just for the kids!)
Don’t misunderstand: parents still need to trust a day camp, but the threshold is much lower than an overnight camp. It also fills an urgent need in the community: a Christian day care. At first, Megraw and his team shied away from comparisons to daycare. To them, the “daycare” summoned images of children sitting in a gym, doing the same things day after day. Couldn’t people see how much better a Christian day camp would be than a typical daycare?
Soon, the lightbulb went on: Christian day camps are better than daycare. And people deserve to know that and choose between them. The perception of daycares as mundane contrasts with the true benefits of day camp: a unique experience for the children. Many of these campers have to go somewhere during the day, so Megraw highlights what only Heartland Center can offer: rolling acres, a pool, horseback riding—an experience filled with the joys of childhood. He has now embraced the comparisons to daycare, confident that Heartland’s experience will come out on top.
People who use day camp as childcare need a safe and meaningful experience for their children all summer. To truly offer a solution to these parents, offer day camp for 10 weeks. That means finding a flexible and in-depth curriculum like InsideOut. He describes his program as balancing core regularly scheduled activities with a curriculum that changes, give the campers a better education than a regular daycare.
Some day-campers sign up for the residential camp in later years. Megraw cautions that reaping the benefits of day camp in sleep-away camp enrollment won’t happen overnight. Heartland Center saw an increase in enrollment after three years. Evaluating your day camp after only one year will not offer enough insight. After seven years of faithful service, the larger community is still learning about Heartland Center and what they offer.
Starting a day camp program from scratch isn’t easy. Cultivating the pro-camp culture within your church community will go a long way to building support for the long road ahead. After all, new and creative outreach will always help churches achieve their mission, so church leaders need to understand how day camp accomplishes that. In fact, Heartland Center offers a traveling day camp, with flexible packages to fit the needs of churches in need of the a day camp, but with the expertise, counselors and resources of committed outdoor ministry professionals.
With summers getting shorter and students facing an abundance of choices for their break, Megraw believes the day camp model “absolutely offers an opportunity for the entire Christian camping industry right now.”
The InsideOut curriculum makes creating a day camp around your circumstances possible and flexible to your needs. Each week included a grid outlining scheduled activities, with different options to choose from and places to write in your own priorities. The curriculum includes a variety of graphics that can be printed in full-color or two-tone, adjusted to your budget and needs.
By embracing the needs of your community and offering a nurturing educational experience for children, you will be improving the lives of local parents, campers, and increasing the impact of your camp and church.
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Articles
Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges to Successful Outdoor Ministry by Lee Yates
Articles
Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges to Successful Outdoor Ministry by Lee Yates
No one would deny how fast life is changing in the 21st century. Education and churches have raced to keep up, with many ministries struggling to find their place in the new high-tech/high-speed world. This includes outdoor ministry. There’s no doubt about it, keeping a Christian camp open is harder than ever, but there is still good news.
First of all, understand that I love camp. Being involved in outdoor ministry has changed my life. When I talk to people who are part of the great fraternity of camp, we share a passion for this moving communion with God and the church. All it takes is “this one time at Church Camp…” Suddenly the conversation changes. A special bond sprouts, inspiring fellowship and understanding between us. That is why conversations about the future of Church camps are so difficult. It is hard to make decisions when you are grieving inside.
A Perfect Storm with Outdoor Ministry Caught in the Center
Many complex factors have combined into a perfect storm of obstacles that have made it harder to keep church camps open. First of all, the economic downturn has hit every organization and industry. This is also problematic for our understanding of Camp as ministry. At Church camp, the creation is a mission field where God is seen, smelled, heard, and felt in unique ways. We would never expect over-seas missionaries to make a profit or sustain themselves, but that is what many are asking of Camps. Camp is mission; not a revenue stream.
However, it’s not only the economy: shorter summer camps shrink revenues, kids today have many choices for immersive experiences both inside and out of church, while families need to spend time together, too. Of course, none of these are bad choices, but it requires that churches weigh benefits of camp within this broader context of possibilities.
Why this Matters:
How Camps Contribute to the Greater Sense of Community Year-Round
How Camps Contribute to the Greater Sense of Community Year-Round
Although focused on the summer camp, camp offers vital growth that affects the community year-round. As human beings, it’s harder for us to make connections. Think about it for a minute. When was the last time you truly formed a collective identity with a group of other people outside work or family? It doesn’t happen very often. And thanks to our technology, we’re regressing in our ability to form these tribes. It used to take approximately 15 hours of shared experience to form a communal bond. However, because we retreat into our smartphones and email, sociologist are now estimating it takes us 20-30 hours to form those same bonds.
Immersive activities like Christian camp fill a deep psychological need for connection, something that is increasingly harder to do with the me-centered culture that surrounds us. It is no coincidence that many clergy and Church leaders point to camp and immersive experiences as their reason for entering ministry. It is in these moments of true connection to others where people can cut through the spiritual isolation so common in today’s churches.
Shared identity has a large role to play in the growth of the church. When church camps close, participation in denominational conferences falls off as well. The depth at with which people identify with their particular Christian transition slows. A camp director recently told me about his Conference’s closing of Camps and the lack of fellowship and identity the congregations now share. It’s become clear to me and other church professionals that these two trends are related.
Despite Challenges, Camps Find New Ways to Survive and Thrive
In Northern California, an ecumenical group of camps joined together to form United Camps, Conferences and Retreats (UCCR). They drastically changed their business plan for a new model of success. UCCR hired a management firm, so during the off-season they go through the same booking process as anyone else. But during the summer, they are guaranteed use of their space. This has allowed them to have a marketing person on staff, promoting the campsites to other ministries, corporations for retreats and for large family reunions.
It’s always tragic when a camp ground closes, but many have continued their ministry by merging with other camps or finding new space for their programming. Partnerships extend our understanding of Church and ensures that children continue to have the opportunity to experience transformative ministry.
Moving a program to a new space can be difficult. We get very attached to holy ground. But, trust me, if you ask anyone what camp experience is most powerful, they will tell it was the one they just attended, the one freshest in their mind. As we continue in out-door ministry, we form new memories and create sacramental moments in new places. New landmarks stand as reminders of God’s presence in our mind. While there will be sadness when a Christian camp closes, moving or merging with another camp can ensure this special experience will continue to change lives, calling people to a stronger relationship with God and the church.
What to do if Your Camp’s Future is Uncertain
If the future of your camp seems uncertain, you’re not alone. The great fraternity of camp I mentioned earlier is behind you and praying for you. Communicate the benefits of camp to the church community and explain how it contributes to a healthy collective identity all year. Start having open conversation about the cost of camp and the cost of not having camp. Think creatively about the needs in your community (and the camps neighboring community) that might be an opportunity for service.
One option many camps are exploring is Day Camp. For facilities that are close enough to a population center, providing programming for local children when school is not in session (regardless of their Church tradition) has become an exciting new ministry. Using a flexible curriculum such as InsideOut, can allow your program to use the same material for summer residential camps, Day Camps and off-season retreats.
Allyson Ashmore, of Hopewell Camp and Conference Center, points out that Christian camp professionals are not like lawyers or accountants. There is no monthly lawyer meeting to connect with other professionals. Often, camp directors live in small areas close to nature and far from many other camps. It takes some effort to network and learn from others. She says, “Every time I speak with another camp director, I learn something new and feel renewed passion. Find places online or a facebook group to share both concerns and successes with others.” InsideOut’s facebook page presents this unique opportunity for fellowship and inspiration.
In addition to reaching out to other camp directors, Ashmore suggests looking to the people closest to your camp and nurture those relationships. The people around you will provide unexpected support and possible partnerships. If your camp closed in the red, talk to the finance committee and take the opportunity to educate them about what it takes to successfully run a camp. They may have some misconceptions and will bring fresh perspectives and possibly resources.
The changes happening in outdoor ministry are scary, but they present an opportunity to take a fresh look at our best practices and to rally around what camps offer: life-changing relationships and spiritual growth, a stronger collective identity, and time with God that isn’t interrupted by another status update.
Remember, every Camp and every ministry is unique. What works in one place might not fit the mission or community of another. Still, every Camp is a ministry. We must never forget, and must constantly remind others that in out-door ministry, the creation itself is our mission field and it is a ministry we cannot afford to neglect.
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Articles
Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus by Crys Zinkiewicz Read Crys' first artice Choosing the Right Curriculum for Your Camp here.
Articles
Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus by Crys Zinkiewicz Read Crys' first artice Choosing the Right Curriculum for Your Camp here.
The Get Real DVD has ready-to-go options for creating up to six full weeks of fun—and life-changing—experiences for day-campers of all ages.
Each week has a different look at Jesus: God with Us, Friend, Teacher, Healer, Savior, the Real Thing!
The theme-related games, arts and crafts, nature activities, music, Bible exploration, quiet time, and devotions work together to help eager and energetic day-campers grow in their awareness of and love for Jesus Christ.
The planning, development, and writing are based on the criteria identified in this article, each of which benefits campers, leaders, and staff. The quality also generates positive perceptions of the value of the camping for ministry.
Get Real features
Biblical and Theological overviews for each day
Seven days of Daily Guides for five age-levels:
Younger children
Older children
Younger youth
Older youth
Intergenerational/Family camps (including adaptations for families with preschoolers)
Lessons available in Microsoft Word format for easy customization
Plus Extra Resources:
Arts and crafts
Games
Science fun
Table talk prompts
Nature activities
Multi-day projects
Whole-camp worship plans
Staff Training materials
Video
Presentation slides
Handouts
Exercises
Understanding of different ages and multiple intelligences
High-quality customizable Graphics for
T-shirts
Signs
Banners
Brochures and flyers
Giveways
With the benefit of having these tools in hand, you will find Get Real a great investment for your program. Now included are brand new plans and activities for Day Camp.
Such a tool encourages churches and camping programs alike to enter or expand programming to more children by providing much needed and desired day camp. Day camp can become a new outreach ministry, serving campers and their families.
Choosing the right curriculum for camp and day camp is ultimately a sacred act. Now you have criteria and possibilities for choosing with confidence.
View the Get Real sampler below, order under Related Products, or visit the Get Real website.
Get Real has been developed by InsideOut: Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries you can visit us on facebook and twitter.
Get Real has been developed by InsideOut: Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministries you can visit us on facebook and twitter.
In a culture of manicured online profiles, electronically altered images, and relentless deception in advertising, it’s difficult to know who our friends are and whom we can…
Publisher CHALICE PRESS
Publication Date 9/2013
Binding Mixed Media
ISBN 9780827227552
Retail Price $375.00
In a culture of manicured online profiles, electronically altered images, and relentless deception in advertising, it’s difficult to know who our friends are and whom we can trust. Not to mention how easy it is to buckle under the pressure and try to become the images we see.
We all must seek our own real identity from a trustworthy source. God is the most trustworthy friend any of us will ever know. Get Real teaches campers that we are not created in the image of popular culture. We are created in the image of God, who loves us just as we are and asks us to love others in the same way.
Fun and Transforming
Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus is firmly rooted in scripture and helps campers know Jesus and love him. The daily guides offer fun, age-appropriate plans for:
• Younger Children
• Older Children
• Younger Youth
• Older Youth
• Intergenerational/Family Groups with New Preschool Adaptations
• Day Camp (six full weeks)
DVD-ROM Includes:
• More than 250 printable pages of camp activities and curriculum in PDF and Microsoft Word formats
•Extra resources with additional arts & crafts, games, science fun, table talk prompts, whole-camp worship plans, and more
• Biblical & theological overview for each day
•Training materials, including a video, presentation slides, handouts, and exercises
•High-quality customizable graphics
A Note about Sharing InsideOut Resources—Governing bodies that own and operate more than one campsite must buy one copy of the curriculum for each campsite. Copies of the DVD files may be made for use only within each campsite. !
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Ministry Matters
201 8th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37202 US
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