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Back to Egypt

4/23/2020

So they said to each other, “Let’s pick a leader and let’s go back to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembled Israelite community. But Joshua, Nun’s son, and Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, from those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite community, “The land we crossed through to explore is an exceptionally good land.” Numbers 14:4-7

When will things be back to normal, back to the way they were? I hear that question, a lament in a sense, voiced often. I ponder it myself. We don’t like this place we find ourselves, don’t want to be here, and want to go back to what we know, what’s comfortable and familiar. Nearing the end of their 40 year pilgrimage through the wilderness, the Israelites found themselves in much the same circumstance. Their response? Let’s go back to Egypt.

Change is hard, especially when it comes to our faith lives. Most of us have to come to a relationship with God within a faith community. We chose to be members of the Newtonville congregation because something, or perhaps several things, about it fit for us. We encounter and reconnect with God in worship, in acts of service, and gathered community. Yet, now we find ourselves in a very different place and wonder - when we can go back?

Here’s the thing – I don’t think we should go back to exactly where we were, even if we were able to. Hear me out. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go back to gathering in person for worship and service, and that doesn’t mean we should keep doing everything online. What I mean is that we have an opportunity to explore our core values, to reconsider what it means to be the church and better understand what it means to be in community.

Easter reminds us that new life comes with new definitions: “So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) We will come out of this changed. The question is, “what will be look like?”

The answer is yet to be determined.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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This Moment

4/16/2020

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“I am confident that God will not waste this moment.” -Bishop Mark Webb

While the past month has been an anxious time for churches, especially financially, there has also been a considerable amount of conversation among clergy and church leaders about signs that churches are growing. Some congregations, including Newtonville, have seen very regular participation in online worship from people who hadn’t always been that regular in person. Some of that may be due to isolating at home, or the opportunity to stream worship whenever you want. It may also, however, come from a longing for hope.

What I am most excited about is the growth I see throughout our congregation in both witness and discipleship. I’ve received feedback on the letters I’ve written from people far and wide, because you’re passing those letters on to family and friends. Some of you are sharing the link to our livestream worship with others who don’t have a church. You’re learning new technologies so that you can participate in meetings. Financial contributions are being mailed in. People are communicating better than ever. The church is alive and well.

Note that I didn’t say that I’m surprised by any of that. I knew it was there. I was confident that we had it in us. I want to make sure, however, that you understand the profound significance of what you are doing because you may not have the vantage point that I do. What you are doing is unleashing the Spirit into the world in new ways. What you are doing is taking bold steps to be the church at a profoundly difficult yet critically important time. What you are doing is recapturing the essence of Wesleyan Methodism.

When I have thought about the identity, the DNA, the very soul of Newtonville United Methodist Church, I think about all of the ways in which we are a center for community. I think about all of the local organizations – from recovery groups to Boys Scouts – who meet here. I think about the Samaritan Counseling and Albany District offices that we host here. I think about the community that happens through our Brooks Barbecues and Garage Sale. Now, with all of those on hold, you are finding new ways to be a center for community.

This is an anxious time for churches. Like our bishop, however, I am confident that God will not waste this moment – and neither should we. This is a time to grow. This is a time to learn. This is a time to try new things. This is a time to explore. This is a time to remember and revive the very essence of who we are, and perhaps to reinvent what it means to live that out. God will not waste this moment, this opportunity, for us to move boldly into the future. We are an Easter people. Let us step beyond our anxiety into new life, into hope, into faith.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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Sacramental Sacrifice

4/9/2020

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“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take and eat. This is my body.’ He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many so that their sins may be forgiven. I tell you, I won’t drink wine again until that day when I drink it in a new way with you in my Father’s kingdom.’” Matthew 26:26-29

Today is Maundy Thursday, when we remember Jesus’ final meal with his disciples which we often call the Last Supper. Recalling the gathering from which we inherit Holy Communion is especially difficult this year when we can’t gather in physical community, because being together and sharing the sacrament in community is a core part of what communion is. Churches are struggling with this, and pastors are responding in different ways.

Some are having communion on the internet, inviting people to use their own elements at home. This has led to debates over whether online communion is valid when recorded, or only when live. Others are trying drive-thru communion, although our bishop has asked us not to. All of this within our United Methodist connection, which had previously determined that communion is something we do only when gathered in physical community.

One colleague of mine raised a very succinct argument as to why we don’t need to struggle with other ways to celebrate Holy Communion. The Last Supper is a means of grace, a particular mode for the movement of God’s grace into our lives. We have other means of grace. There are acts of personal piety like prayer, fasting, searching the Scriptures. John Wesley also included acts of mercy, including doing good works. All means of grace are equally useful.

In John’s Gospel we’re told that Jesus shared a different act with his disciples: “So [Jesus] got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing.” (John 13:4-5) This is an act of humility, of giving, of self-sacrifice – a good work. This is the sacrament we will practice this Maundy Thursday.

There is no need for us to struggle with whether or not to celebrate online communion, no need for theological or liturgical gymnastics. Staying home and not gathering in community is an act of humility, of giving, of self-sacrifice. By staying home and not gathering in community we are doing a good work. Staying home and not gathering in community will be our means of grace. Staying home and not gathering in community will be our sacrament.

The name of Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning commandment. As in, “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” (John 13:34-35) Right now the best way that we can express our love for each other is from a distance, fasting from the feast, and waiting again to gather.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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Empty Pews, Empty Tomb

4/6/2020

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“But the angel said to the women, ‘Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said.’” Matthew 28:5-6a (CEB)

Easter Sunday is traditionally the largest attendance Sunday of the Christian year. Newtonville United Methodist Church is typically packed, with both parking and seating at a premium. I recall one year when we had children sitting on the floor because there was simply no more room in the pews. That said, in the past I’ve mentioned that I have a recurring nightmare that we make all of the preparations for Easter worship and then no one comes.

This year I am having to confront that nightmare. When I stand to greet the congregation for worship on Easter morning the only people present in the sanctuary will be my family and our director of music, Doug Esmond. Six of us, that’s it. There will be no rich display of flowers, no trumpets, no people in Easter finery, no choir, no communion. There will be a lot of silence, a quiet stillness, a simple cross draped with white, and a camera.

When the women went to the tomb early in the morning expecting to find Jesus’ body there and ready to make preparations for a final interment, they found nothing. There was no stone covering the opening to the tomb, no body lying there, no stench of death and decay. There were a few women, a quiet stillness, some grave clothes laid aside. There were no throngs of people, no wall-to-wall seating, no trumpets and choirs, no flowers.

Resurrection doesn’t happen because of what we do. Resurrection happens because of what God does. This year on Easter Sunday we will find what those first women found. This year on Easter Sunday we will meet the resurrection as they did, with fear, trepidation, confusion, angst. This year we will encounter the risen Christ on his terms, not ours, and perhaps in this new experience we will learn something about ourselves, and something about God.

And, when this is all over and we are back together in the pews we will celebrate the resurrection together. No matter when that happens it will be Easter, because the body of Christ will be gathered together in one place to worship and celebrate together. When this time apart ends we will have flowers and finery, choir and communion. We will remember our fear and suffering and longing and waiting, and we will celebrate the new life we have together in Christ.

The Service of Death and Resurrection that we use for funerals has a line that says, “Help us to live as those who are prepared to die. And when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you, and that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus our Lord.” May we all live with the full trust and confidence that in even death we go forth to live.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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Palm Sunday Power

3/31/2020

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“What we often call the triumphal entry was actually an anti-imperial, anti-triumphal one, a deliberate lampoon of the conquering emperor entering a city on horseback through gates opened in abject submission.” –John Dominic Crossan on Palm Sunday

We are approaching the end of our Lenten journey, which one Facebook meme describes as the “Lentiest Lent we’ve ever Lented.” This time of isolation, of insecurity and fear, of suffering, has aligned somewhat appropriately with this season of the church. It has forced us to pause, to reflect on our priorities, to face questions of life and death. Now, however, as Holy Week draws near, we begin to anticipate Easter and the dawning realization that this will not be like any celebration of the resurrection that most of us have experienced.

Before we get there, however, we must pass through Palm Sunday and its account of Jesus entering Jerusalem through the east gate on a donkey to the triumphant cheers of gathered crowds. This procession stood in stark contrast to events at the western gate where the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, would have been entering with the full pomp of Caesar’s imperial representative. Where Pilate’s entourage would have carried royal banners and shown every bit of Caesar’s worldly power, Jesus’ humble entry was very much its opposite.

At times such as the current pandemic we depend very much on the structures and authority of government to organize medical care, to advise us on best health and welfare practices, to distribute resources where they are needed most. That is government’s purpose. As we come upon Palm Sunday, however, we remember that Jesus embodies a very different, and far greater, power and purpose. This Palm Sunday power that Jesus represents is lived out through faith, embodied in self-sacrifice, enabled by hope, restorative at its core.

As the secular structures of our society live out their roles, we as the church must stay true to ours. That begins with maintaining an active prayer life, because our discipleship is birthed and sustained through our relationship with God. We must maintain relationships with one another in whatever way possible – by telephone, text, email, online. Offering hope while staying rooted in the reality of our context, demanding justice for those most deeply affected, giving generously in support of our neighbors near and far – this is Palm Sunday power.

We may not be together again through physical community for some time. Our spiritual community, however, is where our real strength lies, and this is our opportunity to remember and recapture that. I am learning new ways of being in ministry, like gathering the Faith Village children over the internet through a Zoom conference and designing worship to be entirely online. While we will eventually gather back together in one place, we are also increasing lasting opportunities for community. May your faith, also, grow in lasting ways in the days ahead.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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Singing Our Song

3/26/2020

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“Alongside Babylon’s streams, there we sat down, crying because we remembered Zion. We hung our lyres up in the trees there because that’s where our captors asked us to sing; our tormentors requested songs of joy: ‘Sing us a song about Zion!’ they said. But how could we possibly sing the Lord’s song on foreign soil?” Psalm 137:1-4 (CEB)

I have recently read several articles naming something that we are all navigating in our own way – grief. Whether it’s because of something that has already been lost or those things we fear losing in the face of immense uncertainty, we are all experiencing a collective form of grief. For some, this may be compounding a recent loss. For others, there may be underlying traumas that have never really been resolved. Grief is a complicated mix of emotions and responses that is inherently human.

The people of Judah knew the grief of loss and separation well, as they lived for generations in exile. Perhaps you can identify with the sense of loss and despair as the Psalmist laments, “How could we possibly sing the Lord’s song on foreign soil?” As the church, we are seeking and learning new ways of being in community. Something like online worship which might have seemed a substitute for the real thing has now become a primary way of maintaining our connection as the Body of Christ.

If you read the remainder of Psalm 137, you’ll find that there is no resolution and not much hope in its words. Instead it speaks of retribution and revenge, expressing a deep anger in response to suffering. Look ahead to Psalm 138, however, and you’ll find these words of hope: “On the day I cried out, you answered me. You encouraged me with inner strength.” (v. 3) Here is an invitation to cry out – to claim your grief and name your despair – and a promise of God’s response.

In the midst of our uncertainty and in the face of our fear there are signs of strength and acts of hope. When I contact members of our congregation, I find that others have been in touch with them as well. People ask for addresses and phone numbers so that they can reach out to offer comfort and support. Many people were able to participate in worship online, while others read scripture and prayed on their own. Together, each in our own ways, we are singing the Lord’s song.

Please continue to connect with one another. Reach out to people you know – and even people you don’t – to maintain Christian community. Join us for online worship if you’re able to; if you’re not, continue your personal study and prayer. If you are able, continue to make an offering to the church by mail (or if you would like to sign up for electronic giving call or email and we will have Kathy Franklin contact you). We will not stop being the church. We will keep singing the Lord’s song.

Please know that I pray for you every day, and I appreciate your prayers for me. I truly believe that when we cry out to God we are heard, and God answers. That is my hope. That is my song.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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Separately Together

3/19/2020

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“We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see? But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit herself pleads our case with unexpressed groans.” Romans 8:24-26

Methodism has always been an outside-the-box faith. When John Wesley wasn’t welcomed in churches, he preached at mines and on street corners. He gathered people in classes for spiritual support. He authorized lay people, including women, to preach. And when he saw that people in the American colonies weren’t being cared for, he charged Thomas Coke to ordain Francis Asbury, setting them both apart as superintendents of a new form of Christian connexion.

We are now at an unprecedented time in the modern church. When tragedies or obstacles have confronted us in the past we have drawn together in gathered community to pray and share our burdens together. This time we can’t do that. This time we have to remain physically apart from one another. This time, however, is an opportunity for us to remember who we are – an outside-the-box faith. We were made for such a time as this.

Newtonville will not be gathering in person for worship until further notice. We have closed the building to outside groups, and will not be holding any church meetings in person. This obviously creates some significant challenges. We will continue to offer a livestreamed worship on the internet for those with access. For those without, we’ll send reflections out in the mail. If church teams need to meet, we will use electronic meeting formats like Zoom.

We are also asking people to check in on each other. That means, of course, those who live alone, those who are at higher risk (the elderly, people with lower immunity, those with respiratory issues). I also invite you, however to check in on any and all members of our congregation. Parents with children at home, people who are out of work, those who work in healthcare, first responders, pastors – there are many who will be isolated and under stress.

If you are able to continue your financial commitment we encourage you to do so. For those who do not use electronic giving, please mail your contributions to the church office attn.: Kathy Franklin. If you would like to begin electronic giving please email the church office and we will put Kathy in touch with you. Also, office hours for now will change to mornings 9-12, and office days will continue to be Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Good News is this – we are still the church, God is still God, and the Spirit is still at work in our world. We will be frightened, we will be frustrated, we will be confused. We will grieve, we will struggle, we will wait. Even when we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit prays for us and God knows our deepest needs. We can’t see it, maybe can’t imagine or even feel it. That, however, is our hope. Not our wish, but our deepest belief. God is with us.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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On Courage

2/25/2017

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“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” -Winston Churchill

Nine fifth grade boys in Clark, New Jersey stood up and spoke. They’ve been playing on the same CYO basketball team with two girls, who were recently told that diocesan rules don’t allow boys and girls to play on the same team. Given the choice between forfeiting their season and playing without the girls, the boys stood up and spoke, saying that they would rather not play than play without their teammates.

Faced with this courageous stand, the archbishop, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, did an equally courageous thing – he sat down and listened. The girls are playing, two cancelled games were rescheduled, and the team is in the playoffs. The boys set aside their privilege to stand on the margins against an injustice. In doing so, they caused someone with immense power to use his privilege to correct that injustice. Both are acts of courage.

It’s not always our inclination to sit down and listen. It’s never easy to admit we’re wrong. It’s uncomfortable to acknowledge our place in causing or sustaining an injustice. When we stand up and speak we might feel a sense of purpose and determination. When we sit down and listen we expose ourselves to having our sense of purpose called into question. Both require us to, as least to some degree, set ourselves aside. Both are acts of courage.

Lent is a time when we’re called to die to self. That means setting aside our privilege and power. It means calling into question all that we know. It can mean standing up and speaking, and it can mean sitting down and listening. Dying to self is how we experience the fullness of life, as we live into a deeper relationship with Christ.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

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After Dallas, TX, and St. Anthony, MN, and Baton Rouge, LA...

7/8/2016

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“How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I be left to my own wits, agony filling my heart? Daily?” Psalm 13:1-2a

We awaken this morning to reports of even more horrible violence in our nation, with the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers, and wounding others, at an otherwise peaceful protest against the shooting of African American men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. The level of violence in all of these events is both shocking and overwhelming, and we, like the Psalmist, wonder how long we will be left to face these tragedies.

Our prayers go up for the victims in all of these events, their families, and their communities. We pray for police officers everywhere who do incredibly difficult and dangerous work every day. We also pray for those who don’t feel safe when confronted by police. We pray for an end to the violence that feels all too common. We pray for peace.

I wonder, however, when I hear the Psalmist’s cry, if perhaps God isn’t responding with the same question – “how long?” How long will you allow yourselves to be consumed by fear? How long will you allow your anxiety to guide your actions? How long will you hide the light of Christ that is the hope of the world? How long will you stand by paralyzed while race divides you, fueling hatred and violence?

We must not allow fear to consume us. We must let God’s light shine through the mist of anxiety. We must be diligent in our work to confront and end racism, and support efforts to reconcile the police and those they protect. Instead of waiting for God, we must realize that God has been waiting for us.

That Psalm that begins with the cry of “how long?” quickly turns a few verses later to hope: “But I have trusted in your faithful love. My heart will rejoice in your salvation. Yes, I will sing to the Lord because he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6) We must not be consumed by despair, but instead live in the sure and certain faith that God is, and will be, our salvation.

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Back to Egypt

This Moment

Sacramental Sacrifice

Empty Pews, Empty Tomb

Palm Sunday Power

Singing Our Song

Separately Together

On Courage

After Dallas, TX, and St. Anthony, MN, and Baton Rouge, LA...

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