New Meaning To Labor Day

Labor Day, '07, has new meaning for me. I went back to work...part-time, that is. I was accepted as the new Director of BACM (Bay Area Campus Ministry) at our local community college in Escanaba. When we left this town in the 80's, Bay College had about 300 students. Now it has 2,100. It is mostly a ministry of "presence", but do intend to go with the flow in adopting, adapting or actually creating opportunities for students to grow in their faith walk and to serve others in the name of the Lord.

Granted, if you considered my work ethic in keeping this blog up to date, you might judge this ministry to be "at risk" right from the beginning. But there is nothing like "hanging" with college students to get this old guy's juices flowing and to find fresh ways of communicating the Gospel. The mainstay of the ministry has, for years, been the free Monday supper meal the area churches provide - primarily to those students living in the college-owned apartments on campus. From that mealtime gathering, I'm hoping interests will be shared that give direction to possible Bible studies, community service projects, or what I'm tempted to call right now, "Bay Bull Sessions" where discussion can focus upon the "hot topics" of today.

If you are interested in more details, you can access this web site - www.dailypress.net and then search the archives for the Aug. 27 edition. That article made a huge difference in the kind of conversations I have with people now. They want to know everything from how many hours I will spend on campus to how much I'm getting paid. It was liberating to interview for the position with no concern about pay since the ELCA pension fund has surely provided for all our needs. So now it is onward to the days ahead - I have a place to go to when winter sets in around here - and maybe I'll have some juicy and meaningful stories to share on this blog.... and on a regular basis.....until next time.

A Day To Remember

So what's your 7-7-07 story? Over 38,000 weddings were conducted on that day....were they in search of good luck or was it a way to readily remember anniversaries for the future? Some women chose to have C-sections on that day to insure their newborn would have a unique birthday tale. As for me, I conducted a funeral for a 31 year old man who has been in prison for 10 years and who hung himself. He had been sent to prison for murder....of his wife...who had been living with another guy while her husband was in prison for another charge. The wife's boyfriend had molested the wife's young daughter so when her husband was released, he killed her in revenge. (This is true, I assure you). So when I get to the funeral home (I had promised the funeral director ...whom I had confirmed when he was a kid...that I would help him out if he got stuck with situation where family had no one to turn to), there was the mother of the deceased, a stepfather, and a daughter whom I'm convinced was "stoned" - her body covered by 20+ tatoos - the husband of the daughter and the mother of the daughter's husband. That was it - no one else. I had arrived at noon - the funeral was to be at 1 p.m. - but the family didn't want to wait that long. So we began the service at 12:30 after calling the cemetery to see if they were ready. After the service was over, it was hard to draw the mother away from the casket. She wanted to stroke her son's arm since she hadn't touch him in 10 years. The sister wanted to hear a rap song played before she left the casket - sorry, I didn't recognize the song. Then at the cemetery, after smoking during the commital service, the daughter hauled out a roman candle....much to my surprise and fear. Would she point it in the right direction. She did....and after the numerous explosions, the whole episode ended. When driving back with the funeral director, I asked, "OK....you have been involved in a lot of situations and have seen a lot of strange situations - where does this experience rank? "Number one", was his response. We both agreed we will have a special memory regarding 7-7-07.
So what message did I seek to convey. I used the words of the thief on the cross...."remember me when you come into your kingdom." It was a statement made in hope. And hope is all we had to go on in this situation......hope in a God who is all merciful and loving....who knew this young man, even if the rest of us were totally dumbfounded by the details of his life.
Since I have never taken upon myself the task of judging a person's eternal future and have always left that to God, I could only hope that somehow and in someway the mother of this young man was comforted in her grief and that the daughter might choose some other alternatives in her life than what she seemed to be choosing at the present moment. But apart from my confidence in God's word, I was truly at a loss for words. It was a humbling experience to say the least.....and one I will never forget....especially since I was aided by the coincidence of month, day and year.

Spiritual Revival

OK....so I have been a laggard when it comes to blogging. My good wife, Elaine, could add a few more things to that laggard list, but I don't think you want to waste your time reading about Peterson's pitfalls. So on with the "Pattter". My pastor was installed today at Bethany...impressive service as always....and how ironic, the Gospel read for the installation service was the Gospel text for my last Sunday at Bethany....the passage of Jesus telling his disciples to put their nets on the other side of the boat. That's an issue, isn't it....not only in the church, but for our country....for leaders to change the patterns of their behavior and try "the other side of the boat". I've learned a lot since sitting in the pews more often than standing in the pulpit. I don't like sermons which rehash the text in several different ways, but never get to the challenge of what the text means for us today. I appreciate when pastors are honest about their own struggle in heeding what Jesus was trying to teach or to mandate what his disciples ought to do. I definitely feeling something missing when the service doesn't offer the opportunity to dine at the table of the Lord. I like when our congregation responds in the prayer of the church by repeating the first name of the person being remembered in prayer because of being ill. How do you instill a spiritual "passion" within a congregation where people are suspicious of emotions being overtly expressed in the context of the liturgy? Do I breathe as sigh of relief...thank God I'm retired....or do I ponder what I would do if I had to give leadership for such issues?

I recently read in a journal I receive (First Things) an article where the author was suggesting that how a culture deals with death says much about how they value life and its meaning. Interesting that by 1914 San Francisco had decreed there would be no cemetaries in the city. The only symbol, the author said, the city had of death was the bridge off of which people jumped to commit suicide. The land was too valuable to use for burying the dead. In Europe, portions of land were designated to bury the "anonymous" dead....people who had no one to mourn their passing. Is this what our indivdualistic, tech savy sociey is pointed towards? Funerals create community, stated the author. We affirm the values received from those who have gone before us. That's something to ponder. What values did my folks have that I want to pass on to my children and grandchildren? Even if I knew what they were in a definite way, how do I do that? Decree and declare. Or simply live them out as a "silent" message?

Guess the bottom line is to say...."I haven't arrived....I am still on the journey." And open to suggestions from fellow travelers as to what has worked for them.

Post Easter Postings

OK...so I have been negligent....no, the word is "lazy"...when it comes to adding blog entries. Daughter, Dawn, continues to chide me for not being more assertive and verbose. But I don't have a three year old like Paavo to keep feeding me incredible stories and experiences. Just think....the kid has joined the ranks of the literary-form critics of Scripture in noting the discrepancies among the Gospel accounts of the resurrection. I wonder if those sitting around me in church yesterday were aware of such issues. Retired Bishop, Dale Skogman, was our preacher - challenged our thinking and living if I, like the disciples, regarded the story as an "idle tale." Speaking of preachers, it looks like our prayers have been answered as a pastoral candidate visits Bethany next weekend...call committee highly positive and in the letter this pastor sent to congregation, it sounds like he also is positive about serving in this neck of God's creation. It surely would be a sign of Easter hope and new life if we can be up and running again with a full time pastor on board. One thing for sure - the weather is not cooperating in affirming the change from winter to spring. In fact, we a snow fall the other day and the temps have not been about the 40's with strong winds. For those living in the northern U.P., they had a record snow storm for this time of the year....Marquette had over 2' of snow in less than a day. Ah, yes....Escanaba is in the banana belt. I speak to Bethany's Sr. Club tomorrow....about things that have or have not changed over the 40 years of ministry I've experienced. What would you put on that list? In many ways, things remain the same because we, as human beings, have not changed regarding our search for fulfillment and meaning. The temptations might vary - the toys (idols) we chase after might be more sophisticated - but in the end, we still must answer the question - was the testimony of those on the first Easter morn (however many they might have been) simply an idle tale? I'm taking my chances - I've bet my life - that it was not. Christ is risen....he is risen indeed.

Lingering Lenten Yearnings

After getting 2' of snow in less than 2 weeks, the temps have changed and the white stuff is melting. Maybe the dirty, blackened snow piles are a better reminder of Lent for a Lutheran (sinner) that the fresh, white drifts (saint) sitting atop our roof. But Lent also refers to the "lengthening" of days and the modern delusion of "daylight savings time" reinforces that reality and encourages the yearnings for Spring to arrive. Time will tell whether the traditional Yooper talk about a St. Paddy's day storm will come true this year - it is the Upper Peninsula's alternative to Ground Hog Day. Since we are headed for Mpls area this Saturday, I hope it is just that - talk.

We continue to yearn for a new pastor. Why would not someone want to serve a 750 member congregation with a $400K budget and a $300K endowment fund plus a full time staff of 3 and a part-time staff of 5? Any takers out there? The ELCA call process is seriously flawed - money and a troop surge won't fix it. Is it because, as pastors, we are now "professional leaders?", with priorities having to do with vocational options for spouses, equity allowances and opportunities for sabbaticals? Sure, my assessment is biased because I'm retired. Yet I don't yearn for the "good ol' days" - the fields are ripe for harvest, but where are the laborers in the vineyard? Maybe the challenge is not so much "clergy burnout" but clergy who aren't on fire to begin with.

Meanwhile, I listen to my "working" clergy brothers and sisters as they deal with tragic car accidents leaving children without mothers, their serious endeavors to feed their flock not only on Sundays, but also Wednesday nights, and their willingness to laugh in the face of those who expect them to serve 24/7. Thank the Lord for coffee and conversation going together.
Like the prodigal son, I'm thankful for knowing a Father to whom I can return after spending time not in a far off country, but on a couch watching basketball games or the latest episode of "24"

From Transfiguration To Disfiguration

I've been remiss in tending to my blog. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference to that many people, but have been doing some extensive pastoral care work in the parish I formerly served....which is still without a full time pastor. The latest endeavor was to lead Ash Wednesday services. Quite a contrast in texts from the previous Sunday. From mountaintop experiences and dazzling white clothes to smears of black ashes on the foreheads of kneeling penitents. (Dripping smears actually since the person preparing the ashes for me to use added a bit too much oil). I compare such actions with what I see on TV - Brittany shaving her head, lips tatooed on wrists and the continuous prattle about what the stars on going to wear on the red carpet prior to Oscar night. I've never been one to think much about my physical appearance, let alone be that extroverted about my religious piety. But maybe I'm missing something. After all, isn't there a saying about actions speaking louder than words? The Lord had some rather harsh words about people who wanted their prayers and charitable giving to be noticed by others. If anyone has been secretive about their religious practices, I think Lutherans set a pretty high standard. I'm going to ponder that during this Lenten season....secretive doesn't mean inaction....but what do I do and where do I go after washing the ashes off my expansive forehead? Keep in touch.

Epiphany Continues

Worshipped this morning and sat through 2 annual meetings - actually, they were bifuricated annual meetings. In attempting to get more participants, the practice developed in previous years of holding one session following the 8 a.m. service and then another session following the 10:45 service. The HUGE assumption made is that no changes, nominations, or resolutions would be made at either session from the floor. If this happened, there would be big problems and probably another congregational meeting would have to be rescheduled in the future. It was a classic case of "we have done it this way before" and have consoled ourselves by saying more people attended the two sessions as compared to the time when there was only one session. Spell us "quiet Lutherans."

Speaking of spelling (which is really the reason for this blog entry), I was given by one of my Rosie's Diner 10 a.m. coffee cronies a piece he had pulled off the internet. It had a special appeal to those, like my wife, who enjoy "word games" and involved shuffeling letters around from one word or phrase to spell another. Example: Presbyterian can be rearranged to spell, "Best in prayer". I wonder how many Presbys know that? Or George Bush can be respelled as "He Bugs Gore". And my favorite was "Eleven Plus Two" rearranged to spell, "Twelve Plus One." Maybe I'm "Johnny come lately" in discovering this blurb. But it seems to me Epiphany's message also seeks to rearrange the assumptions and understandings people made before the time of Christ....and afterwards...regarding God's plan for salvation and the recipients of God's grace and mercy.
Why should the Son of God get baptized? Why was the good wine saved until last? Why would Jesus alienate his home town folk to the point of they wanting to throw him off Nazareth cliff? Jesus didn't just rearrange spellings - he threw all the conventional religious assumptions up for grabs. Which reminds me....I have more than a few patterns of behavior which need to be rearranged....patterns like prayer, Scripture reading, use of my time, etc., etc., etc. What about you? Yes, it is much easier to sit quietly in the pew and let the world go on as is. There still are a few more weeks of Epiphany to find some answers or surprises. As for spelling, I'm stumped. Dean is Dean