Holiday advice flows from every communication source, mostly on how to deal with too much forced togetherness of relatives and the stress of the next few weeks. And every year I ask, “If this is supposed to be such a fun time, why are we all so stressed?” I’m going to put the blame right where it belongs: on Norman Rockwell and Clement Clarke Moore. Norman Rockwell’s paintings graced The Saturday Evening Post covers for four decades and sometimes featured... Read more
On Clergy Supervision A little discussed issue in the larger situation with Rev. Schaefer and the church trial: the nature and accountability of clergy supervision in our covenant. Each year, clergy are asked to complete multiple forms relating to our work, our lives, and our particular appointments. One of those is something called a “personal profile” where we speak in particular of family situations and other personal factors that may affect pastoral effectiveness and the nature of clergy appointments. According to... Read more
I wish we could just all admit that we simply don’t know. As much as we might claim to know, we don’t know. We don’t know what Jesus would do. We don’t know what real love is about. We don’t know how to come up with definitive answers about what the Bible REALLY means. We don’t know how to reconcile the commandments to love God and love neighbor with a rule book that holds United Methodists together in commandment and... Read more
“Rev. Schaefer must be punished.” I just heard those words from the mouth of an NPR reporter quoting a UMC spokesperson concerning the trial of Rev. Frank Scheafer who, nearly seven years ago, conducted a wedding ceremony for his gay son and his spouse. Wow–that is what The United Methodist Church is about? Someone “must be punished?” Now, I agree that Rev. Schaefer did violate the Discipline. OK, I’m going to admit it: I’ve been in violation of The Discipline... Read more
Tuesday afternoon a church member and good friend stopped by to see me, walked into my office, looked around and burst into tears. My first thought, “Something really bad has happened.” And then she said, “The reality just hit. You are leaving.” I had packed up many of my books over the weekend. Normally stuffed-full shelves sat, mostly denuded and dusted, waiting for the next set of books to fill them. Family photos all packed as well. The time pressure... Read more
The number one thing is, “Don’t send your used shoes.” Compassionate people plus tough and tragic situations equals a desire to do something, anything, to relieve suffering. So we ask, “how can I help?” There’s plenty of suffering to go around. From mass near starvation of Syrian refugees to still-unmeasured destruction and death in the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan to the average, everyday angst that afflicts most everyone–well, we’re just not going to run out of instances that birth the... Read more
I was there. I saw him, that fateful day, November 22, 1963, in downtown Dallas. I, and a group of maybe fifteen 13 and 14 year olds from J. L. Long Junior High, no chaperone, or other adult presence. Parents had freely given permission for us to walk a half-mile to the nearest bus stop, catch the bus to downtown, make our way among the city streets, find a spot on the curb, and watch the presidential cavalcade. We saw... Read more
The words to a Simon and Garfunkle song from my youth have been reverberating in my brain all week as I continue to agonize over the heartbreaking news in community where I live and serve. Remember this? Hello darkness, my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence In restless dreams... Read more
I suppose this is true across all professions when retirement looms and perspective on what is necessary changes, but I admit it for myself here: for the first time since I’ve been a solo/senior pastor, I am not terribly concerned with Charge Conference reports. Our Charge Conference is next Tuesday. Now, the church administrator and I sat down several weeks ago and walked through who needed to do what. He had responsibility for all reports that don’t have to be... Read more
Wesley’s General Rules provide wonderful basic guidelines to Christian living. The rules read this way: First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as: Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men: Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such as: Notice that each general... Read more
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