Competence

Dear friends,

It has been a pretty good week. I am moving around with greater ease every day. Later today I will drive myself to the physical therapy center here in Cartersville to visit my local team. Mostly, I just want to see them -- but I also want them to see the fruits of their labors. I should say "our" labors. You see, physical therapy cannot be done apart from a cooperative effort.

For example, my physical therapist put me on a Schwinn Airdyne dual-action stationary bicycle that works both legs and arms. When I first started, I nearly fell off on several occasions. Although it was extremely difficult, someone stood by my side to make sure I was safe and that I was able to gain the maximum training effect. It took several weeks for me to become competent in this new and daunting exercise program. I am happy to say that by the time I finished the last round of physical therapy, I bought one of these bikes for myself and use it every day of the week from 18-30 minutes per day. The result is that my legs have become stronger, my balance has improved, and my general competence for everyday activities has given me the courage to try things that six months ago I would not have thought possible.

Perhaps the most dramatic sign of competence for me has been my daughter's wedding last month. When Ann visited me at the Shepherd Center in June 2004 I was still transferring from the wheelchair to the bed/exercise mat by means of a motorized overhead lift. My legs were just starting to work -- walking was not even in the picture. Ann had just become engaged and asked me, with some hesitation, "Will you be able to 'walk' next June?" Without a moment's hesitation I responded, "Yes." I think that she believed me -- and I think that I believed me. The year between June 2004 and June 2005 was marked with much hard physical work and even more spiritual resolve and prayer. On June 18, we did walk together -- and there were tears of joy everywhere.

Competence does not come easily -- but it does come!

Tuesday evening, Carole and I enjoyed our weekly dinner with the Camp Cherokee family. What we love most about these visits is that they are filled with joy and with surprise. This week was no exception. We got to Camp early enough to get seats at a table before the campers and staff came into the room. Sometimes it is hard to find two seats together when we come in late. As might be expected, the sight of two "strangers" drove many of the campers to find other tables. There was one camper, however, who was so thoroughly competent that the sight of strangers like Carole and me were for him a great moment of opportunity.

Paul is a rising ninth grader who claims to have come to Camp Cherokee for seven years. As a matter of fact, the staff knows Paul quite well -- and delights in his presence. Kelly Howington joined us for dinner and the four of us had a whole table to ourselves. For 30 minutes, Paul regaled us with stories, humor, and a dynamic personality that drew us in to his love and appreciation for Camp Cherokee. He is already looking forward to coming back next year as a CIT (Counselor in Training). I have no doubt that he will be a great one. He has been well-trained and well practiced.

It was especially fun to tell Paul about my relationship with the Parkway church in Cumming -- his church. I told him not only that I had preached there are a number of occasions, but that I had signed the papers to purchase the church property way back in 1997. It was a real joy to be able to add to this young man's competence by making additional important connections for him.

Beyond this wonderful encounter, I am so thankful to Kelly for the good program at Camp this summer. As a result of good training and intensive supervised practice, these young men and women who are serving as counselors have grown in their faith and in their programmatic competence. They could not have done it without training and practice.

Speaking of training and practice, those of us who have been set apart by the Church as "ordained" have a special responsibility to raise our levels of competence if we are to fulfill our calling. Ordination as deacons, elders, or ministers of Word and Sacrament should never be understood as merely an honor. Rather than being an honor, it is a burden imposed by the church that demands the continual refining of our gifts and talents throughout our lifespan. Since these offices are perpetual, we must continue to nurture our gifts without fail year in and year out.

With this in mind, I want to encourage you to register today for our Annual Fall Leadership Event, Saturday, August 20, 2005 at the Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. This educational event is sponsored by the presbyteries of Cherokee, Greater Atlanta, and Northeast Georgia. There will be 24 morning workshops and 24 afternoon workshops designed to equip church officers, leaders, teachers, and members for their work of service. If this were not enough, you will get to hear a hopeful and challenging keynote address from Elder Rick Ufford-Chase, Moderator of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Please visit www.cherokeepby.com for course offerings and registration materials. Better yet, I hope you will start putting together a team of learners from your church. Not only will you benefit from excellent workshops, you will have the wonderful experience of being with more than 600 Presbyterian leaders from our three presbyteries. The goal of this event is to stimulate you and inspire you to be a great, fruitful, competent leader. I will certainly be at Peachtree church on August 20 -- I hope to see you there.

The gospel lesson in today's lectionary is Mark 5:1-20 -- the amazing story of the mentally deranged demoniac who lived in a cemetery and was totally unmanageable. He howled like a wolf and mutilated himself with sharp objects. He could not imagine that Jesus would have anything to do with him -- he could never be a competent, contributing member of Jewish society. Indeed, it was a hopeless situation.

Of course, Jesus cast the demon out of him and in true Hollywood special effects fashion, sent them barreling down a steep bank and into the lake where they were drowned. The movie makers might leave it there, but the best part is yet to come. Here is how the text reads beginning at verse 14.

The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

As the swineherds told the story far and wide, people came and saw the demoniac with Jesus, "sitting there, clothed and in his right mind." Although it brought about fear in the hearts of the observers, the most impressive byproduct of the healing was Jesus' charge to, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you." The man did exactly as Jesus said -- and the result was Amazement!

I love to dazzle people with my physical accomplishments and competence for everyday activities. Of course, I am very careful to assert that this is God's doing and that it has been made possible both through my own discipline and through the constant support of the Church -- which, after all baptized me and is perpetually responsible for my shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship.

Maybe we should begin applying the "Great Ends of the Church" to everything we do. As we live out these "Ends,” we become competent for ministry. And when we become competent, we become a blessing -- for which God created us.

Blessings,

Jim

For Your Prayers

1. On Sunday, I will preach for the Silver Creek congregation. I hope you will pray for this church and its pastor, Jack Foley. Jack and Tammy solicit your prayers as they work daily with their young daughter, Rebecca, who has Cerebral Palsy. It has been a long and challenging journey, but God -- and God's people -- have been incredibly faithful.

2. Please continue in your prayers for Gary Webb. His round of chemotherapy has been very difficult and he is still unable to put in a full week's work.

3. Let us pray earnestly about the situation in Sudan. We should not think that the "man handling" of media and State Department personnel is all that newsworthy. What is newsworthy is the heart breaking violence against women -- and everyone else, for that matter. Let us pray for our PCUSA mission personnel in that part of the world.

4. Congratulations to Dr. Sara Worley who has just received a full-time appointment to teach at Kennesaw State University.

5. Ronnie Osborn, pastor for the Euharlee congregation has accepted a call to be pastor for the St. Charles Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, Missouri. He will begin his new duties sometime in September.

6. Pray for John Tarrant during these early days of ministry as Interim Pastor for the Calvary congregation.

7. Pray for First Church, Marietta and the Deer Creek Shores sessions as they make plans for interim ministry. Also, for the presbytery commission working with the Deer Creek Shores session.

8. Pray for First Church, Dalton as it nears the end of the search process for an Associate Pastor.

9. As always, pray for our President and all who advise him. Also, let us pray for those who stand in harm's way -- in Iraq , but also in the London Underground, and everywhere that terrorism manifests itself. Finally, we should pray for all who have responsibility for governing on our behalf.