Haiku blues

The days elongate

Wind bends trees, a rush, a gust

Promises of spring.

LTM 2/16/25

“PIVOT!”

One of the most well-known scenes from the television series, Friends, is from an episode in season five.  In this scene, Ross has bought a new couch for his apartment, but he doesn’t want to pay the delivery fee.  He enlists Rachel and Chandler to help him carry the couch up the stairwell to his place.  Hilarity ensues as the angles of the stairwell make it impossible to move the bulky furniture.  Ross is seen yelling, “Pivot! Pivot!” as they awkwardly become stuck on the stairs. 

The last few weeks we’ve been pivoting a lot around here. When our music director Valerie experienced an unexpected health crisis a few Sundays ago, “PIVOT!”  Aggie was miraculously in town and jumped in to play the piano on the spot and the choir selected a simpler hymn to sing for the anthem.  And so began the search for folks to fill in while Valerie is away.  Linda Jean has graciously agreed to play frequently and taken the reigns in rallying the choir. I’ve made a solid list of possible hymns for the next few weeks and organized substitute musicians.  Furthermore, Isabelle has kept the bell choir informed and organized a practice the last two weeks.  We were even able to get Valerie on Zoom to guide them.  Oddly enough, she could hear us speaking but not the bells playing!?  “PIVOT!”  Turns out, FaceTime worked better. 

This was a fun, full Sunday as we welcomed new members and held a baptism, all while celebrating a Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans Sunday! Aggie returned and the bell choir played beautifully.  We also had a bagpiper, Kathy Boyer, in the house! I was up early reading over the order of worship and making a list of all the things that needed to happen before 11:00 AM: set up the camera, pass out family tartan banners, fill a pitcher with warm water…and then the phone rang.  It was Jeanne, it turns out she and Thad are under the weather.  Jeanne was set to be the grilled cheese master for our soup & sandwich lunch after church! “PIVOT!” I quickly reached out to Kathy & Linda who graciously agreed to step in. Fortunately, after church there were at least six ladies in the kitchen bustling about.  Thank you, Jesus!

All to say, there have been a few moments where I was worried I would be like Ross, pinned to the wall by the proverbial couch, but fortunately I’ve had wonderful folks to help me pivot.  These are prime examples of what church should be.  Individuals come together, bringing their gifts to a situation for the greater good of the community.  And I want to point out that any outsider coming in today would never have known about these hiccups.  The worship service and fellowship went smoothly and were full of joy, no matter how chaotic we may have felt behind the scenes. But, I wanted to say thank you to everyone at New Providence who always make everything happen as a team.  God is good!  

The Angel of the Rockies

I’m currently reading The Small and the Mighty, by Sharon McMahon.  The book tells the stories of twelve Americans who were vital to our nation and changed the course of history. And yet, their names are largely lost to us. It is fascinating to hear about these unsung heroes who simply by living their convictions paved the way for us today.

One such figure is Clara Brown. Clara was a slave in Kentucky in the 1830s. When her owner died, the family sold Clara, her husband, and their children, all to different buyers in order to settle their estate.  Over the next 20 years, Clara lived with the Brown family and raised their three daughters. She never learned to read or write, but the family helped her find out what happened to her kin.  It turned out that her daughter, son, and husband had not lived, but the youngest daughter, Eliza, who was sold to a slaver in Kentucky was rumored to have headed west in 1852.  Upon George Brown’s passing the family set Clara free as was stipulated in his will and they even helped Clara find a job in St. Louis cooking for German immigrants.  When the Brunner family moved to Kansas she agreed to go along, all the while asking everyone she could if they had heard of Eliza. 

In the spring of 1859, the Colorado gold rush was in full swing, and Clara wondered if perhaps her daughter had headed that way with the pioneers.  She began a laundry business to raise money of her own to go further west in search of Eliza.  She joined up with a thirty-wagon caravan! She cooked for twenty-five men three meals a day and in turn they hauled her laundry equipment.  She walked the entire 700 miles alongside the wagon train. 

Clara settled in Central City and was likely the first black woman to cross into the territory.  Can you imagine? It was no more than a shanty town when Clara sat up shop cooking and washing clothes for the townspeople, most of whom were young men.  Clara was quick to feed these fortune seekers and give them a place to sleep until they could find employment.  She even began prayer meetings and the Union Sunday School with two Methodist ministers.  By the end of the Civil War, she had made quite a name for herself and amassed $10,000 ($250,000)!

As more people moved to Colorado, they quickly heard of Clara who was always ready with a meal, a bandage, or a place to lay one’s head.  They called her, “The Angel of the Rockies.”  The governor even caught wind of her charity and determination and sent her back to Kansas to try to convince more people to move to Colorado. She visited church communities and schools telling Black people of all the opportunities she had found in Colorado. She even paid double the going rate to have some of her kinfolk moved to Colorado. Amazingly, she invested her money in rental properties, vacant lots, and mining claims she hoped would bear fruit.  Sadly by 1873 she had lost much of her property to flood and fire, most of her savings were embezzled by a scoundrel lawyer who had promised to help her because she was illiterate.   When the state of Colorado declared that they would give a pension to any “pioneer” who entered the state before 1865, Clara applied for the program but was denied.  People who loved Clara campaigned on her behalf and Clara was soon included, the first woman to receive the designation as “pioneer.”

Finally, finally-- at the age of 82 someone she spoke with said they might know her daughter Eliza, and she was living in Iowa.  Her beloved community raised funds for her train ticket.  Sure enough, in 1882 Clara found her daughter Eliza and had three years with her and her grandchildren before she passed.   A stained-glass portrait of Clara Brown hangs in the Old Supreme Court Chambers in Denver and she is memorialized at the Smithsonian.   She was a ‘self-made’ American in every sense of the word.  As McMahon writes, “when people were at their most vulnerable—sick, poor, about to give birth, desperately lonely—Clara Brown could be trusted.  A woman with hands and feet that embodied what it meant to be just, peaceful, good, and free.”[1] 

Isn’t that just what we’d hope people would say of you and me?  

[1] Sharon McMahon, The Small and the Mighty (USA: Penguin Random House, 2024)  p.42

What can I do?

It’s hard to believe, but sometimes, I run out of words.  Sometimes no amount of coffee or peanut M&Ms is enough to reboot.  It’s a sure sign that I’ve either been thinking too much or shutting down because my mind is overwhelmed. 

What can I say, Lord?  And the silence says, “pray.”

What can I do, Lord?  And the silence says, “pray.”

Do you ever ask such questions?

What can I do in the face of illness? What can I do with my grief?  Pray.

How can I mend broken fences and repair broken hearts? Pray.

What can I do when the sky goes dark? When I cannot see the stars? Pray.

What can I do when the world’s problems dare to overwhelm, and all is grim? Pray.

How can I release my anger and how do I let go of fear? Pray.

Whatever questions you throw into the atmosphere, it is here you’ll find your answer. Pray.

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.-Romans 8:26

Herd Mentality

Our cats love to wake me up around 3 or 4 in the morning to either come inside or go outside. I call it “the changing of the guard” because the boys seem to trade their posts several times once darkness falls.  A few nights ago, when I got up to open the door, the full moon illuminated at least eight deer in the front yard in the grass atop the hill where the snow had melted.  While all eyes were on the house and ears perked at the sound of the door opening, not one ran away.  I suppose I am glad that they feel safe on this hill—although I wish they would tell their cousins over in Brownsburg to stay off the road!

Herd mentality can be harnessed for good or ill.  One of my dearest friends participated in The People’s March last Saturday in DC.  She truly felt compelled to attend and witness the power of peaceful protest.  This is the first time she has ever attended anything like this, and she traveled with a group on a bus from Richmond.  She went alone, not having any other friends going along and met other women on the way.  As a faithful Christian, she felt that God was calling her to join others in being a voice for the voiceless, standing up for the rights of the oppressed, the imprisoned, the widowed, the orphaned, the marginalized.  While I admire her tenacity, I confess I prayed all day for her safety, because as we know, we live in a time when senseless violence is the norm. 

She told me that all along the sidewalks as the marchers passed, there were “Christians” lined up with signs emblazoned with hate speech and vitriol was spewed from the mouths of people claiming to do so in the name of God.  This was heartbreaking for her to witness.  Regardless of where we might stand on the issues and rights facing humanity today—I hope we can all agree that our God is a God of love, not hate.  1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 

Today I am contemplating, in a time when our faith, our denominations, our country and world are so divided, how can we harness the herd mentality for good?  Or perhaps, rather than a herd, you’d consider it a flock?  How can we--as faithful Christians and faithful community participants, as faithful members and friends of New Providence church—how can we move together as a herd toward that which is good and glorifying to God?  It certainly takes respect for one another and love for one another.  It also takes commitment to the cause (the cause being disciples for Christ).   I hope in 2025 we can raise our banners declaring that our God is Love.  I hope we can in our words and actions be the church that serves God and community, as we have done since 1746.  And I hope we can do it guided by the Holy Spirit and united under the auspices of grace.

The Frozen Chosen

You may have heard by now that during our Sunday Funday time for the children at church yesterday, the kids all went sledding! Our church property has a great hill for sledding (and slip and slide in summer)! Everyone brought their snow clothes and sleds and took off for the snow, supervised of course.  They also had a brief lesson; the subject of the day was “good and bad choices.” Perfect. I asked one of the kids if we should just cancel church and let all the grown-ups go out and sled too and she said, “yeah!”  After church service was over, they all traipsed in for fellowship time, steam practically rising from their heads, snow tracks melting along behind them.  They went straight for the cookies and lemonade, clearly worn out from their fun.  Throughout the fellowship hall, all the adults had a fun sledding story to share. Everyone was reminiscing about their own snow days. It was a bonding moment for all that I did not anticipate.  We spent our worship considering our core identities (children of God), and our children making core memories about family, friends, and church.  Maybe one day they’ll sit around a table and tell their kids about sledding at church. I won’t soon forget it.  Looks like Presbyterians really are ‘the frozen chosen’ after all. 

Winter Wonder

Snowflakes

F

 A

   L

      L

         I

           N

              G

B l a n k e t (all the)

N-O-I-S-E

Peace

                          G             

                     N

                   I

              S

           I

     R

A

Capture (all the)

J-O-Y-S

LTM 1/5/25

a little Fuller

When my dear Hollins sister Katie was ill, her husband Seth and our friend Jeremy put together one of the flower bouquet Lego sets for her.  When Seth took it into the room for her to see saying, “What do you think?” She said, “It could be a little fuller.”   So, Seth bought a second set and filled in the bouquet.  While this shows a couple of things about my dear friend—that she always spoke her mind, and never stopped giving Seth a hard time—there’s also some deep truth to what she had to say….

As we approach 2025 (this boggles the mind), I wonder, could life be a little fuller?  I know, I know…many of us have been trying to make our calendars less full.  But the flurry of here to there and back again isn’t what I mean.  It is what we fill our time with that is important.  The days between Christmas and New Year’s often have me in an odd state of limbo.  Hard as I try to embrace the idea of living off cheese ball and cookies, hibernating like a bear, I can only go for so long with “nothing” to do.   But sitting still is important.  Letting go of what doesn’t serve us is valuable.  And replacing that which does not serve with that which does nourish us is vital.

I read a suggestion that when the Christmas Tree comes down (ours will remain until Epiphany or close to thank you very much) that you pack your decorations in an orderly way so that next year pulling them back out isn’t chaotic. This I am already on top of!  Furthermore, you should also have a trash bag with you.  Any decorations that are worn out or broken should be discarded.  Well now, I have ornaments that have been on the tree since before I was born… so this might be tough.  But I am determined this January to take a really hard look at what we have, because each year we get more ornaments—and we’re running out of tree branches upon which they can hang!

It's like pruning right? Jesus had something to say about that.  You trim back the branches so that the plant grows back healthier.  What can you set down going into 2025 and what can you pick up, that might make the bouquet of your life fuller this year? 

Twas the Saturday Before Christmas

A silly little reminder not to take yourself, or the secular spin of the holidays too seriously. :)

Twas the Saturday before Christmas

And all through the house

I’d done the cleaning to prepare

the arrival of the parents of my spouse.

Our packages were bundled

Our lights twinkled merry

I made mama’s cheeseball

So good it was scary.

I was quite nervous

To play the host

For Christmas to be perfect

I wanted to boast.

I hustled, I bustled

But my husband said stop

We are with our family

How could it flop?

And in the blink of an eye

I had nothing to dread

For in came the family

With cheer to be spread.

So, I in my red and black

Buffalo plaid pants

Tried to sit back

As they entered the manse.

On Auntie, on Uncle

Grams and Papa they came

With presents and goodies

All wrapped with our names.

We scarfed down the food

Opened gifts with elation.

Then filling the lull,

To quote Christmas Vacation,

My dear brother-in-law said,

“Stop it, Clark!

I don’t want to spend the holidays dead!”

LTM  12/22/24

ANTICIPATION

Angels

Nod

To

Incarnation

Christ

Immanuel

Preparation

Animal

Tableau

Invitation

Overture to all the
Nations

LTM 12/14/24

Our Lady Of Paris

When one looks upon Notre Dame in former photographs and videos, what you see is a towering structure, an architectural feat with intricate carvings and frescos, gigantic stained-glass windows.  The first stone was laid in 1163.  The famous south rose window was placed in 1255.  At her completion the year was 1345, 182 years in total. To stand in her shadow is to look up in awe at the ingenuity, creativity, and sacrifice it took to construct her.  The cathedral’s gothic architecture was groundbreaking, particularly in the creation of flying buttresses, those long, spindly external stone supports that bear the weight of stone. This allowed the building to be built taller and narrower, with much larger windows to let in light. When I visited Paris in college I didn’t go inside Notre Dame because the lines were long, and this was a quick trip with much to see.  But we certainly walked around her and admired her architecture…though scaffolding was built around it in certain places as these ancient buildings are always under repair and restoration.  Over time, I believe what we saw of Notre Dame was a shadow of her former glory.  Her interior was dim, her stones gray, her windows clouded, her frescos dull. Now, as the world sees glimpses of the cathedral following her restoration from the 2019 fire, we can truly see what she would have looked like in 1345.  The nave is so bright and airy! The stonework is bright, the marble is shining, the frescos are vibrant with colors that don’t seem to exist in the natural world.  It has always seemed inspiring, but truly to look upon this structure takes one’s breath away.  I cannot imagine standing in the center of her vaulted ceilings hearing her bells ring out over the city!

This is the nature of Advent.  In the deep, dark night we wait, we wait for the light to rise and shine all around us.  We wait for the coming of the son.  

Isaiah 9:2 reads, “The people who have walked in dark have seen a great light: those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death. Upon them a light has shined.” This is also found in Matthew 4:16. 

Micah 7:8 says, “Though I have fallen, I will rise.  Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”  

1 Peter 2:9 charges us, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light!”

Like Notre Dame, we stand on the faith of centuries, of the saints who have come before us.  Without close attention, time passes and we become a shadow of our former selves.  We become covered in the muck and mire of the world.  Our light becomes dim. And perhaps, perhaps the flames that threaten to destroy us, come to refine us.  And the smoke that threatens to choke us and cover us in ash, comes to redefine us and purify us for the next part of our journey as followers of The Way. 

 I love that the workers who restored the cathedral are called Companions of Duty. Notre Dame could not be restored to the purest version of itself without the dedication of multitudes of individuals bringing their expertise and craftsmanship to the table.  It is the same for us.  For our light to shine as a city upon a hill, we too need each other as companions.  To remind us of our true colors. To help us reason together, as Isaiah tells us, that though our sins may be scarlet, they shall be made white as snow.   As one news article tagged the Cathedral’s story: “From Ashes to Glory”.  May it be such a season for us, also. 

Going the distance

Did you know that Bethlehem is only six miles south of Jerusalem? And Nazareth, the city of Jesus’ childhood home was ninety miles from Bethlehem.  Thus, the real distance between where Mary began her journey of motherhood and where it ended was less than 100 miles.  Remember, she pondered all these things in her heart.  She knew God was present, she also knew how things could end for her son.

During his ministry, it is thought that Jesus traveled roughly 50 miles east and west and up to 150 miles north and south.  But the region of Galilee, where Jesus performed most of his miracles and ministry was only about 3.5 square miles! Now, when our children and grandchildren tell us there is nothing to do ‘way out here’ we can say, “Jesus lived his whole life in a space no larger than the distance from Lexington to Richmond.  And furthermore, the fullest years of his life happened within 3.5 miles…. that’s less distance than from the church to the elementary school.  Now, git!”

What I want us as followers of the babe born in Bethlehem, the babe whose destiny it was to travel up to the mountain of God in Jerusalem, is that his ministry was impactful even though it occurred in a rural location.  You’ll recall people like Nathanael asked Phillip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”  Obviously, we believe the answer is yes.  But do we believe anything good can come from our little corner of the world? Do we trust that we have the energy, the intelligence, the imagination, and the love to be instruments of God’s grace?  Do we dare to believe that in the five- or ten-mile radius between our little Presbyterian church signs along the roadways that point to our building, we can make a difference? You’ll recall Jesus charged his closest followers to make disciples of all nations before the inventions of the planes, trains, and automobiles! They were to begin in Jerusalem right where they were. And as their ministry gained momentum it would travel into places beyond their comfort, Judea, Samaria. And finally, to all the earth.

What Jesus did in Galilee you can do here at home.  In fact, I suspect you already are! Jesus would stop along the road and chat with the folks working in the fields or along the shoreline.  Perhaps taking a noonday break under a scrub tree for a bit of sustenance.  Do you stop and check in on your neighbors that way?  Jesus would often be invited into someone’s home for supper. He would graciously accept these invitations even though these were often people that would be shunned in other circumstances. Do you visit the sick and infirm? Do you deliver meals, do you invite others to eat with you? If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, I daresay what we often describe as being neighborly, is in fact being Christian.  So before you tell yourself you cannot make an impact remember what Jesus accomplished in just 3.5 miles. 

Hide it under a bushel?No!

In yesterday’s sermon I shared some of the story of Corrie ten Boom, a watchmaker living in Holland during the German Occupation of WWII.  Corrie and her family were an instrumental part of the Dutch Underground which successfully spirited thousands of Jewish people to safety.  Eventually, she and her family were arrested.  Her father and sister died while they were imprisoned.   I used Corrie’s story as an example of our identity as Christians to be salt of the earth and light of the world.  After worship several folks said, “You didn’t finish the story!  What happened to Corrie ten Boom?” 

After being held at a political camp called Scheveningen, she and her sister, Betsie, were relocated with many others to Ravensbrück. It was there that Betsie died from illness.  Before her death, Betsie and Corrie had ministered to many of the women in their barracks. Betsie had a vision that after the war she and Corrie would open a home for those deeply wounded from the war—for Betsie this included the soldiers and camp staff who had committed all the terrible atrocities of the Holocaust.  She envisioned a mansion with large windows, a grand staircase, and sprawling grounds where those living there could tend the gardens.   Just twelve days after Betsie’s death, just before Christmas in 1944, Corrie was released from Ravensbrück.  As it turns out, ten Boom’s release was a clerical error; all the other prisoners of her age group were sent to the gas chambers the following week.  

Corrie made her way back home and began telling people what she and Betsie had learned, particularly about God during their imprisonment. She described Betsie’s vision for a home in Holland where people could recuperate.   After one such talk, Corrie was approached by Mrs. Bierens de Haan who lived in a wealthy neighborhood in Corrie’s hometown of Haarlem.  She was invited to visit the woman’s large estate, with a 56-room mansion that was just as Betsie had described.  This became a place of refuge for those who returned to Holland and needed a safe place to heal from their trauma.  A few years later, Corrie returned to Germany.  One day a relief organization worker came up to her to ask her for help with a rehabilitation home in Germany. The gentleman told her that they already had a place where it could begin, a former concentration camp at Darmstadt. As Corrie walked through the camp, she no longer saw misery or fear but a place that, once again, Betsie had described—a place with window boxes and lots of brightly colored paint and a garden with flowers coming up in the spring.  The camp opened in the spring of 1946. 

Corrie ten Boom died on April 15, 1983—her 91st birthday, after dedicating her entire life to spreading the truth of God’s love.

Corrie’s story is an incredible testament to God’s continued movement in the world.  Corrie and her family were guided by God’s will and did not lose sight of their faith even in the darkest of times.  After her release, she could have returned to her little home and reopened her family watch shop…but God had other plans for her.  Corrie continued to minister to humanities most traumatized and broken individuals.  She modeled forgiveness and witnessed to God’s grace for all people.  

You can read Corrie’s story in her book, A Hiding Place (we have a copy in the church library). 

Salt & Sunlight

Salt & Sunlight

Salty tears-

laughter ringing in ears.

Sunlight fades to twilight-

 first twinkles wink.

It’s her, I think.

LTM

11/18/24

Matt 5:13-16 Salt and Light

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

What Time is It?

What Time Is It?

“Mom, what time is it,” my son asks from his nest on the couch.  A valid question since its pitch dark out at 6pm.  I’ve noticed over the last few weeks it’s been harder for him to leap out of bed at the crack of dawn, sleeping much longer into the morning on the weekends.  It’s funny that I prayed for this day to come, but now that it’s here I was caught by surprise…is it normal for a ten-year-old to do this? I’m assured by friends that it is.  But his question brought deeper answers to the surface than just what time is shown on the clock.

What time is it?

Time to sow the seeds of reconciliation rather than animosity.

What time is it?

Time to sow peace instead of discord.

What time is it?

Time to modify swords into plough shares, spears into pruning hooks.

What time is it?

Time to study shalom instead of combat.

What time is it?

Time to stop throwing sticks and stones.

What time is it?

Time to see our neighbors as ourselves, human beings with the same blood in their veins.

What time is it?

To trek up the mountain, stop talking, and listen to God.

What time is it?

Time to witness to the intrinsic goodness of people, because God’s Spirit is indwelling.

What time is it?

Time to laugh, time to heal, time to love.

Ephesians 3:1-8, Isaiah 2: 1-4, Matthew 22:34-40, Romans 8:1-9

Come Spirit, Hover

Come into our presence, Holy God.

Let your Spirit,

that which hovered over the deep

hover over our ballot boxes

to bring a breath of peace.

Keep our people safe, Almighty,

as we exercise our freedoms.

Turn swords into ploughshares,

spears into pruning hooks,

let us not study war, anymore.

You, O Lord

Our Alpha and Omega,

may your grace be at the forefront

of our hearts and minds.

That our rights would align

With your call to do justice,

love kindness and walk humbly with you. 

Amen.

LTM 11/4/24

Story of my life

I spoke briefly in my sermon Sunday morning about musician Liam Payne, who recently lost his life due to substance abuse. When my son was little he loved the group, One Direction, in which Liam was a member. After his Grams introduced the music to him, I became familiar with the pop group and many of their songs as we played them in the car and had dance parties in the living room. My favorite song has always been, “Story Of My Life” a hauntingly beautiful song, all the more poignant now after Liam’s passing. A few years ago I found a cover rendition by The Piano Guys. I am going to link that here, along with a link for the original and lyrics if you have interest.

“Story Of My Life” The Piano Guys https://youtu.be/yET4p-r2TI8?si=alMIpj2g-AhgE2d8

“Story Of My Life” One Direction https://youtu.be/PJYpZ4hkXJE?si=Bfu_ypJixcaSpn4o

Pastor Appreciation Month Part II

I have been fortunate to work with and learn from amazing colleagues in ministry.  I attended seminary with some of my generation’s best and brightest pastors and educators.  They are passionate and creative individuals who are steeped in Theology and Biblical studies. They work hard to fuse tradition and innovation.  They value intergenerational ministry.   It is a daunting time to be in the pastorate.  We came out of seminary being told there were more pastors seeking calls than there were churches available.  I wonder if that narrative has flipped…seems to me I hear of a lot of churches (mostly small) that are seeking a pastor.  We were also sent out into a world in which the influence of the church on society was waning and that has only intensified over time.  For those of us who entered the ministry in our twenties, there was/is a lot of pressure to attract young people and families to the church.  What many folks don’t understand is that by nature of our passion and commitment to the church, we often speak the language of the generations that have preceded us far better than we connect with our generational peers.  Since covid, more than ever, we’ve had to adapt to digital ministry.  In some ways this is a blessing and way to have a broader reach. In other ways, it is challenging as we navigate serving with one foot in the tangible, face-to-face, pew & steeple world; and another foot in the world of video editing, online worship, and social media ministry where the temptation to be an influencer comes at the detriment of authenticity.  I believe pastors experience burnout at far greater rates than a few decades ago as we feel a great pressure to keep the church relevant and keep the doors open.  Pastors are often expected to visit parishioners frequently, write sermons that are engaging and deliver them with gusto every Sunday, teach a class or bible study, serve on multiple denominational or community boards and committees, maintain connections with other pastors, seek continuing education, and be at the church every time the doors open.  Occasionally, ministers are also the sexton, the plumber, the party planner, the idea generator, and the face of the church. But we only work on Sundays! 😉

Many of my friends are overworked and underpaid…and they rarely complain.  Many of my peers work 50 or 60 hours a week and will go for months or even a year at a time without taking a vacation.  I know of female peers who have more credentials and experience than her male counterparts and yet been passed over for raises and Head of Staff positions.  I know single male ministers who are expected to be available at all hours because they don’t have “the excuse” of a family to go home to. And if we are blessed to be married and perhaps have children, our families live in fishbowls.  It is not the same as it once was where the pastor’s wife was expected to also play piano or host dinners frequently...but there is still often an expectation that spouses and children will be very involved in the life of the church (which as you know is not the case for my spouse).  So, in this moment, I want to say thank you.  I want to say thank you to the congregations that have loved me so well in my 14 years since ordination.  My family has been embraced, loved, and cared for by so many wonderful people in the church.  I’ve been honored to officiate weddings, preside over tables, baptize children, and witness to the resurrection of amazing individuals. Not many people can say they are invited into the most vulnerable of life’s moments to celebrate joys but also to sit in sorrow.  I’ve also been hugged and high-fived by many a child and teen.  And I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

I believe God called me to New Providence so that I might have the space to breathe again.  To slow down and see the beauty of God’s creation in both nature and community.  I believe God knew our family needed the kind of peace and love that is nurtured here.  It is not lost on me that my family and I are well cared for financially by the church and given a lovely home in which to dwell.  And we are surrounded by the best neighbors we could ask for.  I feel that I am appreciated as a person with her own interests and needs and encouraged to spend time, not only doing what I enjoy, but putting my family and my health first.  You’ve also been wonderful to our son and given him a home where he feels safe and loved.  It is sad to say that not every pastor or pastor’s family has felt that way.  I am filled with gratitude for the countless ways you have opened your hearts to us over the last four years.  It has been a great blessing; you have been and continue to be a great blessing to me.  I am only the pastor that I am because of the congregation and community that you are. 

With Love,

Loren

Pastor Appreciation Month

Since October is Pastor Appreciation Month, I thought I would spend just a few moments in gratitude, reflecting on a few of the ministers who have greatly influenced my life.  God could not have given me better ministers to shepherd me through adolescence than the ones I grew up with at Bedford Presbyterian Church. 

Joseph Gaston was our Pastor/Head of Staff. Joseph calls himself the “farm boy pastor” and that fits him just about perfectly.  With his South Carolina drawl he taught me from an early age the importance of humor and laughter from the pulpit and in ministry.  He also taught me the vital role of presence in difficult moments.  He and his wife Karen woke up and drove to Roanoke in the middle of the night to sit with my family after my parents’ car accident.  A lot of that night is a blur, but their solid strength remains crystal clear. 

Bill Buchanan was our Associate Pastor, and he oversaw our youth ministry program. Bill taught me that you’re never too young to use your gifts to serve the Lord.  He had an incredible way of recognizing each person’s gifts and finding a way for them to use it at church. He baptized me, introduced me to Montreat, and trusted me with his children.  He taught me that the way you walk in your daily life is your witness to Jesus. And ministry is just about loving people and meeting them where they are.

Bill’s wife Aimee was…well…incredible. That word doesn’t even do her justice.  She invited me to a girl’s teen bible study in her home (which they opened often to us) and the personal note is what made me feel welcome.  Aimee sought justice for all people, and she wasn’t afraid to be in the trenches with them.  In church, she and Bill encouraged creativity and gave us space to lead worship.  Even when she wasn’t on staff at our church, she was often in various leadership roles.  And she wasn’t afraid to be in the pulpit with a Bible in one hand, and one of her children on her hip.  Illuminating that it is in fact possible to be both pastor and mother.

Kevin Brunk came to BPC after Bill and Aimee moved to Asheville, he was the Associate Pastor while I was in college.  Kevin had a very unique youth group which at its core was all boys with maybe one or two girls (who held their own with the best of them). I remember a lock-in where I served as a chaperone, and he stayed up half the night playing video games with them.  Kevin was humble and loving in every encounter.  He could be silly and turn serious on a dime, which is what those boys needed. This served me well when I was involved in youth ministry in Richmond. I never understood when I was young and Kevin told me after Sunday worship he went home and crashed, he was just so drained after Sunday worship.  Now, I get it.  Sorry, I doubted you, Kevin!

And I must tell you about Brenda Halbrooks.  Brenda was the pastor at Three Chopt Presbyterian in Richmond where I served during seminary.  Brenda was the first pastor I had watched preaching in a church setting without a manuscript.  What on earth!?  She would write little sermon points on her fingers.  Brenda also led with humor, and once called my office in Appomattox shortly after I arrived pretending to be asking for outrageous financial assistance. Unfortunately for her, I knew the number on the caller ID. Brenda was a steady voice of guidance to the church in those years. I don’t remember ever seeing her feathers ruffled. She was always calm and not afraid to say, ‘let’s revisit this later.’  Brenda was the same pastor whether she was participating in the Women’s Bible Study, moderating a session meeting, or chaperoning teenagers on a retreat.  She loved us well.

I would be remiss not to mention my father-in-law Bass Mitchell in this list. Michael likes to remind me how thankful he is that his dad now has someone with whom he can share his craft. The most important thing I’ve learned from “Papa Bass” is the power of simple, authentic delivery—whether that be in sermons or pastoral interactions. People don’t need flowery words, and they don’t need perfection, they just need to see your honesty and your integrity. The Bass that might hold your hand as you take your last breath is the same Bass that gives kids high fives as he walks down the aisle before church. The same Bass who now teaches inmates classes to get their GED in his “retirement.”

Without these individuals (and many others) I would not be where I am today.  I wouldn’t have this same appreciation for intergenerational or rural ministry.  I wouldn’t know the power of self-deprecating humor to the same extent. I might not have witnessed pastors striving to create healthy patterns and sabbath.  It might not have occurred to me to let kids be kids in the pews or allow teenagers to have a voice in all aspects of church life.  I may not have recognized that the church isn’t the walls, it’s the people. I wouldn’t have believed “church” can look like serving popsicles to the homeless on hot days and playing board games with veterans.  And I probably wouldn’t have been brave enough to write skits for Youth Sunday sermons or read my poetry on the Montreat auditorium stage in front of a thousand peers.  It is quite possible that I would never have considered ministry at all.  God is, indeed, good.

Let Love Be Genuine

 “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”

—Romans 12:9-13

We had a bit of a wild day at NP yesterday, did we not?  As I look back over our time together as a congregation on Sunday what stands out to me is our deep commitment to one another and the gospel message.  I was so excited to have my friends visiting from London. They wanted to come worship with us, and I was delighted because I knew that you all would be so warm and welcoming of them.  So many folks were able to chat with them after the service and show them around the church.  You extended hospitality to strangers, and I know that was not just because they were my friends, but because you genuinely strive to be a people of love.  Thank you for simply being you.

I can’t tell you how special it is to have our youngest disciples feel safe enough to run to me (or any of us) when they first arrive at church for conversations and hugs. Over the last few weeks I have recognized your patience and encouragement of our children as they help us begin worship by setting the table, bible, and baptismal font. It is in no way a perfect, polished moment in the service, but that’s what makes it special, because it is genuine—and imperfect—just like us.

As I sit “up front” I often glimpse little moments among the congregation that other folks can’t see.  The choir members understand this best I am sure, as they get a great view of the pews.  I witnessed a great moment yesterday that reminded me of the “it takes a village” saying.  A few kids were being a little bit mischievous in the pews and I witnessed Linda Jean’s principal face in action telling them to behave.  Those kids got “the look” and straightened right up! It gave me quite the chuckle. 

And at the end of service, when one of our littles had been injured upstairs, all the parents rushed into action, calling the paramedics immediately (just in case) and lending quiet support to each other, and comforting all the children who were shaken up by the incident.  Meanwhile, other folks stuck around waiting to find out what happened and be a loving and reassuring presence.  I am pleased to say all is well and our little gal is just fine! But it is in these times that we remember well just how genuinely and deeply we are bound together by the Spirit.  For all the ways NP shows compassion, generosity, humility, and mutual affection, I am so grateful.  I know you are too.