Categories
Journal Wisdom

Life transitions are a time to connect with God

One of the unhealthy trends that pastors are noticing today is the secularization of life transitions.   Pastors are less frequently asked to perform weddings.  Baptism (or in some traditions dedication) of infant children is neglected.   And funerals are skipped or turned into something that is a weak combo of a party and a memory session.    These are not good developments.   They both express and accelerate the separation of our culture from its spiritual roots.

Here is an excellent reflection written concerning the lack of proper religious funerals.   Corresponding articles could be written regarding other big life moments where previously our culture and others have for good reason paused to remember the sacred.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/proper-religious-funerals-are-dying-out-i-mourn-for-them/

Categories
Journal News Commentary

Good news for CT homeless

Homelessness declining due to agencies’ collective hard work

Amid all the bad news of the current political campaign and the CT state budget crisis, here is one piece of good news.  People of sensitive conscience have been very concerned for years about the plight of the homeless, especially those whose mental or emotional health makes keeping work difficult including veterans affected by PTSD.   This article reports that in the state of CT, we are making progress at housing the homeless.   Surveys of homelessness indicate that agencies working together have achieved a 13% decline since 2007 and a 4% decline in the past year.   Many people with these kinds of needs were left on the streets when institutions they formerly called home closed.   Now new options are being found to help.   Christian charity demands that we do no less!   Kudos to all those who are working hard to make this happen.   This is the kind of thing the politicians should be talking about.   I pray this effort faces zero or minimal cuts in the current necessary round of budget cutting.

http://digitaledition.courant.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=47aa170f-ad32-4c2f-82e1-3648535f4b54

 

 

Categories
Journal Wisdom

Practicing Faith is Healthy

Everyone benefits when we are people of faith

I have been preaching for years that practicing faith is good for physical health, emotional health, family health, and the health of society for people of all ages.    Here is a great article that enumerates some of the many benefits we receive from being people of faith.

http://swampscott.wickedlocal.com/news/20160509/13-things-religion-does-to-your-children

 

Categories
Journal News Commentary

The Sad State of Republican Politics

elephant slipping

My least favorite candidates are winning

At the start of the political process leading up to the primaries, I ranked the candidates according to my own ideas about who was the best qualified and most preferable for me.   Unfortunately, and from news reports I am far from alone,  the two people who were at the bottom of my original list are at this point the likely candidates of the two major parties.  And Trump who was at the absolute bottom of the list is the presumed candidate of the party of which I am a registered voter.  Yuck, ten times ugly yuck, gag and puke.  Can you tell yet that I am not a fan of his slander sideshow?

Neither Clinton nor Trump are the person I think should be President

I greatly dislike Clinton’s positions and there are ethical shadows following her too.  Am I alone in such opinions?  Absolutely not.   “Clinton is rich, and morally and ethically corrupt. So is Trump,” writes Jonah Goldberg (http://digitaledition.courant.com/launch.aspx?pbid=e1bdb9a0-d9e0-4569-842b-54331efd8091).

As for Trump, I like Jeb Bush’s reported comment.  Is Trump the kind of person who should be President?    “Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character,” Jeb Bush said. “And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy” (http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-36234318).   I totally agree.  Trump says what he finds convenient at the moment and has no principles about sticking to his word.

How did we elect Trump to represent Republicans?

I have been reflecting on this.  How does it happen that the grand old party is set to nominate someone that has the highest negative ratings in history, someone with no qualifications for the office, and someone who does not fit the mold of previous candidates morally or culturally in any way?

  1. The primary system was skewed by Trump’s media sideshow.  Stats show that from the beginning, Trump received way more mentions on media that any other candidate of either party did.  He has received interview privileges that even the President does not get.  In the Sunday edition of the Hartford Courant that I referenced, Bill Press on the left and Jonah Goldberg on the right come at the same idea from different angles; the media loves Trump for the show and the attention it gets the media and the public like something exciting and out of the ordinary.  If memory serves, John Kasich in the first debate opined something like, “Come on people, we need someone who knows how to run a government.”  It was what I was thinking as I watched.  Such a common-sense idea was too levelheaded for the media so they quickly dismissed Kasich as petulant and uninteresting.    Never mind that he was right.  Duh!
  2. Americans have been taught in recent years to base their opinions on performance first, rather than character first.  Many years ago colleges washed their hands of any responsibility for the moral and spiritual welfare of their students and focused only on subjects.  One result is we have many graduates with great skills who crash on the job because of ethical failures.   In hiring, interviewers are forbidden to ask questions that might get to the issue of character so companies widely use probational employment periods to see whether an employee  is honest, shows up for work regularly, etc.   The upshot of this downplaying of character is that we apparently now evaluate our political candidates sans character, I guess.  It would be sad if it weren’t actually dangerous.
  3. Many voters are fed up with Congress and career politicians.  The inability of Congress to get things done, the lack of viable compromise, the perpetual national budget mess, and the low moral tone in DC all have led to voters looking toward outsiders like Trump and Carson.  The last Congress had one of the lowest confidence ratings on record.   Part of Sander’s appeal is also his perceived greater independence from the Washington circle.    When career politicians are found to be morally or ethically corrupt, it reduces respect for others, even those who have integrity.
  4. Trump channeled the fear and anger of people in our country in true demagogue style.  Even people who are not racist are worried about the sheer numbers of immigrants.   Since 9/11 Americans find it hard not to be a little suspicious of Muslims.  So Trump’s tactic is working big-time.  But a true leader has an inner moral framework and a long view of history that guide how they approach subjects that divide people like discussions about the US southern border or racism in our country, subjects that evoke fear like immigration from Syria.    I have observed no evidence of such a framework in what Trump says, only a crass trading on the fears and distrusts of the populace for his own benefit.   He shows no long historical view, for example, no sense of the impression of the Republican Party that he is leaving for the future; he seems only to look out for his immediate political windfall.    Never mind that the country is fast becoming a much more multi-cultural place and that the birth rates of immigrants will probably only accelerate that trend.   So if the Republican Party wants to remain viable, it cannot be primarily a party of angry white males and must learn to appeal to the people he is alienating.

What do we do now?

  1. As a Christian, the first thing I am doing is praying for my country.   We believe in the sovereignty of God who rules and overrules, who puts rulers in place and removes them.   So I am praying for my country in this election cycle as never before.
  2. As a voter I am among those who cannot see themselves voting with a clear conscience for either Trump or Clinton.  And I really don’t see that opinion being altered by vice-presidential picks either.
  3. Yet I believe that as a citizen I need to use my vote to express myself.   I, along with others who feel as I do, will be exploring ways to do this.

 

 

Categories
Journal News Commentary Wisdom

A philosophy of helping others to consider

This city pastor has a great perspective on the way to approach helping people in city neighborhoods.   Granby area clergy are currently considering an initiative that would fit with his philosophy.   The initiative being considered involves helping resource the choice program through which some city students attend Granby schools.

 

Categories
Journal Wisdom

My Lenten Journey toward De-accumulation

My shop's not this bad yet but...
My shop’s not this bad yet but…

 

A Different Lenten Journey

When the purposes pursued during Lent carry over afterward, that is a salutary sign that a fuse has been lit for something good.   I hope so because, like most Americans, my office and closets and garage have been getting more and more full, and this in spite of the fact that I tried very hard to downsize when we moved a couple years ago.  Allow me to explain more fully.  It is customary among Christians to give up something for Lent as a discipline of self-denial.  In other years I have fasted one day a week or given up a favorite food or added devotional time.    But this year, I felt I needed to do something different.   I decided to tackle the problem of accumulation of things that plagues Americans, me among them.

Accumulation is too easy

Now, I’m  just middle class, and I can’t afford to shop much, but if I buy a book here, a tool there,  a few folders for the office, something for my Christmas display, I’m adding things to my possessions.  Then I receive a few clothes for Christmas, and maybe another shop tool.  Perhaps I see a steal of a deal at the one or two summer garage sales I stop for.  The result– adding on a few more things.  Now I don’t have or need any rented storage units as many Americans have, and I can still park a car in my garage if needed, but I decided that it was still time to turn the tide and make a deliberate start at de-accumulating.

My Lenten goals toward de-accumulating

So for my Lenten journey, I set a goal to get rid of at least forty items from at least 7 different areas of my life.    It took me a couple days past Easter to finish, but I exceeded my goal both in numbers of items and in numbers of areas affected.   However, I did discover that it was one thing to identify items as extra and ready to be disposed of and another to actually make them disappear.  For example, I have two old computers still to take to recycling and I have a stack of books removed from my shelves but not yet taken away.  I guess that’s one reason that de-accumulation has to be a continuing discipline.

Steps

  1. Convince yourself that de-accumulation is desirable and necessary.
  2. Identify things that are excess in obvious areas first to get the ball rolling.
  3. Allow the habit to spread into areas you had not thought about down-sizing.
  4. Keep track of progress for encouragement.
  5. Set aside things to be de-accumulated that cannot be immediately disposed of.
  6. Carry through with plans for these identified items.
  7. Question some underlying purposes that have driven your accumulation.

 

Benefits

There have already been some good side effects of this effort.

  • I like most industrious people had more projects in the works than I could ever do.  I have already deliberately discontinued one of my big some-day projects and am questioning another.
  • I have reduced clutter which is an encouragement to continue.
  • I am creating space to better work on current activities.
  • I can sense a narrowing of focus for my energies.
  • I believe I have also started a mindset that will help me to continue to pare down inessentials and focus my life more effectively.

 

 

Categories
Journal News Commentary

An excellent commentary on the ideals of the American political system

I read this speech by Paul Ryan.  It is an excellent commentary on the ideals of the American political system

http://time.com/4269260/paul-ryan-speech-donald-trump-politics-transcript/

 

Categories
Journal Meditations Wisdom

Following Jesus requires life-long learning

A devotional excerpt from today’s message

The evangelical and revivalist traditions of the American Protestant churches over the last hundred years have strongly emphasized making a decision to follow Christ.  That is a good thing because until we make a decision, most of us drift in indecision and ultimately drift away.  Better to decisively answer the call of Jesus.

But there has been one downside to this emphasis.  Some have emphasized the decision to the detriment of the walk with Jesus.    Like a hypothetical person who buys a car and then inexplicably keeps walking, riding the bus, or hiring a taxi everywhere they go,  some so-called Christians think that having a “decision” in their records is all that is needed.  More liturgical types might substitute becoming a member or being baptized as their moment of decision.  But anytime our Christianity is only a decision of the past and not a present pursuit, there is a big misunderstanding.

Jesus calls us to continuing discipleship

However, if we remember that Jesus calls us using the word “follow” we will easily avoid this error.   Following is by nature a continuing activity.  It’s something you do every day.  The word “follow” reflects the true nature of our relationship to Jesus.   We are continually modeling after him.  We are continually listening for his voice.   We are continually understanding and appropriating more of his instructions.   We are continually seeking to walk in his footsteps.   Another way to say this is that Jesus doesn’t just call us to a one-time decision, he calls us to a day by day, week by week, year after year discipleship.  Think about it this way, nearly all professions I know of require continuing education for continued competence.  Anyone who is successful in their field is already doing continuing education whether or not it is required.

Your future is built on the improvements you are making today.

This is true of your Christian walk.  This is true of your marriage.  This is true of your relationship to your children.  This is true in your professional life.  This is true in your hobby.  Continued learning is part of our basic commitment to Jesus.   As Peter put it.

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18 NIV 2011

So the corollary is that following Jesus is a life-long learning process.  And there is a wonderful promise that goes with this.

“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life prosperity and honor.” Prov. 21:21

Categories
Church Leadership Journal Wisdom

We’re Praying for Another Divine Visitation

George Washington Praying at Valley Forge

 

Sometimes we are discouraged by the church’s decline

Sometimes we look around and are discouraged that the work of God seems to be in decline.   And it is not our imagination either.  One key indicator, though not the only one, is church attendance.  Stats show that the percentage of people attending church is down and that the regularity of attendance of those who attend is also down.   People in general feel that the church is losing its influence.  This is not the first time in US history this has happened.

But God has sent revival to the Granby area before

But the good news is that God has repeated visited our area and reversed the trend.   Here are three accounts of historical revivals in the Granby area that had marked positive effects upon the churches.   These are three actual accounts of Granby area revivals including quotes from eye-witnesses, accounts found in historical records.   I hope they will inspire us to believe that God is able to visit us again in the 2nd decade of the 21st century.

Jonathan Edwards 1741

Jonathan Edwards was one of America’s most accomplished intellectuals and theologians. Born in what is today South Windsor, CT, Edwards became a leader of New England’s first great awakening. His 1741 sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” first heard by throngs of believers in Enfield, CT is considered one of the most famous and influential ever delivered in the United States.  [http://connecticuthistory.org/people/jonathan-edwards/]

“We went over to Enfield where we met dear Mr. Edwards of Northampton who preached a most awakening sermon from these words, Deuteronomy 32:35, and before the sermon was done there was a great moaning and crying went out through ye whole House…. ‘What shall I do to be saved,’ ‘Oh, I am going to Hell,’ ‘Oh, what shall I do for Christ,’ and so forth. So yet ye minister was obliged to desist, ye shrieks and cry were piercing and amazing.” – Stephen Williams

In 1747, Jonathan Edwards joined the movement started in Scotland called the “concert in prayer,” and in the same year published An Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_(theologian)]

 East Granby 1814-1815

The reorganization of the Turkey Hills ecclesiastical society coincided with the religious reawakening that swept through Connecticut in the wake of what historians refer to as the age of “free thinking and free drinking.” In a July 1815 article on recent religious revivals, the “Connecticut Evangelical Magazine and Religious Intelligencer” lists Turkey Hills as one of the societies that “had been favored with special showers of grace.”

In the autumn of 1814, Mr. Nettleton commenced his labors in East Granby. This was a waste place. The moral condition of the people was exceedingly deportable. But God saw fit to turn again the captivity of Zion. Under Mr. Nettleton’s preaching, there was a very interesting revival of religion.  -Rev. Bennett Tyler

The effect of that revival upon the church, and upon the community, was most happy and lasting. The schoolhouse and private rooms were filled with trembling worshipers. A solemnity and seriousness pervaded the community, which had not been experienced for years before. – Rev. Jonas B. Clark

33 people joined the Congregational church during the year of the revival.

[East Granby: the Evolution of a Connecticut Town by Mary Jane Springman and Betty Finnell Guinan  pp. 117]

Copper Hill Church 1871

In the ministry of Lemuel Richardson, in 1871 there was an extensive revival of religion, attended with remarkable manifestations. The writer, at a single evening meeting in the church, which lasted from 7 o’clock until midnight, witnessed as many as 15 persons who became apparently unconscious. Some were stretched upon the floor; others were lying or being supported upon the seats. This visitation of “the Spirit” was regarded as a great blessing, and it certainly did strengthen the church in numbers. – Charles Horace Clark

[http://historicbuildingsct.com/?cat=273]

[Revival] gatherings often attracted so many people that they had to be held outdoors. When they lasted several days, the participants camped out nearby. Thus they became known as camp meetings. There were camp meetings at various locations near Copper Hill throughout the 19th century.

[East Granby: the Evolution of a Connecticut Town by Mary Jane Springman and Betty Finnell Guinan  pp. 127]

Praying for God’s Visitation Today

At Copper Hill Church we are praying and preparing for God to visit his people again.   As a part of this, this Sunday we will be participating in the second area united Grassroots prayer service.  This series of prayer services is a cooperative effort of our church, Life Church and West Granby United Methodist Church and the three pastors.   At 6 PM, March 6, we will be uniting in prayer at Life Church.  Each prayer service has a special emphasis.  The first one, held at Copper Hill, emphasized prayer for our country.   This coming service, hosted by Life Church, will emphasize prayer for our churches and for New England as a region.    A third one to be hosted by West Granby UMC is planned at a date to be announced.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Americana Journal News Commentary

Mudslinging and the Golden Rule

A low in mudslinging

 

A contrast between a message on love and the political fracas

The Sunday message today was about expressing love in action.   In our small church, we sometimes have a Questions and Comments time following the message and one of the younger parishioners asked about the incongruity between the current campaign process and the golden rule.  What a great question.

Mudslinging is not new to American politics by any means. But, as news outlets have observed, this year’s level of slander and dirty tricks by Republicans may be setting new low standards.

http://time.com/4230200/south-carolina-republican-primary-trump-cruz-rubio-carson-bush/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rubio-cruz-intensify-political-mudslinging-in-lead-up-to-s-c-primary/

I observe that now Trump has officially dragged Rubio down to his level of verbal sadism.  At this point the rhetoric has reached a plane where one does not know whether the actors are really serious or actually intending to be stand-up comedians.  One thing is certain.  What is being said is in no way loving.  Nor is it in keeping with the Golden Rule.

 

The Golden Rule

Speaking of the Golden Rule, I have seen it misquoted in media sources twice in the past couple weeks, and misquoted in a way that totally perverts the intentions of Jesus.    Both tragic misquotes said something like “Do unto others as they have done to you.”   This completely defeats the high ethical guideline that Jesus was giving.  In fact, the Bible expressly forbids harboring that sentiment.

“Do not say, “I will do to others as they have done to me; I will pay them back for what they have done.”  Proverbs 24:29 NRSV

Here is the proper reading of the Golden Rule as Jesus taught it.

“In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Matt 7:12 NIV 2011

That is a much higher loving challenge.

A churning question

The unspoken question in church and in many minds including mine is why the initiator of the mud, Donald Trump, is leading?    Why is he supported by many Christians when his lifestyle and language have been so far from a Christian norm?   Why are many believers either not discerning or willing to overlook so much?

 

An inadequate process

Many other Christians including myself are completely disgusted and disappointed with this year’s political process.  It shows that media debates made for Trump style TV theater have little or nothing to do with how to determine who would make a good President.   They are not a good way to show a candidate’s credentials.  The person is forced to brag about themselves.  Those who are best at bragging are not the best leaders according to Jim Collins in Good to Great.  The highest and best leaders are humble servants of others.   Among their highest characteristics are passion for their job and for the people who work with them.  They are confident and forward looking without being arrogant.   TV debates are not good at revealing those kind of leaders.    On screen, self-promoters look better.

 

Voters not practiced in discerning character

Another issue that is resulting in the results we are seeing is that many voters are ill-equipped to discern character.  Here are my suggestions as to some of the possible reasons for this phenomenon.

  1. Americans increasingly get their practice in character watching from screens.  They view personal character from the illusion of character given by reality TV, movies, and music video.    In that world, brash and arrogant and attitude works and even comes to be admired because the camera never has to show the emotional and relational wreckage produced by such pride.
  2. Character education has only recently been returning to education. It still has not made it back to most colleges. For years, schools at all levels taught only academic subjects.   Now it is being recognized that skilled people with poor character do not make good employees.  News flash—they don’t make good neighbors, spouses, carpenters, policepersons, or Presidents either.
  3. Much of the public is ignorant of Biblical values such as the Golden rule. The misquoting of it that I mentioned only underlines this fact.  Statistically, unfortunately, church attendance decreases yearly in America and that is only part of the story.  Not only does the number of people who attend church decline but the frequency of attendance by church people declines as well.   The other part is the decrease in Christian education in the church itself.   In some quarters, sermons use little Scripture.  In other parts of Christendom, graying congregations are closing Sunday Schools for lack of students.  The result is a populace with little knowledge of the Golden Rule.