In case you care...
my results from last week's test are normal. So I'm very concerned about tomorrow's test because it could mean something more serious. Please pray! Thanks.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Newspaper and the Bible...
First off, thanks for your prayers and support.
Part of my spiritual discipline is to read the paper every morning. Why is it a spiritual discipline, you ask, and not just an attempt to legitimize a practice that helps me wake up in the morning? I pray over the paper,the articles and pictures that catch my attention, break my heart, stir me to action.
TODAY, I had plenty that came up in that category.
THE FIRST ARTICLE, in the Los Angeles Times, is entitled, "Insuring kids may squeeze seniors." Hoping this link will work if you want to read the article. In a nutshell, it is about how Democrats are working to provide health care for some 6 million uninsured children in our country. (There would still be approximately 2 million not covered by the plan, by the way.)For most of us, letting out a whoop and holler would be an appropriate response. But as I read the article I discovered that because of rules and regulations, Congress would have to cut senior citizen coverage to pay for it. And with Boomers retiring and feeling entitled to benefits (they've worked for), there is much talk in Washington about the moral and ethical dilemma we face. Which generation should get the funding? Who deserves coverage more? My initial thought brought me right to a major issue we're dealing with in the Annual Conference in which I serve. Yep, we're talking about retiree health care coverage. Apparently, before I was born (or thereabout) our clergy received a promise from the Annual Conference that we'd cover their health care for life. (Back in the day, it was affordable, I'm being told). I said aloud, much to the annoyance of my dog Sophie, "heh, that means the Church is actually ahead of culture on something...that something being that we've been struggling with this moral and ethical dilemma for a few years now!"
It's true...as health care goes up, our membership goes down, the apportionments not covering everything we need to do, fewer young people joining the church and pursuing ordained ministry.... we're top heavy as an institution. Us younger folks feel an overwhelming pressure to take care of SO MANY. We want to do the right thing. Just like Congress wants to do the right thing. God, how do we make this right? The scripture that came to mind was Jesus' admonition to take care of children, widows and the poor. Jesus understood the need to take care of those vulnerable folks in our society. Somehow, we're going to have to come up with the tougher, better response to this moral and ethical dilemma.
The second article showed its face nestled in the middle of the California section. It is entitled, "Lawyers grapple with Catholic Doctrine." I admit that any time religion shows its face in a newspaper or magazine, I have to look. What struck me about this article, about the frustration that prosecutors have dealt with in clergy sexual scandals in the Catholic Church, is that there is a a doctrine known as, "mental reservation" — a 700-year-old doctrine by which clerics may avoid telling the truth to protect the Catholic Church." So, a nun could have told Church officials that a child came to them repeatedly to tell them about abuse, but under oath, they cannot recall this happening. They lie to protect the church! It goes onto say that this is not canon law, but was used when there was a two court system-- ecclesiastical and secular-- to preserve and protect the Church. What's more interesting is that doing this kind of lying is virtuous, not sinful, because you are doing what's in the best interest for the greater good of Christ's Church. HUH?!?!
Those who read my blog know that I am particularly interested in talking about what it means to the be the church. Is this what it means to authentically be Christ's Church? Is there any time or case where lying is the best option? Weigh in and let me know what you think about "mental reservation." I bet it's done more than I'd like to admit!
Part of my spiritual discipline is to read the paper every morning. Why is it a spiritual discipline, you ask, and not just an attempt to legitimize a practice that helps me wake up in the morning? I pray over the paper,the articles and pictures that catch my attention, break my heart, stir me to action.
TODAY, I had plenty that came up in that category.
THE FIRST ARTICLE, in the Los Angeles Times, is entitled, "Insuring kids may squeeze seniors." Hoping this link will work if you want to read the article. In a nutshell, it is about how Democrats are working to provide health care for some 6 million uninsured children in our country. (There would still be approximately 2 million not covered by the plan, by the way.)For most of us, letting out a whoop and holler would be an appropriate response. But as I read the article I discovered that because of rules and regulations, Congress would have to cut senior citizen coverage to pay for it. And with Boomers retiring and feeling entitled to benefits (they've worked for), there is much talk in Washington about the moral and ethical dilemma we face. Which generation should get the funding? Who deserves coverage more? My initial thought brought me right to a major issue we're dealing with in the Annual Conference in which I serve. Yep, we're talking about retiree health care coverage. Apparently, before I was born (or thereabout) our clergy received a promise from the Annual Conference that we'd cover their health care for life. (Back in the day, it was affordable, I'm being told). I said aloud, much to the annoyance of my dog Sophie, "heh, that means the Church is actually ahead of culture on something...that something being that we've been struggling with this moral and ethical dilemma for a few years now!"
It's true...as health care goes up, our membership goes down, the apportionments not covering everything we need to do, fewer young people joining the church and pursuing ordained ministry.... we're top heavy as an institution. Us younger folks feel an overwhelming pressure to take care of SO MANY. We want to do the right thing. Just like Congress wants to do the right thing. God, how do we make this right? The scripture that came to mind was Jesus' admonition to take care of children, widows and the poor. Jesus understood the need to take care of those vulnerable folks in our society. Somehow, we're going to have to come up with the tougher, better response to this moral and ethical dilemma.
The second article showed its face nestled in the middle of the California section. It is entitled, "Lawyers grapple with Catholic Doctrine." I admit that any time religion shows its face in a newspaper or magazine, I have to look. What struck me about this article, about the frustration that prosecutors have dealt with in clergy sexual scandals in the Catholic Church, is that there is a a doctrine known as, "mental reservation" — a 700-year-old doctrine by which clerics may avoid telling the truth to protect the Catholic Church." So, a nun could have told Church officials that a child came to them repeatedly to tell them about abuse, but under oath, they cannot recall this happening. They lie to protect the church! It goes onto say that this is not canon law, but was used when there was a two court system-- ecclesiastical and secular-- to preserve and protect the Church. What's more interesting is that doing this kind of lying is virtuous, not sinful, because you are doing what's in the best interest for the greater good of Christ's Church. HUH?!?!
Those who read my blog know that I am particularly interested in talking about what it means to the be the church. Is this what it means to authentically be Christ's Church? Is there any time or case where lying is the best option? Weigh in and let me know what you think about "mental reservation." I bet it's done more than I'd like to admit!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
How to Lead When You Feel Like Crap....
I've had a tough health week. The professionals are still not sure what's up. So while they take blood and other tests, I've been working close to usual hours (because it never fails that three people go in the hospital and someone dies when you don't feel good, right?)and reading this book about leadership for the Lewis Fellows meeting in April. One of the things the Leadership Challenge talks about is how a good leader is positive, upbeat, enthusiastic...I wrote in the margins, "that's all fine and good so long as you don't feel like crap!" I've felt the prayers of many who I've shared my ailments with...and appreciate the gift of a prayerful, supportive community. I'm feeling a little better today and looking forward to a visit from my friend Molly. Sorry to not have anything more profound or provocative to share...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Atrophy
We're starting to feel the effects of our denominational atrophy. We've been in decline for some time, experts agree. While mission giving is up, membership is down. It seems my denomination has trouble understanding who it is and what it is about as a result of the body changing.
In my annual conference, one of the ways we've felt this atrophy is around care for our retired clergy. Aloooooong time ago, (perhaps, it seems, it was in a galaxy far away), we promised clergy that when they retired we'd care for them to death. This was a noble and important promise, one that offered clergy not compensated well with the hopes that they could be somewhat comfortable when they retired.
And then our health care system went crazy. Having affordable health care is almost out of reach for working class people. This impacts all Americans I realize. The Church is feeling the pinch in regards to how to keep this promise with costs skyrocketing, membership shrinking, and the average age of clergy getting older all the time. I want to honor that pledge and commitment, really. But the weight of that promise on my shoulders (and other young clergy) feels enormous. There are so few of us, how are we to take care of all of them? I wish that affordable health care was like the loaves and fishes...that'd make this whole thing easier to swallow. Instead, it has become a problem that causes people to take sides, break trust, and hold grudges.
It raises the question, have we been honest about how ecclesiological atrophy effects the Body of Christ?
oh, and happy PI day!
In my annual conference, one of the ways we've felt this atrophy is around care for our retired clergy. Aloooooong time ago, (perhaps, it seems, it was in a galaxy far away), we promised clergy that when they retired we'd care for them to death. This was a noble and important promise, one that offered clergy not compensated well with the hopes that they could be somewhat comfortable when they retired.
And then our health care system went crazy. Having affordable health care is almost out of reach for working class people. This impacts all Americans I realize. The Church is feeling the pinch in regards to how to keep this promise with costs skyrocketing, membership shrinking, and the average age of clergy getting older all the time. I want to honor that pledge and commitment, really. But the weight of that promise on my shoulders (and other young clergy) feels enormous. There are so few of us, how are we to take care of all of them? I wish that affordable health care was like the loaves and fishes...that'd make this whole thing easier to swallow. Instead, it has become a problem that causes people to take sides, break trust, and hold grudges.
It raises the question, have we been honest about how ecclesiological atrophy effects the Body of Christ?
oh, and happy PI day!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Sabbath time rocks!
Yesterday I had two profound experiences on my day off...the first was I discovered how much I enjoy being under those professional hair dryers at a salon....they are warm, loud enough to block out other sounds....great urban tool for prayer! (honest!)
The other was singing at the top of my lungs with thousands of other concert-goers at the Snow Patrol/OKgo/Silervsun Pickups show at the Gibson Ampitheater last night. All three groups are incredible live-- their energy and presence of stage is amazing-- but there is something to be said for the energy and experience of communal singing at a rock show. Unbelievable...
The other was singing at the top of my lungs with thousands of other concert-goers at the Snow Patrol/OKgo/Silervsun Pickups show at the Gibson Ampitheater last night. All three groups are incredible live-- their energy and presence of stage is amazing-- but there is something to be said for the energy and experience of communal singing at a rock show. Unbelievable...
Friday, March 02, 2007
The Importance of First Appointment
This week's research led me to the North Alabama Annual Conference's website (in part thanks to Katie at peaceable kin-dom....her link is under blog's I read). On their website is a report that Bishop Will WIllimon tasked a committee to put together to assess how young clergy in his Annual Conference experienced seminary, the process toward commissioning/ordination, and their first appointments. Did they feel cared for, listened to, taken seriously?
What I've discovered is that the first appointment for young clergy is essential to success and longevity. We cannot expect seminaries to be able to give clergy the technical/academic tools and ALL the practical tools needed (unless we added years, translate more indebtedness onto the requirement). What is an ideal first appointment?
While field education allows us to get a "taste" of ministry, it certainly does not give us all the tools, experiences, reflection, or coaching we need to do ministry day in and day out. It does help us to sense what it might be like and hopefully helps us to think about what we need to enable success in the first appointment.
In an Annual Conference like mine, where Associate positions are few and far between, what was once an automatic training ground out of seminary for us has evaporated. So too, has an abundance of healthy churches bright with the mindset that they are in a process of relational mentoring. Churches get pastors they can afford, not the pastors they really need. And so, we send yougn clergy into "mostly dead" churches hoping they can pull a "Jesus raising Lazarus" kind of miracle. This, coupled with indebtedness does not make a content, effective pastor!
I truly believe that in order to create a more welcoming culture of call, we have to make first appointments for young clergy be a culture of development. We need to identify and equip "seasoned" pastors who might be willing to be relational mentors (and this does not necessarily mean Senior pastors in multi-staff churches). And, we need to identify churches that are willing to do more than "raise the youngster," but see the development of young clergy spiritual leadership as part of their mission as followers of Jesus. The skeptic is asking aloud, "Is that possible?"
I believe that all things are possible in God. It's the cabinet's move to make now....
What I've discovered is that the first appointment for young clergy is essential to success and longevity. We cannot expect seminaries to be able to give clergy the technical/academic tools and ALL the practical tools needed (unless we added years, translate more indebtedness onto the requirement). What is an ideal first appointment?
While field education allows us to get a "taste" of ministry, it certainly does not give us all the tools, experiences, reflection, or coaching we need to do ministry day in and day out. It does help us to sense what it might be like and hopefully helps us to think about what we need to enable success in the first appointment.
In an Annual Conference like mine, where Associate positions are few and far between, what was once an automatic training ground out of seminary for us has evaporated. So too, has an abundance of healthy churches bright with the mindset that they are in a process of relational mentoring. Churches get pastors they can afford, not the pastors they really need. And so, we send yougn clergy into "mostly dead" churches hoping they can pull a "Jesus raising Lazarus" kind of miracle. This, coupled with indebtedness does not make a content, effective pastor!
I truly believe that in order to create a more welcoming culture of call, we have to make first appointments for young clergy be a culture of development. We need to identify and equip "seasoned" pastors who might be willing to be relational mentors (and this does not necessarily mean Senior pastors in multi-staff churches). And, we need to identify churches that are willing to do more than "raise the youngster," but see the development of young clergy spiritual leadership as part of their mission as followers of Jesus. The skeptic is asking aloud, "Is that possible?"
I believe that all things are possible in God. It's the cabinet's move to make now....
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