Where's Waldo?

Where's Waldo? is a British series of children's books created by the English illustrator Martin Handford. The books consist of a series of detailed double-page spread illustrations depicting dozens or more people doing a variety of amusing things at a given location. Readers are challenged to find a character named Waldo hidden in the group.

Waldo's distinctive red-and-white-striped shirt, bobble hat, and glasses make him slightly easier to recognize, but many illustrations contain red herrings involving deceptive use of red-and-white striped objects. Later entries in the long-running book series added other targets for readers to find in each illustration.

Sounds a little like the world around us and the world within us, doesn't it?  With red herrings flying everywhere, time moving quickly and our internal world assaulted with busyness and chaos, it is sometimes hard to find our real selves.  And after awhile, in the midst of all this, we don't even remember what the "real me" looks, sounds or feels like.

During the month of September, we will be exploring Restoration - the process of returning to our original design and form.  It might be time to ask the question, "Where's Lillie?  Where's Katie?  Where's Bruce?"  You get the idea!  Our purpose on the planet is not to be so obscured by red herrings and distractions that our presence is no longer discernable.  Our purpose is to live into a future with hope because God is the original artist and is always ready to restore us to our original greatness.

What needs restoring in you?  How will you be part of restoring our community and world?  Come so we can wrestle together!

A Final Word Before I Go...

This Sunday will be my final Sunday day with you and last time in the pulpit until October 8th. I have been spending this week putting all the final touches on everything that I needed to do before heading out for this time of pastoral renewal. As I finish up these last few moments in the office, I have a couple of final thoughts and requests for you.

First, I hope that you are able to take time out of the upcoming holiday weekend to join us for worship on Sunday. I have a special final message and ritual prepared before I go, and I would love to have your participation and see you one last time.

Secondly, I ask that you show me how great of a church we have while I am away. Please prove that this church is much bigger than just the Senior Pastor. Show me that you will have great attendance in worship and strong, stable financial giving even when the Senior Pastor is away. Besides, this church always has been and always will be bigger than any one person...even the pastor!

Third, I pray that you make use of the many options for renewal that our Fall Programming offers. I hope that while I am away seeking God, spending time in quiet isolation and study, that you, too, will find opportunities for rest and renewal. Pastor Lillie and Pastor Katie have given you some great options to choose from, and they are going to be doing some great preaching on the topic, so please take advantage of those programs.

Finally, and most importantly, I want to say a word of thanks. I want to thank the Pastoral Search Committee who agreed to place this time of renewal in my contract nearly four years ago. I want to further thank the current Board of Directors for ensuring and encouraging me that the church was healthy and that it was in all our best interests for me to actually take this time of renewal that was contracted. And finally, I want to thank you. Since we announced this was happening, I have not had one person question it or complain about it. Without exception I have felt your full support and love, knowing that a rested and spiritually strong pastor was good for everyone. I thank you for ministering to me by so generously giving me this time without any sense of shame or judgement. I am deeply grateful and humbled by your kindness and love.

I am blessed to serve this amazing congregation, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday and returning to you on October 3rd.

All Aboard!

I remember the first cruise I went on and how awe struck I was as we walked up the plank to step onto this huge ship. I've often wondered how something that big (220,000 tons) can float while some people who weigh 100 pounds sink in the water!! I was mesmerized by the size and grandeur of the ship and as we set sail, I felt as though I was in very unfamiliar territory. I had to learn my way around the ship. I struggled with taking a shower while the ship was moving. As we set out further and further into the sea, it felt like we were a speck on the landscape, despite how huge the ship was. When the storm came the first night, I learned why you take Dramamine on these cruises! Yes, I had embarked on a journey that was totally unfamiliar to me and though it took me a couple of days to get acclimated, it was totally worth it.

Jesus and his disciples often found themselves out on the sea. Sometimes they were getting from town to town on the water. Sometimes they were fishing. Sometimes they were just getting away from the crowds. They were familiar with the sea since most of them were fishermen. But the stories we know about their experiences on the seas include the times when storms raged, fish were hard to find and Jesus walked on water! It is clear that when these things happened to them, they needed help to acclimate and learn from the experiences.

Such are the storms, surprises and miracles that pop up in our lives. It is so easy for these experiences to overwhelm us and set us on a course of doubt, fear, confusion and/or distrust. In truth, these are the moments when we have the most profound opportunity to encounter the God who not only loves us beyond measure but is eager to walk with us as we learn to have hope, peace, clarity, and trust. Even in the face of things unfamiliar and sometimes painful, God is "all in" with us.  

Our challenge is to lean into the Spirit that is filling the gaps and providing the strength we may not have. Our struggle is to adjust and realize that there is guidance as we get acclimated to something new. Our resistance is one of trusting in our own steam more than we trust God to move us through whatever is ahead.

So, I invite you into the fall season and the cruise that Spirit is inviting us to take. As Pastor Wes said on Sunday, I invite you to trust that "the anchor holds." I invite you to experience the vastness of God's love and care.

All Aboard! Be prepared to Doubt Your Doubts AND Have Faith in Your Faith!!!

Lessons Learned

"It is not your fault; it is not my fault; it is not our fault that this is the way things are, but it our responsibility to work for positive change."  -Jamie Washington 

Last week at the People of African Descent Conference, this was just one of many powerful statements that helped me better understand the ways that we, as followers of Christ, can seek positive change in the world without feeling overwhelmed or unsure about what to do.

So many problems in our world today just seem too big. If one focuses on them too much, it feels like any one of them could crush you. This week alone I've been in conversations with folks feeling overwhelmed about racial injustice, immigration, threat of nuclear war, and general fears relating to the state of the world and the fragility of human mortality. 

Any one of those big problems is enough to overwhelm anyone, and so it is no wonder that we are all walking around a bit on edge, carrying extra worry, and seeking some relief from the anxiety we feel. So, I remind you today: It is not your fault that this is the way things are. We are not personally responsible for the problems we may see around us, and no one of us can solve all those problems or save all those whose lives are in harm's way. Instead, we each can simply do our best to face the challenge of each day by seeking to be a positive force for change in our own sphere of influence. 

Another thing we did at the PAD Conference was consider our greatest strengths and commit to doing those things as best as we possibly can. Are you a good listener? Then commit to being a great listener as people are seeking to process their current fears and anxiety. Are you good speaking up and naming hard truths? Then commit to doing a great job of naming the hard truths that current local and global events will force us to face. The good news in this is that you already have every skill you need to help create positive change. You don't need to read a book, go back to school, or sit around simply wishing that there was something you could do. There is something you can do, and you are likely already doing it. Just do it more!

I hope that this lesson I learned over the last week brings you the same hope and encouragement that it brought to me. This is not the first time that the people of faith have lived in trying and even terrifying times, and this will not be the last. Let us simply do our best to play to our strengths and be the best images of Christ we can be in the world.

Rain on a Tent

I grew up spending a lot of time in places that look like this picture. The rolling hills of the Smokey Mountains and a lake. We spent nearly every Saturday at the lake water-skiing and tubing,  and we would usually take a few camping trips where we would stay out at the lake for several days.

This week Kevin was out of town with work, and I was having a bit of trouble falling asleep. I decided to use an app to put on some meditation type sounds to help me fall asleep, and I came across one option that was called "Rain on a Tent." I put that sound on and I was immediately transported back in time. Just like certain smells can sometimes transport us (Grandpa's cigars, Mom's detergent, or a former lover's perfume/cologne), this sound took me back to my teenage years.

It was so specific it was kind of creepy. I could feel the humid summer air by the lake, I could smell the piece of soft pink foam that I always used for a bed mat, and since I was running my ceiling fan, it even seemed like the breeze from the summer rain was gently drifting through the tent. Lying there in the dark with my eyes closed, it was so easy to be transported thousands of miles away and many years back in time. Best of all, it was a beautiful, sweet, and joyful memory that brought me to a place of peace and comfort that put me to sleep in no time. I even woke up the next morning with sound still playing in the room and had to remind myself where I was...I was still transported even in my sleep.

All week I've been thinking about that experience, and the many memories of those times at the lake that came back to me because of it. It has caused me to think of sweet memories with my family and with friends that hadn't come to my mind in years. It has me thinking about the fullness of time in which God lives and where we will all one day reside. What is the "Rain on a Tent" sound in eternity? What sounds or smells cause God to suddenly transport back through time? Does that distinct smell of summer rain transport God back to when the planet was still young? Does the sound of our worship transport God into the heavenly presence of angels? Does the smell of every new baby remind God of Jesus? Does the sound of a hammer striking a nail still send shivers up God's spine? 

I have no idea if eternity contains experiences like these, but I do know that key sounds and smells and tastes are powerful. They are so hard-wired into us that I like the thought of us wistfully being transported to and from the heavenly realm by them. It even makes me wonder if that has something to do with the way that our loved ones can sometimes seem to reach out to us through things that once meant a great deal to them. Who knows? For now, I'm going to enjoy the memories that are coming back to me while being a bit more aware of old friends or dear family members who may try to drop back by from the other side for a brief visit.