Posts
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Tim Mitchell sermon at Sussex United Methodist Church: "Knots"
Here is Tim Mitchell's sermon from Scout Sunday last week.
Friday, March 7, 2014
"Happy Lent"?
Every year, several of the churches in our town gather
together for joint worship services on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good
Friday. We also share an Easter Sunrise service on a mountaintop at a
nearby camp. Although I always enjoy sharing worship all these local
congregations and my clergy friends, the special Lenten worship services have
always maintained an understandably serious, contemplative tone.
It was somewhat surprising, then, to hear one of my clergy
colleagues greeting departing worshippers by exclaiming, "Happy
Lent!" Now we always greet
each other by saying "Merry Christmas!" at Christmas and "Happy
Easter!" at Easter." But is
there a normal greeting for the beginning of Lent? I don't really remember ever having heard
one. And, in all events, Lent is
generally so...well, serious. People use the time for preparation,
contemplation and repentance, for trying to undertake new spiritual
disciplines. It's often a time for
fasting, or at least for giving up chocolate.
Happy? It sounded strange to the
ear.
But on further reflection, I could not think of a better
sentiment. When we recognize bad characteristics
in our personalities, we are embarrassed and frustrated. Why have we not been able to change? This season is an opportunity to abandon
self-indulgence and self-destructive behaviors, and to start over. We are reminded at Lent that Christ offers us
new life, an abundant life that can be free from all of that baggage, guilt and
self-loathing we have been carrying. We
do not have to look in the mirror in despair. We can be free! That should be a cause for celebration!
Friday, January 10, 2014
New Year!
This has been a really special Christmas season. All the special foods and events have called to mind so many years of great memories. A light covering of snow fell on Christmas Eve, as if ordered up by a Hollywood set designer. With beautiful music in the air, candles lighting the church, and family members and friends all gathered around, it is hard not to feel God's presence and love.
But now it is January, and the temperatures have dropped precipitously. The grey sky dampens all energy during the short winter days, and even ordinary work is hard to finish. We just want to go back to our regular routines.
But this is not a time for business as usual. Christ is in the world, and we are called to be changed. Now is the time for making big plans, engaging in new projects, and reaching out in love to those who have been ignored. New Year's resolutions are a good way to get going, provided that we take them seriously, and undertake to do something of real value. Like shepherds who have heard angels overhead, we need to wake up from winter laziness and charge into the world full of hope. Like wise men avoiding King Herod, we need to be willing to head out from seeing the newborn baby by a new and unknown route. We can get ready by picking up a Bible and reading the old stories with fresh eyes. We can get ready by getting back to church, and by making friends with people we haven't paid attention to. We can get ready by volunteering for missions we have held back from trying. We can build up habits of generosity by giving unexpectedly. New life is right here, and right now. Happy New Year!
But now it is January, and the temperatures have dropped precipitously. The grey sky dampens all energy during the short winter days, and even ordinary work is hard to finish. We just want to go back to our regular routines.
But this is not a time for business as usual. Christ is in the world, and we are called to be changed. Now is the time for making big plans, engaging in new projects, and reaching out in love to those who have been ignored. New Year's resolutions are a good way to get going, provided that we take them seriously, and undertake to do something of real value. Like shepherds who have heard angels overhead, we need to wake up from winter laziness and charge into the world full of hope. Like wise men avoiding King Herod, we need to be willing to head out from seeing the newborn baby by a new and unknown route. We can get ready by picking up a Bible and reading the old stories with fresh eyes. We can get ready by getting back to church, and by making friends with people we haven't paid attention to. We can get ready by volunteering for missions we have held back from trying. We can build up habits of generosity by giving unexpectedly. New life is right here, and right now. Happy New Year!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Remembering.
This week marks the anniversary of two milestones in American history: the 150th anniversary of the delivery of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Naturally, a variety of stories have been dedicated to both events, in newspapers and magazines, radio and television broadcasts, and other media. Both call to mind very specific memories for me.
During my fifth and sixth grade years in southern Illinois (the "Land of Lincoln") in the early 1960s, we learned a lot about Lincoln, and we traveled to Springfield, to see Lincoln's home, gravesite, and other Lincoln-related historic sites several times. During one of those trips, we visited a Lincoln historical museum across from the Lincoln family's home. Amazingly impressed by all of that history, I bought a facsimile copy of the Gettysburg address, printed on the crinkled, artificially-produced "antique-parchment" paper that was then common for souvenirs. I remember working hard at memorizing the speech, which I would recite in front of the mirror in my bedroom.
During my seventh grade year (1963-4), I got to see history as it was being made. In September, 1963, my dad was sent by his employer to Washington, D.C., for a seven-month assignment, and our family all moved temporarily to the nation's capital with him. While there, we visited the capitol, the major monuments, and a lot of historic sites. When Mom learned that President Kennedy would travel to Arlington Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans' Day, we got up early in the morning to go there to see the President. I was totally awestruck when the President's motorcade drove right by us on the cemetery access road, and President Kennedy waived to us.
To everyone's horror, just a week later he was killed. We were enjoying a half-day school vacation, when Mom suddenly called my brother and me to the room where she had been watching TV, while ironing clothes. Walter Cronkite of CBS News was announcing on-air that the President had been shot during a parade in Dallas. The next day, we joined thousands of people outside the White House and walked toward the Capitol, where the President would be lying in state before his funeral. The memory of those events remains incredibly vivid to me, even now.
But not only historic and traumatic events command the memory. I have vivid memories of college graduation, our wedding day, and the birth of each of our children. their games, concerts, dance recitals and stage performances. I remember lots of other important milestones, and there is a special satisfaction in being able to recall all of them.
So many people, though, suffer from diseases that rob them of their memory, and I can tell that my own memory is not as reliable as it once was. It's a bit scary to realize that our own sense of continuity with our past can drift away from our ability to recall it. But we have to remind ourselves that all of our lives are always incredibly brief, and that nothing in our own power is permanent. The healthiest person with the very best memory endures no more than a little while. Only God can offer lasting meaning and value. Our memories can give us "increased devotion" to the tasks that lie ahead, and it is fitting to commemorate important events. But we should remember (as long as we can) that God is our real strength and hope.
During my fifth and sixth grade years in southern Illinois (the "Land of Lincoln") in the early 1960s, we learned a lot about Lincoln, and we traveled to Springfield, to see Lincoln's home, gravesite, and other Lincoln-related historic sites several times. During one of those trips, we visited a Lincoln historical museum across from the Lincoln family's home. Amazingly impressed by all of that history, I bought a facsimile copy of the Gettysburg address, printed on the crinkled, artificially-produced "antique-parchment" paper that was then common for souvenirs. I remember working hard at memorizing the speech, which I would recite in front of the mirror in my bedroom.
During my seventh grade year (1963-4), I got to see history as it was being made. In September, 1963, my dad was sent by his employer to Washington, D.C., for a seven-month assignment, and our family all moved temporarily to the nation's capital with him. While there, we visited the capitol, the major monuments, and a lot of historic sites. When Mom learned that President Kennedy would travel to Arlington Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans' Day, we got up early in the morning to go there to see the President. I was totally awestruck when the President's motorcade drove right by us on the cemetery access road, and President Kennedy waived to us.
To everyone's horror, just a week later he was killed. We were enjoying a half-day school vacation, when Mom suddenly called my brother and me to the room where she had been watching TV, while ironing clothes. Walter Cronkite of CBS News was announcing on-air that the President had been shot during a parade in Dallas. The next day, we joined thousands of people outside the White House and walked toward the Capitol, where the President would be lying in state before his funeral. The memory of those events remains incredibly vivid to me, even now.
But not only historic and traumatic events command the memory. I have vivid memories of college graduation, our wedding day, and the birth of each of our children. their games, concerts, dance recitals and stage performances. I remember lots of other important milestones, and there is a special satisfaction in being able to recall all of them.
So many people, though, suffer from diseases that rob them of their memory, and I can tell that my own memory is not as reliable as it once was. It's a bit scary to realize that our own sense of continuity with our past can drift away from our ability to recall it. But we have to remind ourselves that all of our lives are always incredibly brief, and that nothing in our own power is permanent. The healthiest person with the very best memory endures no more than a little while. Only God can offer lasting meaning and value. Our memories can give us "increased devotion" to the tasks that lie ahead, and it is fitting to commemorate important events. But we should remember (as long as we can) that God is our real strength and hope.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Beloved Children of God
This last week in our church, I had the honor to celebrate the baptism of two adults, as we welcomed them and three other adults as new professing members. I told each of them, "Always remember that you are a beloved child of God." That identity is important to who we all are, and what is expected of us.
According to Luke, as Jesus rose up out of the waters after his own baptism, he heard a voice from heaven confirming that he was "my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased." Christ's heavenly sense of assurance of who he was made it possible to overcome all human temptations, and to endure all human rejection and suffering. Remembering his identity, he could be the very personification of moral strength, in the midst of whatever happened.
In our own Twenty-first Century lives, our identity as part of Christ's body the church is something we get from God, not something we invent or earn. And remembering who we are--and whose we are--makes it possible for us to rise above our temptations and weaknesses. It makes us capable of doing great things, in spite of our limitations. When we forget who we are, or shove our identity aside, we become vulnerable, obsessive, selfish, and easily intimidated. The good news is that the assurance, the moral strength, the resilience, and the confidence are always right there, easily within reach, waiting to be claimed again. Let's remember who we are.
According to Luke, as Jesus rose up out of the waters after his own baptism, he heard a voice from heaven confirming that he was "my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased." Christ's heavenly sense of assurance of who he was made it possible to overcome all human temptations, and to endure all human rejection and suffering. Remembering his identity, he could be the very personification of moral strength, in the midst of whatever happened.
In our own Twenty-first Century lives, our identity as part of Christ's body the church is something we get from God, not something we invent or earn. And remembering who we are--and whose we are--makes it possible for us to rise above our temptations and weaknesses. It makes us capable of doing great things, in spite of our limitations. When we forget who we are, or shove our identity aside, we become vulnerable, obsessive, selfish, and easily intimidated. The good news is that the assurance, the moral strength, the resilience, and the confidence are always right there, easily within reach, waiting to be claimed again. Let's remember who we are.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Make New Friends, But Keep the Old...
The week before last, Marsha and I went to Williamsburg, Virginia, our old college town, for a reunion of alumni of the college's debate teams, down through the years. I was on the William and Mary debate team in the early 70s, and because Marsha and I were dating in those years, she knew many of my debate friends too. We had been disappointed that we wouldn't be able to attend our 40th college reunion because of a schedule conflict, and it was a happy surprise to learn of the planning for a separate reunion of friends across a number of class years.
The college looked beautiful that Friday, as it always does in the fall, and it was a great joy to wander over the campus, checking out the new buildings and feeling nostalgic about all the places Marsha and I walked together when we first knew each other. Then when we met up with a group of our old friends for dinner, it was great fun to share old memories and learn about all the developments in their lives since we'd last seen each other. The next day, we went to a private home to meet with former debaters from all the much later classes, and we found it just as much fun to get to know them. We all went out to dinner, and then met again in the morning to walk the campus and share a pancake breakfast at Mama Steve's Pancake House. Our shared experience seemed to connect us all in a big circle of friends.
I was reminded of the old Girl Scout song our kids used to sing: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is Silver and the other Gold." In the midst of all the changes and urgent demands of our normal lives, it's easy to lose track of old friends and fall out of touch. I've also known a fair number of people who have found it too challenging to go out of their way to make new friends as they've grown older. That's sad, because the rewards for friendship are so great. Even if I am embarrassed by the excess weight I've gained, the hair I've lost, and all the things I've forgotten, it's wonderfully energizing to be reunited with old friends--and it's just as exciting to get to know new people.
Churches should take note. It takes energy to keep in touch with long-time church family members who have drifted out of sight for unknown reasons. Even if they suddenly appear back in church for a worship service, everyone knows it's embarrassing to talk to someone whose name may have been forgotten. At the same time, it may also seem like a lot of effort to seek out and talk to newcomers. But the rewards of maintaining old friendships and making new ones are so great that all such embarrassment and fatigue should always be brushed aside. Whenever we do brush aside those lazy, discouraging thoughts, the fun is ready to begin.
The college looked beautiful that Friday, as it always does in the fall, and it was a great joy to wander over the campus, checking out the new buildings and feeling nostalgic about all the places Marsha and I walked together when we first knew each other. Then when we met up with a group of our old friends for dinner, it was great fun to share old memories and learn about all the developments in their lives since we'd last seen each other. The next day, we went to a private home to meet with former debaters from all the much later classes, and we found it just as much fun to get to know them. We all went out to dinner, and then met again in the morning to walk the campus and share a pancake breakfast at Mama Steve's Pancake House. Our shared experience seemed to connect us all in a big circle of friends.
I was reminded of the old Girl Scout song our kids used to sing: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is Silver and the other Gold." In the midst of all the changes and urgent demands of our normal lives, it's easy to lose track of old friends and fall out of touch. I've also known a fair number of people who have found it too challenging to go out of their way to make new friends as they've grown older. That's sad, because the rewards for friendship are so great. Even if I am embarrassed by the excess weight I've gained, the hair I've lost, and all the things I've forgotten, it's wonderfully energizing to be reunited with old friends--and it's just as exciting to get to know new people.
Churches should take note. It takes energy to keep in touch with long-time church family members who have drifted out of sight for unknown reasons. Even if they suddenly appear back in church for a worship service, everyone knows it's embarrassing to talk to someone whose name may have been forgotten. At the same time, it may also seem like a lot of effort to seek out and talk to newcomers. But the rewards of maintaining old friendships and making new ones are so great that all such embarrassment and fatigue should always be brushed aside. Whenever we do brush aside those lazy, discouraging thoughts, the fun is ready to begin.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Fresh Start!
I've enjoyed the summer outdoor worship season so much. I love the trees, the flowers, the birds, and even the sounds of lawn mowers and airplanes. I've enjoyed experimenting with new worship music and sharing our annual thanksgiving for the Blessing of Creation, at which we've shared worship with all of our pets. It's hard to see the summer end so quickly.
But I am also energized by the arrival of crisp morning breezes and colorful leaves on the trees. The summer worship crowds have been vibrant and happy, but I've continued to find myself missing every family that goes away for a summer vacation. I occasionally feel like the pet dog left behind at home, while the rest of the family goes off on an adventure. Maybe others in the congregation feel something similar. Not angry or resentful, just a little saddened by the absence of those who are away for a few weeks. Maybe even God shares such feelings. In all events, it's fun to see everyone arriving home, rested and ready to begin the new school year--and a new fall season at church.
I love Rally Day, when all the Sunday School classes start up again, and when our worship services return to the main indoor Sanctuary. There are so many kids and parents and teachers everywhere, that the whole building seems charged with new energy. The old worship space seems especially beautiful and inviting, filled again with the sound of organ music and choirs. And new faces in the choirs! New helpers for technical matters! Fresh repairs to the building! New mission projects in the works! The news of our summer service projects and the plans for all of our upcoming events fill me with confidence and hope. Whatever my own flaws, God is really at work in this place, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it!
But I am also energized by the arrival of crisp morning breezes and colorful leaves on the trees. The summer worship crowds have been vibrant and happy, but I've continued to find myself missing every family that goes away for a summer vacation. I occasionally feel like the pet dog left behind at home, while the rest of the family goes off on an adventure. Maybe others in the congregation feel something similar. Not angry or resentful, just a little saddened by the absence of those who are away for a few weeks. Maybe even God shares such feelings. In all events, it's fun to see everyone arriving home, rested and ready to begin the new school year--and a new fall season at church.
I love Rally Day, when all the Sunday School classes start up again, and when our worship services return to the main indoor Sanctuary. There are so many kids and parents and teachers everywhere, that the whole building seems charged with new energy. The old worship space seems especially beautiful and inviting, filled again with the sound of organ music and choirs. And new faces in the choirs! New helpers for technical matters! Fresh repairs to the building! New mission projects in the works! The news of our summer service projects and the plans for all of our upcoming events fill me with confidence and hope. Whatever my own flaws, God is really at work in this place, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it!
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