Heroic Singing

Dear friends,

Good preaching always brings together a clear view of the contemporary situation, relevant images from the past, and the rich resources of our biblical/confessional tradition. In the words of theologian P.T. Forsyth, the purpose of pastoring is to "... teach the church how to preach." That is, the church's main business is to worship God -- and that is done at whatever street address is assigned to your church buildings. If that work is done with passion and integrity the results of your God-centered worship will be felt throughout your community and even to the ends of the earth as God leads you.

The Directory for Worship encourages us to design our worship services to model this kind of liturgical thinking. We begin on the Lord's Day by approaching God in awe, adoration, and the confession of our sins -- corporate and individual. Next, we move to the ministry of the Word to hear the Scriptures read and interpreted. If the service were to end here, we would be left only with the pastor's words, and easy opportunity for disagreement and criticism. But the service does not end here. In a sense, the "service" begins here.

At this point we stand and affirm our faith using the Apostle's Creed or another statement from the Book of Confessions or from the Scriptures. We follow with prayers for the world, the Church, and last of all, ourselves. If this were not enough, we take out our checkbooks and if we have enough spiritual nerve we write a check that might be large enough to cover a trip to the golf course, or maybe even a modest car payment. Parenthetically, I hope you can see how inappropriate it is to withhold your offerings because you don't like your pastor. Finally, from time to time we celebrate the "sealing" of the Word in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

As we engage in this important business, the world is listening and watching. The world is listening to the way we sing our hymns and watching we live our lives. It is what we do inside the sanctuary that makes us look and act the way we do outside the sanctuary. No amount of billboards or slick television ads will produce the kind of witness that a single life touched by a large worshiping faith community can mean to lonely and broken people.

I must return to my opening sentence about preaching. There is much in the news these days about the politics of war and peace; the politics of confirming a Supreme Court Justice; the politics of almost every social issue you can imagine; and hundreds of trivial stories that don't belong in the news at all.

There is one story, however, that is dear to my heart -- the story of Lance Armstrong. I do not know Lance personally, but I know him well as a fellow-traveler who has dealt with a catastrophic event in his life, namely cancer. Many people have conquered cancer in a heroic way and have returned to their professions and their callings. But Lance went on to win the Tour de France -- for the seventh time! In my previous life, I was an avid bike rider. Every day when I walk through my garage, I look longingly at my faithful mountain bike, hanging upside down from hooks in the ceiling. On a truly great day, I might ride 15-20 miles. I don't think I know how long the Tour de France is, but I know it is something absolutely incredible.

Yesterday, Thomas L. Friedman published an editorial in the New York Times: Learning from Lance. Here is the opening paragraph:

There is no doubt that Lance Armstrong's seventh straight victory in the Tour de France, which has prompted sportswriters to rename the whole race the Tour de Lance, makes him one of the greatest U.S. athletes of all time. What I find most impressive about Armstrong, besides his sheer willpower to triumph over cancer, is the strategic focus he brings to his work, from his pre-race training regimen to the meticulous way he and his cycling team plot out every leg of the race. It is a sight to behold. I have been thinking about them lately because their abilities to meld strength and strategy - to thoughtfully plan ahead and to sacrifice today for a big gain tomorrow - seem to be such fading virtues in American life.

Although Lance makes it look easy, you don't win an event like this by being lucky. You win by practicing regular disciplines day after day and year after year. Although I do not begin to understand how this works, I have accomplished great things in my own body because of my commitment to intense and persistent daily physical workouts. With the physical activity, I have an unwavering commitment to being where God wants me to be. The discipline is merely preparation -- my ultimate end is always in God's hands. Some quadriplegic spinal cord patience never walk again or use their hands. Likewise, some cancer patients die. That part is not for us to understand. What is for us to do is to practice our daily disciplines and such a way as to inspire others to do the same.

Now I need to go back 42 years for a relevant image out of my past. As a teenager I was an active participant in the youth ministry of the Black Rock Congregational Church. This was a highly unusual 250 member church in that the youth group numbered about that many as well. At camp that summer we had about 150 teenagers on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire. As a rising high school senior, I was in charge of an early morning breakfast out on an island in the lake.

During the evening activities, I went down to the dock to check on the canoes. As I came back across the lawn at sunset, I heard the most fantastic music coming from the open windows in the lodge. I remember it like it was yesterday -- the refrain was sung antiphonally and went something like this:

Waters cool -- -- In the valley
Pastures green -- -- On the mountain
In the evening -- -- In the evening walked my Lord and I.

I wish I could convey to you how beautiful that music was to a 17-year-old boy without a very clear image of the future. All I new was that to be part of a singing community was more wonderful than anything else I could imagine in my life. Is it any wonder that singing has been such a large part of my recovery over the past 15 months?

The church sings to God because God alone is worthy of our very best efforts. On the other hand, the world can and often does listen to the church's singing. If it is heartfelt and beautiful, the congregation's size or location makes little difference. If it is dull and lifeless, it sends a message that the Christian community has little to offer to a world that is also dull and lifeless -- not to mention dangerous and frightening.

Over the past 40 years or so we have come a long way from the practice of solid congregational singing; instead, we have deferred to the choir and the pastor to entertain us. In more recent days, our congregational life has been further eroded by the advent of the "praise band." While certainly not a bad thing in itself, we must be careful that we do not create groups that sing for the church -- we must teach the church how to sing, for in singing we touch world in remarkable ways.

Today's New Testament lesson from the daily lectionary is from Acts 16:25-34. Listen to the first verse. "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."

I invite you to read the passage for yourself, but I must warn you that listening to really great hymn singing can be dangerous. There could be an earthquake and all your prisoners might escape. Or, they might not escape -- they might remain and tell you why they were singing those hymns so loudly and passionately. You might come to faith in Christ -- and you might invite them to dinner!

You don't win the Tour de France by sheer luck. You win by giving everything you have -- and more -- to the training process. Likewise, we Christians will not grow a healthy church by means of marketing, gimmicks, and favorable demographics. The future of the church is in God's hands -- meanwhile, it is enough for us to teach the church how to sing!

Blessings and many songs,

Jim

For Your Prayers

1. On Sunday, I will preach for the Brazilian Christian Church in Marietta. We will say farewell to Commissioned Lay Pastor Emilio Talamonte and his family who will be leaving for Brazil to begin the Hebron Valley Project. This is a vision of a community of hospitality, outreach, and mission that has been on Emilio's heart for several years.

2. We are very thankful for the many churches in our Presbytery that take part in a variety of "hands-on" mission experiences -- both within the United States and beyond.

3. Please pray for Gary Webb who is asking for a medical leave of absence from his duties as Commissioned Lay Pastor for the Lafayette church. Gary is dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy and appreciates your concern very much. Pray also for the Lafayette session during this difficult time.

4. I am pleased to announce that the Rev. Bill Arthur will serve as Interim Head of Staff for First Church, Marietta, beginning September 1.

5. Please pray for the Chickamauga, Deer Creek Shores, and Euharlee sessions as they seek interim pastors. Also, please pray for John Tarrant, interim pastor for the Calvary church.

6. As always, please pray for our President and all who advise him. We are living in very difficult times and we must surround all those who lead us and to leave in our behalf with prayer. And not prayer alone -- we must exhibit respect for office, regardless of our political slant -- and because we are Christians, we must surround them with love.

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.

Rocket Science

Dear friends,

Yesterday NASA postponed the flight of the space shuttle Discovery. It may go off into space on Saturday -- or the launch may be postponed again until September. On the one hand, there is a great deal of "rocket science" at work here. That is, sending the space shuttle to meet the orbiting space station is a lot like a quarterback, who is moving around the backfield, throwing a pass to a potential receiver, who is also moving away from him. The only difference here is that the shuttle example is much more complex.

Of the other hand, the incessant news chatter has to do more with safety than with rocket science. One commentator after another wants to know if the space shuttle will be safe this time. Again and again, NASA officials respond that they are shooting a rocket into space with a human cargo. Of course it is not safe. It is an incredibly high risk project. After the fuel tank sensor malfunction this morning, I heard the space shuttle described as, "A butterfly strapped to a bullet." Likewise, NASA keeps reminding us that there are a million parts and the space shuttle project, and that there will always be surprises -- but that we are willing to take the risk in order to reap the benefits.

I don't want to suggest that the space program is simple by comparison, but as I understand it every time I get out of bed in the morning (and you too for that matter) there are at least a billion parts involved if you include the nervous system. Although something can surely go wrong, we get out of bed and take the colossal risk of going to the bathroom and beginning a new day of mission and service. Although most of us don't think this way, I must admit that I do. I am aware of how I feel when I first stand up in the morning and what is the state of my strength, balance, and range of motion. I can sense the slightest differences in my body even to the extent of changes in the weather. This week, Hurricane Dennis has driven me crazy. Almost from minute to minute I have been on a roller coaster of physical symptoms and emotional lows/highs. I think that all billion of my parts have been working overtime this week.

As we have been thinking about the risks of space travel and the risks of getting out of bed in the morning, it was serendipitous that I should come across a website about "the physics of amusement park rides." Talk about race! Here is a quote about the roller coaster, the ultimate "scream machine."

What you may not realize as you're cruising down the track at 60 miles an hour is that the coaster has no engine. The car is pulled to the top of the first hill at the beginning of the ride, but after that the coaster must complete the ride on its own. You aren't being propelled around the track by a motor or pulled by a hitch. The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy is what drives the roller coaster, and all of the kinetic energy you need for the ride is present once the coaster descends the first hill.

Once you're underway, different types of wheels help keep the ride smooth. Running wheels guide the coaster on the track. Friction wheels control lateral motion (movement to either side of the track). A final set of wheels keeps the coaster on the track even if it's inverted. Compressed air brakes stop the car as the ride ends.

Think with me about the implications of taking risks for God's mission. We often start the mission as we are "pulled to the top of the first hill," often filled with anxiety and resistance. God bless the pullers -- they are not always fully appreciated at the time. However, once the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy the ride becomes very interesting and very exciting -- almost effortless. The business about the different kinds of wheels gives us reason for comfort during the sometimes stressful freefall of ministry and mission in new situations. I will leave it to you to think about the function of "running wheels," "friction wheels," and "final wheels." We must even give thought to our careful use of the "compressed air brakes."

When we think about the risks and thrills of God's mission, we must also take into consideration that we will encounter both resistance and conflict. I feel it is safe to say that if your church is moving in and uncharted directions, there will be conflict; there will be those persons whose fears outweigh their faith -- and fear is as powerful a propellant as faith. You can count on that!

The next installment of amusement park physics is the ever-popular bumper cars. Please tell me if this description sounds like moments in your church.

Newton's third law of motion comes into play on the bumper cars. This law, the law of interaction, says that if one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body. It's the law of action-reaction, and it helps to explain why you feel a jolt when you collide with another bumper car.

While most kids love the idea of banging into their parents and a bumper car, the whole thing is well-controlled -- and quite safe. The amusement park physicist explains:

Bumper car rides are designed so that the cars can collide without much danger to the riders. Each car has a large rubber bumper all around it, which prolongs the impact and diffuses the force of the collision.

I wonder if the kinetic image of "prolonging the impact" could be the interpersonal equivalent of coming together for a missional conversation, a handshake -- or even a hug. I sure hope so.

As I reflect on my billion or so parts I really have two possibilities: I can worry about what might go wrong and give in to paralysis, or I can assume that most if not all of those billion parts will work. The analogy of the human body and nervous system breaks down here. The truth is that in the Church, when a "part" fails or breaks down, other parts move-in almost seamlessly and fill the gap.

The daily lectionary for Tuesday, July 12, includes the story of how a dedicated group of friends carried a paralyzed man on to Jesus for healing. Listen to the first four verses:

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.

My interest today is that the crowds were so great, they could not get their friend close to Jesus. I am tempted here to launch into a self-serving diatribe about handicap friendly restaurants and other public places. However, I want to hold myself -- and the rest of us -- to a higher standard. We are called to carry one another to Jesus, and it is very often very difficult. There is all kinds of resistance, and sometimes it seems like a billion things could go wrong. This could not be further from the truth.

The truth is that something can always go wrong, but a more pressing truth is that something can go right. And when something goes right and God's mission, the results are as spectacular as a predawn liftoff. What the Church does is hardly "rocket science." However, involves just as much risk. I take that risk every time I put a cane in my hand and move in your direction. I can assure you, I will not be easily stopped.

The peace of Christ be with you,

Jim

For Your Prayers

1. On Sunday I will preach twice for the Mars Hill congregation.

2. Pray for our colleagues in Florida Presbytery. I talked with Terry Dyer the new Executive Presbyter about the damage. Although it was not nearly as bad as they had anticipated, there is much work to be done.

3. Many thanks to Kelly Howington and his staff for a great week at Camp Cherokee. Because of the heavy rains, the program was often at "Plan B" level, but everything went quite well. Also, thanks to Craig Clark, Site Manager, who has had to deal with one "surprise" after another. We certainly have a great team!

4. Julie Martin (her spouse Roger is pastor for the Beersheba congregation) is recovering from eye surgery. I know she will appreciate your prayers.

5. Please continue in your prayers for Gary Webb as he struggles with the challenge of chemotherapy.

6. Give thanks for the new pastoral relationship between First Church, Cohutta and Rev. Susan Reggin. There is a good deal of hope and enthusiasm for the future.

7. Congratulations to Sarah Worley (her spouse Ted is pastor for the Woodstock congregation) who has recently been awarded her doctorate in multicultural studies.

8. As always, let us pray for our president and for all the leaders of the world. The terror attacks in London last week both break our hearts and strengthen our resolve to pray for a peaceable world a fashioned by the God of peace.

Ordinary Time

Dear friends,

The secular calendar says that today is July 7, 2005. More importantly, we Christians are in the season of Ordinary Time; better understood as "counted" time. That is, the Sundays following Epiphany and Pentecost are "numbered." The season is hardly "ordinary" in the sense of everything being easy and all questions being answered.

For example, our 5:15 a.m. stretching this morning was extremely difficult. I had not moved much during the night, and Carole could hardly stretch my arms. In the end everything came out fine, but a less determined therapeutic pair might have given up. Likewise, we have been experimenting with my medications. The doctor has given permission to try lowering my dosage on two particular medications -- 1 medication for nerve pain and the other to keep my blood pressure up -- that's right, up! Last week we left off one nerve pain pill, and I paid dearly. We resumed the original dosage immediately. Also, we cut the blood pressure-raising medication in half. This one took longer to affect me, but it has affected me quite noticeably. As I write to you this morning, I feel terrible. I suspect we will be giving up on this change -- for now!

As we turned on the television, CNN reported the alarming series of explosions on the London transportation system. The last time we were in London, we could not get on the subway near the Tower of London because of a "bomb-scare." We had to walk several blocks to Aldgate, which, at the time was the nearest "safe" station. How things change! Our hearts go out to all who have been injured; to the families of those who have been killed, and to all of us who must live with fear and pain and grief every day. We must deal with such things as part of ordinary time.

In ordinary time we awaken aware of God's love and the promise of a better life. Sometimes life's stark realities stark cloud the picture in our eyes and cause us pain instead of hope. One of the blessings of awakening each day with God is its sanctuary quality. Although we arise with our minds and hearts full of questions and pain, our vision of the living God alleviates the pain. Although we often bear the burdens of life-changing decisions, we know, after all, there is only one God who is above us, below us, and surrounds us on all sides.

Ordinary Time is hardly and absence of problem and pain.

A few days ago I finished reading an excellent novel, The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald. It is a novel that is marked by loss, grief, and many stories that helped make sense out of life for a Royal Canadian Air Force family and its travels across the world and across a world of shattering experiences. Here is a wonderful quote from an essay on the power of stories that comes between sections of the book.

When stories are not told, we risk losing our way. Lies trip us up, lacunae gape like blanks in a footbridge. Time shatters and, though we strain to follow the pieces like pebbles through the forest, we are led farther and farther astray. Stories are replaced by evidence. Moments disconnected from the eras. Exhibits plucked from experience. We forget the consolation of the common thread -- the way events are stained with the dye of stories older than the facts themselves. We lose our memory. This can make a person ill. This can make a world ill

Today's reading from St. Luke 24:36-53 in the daily lectionary is a wonderful example of this kind of "story." To remember this story in "ordinary time" is a wonderful gift for all of us. According to Luke, on the day of resurrection, Jesus appeared three times -- first to the women and a few disciples at the tomb. Later, he appeared to a large group on the road to Emmaus, at which time they did not recognize Jesus, thinking him to be only a fellow-traveler. He appeared a third time at a fish fry -- a pretty "ordinary" occasion, to use another meaning of the term.

On each occasion, Jesus either was not recognized, or else he was greeted with fear and disbelief. Such a reaction is understandable when we remember that the Jews of Jesus' time did not believe in an after life at all, much less the possibility of a man who had obviously been killed coming back to life. Dead men do not come back and walk around with their friends, do they?

It is with good reason, then, that the disciples should think he was a ghost. But Jesus quickly allays their fears by allowing them to touch him, demonstrating that his body was as real as theirs. The matter was closed when Jesus did something no self-respecting ghost would ever do -- he asked for a bit of fish. Luke intentionally says that Jesus ate the fish before their very eyes.

This fish-eating Christ reflects Luke's theological purpose for his gospel and for the Book of Acts. Every Scripture was written for some theological purpose -- that is, to bring the message into our life situations. The Christian church cannot be separated from life. The church always meets the challenges of life head-on and redeems them in the name of the risen Christ.

For example, if we look at Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount we do not find Matthew's emphasis on the Law. Rather, it is a compact set of teachings about the ordering of a just and righteous society based on the love of God and caring for others. Luke is not concerned for "spiritual" matters alone, but for the poor, the hungry, and the persecuted.

Our world can be a frightening, de-humanizing place - the result of our sin. The Church's task is to re-humanize the world through its on acts of fellowship, love, and service. In the brokenness of a fallen world, we read Luke's writings about a faith community involved in justice issues, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick. Luke's community is continually at work for the healing of God's people and the restoration of God's world.

The risen Christ ate fish with his followers; he returns to our world, sharing our food, our fear, and our pain. He is God's unfailing presence at our tables when everything else is in jeopardy. He is the sign that God has entered the Creation and has no plans to leave it -- or us.

Listen for a moment to a little fairy tale:

Once upon a time, a troll asked a boy named John to name the strongest bond in the world. John thought and thought. He said to himself, "If my brother the sailor were to guess this riddle, he would say the strongest bond in the world is the horizon. It joins the sky and sea together and gives us our place in the world. If my brother the farmer were to guess this riddle, he would say the strongest bond in the world is the rainbow. It joins the rain and sun together so that the crops can grow. But I guess the strongest bond in the world must be the bond of love. Not even death can destroy it."

Love, in this sense, is not exploitive as is much of what we humans pass off for love. It does not serve self, nor does it demand anything of others in return for it. The strongest bond in the world is the love of God for the Creation, as revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

His presence at the disciple's fish fry points us to an important reality that is embodied in the immortal words of the Apostle Paul in at the end of Romans chapter 8.

I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today nor what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God's whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

As we move through "ordinary time," I hope you will remember the stories that give our lives shape, hope, and confidence -- and that you will tell them gladly and passionately. The added joy is when the biblical story intersects with your congregation's story. It is that this nexus that mission begins to take place -- and please know that there is no joy like missionary joy!

The peace of Christ be with you,

Jim

For Your Prayers

1. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning I will be teaching a class in Practical Theology for the Portuguese language track of the Lay Leadership Training Program, sponsored by the three North Georgia presbyteries. Please pray for my stamina as I will teach 3 1/2 hours on Saturday evening and 3 1/2 hours on Sunday morning.

2. Dave Grove's (pastor, Cedartown First) father died earlier this week in the Newark area of New Jersey. The funeral service will take place tomorrow, Friday. Please pray for Dave and his family during this stressful time of transition.

3. Please continue in your prayers for Gary Webb, Commissioned Lay Pastor for the Lafayette church. His chemotherapy treatments have been very difficult and taxing.

4. Please do not forget to register for the great Leadership Training Event sponsored by the three North Georgia presbyteries on August 20 at the Peachtree church in Atlanta. Registration materials are online at www.cherokeepby.com. I hope you will go there today and register.

5. Having said this, I hope you will pray daily for Zeta Lamberson who is our Consultant for Nurture and has provided staff support for this great event. By the way, she is available to consult with your Christian Education/Nurture committee.

6. Our Camp Cherokee staff has enjoyed a week off for the July 4 holiday. Pray for them and for Kelly and Craig, our staff leadership team, as they begin their special work again.

7. As always, please pray for our President, especially as he meets with the G8 leaders. I am so thrilled that Africa is clearly on the "radar screen." Let us pray for all who give leadership so faithfully at all levels of government.

Pockets of Resistance

Dear friends,

Last week I reported that I had undergone the driver's evaluation program at the Shepherd Center, and that I did quite well. After last week's message I drove the first leg of our trip to the Nashville area. It was only about 35 minutes but it was a start. I did not drive anymore until Monday morning, when Carole took the truck to work and left me with our Camry. There was still a lingering concern about my ability to close the door; to start the car; to push the key while turning it for removal. After all that, I made it from my home to the Presbytery office and back home again -- solo!

Tuesday evening we enjoyed our weekly dinner with the Camp Cherokee staff and campers. The dining room was packed with campers and noisy beyond belief. I loved every minute of it. By the way, I am so thankful for Kelly Howington and his staff. They are doing a great job. Carole drove to Camp; I am not quite ready for Wilderness Camp Road with all of its hills and curves. My arms are still not completely secure steering the car. However, I am sure that I will drive to Camp before the summer is over.

As we were coming home that evening, Carole commented that we needed gas and she would stop so that I would not have to get gas Wednesday morning when I drove to work. In response, I protested quickly -- but respectfully. After all, Carole has done almost everything for me for the past 14 months. My logic was that if I am to resume my former lifestyle I would have to put gas in the car on a regular basis. Having made this grand statement, I began to think about what would be involved in driving myself to the gas station and filling the tank. My immediate thoughts turned to the numerous exercises I had been doing for the past year, mostly to regain my strength and to improve my range of motion. I could see in my mind the stretching exercises with Carole early in the morning and the miles of stationary bike riding I had been doing faithfully every day. I remember well those difficult days at the Shepherd Center when I was taking my first steps. It is hard to describe how frightening it was not to be able to walk -- and then how hard it was to take those first steps. Again, I had to learn strength, flexibility, and range of motion all over again. I was like a baby learning how to walk, but without benefit of that nicely padded diaper when I fall down.

Anyway, Monday morning I got into the car and drove immediately to a nearby convenience store with self-serve gas pumps. As I pulled up to the pump I noticed a young woman with a little girl in a car seat starting to pump gas. As I pulled myself out of the car, I called to her and asked her if she would be willing to help me if needed. She could see pretty quickly that I was not able to move very well and she responded without hesitation that she would be available. As it turned out, I did not need her -- but I thanked her for her willingness to help.

On leaving the car, I pulled the lever that opened the door to the gas cap, which proved to be my first challenge. Having to push down and twist the gas cap was reminiscent of my adventure with the Listerine bottle a few weeks ago. It took several efforts and a good bit of "shaking hands" but I was able to remove the cap without assistance. At this point I was worried about whether I could handle the hose. I soon realized that this was the least of my worries; the next step was to insert my credit card and withdraw it -- quickly. It was "quickly" that concerned me.

As you probably know, one of the prominent presentations of my particular variety of spinal cord injury is "hypertonia." Also known as "spasticity," hypertonia is increased muscle tightness that prevents me from doing anything quickly -- like with drawing a credit card from a gas pump. Once again, I give thanks to Carole for her faithful stretching, and to my physical and occupational therapists who taught me how to use my body as though it were normal. Again, it was agonizingly hard work, but if I did not engage the regular discipline, my body would become inactive and deformed.

After four attempts I succeeded in getting the card processed. The next step was easy; I had no trouble whatever picking up the hose, putting it in the fill pipe, squeezing the fill lever and locking it. As I filled the tank, I was definitely on the verge of strutting; once again, I appeared to be accomplishing another life task, that is, until I reached the last step in the process. Putting the gas cap back on the fill pipe was without a doubt the hardest task of all. It was just hard! As I was trying and trying, I kept looking at my young, strong potential helper at the next gas island. Although she was willing, I was proud. I worked until nearly breaking a sweat -- and the cap finally clicked into place. I sat in the car seat exhausted but satisfied that I had taken yet another missional step; that is, I am now even more able to carry out the specific calling that God has placed on me as your General Presbyter and Stated Clerk. I hope you remember that my goal is not merely to "get well," but to carry out the call to service that is inherent in my Baptism. It was truly a great morning!

Last evening, I told Carole of my adventures and my successes; to say the least, it was an evening of celebration. I was coming along beautifully and gratefully. The strength and freedom to move in new and challenging ways has sent my spirit soaring. Although I have always been optimistic about my future, my trip to the gas pump kicked me up a couple of notches on the optimism scale. From here there is nothing I would not try -- and nothing that would stop me from succeeding. That is, until this morning.

As Carole stretched me at 5:15 a.m., I was feeling pretty loose and, again, very optimistic about my prospects for success today. At the end of our stretching ritual, Carole puts my straightened leg on her shoulder for a hamstring stretch. It had been a good morning so far, but Carole tried something that she had not done for several weeks: she pulled down on my right foot and asked me to "resist" her. When I did so, the "hypertonia" throughout my upper body kicked into high gear. After all that good stretching, my upper body muscles protested loudly her attempts to engage my uncooperative foot in exercise that would enable it to join the rest of my body in missional activity. Instead of cooperation, I got resistance.


Almost immediately, I thought about the "Common Assumptions as We
Continue the Journey," on the "About Us" page at www.cherokeepby.com
. The section entitled, "We Are a Community Organized for Mission not Maintenance," suggests several questions about the critical difference between mission and maintenance. An important question in this category is, "How will we deal with resistance to missional transformation-i.e. "talking mission" but
"living maintenance?"


A relatively small part of my body was protesting loudly that my body was engaging new, exciting, and potentially dangerous activity. That little foot at the end of my leg was not going along with the program -- and its resistance affected the rest of the body. No matter how much I talk about my new mission in life, I must contend with the painful truth that not all of me is moving ahead.

Think about your church family today. What is it that you talk about? What is it that you fear most? How do your talk and your fear affect your congregational output in terms of missional proclamation and service? It is those pockets of resistance that really kill us. In response, we have several options: ignore the resistance and hope it will go away; keep pushing no matter how much the resistance brings tension to the body; carefully nurture and exercise the resistance so as to "win it over" to the cause of the body's true mission.

To some extent we must engage all three options. There is a fourth however, I believe. My recovery experience over the last 14 months has involved working with those parts of the body that are ready for exercise and renewed mission. In many instances, those parts have become so strong and flexible that they have brought along the less willing parts and groups of parts. I do not wish to minimize how difficult this is, but I simply have no other goal than the authentic mission for which my body -- and the Church -- was created!

Pockets of resistance are inevitable when you are doing important work. If you are not doing important work, there is never resistance.

Blessings,

Jim

The Force Is with Us

Dear friends,

This message will be a little brief this morning (lacking Carole's good proofreading) because we are trying to pack the car for our first road trip in more than 13 months. We are headed to Tampa, Florida and a few days of much-needed vacation. Actually, I am desperately in search of some warm weather! Next weekend we will participate in a family retreat for the Forest Hills Presbyterian Church -- a church I served more than 30 years ago. I will speak four times on themes related to our Journey over the past year. After all these years it is very exciting to reconnect with good friends and partners in ministry.

I hope you will pray for us, especially for the unknown factor related to how I will do on a long trip. I don't know why this should be a problem, for the past 13 months I have been stepping out in faith just about every day. Once again, I am sure there will be uncomfortable moments, but I am equally sure that we will have a wonderful time.

One other prayer item -- a couple of weeks ago I asked you to pray for my brother who had open-heart surgery. He is doing fine, but now my mother has had open-heart surgery on Tuesday of this week. She is doing well -- but it age 81 it is a bit more challenging. Her name is Catherine.

On another subject, it is hard to believe, but the very first Star Wars adventure came into our lives in 1997. Our two older children were barely in school at the time. Since then, our son has actually camped on the sidewalk outside a theater in Birmingham, Alabama to get tickets a few years ago. We have not heard if he will do the same this week as Episode 3: the Revenge of the Sith opens in theaters near you!

For those of you who are on another planet and are not familiar with Star Wars, the films are a fascinating combination of the mythological battle between good and evil and the roots of a new way of “doing war.”

In the original “Star Wars” there is a chilling moment when an entire planet is blown up by Darth Vader’s “Death Star.” There is no blood, no screams, no parents and children huddling together in terror. Vader destroys the planet from a safe distance. He is never in danger nor is it acceptable for him to put his armies in danger.

It is ironic that the Strategic Defense Initiative during the Reagan years was called “Star Wars.” Equally frightening is this morning's news that our government is again considering such weapons based in outer space! One does not have to think long before images of refugees and physical destruction in Baghdad, Kabul, or Pyongyang fill our minds.

The timing of the Star Wars release and the celebration of Pentecost in the Christian community could not be better. In both cases there is a surprising presence of a “force” that makes otherwise normal people do extraordinary things. The difference, of course, between Star Wars and Pentecost is that Star Wars is pure fantasy. No matter how many times you see it, you will continue to live a comparatively dull existence that includes paying your mortgage payment, going to work and, increasingly, worrying about staying alive. You may even own a light saber and dream about the excitement of hyperspace, but, after all, it won’t make much difference to homeless refugees, desperate parents, lost children and lost children who turned into lost adults.

On the Day of Pentecost we celebrate a sudden and surprising change of outlook and direction for the followers of Jesus. As St. Luke tells the story, Jesus’ disciples had huddled in one of those famous upper rooms for prayer, reflection and questioning about the future. You may remember that the risen Jesus appeared to them and told them to hold on and get ready for the coming of the Spirit.

At the time, I am sure that no one in the room could fully appreciate the implications Jesus’ words. However, as they gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the harvest festival with Jews from all over the world, something truly remarkable happened. There was a loud noise and a big wind. Episcopal priest and writer, Barbara Brown Taylor, has commented that on Pentecost Jesus’ disciples were gathered in one place and “got a crash course in power.”

I remind you that this infusion of power is not so the disciples will feel good about themselves and their faith. The “force” was never to be understood as a rush of personal competency, self-gratification or unbridled fantasy. What happened on the day of Pentecost was nothing short of miraculous. This “force” turned average, everyday people into the Spirit’s powerhouses and enabled them to do things that had never entered their wildest dreams.

On Tuesday I completed my latest round of physical therapy. By all standards, it was a great success. I am now in the process of moving from survival to athletic training. I have bought a new professional dual action stationary bicycle and I am getting close to erode the levels of training once again. As I have said many times, the power of God coupled with unstoppable human resolve leads to incredibly great and surprising works of power. I am living proof!

As we move into Ordinary Time, we remember that our ministry and mission as a church follow the power of Pentecost. Every day we engage in the challenging disciplines of life -- prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual direction. As we do so, the Spirit literally blows us places we could never have dreamed and for adventures we would never have chosen!

Brave journey,

Jim

Roofers and Termites

Dear friends,

This has been a pretty stressful week -- so far! As I begin this message on Wednesday afternoon my home is filled with the loud noises of ladders being moved, nail guns, and other sounds that are connected with the roofing business. We are replacing our roof after a hailstorm several weeks ago. If this were not enough, we discovered that we have been actively invaded by termites from below.

I really don't know who has the better work ethic: the roofers above or the termites below. Being attacked from above and below is bad enough. These days one must also be ready for attacks from the left or from the right, politically or ecclesiastically speaking. Of course, we all know that such distractions come pretty frequently. Attacks from the left and from the right; from above and from below -- such are the distractions that often keep us from our main business as citizens in both kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world.

Therefore, I need to remind you of something very important about both my injury and my recovery. First, my injury is one that at the outset pretty well devastated my entire neuromuscular system. At the beginning, all my functions were pretty well gone and it has been a very difficult and challenging struggle to get them back. Thankfully, through my own persistence and the persistence of God's people in prayer I am doing well and for that I am grateful.

Second, like the termites and the roofers my physical process has been taunted and tempted from all sides. When I was a patient at the Shepherd Center we were constantly warned about the tendency towards depression when one has sustained an injury to the spinal cord. One of the main symptoms of this depression was the desire to stay in bed instead of getting up to face the hard realities of dressing oneself, feeding oneself breakfast, and doing incredibly uncomfortable exercises the rest of the day. I can report to you first hand everything they said about getting out of bed is true. It is incredibly difficult, but I have done it every day without fail. I do this for two reasons: I know it is the right thing to do; and I am afraid of what Carole might do to me if I don't!

Finally, I get out of bed and go to work every day for a very important reason -- it is my calling that gives me both the motivation and the power. It is clear to me that my goal is not merely to "get well." Please do not misunderstand me, I want to get well more than you can possibly know, but my motivation to endure the rigors of physical therapy and days of discomfort is that I might be able to continue doing what God has called me to do. At the moment, I have no clearer calling than to be your General Presbyter and Stated Clerk. This means I need to know how to walk, drive a car, use a computer, and muster the stamina to stand on my feet for an hour at a time. In other words, it is my mission that drives my work. Without that sense of mission (that is, being sent by God in the company of others who are also sent by God to do God's work in the world, which, by the way, is full of attacks and distractions from all sides) merely getting well is not much of a goal.

Parenthetically, I am a little weary of all this news talk about the "Runaway Bride." I really think that there is great disappointment that something terrible had not happened to her, and that a juicy story might unfold, full of lurid twists and turns. The news media have tried to make something of it, but it is just another weird anomaly that is being passed off as "reality." Here is some reality that I have experienced in the past few days

Last Thursday, Carole and I went to the Shepherd Center for a follow-up visit with my doctor. For your information, everything was fine with me, physically speaking. After the doctor's visit, we went back to my old therapy haunts and engaged in some serious hugging. Everyone agreed that all concerned looked great! On the way home we had to stop by a bank branch for a quick signature on a homeowner's insurance check. Quick, you say? Yeah right! It was 4:45 p.m. on a workday -- and we were right in the middle of Buckhead! Need I say more?

As we sat in line, the wait at a traffic light seemed unusually long. It appeared as though there was a car stopped in the right lane, and we were in the left. The bad news is that neither lane was moving. I mused that a fender bender, or a terrorist threat, was about all we needed at this point. A few seconds later, we saw a man get out of a car at the front of the line ahead of us. Maybe I watch too many news broadcasts, but the first thing that entered my mind was that we were about to witness a case of "road rage." To our relief and delight, everything was resolved in the next minute or so. The traffic was stopped for a blind man trying to get across Piedmont Road at rush hour -- and this good fellow stopped traffic and helped him across the street. Where are the choppers when you need them?

Next, on Saturday Carole and I had a wonderful experience with the Mars Hill church family at its first, and I suspect annual, Chocolate Extravaganza. The Mars Hill congregation gathered around one of its baptized members, John Robert Hosfeld (age 14 months) who had recently had a heart transplant. The idea of the Chocolate Extravaganza was to raise money for the considerable medical expenses that would certainly be left to the family.

It appeared that every Mars Hill member was there in a chocolate brown T-shirt with a big pink heart on the front. It also appeared that the Mars Hill members were outnumbered by about 20 to 1. Also, it appeared that every bakery and restaurant within a 25 mile radius of the church was there giving away almost anything you can imagine made of chocolate. For a $10 contribution you could go through the fellowship hall and indulge yourself until you dropped. Beyond this, there was a gift shop, a bake shop, and a significant silent auction.

Bryant Harris, the Mars Hill pastor said he would be preaching soon on the sin of gluttony, to which I responded, "I doubt you will have any credibility!" It was all in good fun, but the result was more than just good fun: the Mars Hill members raised more than $12,000 for Jonathan's medical expenses and had only about $500 in expenses. Beyond this, the community surrounding the church learned a great deal about what it means to be a church -- to go all-out for the healing of just one little member!

Finally, Carole came home from the Cartersville First session meeting Tuesday evening with some very exciting news about the church's After School Program. Over the past three years this program has captured the interest and commitment of the church and of the community at large. This program was originally created to meet the educational needs of "at risk" children, mostly Spanish-speaking, from the Cartersville public schools. At the moment, the church is applying for PCUSA grant funding for a pre-K teacher in the program. This comes at the request of the Cartersville school system itself! The byproduct of all this is that people who come for membership in the church are people who are ready to do mission -- and not simply to "have their needs met."

There is a theme here, my friends. I hear much moaning and complaining that churches want to "grow." I am not sure exactly what this means, but I suspect it might mean that churches would like to have a little more money to maintain the status quo. I hope you will forgive my bluntness, but this is merely institutional survival thinking. Churches only grow when growing is not a goal. Remember my earlier paragraphs: my physical goal is not to get better -- it is to fulfill my calling under God.

This weekend I started reading a new book by Joseph Wheelan, Jefferson's War: America's First War on Terror 1801-1805. President Thomas Jefferson, who, by the way, dreamed of the United States of America as a quiet, peaceful rural nation-state with little or no involvement in world affairs. When he took office, I suspect he did not take into consideration that the infamous Barbary pirates would cause him so much difficulty.

When these pirates captured a merchant ship, they confiscated its cargo and sold its crew members into slavery. Churches in the young United States of America, which was in the midst of economic depression, raised money to free some of the thousands of prisoners -- this is a biblical calling if there ever was one. Wheelan tells the story of the famous Trinity congregation at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street in New York City. They raised more than they needed to free the prisoners -- so they decided to use the remainder to build the church building!

As we celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, let us remember that the young Christian community interacted with the community and with the world day in and day out. In response, we read at the end of Chapter 2 that, "The Lord added daily to the numbers of those who were being saved."

I hope this gives us something to think about. So what if there are roofers above and termites below? We definitely have a higher calling!

Jim