Christ Between the Microphones

I've admitted before, and I'll once again admit: I'm a complete and utter church nerd. And proud of it.

So much so that for three days last week during the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly, I watched (or listened if I wasn't next to the computer) the live streaming video feed. Resolutions, motions, amendments, amended amendments, motions to amend amendments to resolutions, social statements, full communion agreements, motions to amend resolutions by changing their order...you name it, I was in full-glory church nerd extrordinaire mode.

There were some very difficult, very frank, and very emotional debates, most of which revolved around sex in one form or another. There were two main impressions that I came away with, at least during the sections I was listening in (which I have a feeling were some of the most contentious issues):

First, I was proud of my denomination, proud of the delegates, proud of my Churchwide Bishop, just proud of everyone involved at their upholding of the Eighth Commandment: You are not to bear false witness against your neighbor. More specifically, I was proud of how all sides in a very emotional debate lived into Luther's explanation of that commandment from his Small Catechism:

We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our
neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we
are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything
they do in the best possible light.

Now I'm not naive enough to think that we all succeeded perfectly, and honestly there were a couple of times (on both sides) where I found myself thinking "now was that really necessary?", but given the subjects at hand, and given the passionate views most delegates had on these subjects, I thought the way the "business of the church" was conducted was a witness to the world about how it could be and should be. Imagine what Washington D.C. would look like if our Senators and Representatives took to heart Luther's explanation of the 8th commandment. Imagine what the United States would look like if its citizens did the same when it came to contentious issues. Heck, think of what our church's individual congregations and synods would look like if we really took the 8th commandment seriously.

I think they would be shaped much more like a cross...because they had been shaped by the cross.

My second impression is really more of an extension, or an example, of the first. It was Friday, the day when the two main topics of debate were whether to allow same-sex blessings, and whether to allow rostered leaders in same-sex relationships to serve. It was tense...and intense.

During debate on these resolutions, delegates were invited to step up to microphones, and were allowed 2 minutes to speak. Speaking at a green microphone meant you were in favor of a resolution, and speaking at a red microphone meant you were against it. First a green speaker would say their piece, then a red speaker. And so it went--green, red, green, red, until finally someone would come to a mike to call the question.

Every 20 minutes, the presiding bishop would call a brief halt to the debate so that all could pray together.

One gentleman stepped up to a green mike, paused for a moment, and said in a shaky voice, "is anyone else here as nervous as I am?" There was empathetic laughter from the assembly, after which the man asked, "would somebody pray for me while I speak?"

Immediately, another man stepped to his side, laid a hand on his shoulder, and prayed.

It was the person who had been next in line at the red microphone.

I honestly don't remember what the man at the green microphone actually said--all I can remember is that picture of the church, a church in disagreement about Christ's will in some issues, but a church willing to earnestly pray for and with those with whom we disagree, to stand alongside them, to offer a hand of comfort and encouragement, to "come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light."

It is my full and complete belief that Christ was present at the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly. He wasn't standing at the green microphones. He wasn't standing at the red microphones.

Christ was between the microphones.

As my online friend Sarcastic Lutheran pointed out, Christ wasn't between the microphones in a "I'm Switzerland, I'm neutral" kind of way. He was there in a "breaking down the walls that divide" kind of way. In a "giving yourself for the good of your neighbor" kind of way. In the kind of way where, as Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson said in his bishop's report, "we finally meet one another—not in our agreements or disagreements—but at the foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and where, by the power of the Spirit, we are one in Christ."

Jesus Wants to Save Christians

That's the title of the book I finished reading tonight after the kids got to bed. Some very compelling, thought-provoking stuff in there. Rob Bell, the author, tends to get a little cutesy for my taste in trying to make his points sometimes, but that doesn't diminish the very real value that can be found in these pages.

One sidenote--earlier in the book, the author pointed out that the word Eucharist, a word many Christians use for the bread and wine of communion, comes from two greek words that literally mean "good gift." He then goes on to use the word "Eucharist" liberally through the rest of the book in reference to the "good gift" we as Christians are called to be to the world, in an intentional double entendre. That might clear up some initial confusion in a couple of the quotes.

Anyway, read, digest, and enjoy:

from pp. 165-166:
"The Eucharist is not fair.
Giving to those who can’t give in return, that’s not fair.
Serving those who have no way to serve in return, that’s not fair.
Breaking yourself open and pouring yourself out for people who may never say thank you, that’s not fair.
Because God is not fair. This is a God who is defined by action on behalf of the oppressed. God is about giving the good gift. Jesus is God’s good gift for the healing of the world. The Church is Jesus’ body, a good gift for the healing of the world. It's for the benefit of others. For the good of those who look different from us.
A church is an organization that exists for the benefit of nonmembers."

from pp. 177-178:
"The Eucharist always costs. It isn’t just about trying to save the world. It’s about saving ourselves.
From the kingdom of comfort.
From the priority of preservation
From the empire of indifference
From the exile of irrelevance.
Jesus wants to save our church from thinking that the priests are someone else."

from p. 179:
"Jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one.
Jesus wants to save us from preaching a gospel that is only about individuals and not about the systems that enslave them.
Jesus wants to save us from shrinking the gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single molecule of creation being reconciled to its maker.
Jesus wants to save us from religiously sanctioned despair, the kind that doesn’t believe we can make the world a better place, the kind that either blatantly or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something big to happen ‘someday’.
The Bible begins with Abel’s blood crying out from the ground. The Bible ends with God wiping away every tear. No more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.
Hope…The church is always about this hope."

LH

My Church Kids

I love my church kids. They rock. And no, this isn't just an attempt to brownnose them, even though I know a number of them venture over here from time to time--I'd be writing this post even if that wasn't the case. =)

Two examples:

1) We just finished a week of Vacation Bible School. About 150 kids, with about 80 helpers. Of the helpers, about 40 of them were middle or high school kids.

That, by itself, just totally rocks.

There's a longstanding tradition that once the VBS week is over, the middle and high school kids stay to help clean up and tear stuff down, and once that's done...then comes The Mother Of All Waterfights in the parking lot. Today's lasted about 2 hours, in 90 degree heat. Aside from the actual waterfight (which was fun AND refreshing), the really cool thing was that there was really no need for me to be there.

I mean, I needed to be there to spend time with them. I needed to be there just because there really ought to be an adult around...just in case. But I didn't have to play Mr. Policeman--they just had fun throwing water at each other and then drying out and eating freeze-pops when it seemed like it was time to settle down. I was there as the "responsible adult" (no snickering, please) but I didn't have to act the part. I could just enjoy my time in fellowship with them.

Any of you youth who may be reading this...you have no idea how absolutely awesome it is to just be able to spend time with you, without having to worry about so much of the crap that other youth directors I've talked to have had to deal with. Seriously--thank you. It really means a lot to me.

And how cool is it to have a job where I get paid to run around the parking lot throwing buckets of water at people?!?!?!

2) Our high school summer Bible study is one I'm creating from scratch. I've called it Faith on the Radio--The Gospel According to Hits From the 60's, 70's, and 80's. This past Tuesday was our first session, which was on faith and doubt, and how they relate. We looked at Show Me the Way by Styx and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2.

The discussion had been going great, and after looking at Hebrews 11:1, and the "doubting Thomas" story, we had sort of gotten to the point where we decided faith and doubt were two sides of the same coin. Here's the discussion that followed:

Me: So, I guess we could say that faith and doubt are two different sides of the same coin.

Youth#1: Yeah, they're pretty much opposites.

Me: Now, wait...is doubt the opposite of faith...or is it knowledge...experience...that kind of thing?

Youth#1 and Youth#2: Woah....

Youth#2: Hm. If faith and doubt are two sides to the same coin, then knowledge would be like having both sides of the coin as heads. Because you'd already know what was going to happen, and wouldn't need faith.

Youth#1: That should totally be a Facebook quote!!!!

Me (beaming inside, thinking to myself): This. Is. Fun.

LH

Back in the blogging saddle again...

Where the heck has May gone?!?!?!

It's been too long in coming, but here's reason #2 for my extended absence from the blogosphere:

This last month has been a real whirlwind in the LutheranHusker household, and a lot of it has had to do with the fact that as of June 1, I'll be leaving my position as Director of Christian Education and Music at Church #1 and taking a position at Church #2 as Director of Youth Discipleship.

I haven't been at Church #1 for very long, but it became pretty clear early on that although I liked the congregation and they liked me, they saw me as primarily a music guy...whereas I saw myself primarily as a Christian Ed guy who also did music.When the position opened at Church #2, I figured I at least ought to check it out. Church #2 is a congregation I've thought very highly of for quite some time, and their senior pastor and I have worked together on a number of things in the past...I have a lot of respect for him.

The more I found out, the more obvious it was where I needed to be. I love working with youth and young adults, and this was a perfect opportunity in a great place with great leadership to do exactly that. In addition, since I won't have worship music responsibilities anymore, I can sit with Sweetie and Kiddo on Sunday mornings and help Sweetie keep the peace in the pews...and with only having one focus (youth) instead of two (education AND music) there will be a lot less need for me to be in sixteen places at once. =)

The process happened pretty quickly at the end of April--I had my interview on April 29, the council approved my hire the next week, and I start on June 1. In the meantime I've been trying to get as much as possible wrapped up at Church #1 and get at least a little legwork done on stuff for Church #2. So my time, energy, and focus have all been...well, other places than here.

At any rate, that's where I'm at. I'm excited--really looking forward to the start of things. And I jump right in--I'll be taking 17 7th graders to confirmation camp from June 10-15. Woo hoo!!!

For what it's worth, here's a copy of my letter of resignation to Church #1. I think it explains things pretty well:


Dear Friends,

It is with mixed feelings that I write to announce my intent to resign my position as Director of Christian Education and Music effective June 1, 2007.

As many of you know, for some years now I have discerned a deep call toward ministry with youth and young adults—empowering a new generation of disciples for Christ. It was a ministry that I grew to love during my time with the Lutheran Student Center, one that I have missed incredibly, and now an opportunity has arisen for me at another church to pursue that calling on a full-time basis again.

I was candid with the Congregational Council when I was hired that my sense of call was leading me toward educational ministry, and that while music has always been something I’ve enjoyed, I didn’t see it as my main vocation. In the time I’ve been here, my responsibilities for music have grown, while the time I’ve devoted to Christian education by and large has not borne much fruit. From a stewardship standpoint, I’ve struggled with the idea that the church is using its resources to pay me for two positions, and in many ways only reaping the benefits of one of those positions.

I am sensitive to the short amount of time I have served here, and wish that the timing could have been other than what it was. As I have learned, however, my timetable is not necessarily God’s timetable, especially when it comes to where and in what capacity God is calling me. I also feel it important to mention that this was completely my decision. I was never approached by anyone at the other church to come and interview. I first saw the position posted in a general email sent to Lincoln area clergy and lay professionals, and I contacted the church on my own. Finally, this is not a reflection of any feelings I may have about the congregation at Church #1—I have been treated extremely well, and have built many friendships that I’ll cherish for a long time. Rather, my decision is a reflection of my personal sense of call, and a realization that I need to follow where God is leading me.

I pray that the Christian Education program at Church #1 continues to grow, and that you all see yourselves as lifelong students of faith. No matter whether you’re 3 or 93, may you embrace opportunities to study and immerse yourselves in God’s word, discovering anew each day how God has called you through your baptism to live as His child. I pray also that you continue to celebrate the incredible musical gifts God has given this congregation, and that music may always be a way by which Christ crucified is proclaimed.

In Christ,

LH

NEW from our friends at Old Lutheran...

From the Old Lutheran website:

Whether you are sitting in the pew or preparing to preach, REV the Energy Drink is for you. REV is loaded with sugar, caffeine and other sermon-enhancing ingredients like glucuronolactone and inositol. If you are preaching, drink one can before church and your sermon is guaranteed not to drag. But just in case, keep an extra can in the pulpit. Each can includes recommended dosages for listening to, writing or giving a sermon. Notice: please use this and other Old Lutheran products in moderation.

Here's a link to purchase your very own can of REV, the Energy Drink!

LH

Personal Updates

Last Sunday was our church's 75th anniversary celebration (on top of being Palm/Passion Sunday). It. Went. Awesomely. We usually have two services on a Sunday morning, but last Sunday we combined the two into one really comprehensive (i.e. long) service. We had hymns, praise songs, 3 songs written by congregation members, a Prayer of the Day out of the 1930 American Lutheran Worship hymnal, a sermon by the synod bishop, a choir anthem, and a partridge in a pear tree...okay, everything but the bird. Most importantly to me, even with all of that, we kept the basic liturgical structure of the service and were able to both celebrate the anniversary while remembering Palm Sunday as well. We may have set some sort of Lutheran record for service length...the service ended up clocking in at:

One hour and forty minutes.

One hour and forty minutes.

One. Hour. And. Forty. Freakin'. Minutes.

And that was with the bishop only preaching for about eighteen of those minutes.

It was a marathon. But a good one. A worshipful one.

Later that afternoon, Sweetie and I both took a two hour nap.

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Overheard yesterday in the LH household:

Me: "Well, I guess I'd better get out there and mow the lawn before it snows tomorrow."

Note: It's not snowing yet, but the Weather Channel website tells me it's snowing about 40 miles west of us as I type this, and it's moving east (toward us). It was over 80 frickin' degrees here just on Monday! I love the Midwest, I love the Midwest, I love the Midwest, I love the Midwest...

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Also overheard yesterday:

Kiddo (who's fighting a cold): "Let's count the things we've done to help my nose. I took medicine, drank water, ate oranges, and used Chapstick. When am I going to get better, Daddy?"

Note: Not sure where he got the idea that Chapstick had medicinal powers...for the nose, no less...but you can be sure I'm filing that one away for some evening when we desperately need the power of the Three Year-Old Placebo Effect.

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Random thoughts on Holy Week:

Holy Week has always brought out my creative side. There's just so much meat in the accounts of Jesus' last week before his death and resurrection...so much to be mined there. I wish I had more time to write, but here and here are links to two "meditations" I've written this week about the Holy Week experience.

Holy Week kicks Christmas's butt up and down--not even close. It's too bad more attention isn't paid by those outside Mainline Christianity to the journey that Holy Week can be. As busy as the next few days are going to be, this is the week I live for each year as a Christian.

Tonight, at the end of the Maundy Thursday service, the pastor's going to strip the altar. I'm going to chant Psalm 22 acapella as he does it.

One of the things Sweetie and I have tried to do for a few years is, after each Holy Week service, after we've returned home, pulling out the Jesus of Nazareth DVD and watching the section of the movie that the service we had been to was about. Not sure how successful we'll be this year, especially with Kiddo's cold...he has very little patience for runny noses, but hates to blow his nose. Bad combination, and one that tells me we may be in for a long few days as far as he's concerned.

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Blessings to you on this Maundy Thursday!

LH

It Is Marvelous! Part 2

Yesterday I posted about a hymn I wrote...I've since had three separate requests to hear what it sounds like. Now Fridays are my day off, and I try to be as strict as I can about not going to the "office" on my days off...however, I was out and about today checking items off my weekly Friday "honey-do" list, so I made an exception and stopped by the church.

The only digital recording device I own is my camera, so not only do you get to hear the hymn, you also get to see almost 4 full minutes of an empty sanctuary as seen from next to the organ in the balcony! What a treat...

There's a short introduction at the beginning, and I didn't sing along, which will be a relief to many of you I'm sure. I also added the requisite "half-step festival keychange on the final stanza" (which isn't part of the sheet music, but which I think sounds nice).

And please be kind--while I prefer the sound of the organ for this piece, I'm a much better pianist than organist.

So, without further ado, I give you: the World Wide Web debut of It Is Marvelous!



LH

Evangelical Lutheran Worship

As I mentioned as a passing reference in a previous post, I'm on my synod's Evangelical Lutheran Worship introductory committee. For the past few months, we've been conducting introductory events across the state.

Saturday (that's right, St. Patrick's Day) was our final event.

This has been a wonderful experience for me. About this time last year, the pastor who's headed up the committee gave me a call and asked me if I'd be interested in serving as the designated layperson. They were shooting for a makeup of 2 pastors, 2 church musicians, and one "regular" layperson. Well, even though I'm a church musician now, at this time last year I wasn't--nor was it anywhere on my radar screen. I was, however, keenly interested in worship, and therefore by extension, the new hymnal. I've also always enjoyed getting to know other church folks and, for lack of a better term, "networking." Really, it's more conversation about life, faith, and the church more than networking in the business sense of the term, but whatever you call it, getting to meet new faces and potentially reconnecting with others was a big draw for me.

And I REALLY wanted to see what this new hymnal was going to look like.

So I came in sight unseen, hoping against hope that it wasn't going to be some monstrosity that I was going to have to act like I thought was a neat idea.

And honestly, I'm really happy with it. I think they (whoever "they" are) have done an excellent job of embracing both the past, present, and future of Lutheran worship, and have provided a good core that still is able to touch on the breadth of resources that are out there. They've righted some of the wrongs that were foisted upon us by LBW (I mean, seriously...Lo How A Rose IS GROWING? Give me a friggin' break! And the harmonizations of Amazing Grace? Sad, sad, sad.) and most importantly for me, have made ELW into almost a worship textbook. There's so many points throughout the book where the average layperson has the chance to read about what it is they're doing and why they're doing it. The tools are great. A 3 year daily lectionary, a section of prayers that's been expanded BIG-time, suggested services for Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and the Tridiuum. The entirety of Luther's Small Catechism. A ton of service music in case you want to use something other than what's in the liturgical settings (including almost ALL the music to Marty Haugen's Now The Feast and Celebration liturgy...the only major piece I couldn't find was the Lamb of God). And the hymns--so many to choose from, and so many of them are wonderfully singable and have some good solid theology behind them.

And 10 liturgical settings? Dude.

I love that in the baptism service there's a 3-fold renunciation of the devil and evil to parallel the 3-fold confession of faith in the creed. And that the sponsors actually have a part to play in the service. I love the new "Introduction to Baptism," that gives the congregation the chance to formally express support for those beginning the training process. Any time you can ritualize a major life passage, it becomes that much more meaningful to those involved. Along those lines, I love the "Affirmation of Christian Vocation" on page 84 (no, I don't have the hymnal in front of me right now, but I DO have that page memorized). Another chance to affirm everyone in their daily life vocation.

Good stuff, good good stuff.

It ain't perfect. There's a few things that I've found that if it had been my decision, I would have done differently. But the folks that put it together were aiming for something that could serve most people most of the time. And I think, for the most part, they succeeded.

So, the introductory events are done. At least in the Nebraska Synod.

Pass the green beer, please!

LH

Prodigal Grace

For any of you out there who follow the lectionary on Sunday mornings, the Gospel reading this Sunday is the parable of the prodigal son. As someone who in many, many ways has lived out this parable, it's a very meaningful piece of scripture for me.

And I've got the perfect song for it.

You know, how when the son's on his way back, his father spots him at a distance and starts running out to meet him?

Well, this Sunday, sandwiched between the Gospel reading and the sermon, our pastor will sing (and I will accompany) the Phillips, Craig and Dean song Mercy Came Running.

So with the Gospel reading...and the song, the congregation's going to get to hear the Gospel proclaimed twice in a row...and then yet again in the sermon...and then yet again in the Hymn of the Day after the sermon--Amazing Grace.

Think we'll be driving the point home enough?

For those who are unfamiliar with Mercy Came Running, here's the words:

Once there was a holy place

Evidence of God's embrace

And I can almost see Mercy's face

Pressed against the veil

Looking down with longing eyes

Mercy must have realized

That once His blood was sacrificed

Freedom would prevail

And as the sky grew dark

And the earth began to shake

With Justice no longer in the way

Chorus: Mercy came running

Like a prisoner set free

Past all my failures to the point of my need

When the sin that I carried

Was all I could see

And when I could not reach mercy

Mercy came running to me

Once there was a broken heart

Way too human from the start

And all the years left it torn apart

Hopeless and afraid

Walls I never meant to build

Left this prisoner unfulfilled

Freedom called but even still

It seemed so far away

I was bound by the chains

From the wages of my sin

Just when I felt like giving in

Repeat Chorus

Sometimes I still feel so far

So far from where I really should be

He gently calls to my heart

Just to remind me...

Repeat Chorus

May mercy come running to you,

LH