Church in the Inventive Age

For my Issues in Ministry class I have been reading a book entitled Church in the Inventive Age by Doug Pagitt.  Pagitt is the founder of Solomon's Porch which is a missional Christian community in Minneapolis, MN.  Most people would classify his community as an "emerging church" community, though I am not entirely sure they would classify themselves as such.  Regardless of classification, Pagitt's form of ministry has been widely successful at bringing young adults into relationship with God.  The practices of the community would not look like mainstream Christianity.  The appearance would be radically different.  One would struggle to find connections to any mainstream denomination, but the connections are there and the radically welcoming spirit that they exude is intoxicating.  They, and so many other emerging communities that are popping up across the country, are offering young adults the stimulating environment that helps to foster community.  Though his approach to ministry, mission, and evangelism, is not like "our approach" the desired results are the same, empowering people to explore their relationship with God while living out their faith in their daily lives.

That being said, Pagitt has written several books about his experiences with alternative expressions of our shared Christian faith, which is why we are reading him in class.  In his book he raises an interesting point about being church in the inventive age.  He argues that the church has borne witness to several ages from the agrarian age to the industrial age to the information age and now we live in the inventive age.  He contends that we, the church, must adapt to the age in which we live or we risk falling by the wayside.  I would bet that there a lot of people who think the same way.  "The church must change or we will become irrelevant," or "we are dying because we are too stuck in the past."  I however see it a little bit differently.  I agree that we must adapt our message so that we can connect with people across multiple platforms.  And when I say adapt our message I really mean the ways in which we communicate that message.  If preaching the word of God on Sunday mornings from a pulpit in a nearly empty church isn't working then perhaps the word of God needs to travel to meet the people where they are, since they are not in the pews.  If missional work is done by the clergy alone, then perhaps it is time to give up our personal authority so that we can empower the laity to lead.  I do agree that we need to adapt our delivery system but what will happen if we take on too much of our culture?  Will we not just blend in and fade into the background?  It seems to me that the church has been and must continue to be counter-cultural.  We must be willing to engage in the conversation that are need for our day, but I fear that take on the mantle of our current culture and carry it too far our Christian identity might be lost in the milieu.  I am supportive and even excited to continue to explore new expressions of our identity and faith, but we must not be too willing to differentiate ourselves from our history and tradition.  Pagitt is on to something, it is up to us individually to figure out how it might apply to our own faith communities.

Humility

One of my classes this semester is Eastern Christian Spirituality and we are examining primary sources, translated into English thankfully, and delving into the depths of what constitutes Eastern Christian spirituality.  The Eastern Church, or Orthodox Church as it is more commonly known, is full of division much in the same way that the Anglican Church is divided among national lines but for the Eastern Church it is divided more along ethnic lines.  So the Greek Church, its liturgical customs, spiritual practices and theological understandings are not isolated to Greece alone but to those who self-identify as Greek.  Another example, not all Slavs are members of the Russian Church, but there are many smaller churches that correspond to ethnic identity, so there is a Serbian Church, a Bosnian Church, an Armenian Church, a Georgian Church.  Each church is independent and no other church/patriarch can tell another church what to do.  But just like the Anglican national churches they all share a common history and overarching traditions and practices.  I digress, so we started with the desert Mothers and Fathers that looked for unity with God in the desert wilderness.

The women and men who set out for the wilderness were looking for something that they could not find in the urban centers of the time.  They perceived the corruption that occurred in the cities and fled to the harsh wilderness of the desert to find the quiet thin places where someone can focus on their relationship with God and avoid the myriad of distractions that comes with urban living.  Through their actions they attracted others and soon small communities dedicated to ascetic living popped up and the heads of these communities of men and women were looked to for knowledge and spiritual growth.  What we have today, and what is very prominent in the Eastern traditions, is the sayings of these fathers and mothers.  Instead of passing down long narratives, it was simple sayings that were handed down from generation to generation.  At the heart of most of these sayings is the idea of humility.  They call for humility when dealing with the outside world.  They call for humility when dealing with each other within the community.  And they call for humanity in their relationship with God.

Humbleness, lowering ones own importance, is a trait that is often found lacking in our culture.  I was raised in a culture where individuality was emphasized and asserting ones dominant skills over others.  We are not humility, but instead encouraged to be better than others and to let them know.  Fortunately I was also raised in a faith community where those lessons were learned, or at least the seeds were planted to take root later.  As I pour over the sayings of the desert mothers and fathers they have a wisdom that is still relevant today and I wonder what it would be like if we were all a little more humble?  What would it be like if we lowered our own self-importance so that we could see the world from a different perspective?  If this is practiced in a church community would we be more welcoming if we deflate our own self-importance, as individuals and as a community of faith?  I don't have any answers but its got me thinking.

Such a lonely day...

For the past three days Berkeley has been under a river of moisture coming off of the Pacific.  This means that it has been raining, cold, windy, and just overall damp.  The area desperately needs it, not only because we are in the midst of a serious drought but because it means fewer wildfires in the summer months.  While this is good I think that the darkness has been wearing on me.  I have been functional in the sense that I am sleeping well, going to classes, getting all my reading done, and being generally productive.  However, I cannot seem to shake this gloomy feeling.  Really it has just been today.  I have had this longing desire to leave this place, to be back among family and friends that I have been away from now for almost three years.  I feel that my time here is definitely coming to a close and right now, in this moment, it cannot come quickly enough.

As I reflect on these feelings and what is causing me to feel this way I am becoming aware of the huge changes that are looming on the horizon.  First and foremost is the wedding.  On May 24th I will no longer have to say goodbye to Lauren.  On May 24th we will no longer have most of our conversation via the phone or FaceTime.  On May 24th I will be united with my best friend in the midst of family and dear friends and with God's blessing over our union.  Clearly I miss Lauren, my family, and my friends.  But there is another dimension to this.

I am also becoming more aware of my desire to be out of this academic setting and to finally engage in ordained ministry.  this has been a calling that I have felt since I was a teenager, a calling that seemed all but lost just a few years ago, and now I am on the cusp of the realization of this call being made manifest.  I am tired of being forced to read hundreds upon hundreds of pages in books, that while have relevance to ordained ministry, will ultimately not matter significantly in my ministry.  I am tired of sitting in a classroom speaking about ministry in abstract ways, always looking to the future of how these ideas will become applicable.  I feel this burning desire to go out and do something, to take what I have learned or at least what I can remember, and put it to good use.  I feel like a substitute sitting patiently on the bench waiting for the coach to say, "Schoeck get in there and show me what you got."  Each time I return home I am reminded of the work that is happening in the diocese and in the local churches and frankly I want to be involved.  I have to push that excitement and energy down because it is not my time yet.

So I leave you with this song.  The lyrics are pretty intense and I would say that I am not feeling this way but it is the song in my head right now as the light from the sun, filtered through the mists and clouds, fades and darkness once again remains.

What am I going to do with this blog????

A little over two years ago I started this blog because I thought that people might be interested in following me as I embarked on the next chapters of my life.  Two years ago I left everything that I knew to be certain behind, left my family and friends, packed up my stuff, and headed west.  I came to California to begin my seminary education which would be one of the final steps towards ordination.  I wrote about my road trip with Jeff and his girlfriend at the time.  I wrote about the places we drove through and my reflections on what I saw and experienced.  When I got to seminary I posted fairly regularly about my classes and experiences.  But then it slowly tapered off.  Posts became fewer and farther between.  Then I went silent, much to the dismay of some close family and friends.

Almost a year ago I tried to take on a Lenten discipline of posting.  Sadly that did not last long.  I am not sure why I stopped, but nevertheless I stuck with it for a while but again I fell silent.

I am now about to begin my final semester.  The Rob that arrived at CDSP over two years ago is not the Rob I see now when I look in the mirror.  I met the love of my life and we are to wed the day after graduation.  I have completed almost all of my courses needed to graduate.  I have been approved to apply for ordination to the transitional deaconate and have an ordination date, of course God willing and the people consenting.  I will be moving back across the country with my beautiful bride to begin yet again another chapter in my life: married life, family, hopefully a job, and ordained ministry.  This is going to be an amazing four months leading up to graduation, the wedding, and the move east to Boston.  That said what will this blog be now, moving forward?  After some reflection here are my thoughts.

I will attempt to document it as best I can.  I am not making any guarantees on frequency or volume.  I will post reflections on events in my personal life and those that I experience while engaging in ministry.  I will also post my manuscripts and audio files of sermons for those interested.  Hopefully this will be the place where others will find my simple reflections to be interesting.  Here's to 2014 and all that it will bring.

Prayer

Is any of you sad? Let him pray. Is he cheerful in mind? Let him sing. - James 5:13

This is my prayer.

Gracious and loving God, in whom all things are possible and whose love knows no bounds, I give thanks for this day.  I give thanks for the opportunity to be apart of your amazing creation through which each day I am witness to your loving presence.  I give thanks to be able to be in a place where with each passing day I am growing closer to you through studying your word which is in turn deepening of my love for you through Christ.  I give thanks for my family who always been by my side, loved me, cared for me, and helped mold me into the person I am today.  I give thanks for my friends who also have supported me in my journey.  I give thanks for Lauren and the love and joy that has entered my life as we continue to grow closer together.  I ask that you continue to fill me with strength and love as I continue my studies so far from my family.  Be with my mother as she continues to be the rock of our family.  Be with my brothers as they continue to walk their paths and that they may come to know your love.  Be with my friends as they too experience the ups and downs of life and fill them with strength to always be moving forward.  Be with Lauren.  Give her strength and fill her with the Spirit.  Remind her that she is loved by you and by so many others.  I also ask that you be those who suffer, are alone, or are going hungry this day and night.  With them with your love so that they may know that they are equal members of the body of Christ.  All this I ask through your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Patience

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, - Ephesians 4:1-2

The word I offer up to you today is patience.  It came to mind as I was listening to a song.  The singer offered up a message of patience as it pertained to one of his failed relationships.  The lyrics coupled with the slow melodic music felt kind of like hitting the brakes.  It is as if the singer wanted us to slow down a minute, examine the situation, and move forward in a way to wait and see what happens.  While it looks like the end of his relationship, there is a glimmer of hope that remains.  I think that this is a message that we can all take with us.  This season of Lent provides us with a time where through self-reflection we can slow down, examine parts of our lives and adjust accordingly.  It is a time of patience.  Our time in God's creation is not a sprint but a journey.  If we do not slow down we may miss something or even worse, look back on our lives and become aware of all the time that has flown by and with it our unrealized hopes and dreams.

In Paul's letter to the Ephesians he is encouraging the church to live out its faith.  To be humble and gentle.  To show mercy and forgiveness through love.  And of course to be patience.  We live in a culture that is always on the move.  Our lives are planned out and structured from childhood all the way through adolescence and straight into adulthood.  We live in an age of instant gratification.  If we desire something all we have to do is long on to Amazon and with my student prime membership I can have just about anything I want at my door in two days.  That is why we become impatient when we do not get what we want or something doesn't go our way.  I find myself losing patience with people in some of the most mundane situations.  It is only when I catch myself doing it that I take a step back and look at the situation again and ask myself why I was being impatient.  As we walk our journeys we must keep in mind the words of Paul and walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called.  To walk with humility and gentleness.  To forgive others through love.  To walk with patience.      

Home

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." - John 14:23

There are many definitions of home, if we look beyond the dictionary and see what this word really means.  Its meaning differs from person to person.  For some people it carries a positive connotation, while for others home was unpleasant or even hurtful.  Home is often associated with family.  Home is where the heart is.  My personal favorite is from a song entitled "Home."  The refrain repeats the line, "...home is wherever I'm with you."

One of the most difficult subjects for people to speak openly and honestly is their home life.  For most of us we have been brought up with the idea that we have separate spheres of our lives which should not overlap.  For example our work lives and our home lives.  While my coworkers were generally interested in what was going on in my life outside of work, I would venture to say that they are not genuinely interested.  There are of course many examples of when bringing home the struggles and frustrations of work can be detrimental to the family dynamic.  I that by asking genuine questions about some one's home life we are asking people to be vulnerable and let us into a part of their life who only a few may have full access.  I know that for myself I will offer more detailed answers to questions depending upon how comfortable I am with that person.  Home is personal, intimate, and something that can totally different from what we would expect from the front that people put up to protect themselves and their families.

Home can also be something warm, inviting, and a haven from the madness of our world.  It is a place where the cares of the day can be set aside and we can immerse ourselves in our families.  While I am not yet married and nor do I have children, my view is perhaps a little idealistic, but really home is what we make it to be.  While I was working I was intentional to keep my different spheres separate.  When I left work, I left those feelings and concerns behind to return to the next morning.  When I left home, I set aside those feelings and concerns so that I could devote my attention to my work.  It took time but it has allowed me to strengthen those spheres without creating more drama by them overlapping.

Then of course home can be a physical place, a house or an apartment.  It is the structure and what is contained therein that is most important to us.  It is where children are raised, families nurtured, and it is not without its own drama.  For me home is where ever I am with the people I love and those who love and support me.  I have a home in Waltham, the place I grew up, where my mother and younger brother and my close friends live.  I have a home in Phoenix because that is where my fiance lives.  I have a home in Berkeley where my friends and classmates are who support me when I am far from my other homes.  Home can be a special place and I think that is what Jesus is talking about in the verse above.  By following the teachings of Christ and having a love of God then God will dwell in us and make a home with us.  These are comforting words where the love of God will dwell in us.  If we are able to take this love and share it with other, then we too will be making a difference in this world where love for yourself, for others and above all God and his Son Jesus will conquer all.