The Nakedpastor is Robed!

I’ve been thinking a great deal since my trip to speak at Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. I had an incredible weekend. This is me in a clerical robe and the green-themed Guatemalan stole getting ready for the Sunday morning service. I am naked underneath. Just like you.

1. The first thing that hit me was that it is a very inclusive community. It was very mixed company, with heterosexuals, married, gay and lesbian couples, etc. But what got me was that there was no tension in the room. There was a peaceful sense of community. This is something I hadn’t experienced before, and I was happily blown away by it. It is possible!
2. The second thing that struck me was that even though the church is very well organized, liturgical, with classical tastes in music and traditional in worship, the quality of community was not negatively affected. I’ve always argued that often style is just that: style. It is the cover that does not necessarily betray the book. I’ve been in very relaxed churches that are very controlling and I’ve been in very structured churches that are very free.
3. The third thing that blew my mind was that, even though I felt tentative and a little nervous because I’ve received so much criticism and rejection because of my blog and cartoons, I was relieved to discover that there are plenty of people who really love my work. Not that this has motivated me before. I would have continued my work regardless, as I have until now. But to watch people laugh uproariously and stand and applaud my cartoons was a powerful affirmation that I am grateful for. I would have proceeded without it. But to proceed with it is better!=
4. The fourth thing I discerned was that this relatively small community is a powerhouse. Think of the fascists and dictators. What do they do to their remote monasteries? Do they leave them alone because they are considered harmless? No! They march far out into the desert, crawl deep into the jungle and scale high into the mountains to murder the monks and burn down the monasteries. Why? Because they know these small communities are unaccountable outposts of protest and resistance. They are alternate realities signalling a better way to live.