Industry: Religion

I just received another packet of, well, let's call it what it is... crap... through the mail.

Encompassed in a large plastic sleeve which must be thrown away, 5 "magazines" of religious product news fall out. Under the guise of articles, various companies are writing to promote their products which range from clerical shirts to church playground equipments to sound system offers.

How does this fit into the message of the gospel?

Well, at least I can recycle the sleek pictures of a 7,000 seat sanctuary...

5 Things I Dig About Jesus Meme

I was tagged by St. Inuksuk for this, my very first meme: Yeah!

1. I dig that Jesus was all about being human - life, friends, food, drink, etc.

2. I dig that Jesus saw through all the gunk that has us drawing lines and putting up walls: he walked through lines of gender, class, race, ability, sex... he crossed them all.

3. I dig that he was really with people - in all aspects of their lives. He was there in their passion, their hurt, their joy, their frustration, their hope, their fear... and our's too.

4. I dig that Jesus loved the world so much he became a part of all of us to live on in each of us.

5. I dig that Jesus didn't ask for membership cards, faith statements, documents, creeds or proof that people deserved love and healing.

Passing along the great love of our buddy Jesus, I tag:
Amused, Walking Wet, Pastor Peters, JJ

But if you haven't been tagged- tell us what you dig about the great JC!

Rules for this meme:
a)Those tagged will share "Five Things They Dig About Jesus".
b)Those tagged will tag 5 people. (if they can find someone untagged!)
c) Those tagged will leave a link to their meme in the comments section of the
blog of the person who tagged them (meaning this post) so that everyone can
keep track of what's being posted.

Backwoods Living

Living in the north woods, we have found there are some tools, machines and other doo-dads that everyone owns and just assumes everyone else owns. For example, almost everyone has some form of a:
fishing boat with at least two kinds of motors
a 4 wheeler or ATV
a snow machine (snowmobile to us urbanites)
an ice auger
a wood burning something or other
and....
wait for it...
the ultimate show of backwoods manly man-and woman-ness....

The chainsaw.

We don't own a chainsaw up here in logging country... but I think my big city, urban loving husband is in deep chainsaw envy. As we had parishioners help with the downed trees in our yard, he stared longingly at the 3 - count them 3 for the 1 downed tree- chainsaws that were roaring away as he sadly pushed the lowly wheelbarrow of branches.

Of the list above, we actually have 3 - but the ice auger is a hand crank, and completely, I am told by those in the know, outdated, but hey, at least their pastor and her husband are slowly adjusting to rural backwoods living.

cliffs notes for bookclubs?

Since reading time is hard to come by these days... I am rather picky about the books I read.
I want to know that I will like the book, because I am jealous of my time and want to be entertained.

In order to counter this tendency, I began a book club at the church. Our goal was not so much to read Christian literature but to read book whose authors have a story to tell that can enhance our lives as Christians.

This has been really a good experiment, but the one drawback to book clubs is when I really don't like the book, when I really can't finish it, (or I am drawn to re-read the 5th Harry Potter book in anticipation of the movie release) I feel really, really guilty. Like I've skipped a test.

(yes, oldest child syndrome is kicking in; yes, I am anal-retentive; yes, I turned in all my assignments on time)

And I am really, really bored by the current book.

I can't get past page 57.

I am leading a discussion on it Saturday. Sigh.

Friday 5: books, books everywhere... and even more to read!

RevGal Sally just returned from a meeting in Cambridge and I took the opportunity of a free afternoon in Cambridge's wonderful book shops. Showing much restraint, she only bought a few- and on sale at that! So with a head full of books we begin:


1. Fiction what kind, detective novels, historical stuff, thrillers, romance????
Fiction? What's that? Oh the kind of books I devour in one sitting and drink in like a thirsty traveler. When I have the luxury of fiction I love: Fantasy and Sci-Fi like: Tolkien, L'Engle, the Harry Potter books and the less lineage, but big dragon fight sort of D&D stuff. Great epic novels like Michener. Sometimes a trashy romance (because really, is there any less no-brain entertainment). and Most often the everyday- not a particular genre novel by Sue Monk Kidd, Barbara Kingsolver, or Lorna Landvik.


2. When you get a really good book do you read it all in one chunk or savour it slowly?
Sadly, my books end too quickly. They are inhaled- and sometimes I'll go back and read a good one again, a little more slowly. I think this comes from the fact that I don't get to read as much fiction as I used to.

3. Is there a book you keep returning to and why?
I have found that certain books are great to read every 5-10 years because new and beautiful thing appear. Some examples: A Wrinkle in Time, The Alchemist, Dakota, Teaching a Stone to Talk.

4. Apart from the Bible which non-fiction book(s) has influenced you the most?
Dakota by Kathleen Norris, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Freire, Mere Christianity by Lewis

5. Describe a perfect place to read. ( could be anywhere!!!)
Well, pretty much anywhere I can grab some space. A couch, a chair, a bed, a comfy floor. Any uninterrupted place. When I lived in Moscow, the Metro was the best place to read- especially on the 30 minute commutes.

What books influenced and keep on influencing you?

Holy Grounds: Human Touch

Just when I am so overwhelmed by darkness in the world, God sends a friend, who sends me to this link - and I can't help but smile through the tears.



The Free Hugs Campaign

Thanks Amy- I watch this when I need to remember that God so loved the world that he sent himself to live, breath, and embrace humanity.

Ecumenical Relations

Our small town clergy gathering is always an interesting one. As the only female and the youngest by about 20 years - the dynamic is very strange.

In make up we have a rather varied group with three conservative protestants: varying in conservatism and congregation size, two mainline protestants and a RC priest. Let's just say the group is diverse. I am the newest member of the group: 2 years I've been here now, and I have found myself in the role of: secretary, announcer, convener, copier, coordinator, press releas-er, facilitator and general light the fire under the guys' asses -er.

Yet I still don't have my name on the emergency fund checkbook. WTF?

Guess I keep hitting that small town glass ceiling. Words of widom? Anyone?

Are we there yet?

After way to much thinking, hrrmphing, changing our minds and other distracting and energy sapping activities, we finally decided to indeed make our way to the big city.

You might think this is a small thing, but one does not take a 8 hour round trip drive lightly. Especially when petrol is still at $3 a gallon.

But it was a great trip- even if we had to get there in two vehicles because of conferences and meetings in various locals. It involved fantastic Neapolitan pizza, yummy breakfast corn pancakes, amazing Thai curry (noticing a food pattern here...)

But then, after much research, study and walking up and down staircases: a long awaited addition to my gear geeky-ness:

Ain't she purty? This is my new best friend all ready for me to take her out west this summer! And the best part, I still get to add more geeky stuff like hydration tubes and stuff- you know, backpacking stuff. Everybody's doing it: Titanium silverware and neon orange bear boxes.

Now: Since I'll carry an extra 35 lbs when we backpack... I just need to lose 35 before we go. Right? right.

Friday Five: Getaway Island Edition

A lucky Rev Gal snitched a bit of time on an quiet island nearby this week. It was a last minute plan, escaping with a minimal amount of preparation. One must have essentials that make it a relaxing time. Perhaps you have had this opportunity to escape, or maybe it's only been a thought to get away. However, suppose you were told to pack some essentials for a trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Describe your location, in general or specific terms and....
Living in the middle of a continent and far from the city: I want a city cabin. Most people retreat to where I live, but I want to retreat to anonymity, to alive, busting marketplaces, to coffee shops full of people and art museums filled with seekers.

1) What book(s) will you bring?
Ahh... books... To be honest, I'd grab the first few that are lining my "to read" shelf behind my desk. They include: God of the Oppressed- Cone, A Generous Orthodoxy- McLaren, Our Endangered Values-Carter, Real Sex-Winner, Drinking from a Dry Well- Green... just to name a very few.

2) What music accompanies you?
A new album from Carrie Rodriguez, Beatles- real and covers, Girl power driving music like Indigo Girls and Dixie Chicks. But- planning to catch as much live music as possible while I am there!

3) What essentials of everyday living must you take (as in the health and beauty aids aisle variety)?
Soap. Shampoo. Hair gel stuff. Toothpaste and brush. light makeup. Hip outfits with accompanying shoes.

4) What technological gadgets if any, will you take with you or do you leave it all behind?
The laptop- while it has been a giant leap for our human technology, has managed to worm it's way into my psyche and I will not go far without it- especially in wireless territory where I will download live music schedules.

5) What culinary delights will you partake in while there?
Oh My. Everything. Everything Ethnic: more the question: what won't I eat? Burgers, fish fry, limp pizza and broasted chicken.

As a bonus question, what makes for a perfect day on vacation for you?
A wonderful mix of engagement with the world and an observance of the world. That is, listening to a lecture, meeting friends for breakfast, and then sitting in the lobby of a museum or a downtown park. Yin and Yang.

Where will you take yourself: physically or mentally?

Holy Ground... stormy weather

The past few weeks have been filled with weather adventures.

Almost every day has carried brilliant sunshine, loud thunder, torrential rain, muggy sunsets and cool breeze. One does not leave the house without layers or rain jackets.

As I am preparing for my sermon this Sunday, texts I have been wrestling with all week, I am watching the afternoon storm slowly roll in. Today it is a gradual darkening of the sky. The lights in my office become more and more important, because the natural light is dimming.

I know it is coming, the darkness. The sudden noise. The fierce pounding of water. Water that is life giving, but can also be life taking- in drowned flower beds, rushing rivers and flooded homes.

But I can also trust, as the past few weeks have shone, that the sun will reveal itself again on the other side of the storm. We will all slowly emerge from homes, basements, and shelters to shake out the wet clothes, bail out our flower beds and splash in puddles.

Perhaps this is the way we can understand the joy of the psalmist:
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and no be silent.

It is after the storm, when we emerge from our shelters we have build to hide and protect ourselves from the storms of life, it is then that we dance in the revealed sunlight.

Summer is here...

The birds are singing, the thunderstorms crashing, the lawn is growing, the fish are jumping and... the puppy stinks.

Last year she had an, ahem... aroma rising from her back end and it's back again. Our wonderful vet claims he can teach me to "squeeze the glands" to rid her of this unpleasantness. Right.

Well. I saw the look on her face last year, and I am confident that the vet can do a better job. 75lbs of unhappy puppy is not something I wish to wrestle with. Can you imagine accidentally squeezing some of the stuff onto your eyebrows? Shudder.

But, I cannot claim exemption from this summer phenomenon:

What is it about having polyester clerical shirts, anyway? They don't breathe! Plus, they usually look terrible without a sweater or jacket over them. As we move into summer months, I forgo the robe and heavy vestments- no need for the pastor to faint during the Eucharist- but then there is the issue of the collar shirt and sweat stained attire.

Alas, I need to remember this complaint when I am wearing 17 layers of clothing in January...

Holy Ground: Lilacs

With his arms swinging, he flagged down our car as we drove past his house.

"You need some lilacs" he said. My husband and I looked at each other- we were already a bit late for another engagement. "They are beautiful," we said, "but we don't need any- we can't cut them anyway"

"Oh, don't worry. I've got a branch cutter all set for you."

C is about 85 years old, and a retired carpenter. He comes to church faithfully every Sunday, sits 3 rows back from the pulpit on the right side, and loves, LOVES to belt out old gospel hymns like "the Old Rugged Cross." Every Sunday as he leaves the sanctuary, he shakes my hand and says "now have a good rest of the day"

So we pulled over, got out of the car and started clipping lilacs. the back seat was filled. And as we cut, C told us of moving the bushes from his father's farm out to the lake. Planting them lovingly, and now his yard was filled with lilacs.

As we drove away, the car was filled with their lovely scent.

I think we'll plant lilac bushes this year. And maybe ask C for some advice...

As I listed to news commentators talk about how long this war has gone one- longer than WWII, for so many months now I realized...

For my entire married life, my country has been waging war. I have never known what it means to be married and to not be worried, angry, frustrated, fearful, enraged, sorrowful and despairing over this war and this world.

While neither my husband or I serve in the military, we have friends and family members who do. How many relationships are affected by this. Even indirectly, we all suffer the weight of the violence that is happening in the world, and we absorb it into our day to day interactions with each other.

How long O Lord? How long?

visions of the kingdom...

This last weekend I took part in the coolest pastor installation service I have ever witnessed. (never mind that I can probably count the number of installation services I've attended on one hand...)

My friend and colleague is at a small and very rural congregation that has left the mainline denomination- so... there was no official representative there to officiate. While he used the traditional service, his approach was novel and wonderful.

He invited each pastor in the town ministerial to attend and asked them to take part in the service. We ranged from catholic priests to retired ordained pastors to self appointed preachers.

As we all gathered around the small altar to lay on hands and pray for our new colleague the spirit was moving. (for some, moving in tongues... this skeptical Lutheran just marveled at that one)

And then we all shared the peace with one another afterward- even the uber-conservative- women-should-never-be-preaching-to-men guy shared peace with me.

It was pretty amazing. And my friend celebrated his call from God, his love for his new congregation and his affirmation of his community colleagues.

I can't imagine another way to begin serving as a pastor in a community. For a brief moment, we caught a glimpse of the kingdom of God.

Ah marriage...

I love my husband.

Tonight over the dinner table, he looks up at me and says:

"Sh#@! I was going to bring you flowers!"

I guess even the thought still makes me a little fuzzy romantic... how that changes after some years of marriage...

Friday Five: Big Event Edition

Getting Bloggers together! Peace on Earth! Te Planning Committee is formed!
In that spirit, Songbird presents the Big Event Friday Five.

1. What would the meeting be like? (Continuing Ed? Retreat? Outside Speakers? Interest Groups? Workshops? Hot Stone Massages? Pedicures? Glorified Slumber Party?)
A little bit of this, a little bit of that: my biggest dream for continuing education is that we actually do self care rather than receive lectures and books on the subject. My CE is at my discretion (thankfully) and this would be a good use for it.

2. When in 2008 might you be able to attend? January? Shortly after Easter? Summer? Fall? Some other time?
After Christmas- before Lent. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day. And the weeks preceding Advent. And if it's not already stated- midweek is MUCH better than trying to use a precious Sunday vacation.

3. Where would your dream meeting location be? (Urban Hotel? Rural Retreat Center? New England Camp? Southwestern Fantasy Hotel? Far away from civilization? Nearby Outlets or Really Great Thrift Stores?)
Dreams are different than, what I think should be reality (yes, yes, I am constantly the parade rain-er- but a good realist) somewhere near a major airport. Folks from all over this great world will need to get there, and no matter how we try, our carbon footprint will be big for this. So I'm sayin': Vegas Baby! Everyone flies there cheap!

4. Who would make a great keynote speaker? (That's if #1 leads us in that direction.)
Hmmm, now I am in the dreaming stage... a gathering of women who were among the first to be ordained in their traditions. Great preachers like Barbara Brown Taylor. Activists, Yoga practitioners, Academics, Superstars... all would be great.

5. Did I leave out something you want to suggest?
if it is a big slumber party, is someone bringing the silly string?

Other big thoughts out there?

WWJD?

After all the ranting about the downsides of the internet, here is an amazing way the internet is being used to connect people, to speak truth, to build solidarity and courage.

Ava Lowery is a 16 year old peace activist from Alabama, and her skill and talent with media has her making amazing videos that she posts on her website peacetakescourage.com


One of her videos is WWJD? which is one of the most powerful things I've seen in a while.

May we all find our voice to speak out against destruction, violence, hatred and war.

Techno-who?

So...
I have been working under the assumption that I am somewhat techno-media savvy. I mean, here am I- blogging, using search engines, finding info on the great world wide web. I appreciate the tools the Internet offers.

But... I just do not get facebook and myspace. I have a facebook page. I really couldn't tell you why, except that it seemed the thing to do. I don't know why I need one. Especially since I see my husband and friends relatively regularly or I email them. I have come to the sad and somewhat scary realization:

I am old and curmudgeon-y. Sigh. I guess it was bound to happen.

I mean really, what is the point of high schoolers (in a school that graduates 30 kids per class) all having myspace pages even though they see each other almost all waking hours of the day? Here is a place where I am worried about the Internet taking the place of meaningful relationships. Really. Will soundbites on a blackboard or a wall push out good conversation? Am I worried about nothing?

As I have danced around the blogging world (reading, but rarely commeting, I know, I know) I've noticed that I am not the only one who is a little silent...

It is May, after all... the season where everything speeds up in anticipation of slowing down. There is confirmation, graduation, mother's day, spring cleaning, summer hiring, staff training, spring visiting, snowbirds returning... the busy month of May.

I think I am seeking wisdom from outside myself- rather than finding it within. That's why I am staring at the computer screen right now, trying to share something of value (and hopefully spurring a meaningful sermon to honor our graduates)

As the heat turns up for summer (which, in northern vacation land means that our congregation actually increases during the summer months) may the fresh breezes of spring fill you with peace.

Friday Five: It's My Party...

It's a Friday Party over at the RevGals today-

I hate to say it, but over the years I've been to too many parties where I, or the birthday child, has felt much like the chorus of Lesley Gore's old tune. I am therefore not the biggest fan of birthday parties.

For this Friday (which happens Songbird's birthday), tell us these five things about parties, birthday or otherwise. Happy birthday Songbird!

1) Would you rather be the host or the guest?
Host- I love hosting parties- and it is something that my husband and I do really well together. We love planned parties, small parties, big parties, impromptu parties- the only thing really needed is some good sitting areas, a porch or patio, tiki torches, some games and some good beverages.

2) When you are hosting, do you clean everything up the minute the guests go home? Will you accept help with the dishes?
This has been a growing edge for me- I will accept help in cleaning, but I try to clean as much ahead of time as possible... and I'll let the dishes sit till the morning, but experience has taught me that a good soak for those pans is never wasted!

3) If you had the wherewithal, and I guess I mean more than money, to throw a great theme party, what would the theme be?
FOOD THEMES! After the great success of the paella party (see #5) Food and drink parties, while horribly expensive (so got to save those pennies!) are the way to go! Next on the list: pocket food party: share the love, and bring your favorite food you can fit into some kind of dough pocket: examples: pasties, calzones, steamed dumplings, empanadas, samosas... the possibilities are endless!

4) What's the worst time you ever had at a party?
My very first sleepover at a friend's birthday party: her parents decided to really celebrate, and got really tanked. I ended up calling my dad to come pick me up because I was really scared. It was an awful night, and I always felt like I abandoned my friend to her parents- she soon after moved away.

5) And to end on a brighter note, what was the best?
Once upon a time, some lovers of good food, good wine and good experiments got together for a paella party. With 4 kinds of paella, 2 kinds of Spanish wine, great appetizers and creamy burned cream dessert, the evening, sporting 13 guests was a huge hit! We set up a bistro in our dining room and laughed, ate and drank the whole night. We are hoping for a reprise in another cuisine...


How about you? What's the best party you've had or want to have?