I take visiting house to house quite literally. In Rye, I had a special name for it. I would go on “Shadow days” with my congregation. I would visit where they worked. After the visit, I would often incorporate my findings about life into sermons. The admonition to visit from house to house is important. There are ways to adapt the charge for today. Offering people “Shadow days” gave them the opportunity for me to join them in whatever part of life they wanted me to see.
One couple invited me to go with them to their family reunion. The reunion itself happened only once a month over the mountain. It was the first time I had been in the community I would serve three years later. We had a great meal, the family welcomed me and talked with me about their own churches. It was a great visit, even if a long day. The memories of times like that stick with people.
Sometimes people allowed me to shadow them at work. A few times I went to job sites I wouldn’t be able to have seen without tagging along with my parishioners. I remember one time going with a trucker to pave a road. When I see the dump trucks all lined up to “belly dump” their loads, it gives me great joy. I think of how much more I am connected to the actual life of people than I may have been without these experiences. Welding a bead, seeing the waste management treatment plant, these are a few of the ways I have met with people one on one in their own worlds.
Visiting from house to house has been one of my delights. Over all, there is a sense of God’s spirit, and the conversation comes naturally. It is pastoral care for the people we serve, but it is healing too for the people who visit. I have started in my new ministry setting, going with someone to visit. Somehow these visits seem better, more like the body of Christ. Sharing communion with lots of people instead of just one. Yet, there are times, when people can speak more openly during one on one visits.
Over all, visitation is important. The new rules of call before you come, or maybe the old rules we forget to use, help everyone not to waste time. The call at the beginning of the week helps people expect something good later in the week. There is benefit to everyone.
My ministry is shifting now. The church has come to a financial point where sustaining two full time pastors is too much for the budget. Together with the church, the senior pastor, and lots of prayer, I have chosen to decrease my time to ¾ time. This shift means for me that I will no longer, at this time, visit from house to house in the same way. Visitation will shift to a responsibility for the mission team. It is a challenge to know that visiting from house to house is a gift of mine, a charge of ordination, and yet, a ministry that can be shared. Maybe, people will miss my visits, but it wouldn’t be people outside the church. All in perspective.
God, as we visit from house to house, warm our hearts. Touch our lives. Give us the memories that keep us smiling. Teach us how to love one another. Let us be the body of Christ, Amen.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Happenings
Lately church critics have looked at the activities in church as something excessive. Too much going on in church means people are working too hard to create when all Christian's need is relationship. So, as I look at the activities which have fewer and fewer participants who are willing to stop doing other "outside church activities" to be involved in church I wonder. What do we need to keep happening and what really just needs to stop happening?
When we work around our houses, no one in the household says, too much activity. Stop the laundry, no more cleaning, no more fixing or meal preparations. Too much activity in daily life just means that there is little time to accomplish all that needs to be done. Some books that talk about simplifying help you by narrowing down what you keep, creating better filing systems and encouraging use of keeping information in places where you can retrieve it easily. However, no one advises, stop getting the mail and only a rare few suggest pairing down to one set of clothing.
What do we need to get rid of in the church? Meetings? Well we have cut down on meetings, but people still don't make time for classes. Worship, no, that doesn't interfere with any one's regular life time, and if it does they skip church, so we don't need to get rid of that activity. Fundraising activities? Apparently most churches these days need to have supplemental fundraising efforts due to lack of regular giving and tithing as a practice of Christian churches and Christian people.
Maybe we need to do what we usually do in different ways. Walking together to get things done. Preparing meals together, cleaning together, fundraising together, but most of all living in worship together. Activities do wear us out if we are just active without direction. However, with a purpose, 16-20 Jr. High Boys are willing to get up at 8:00am on the last days of summer to practice football. The boys, and girls, are willing to take the torture of two-a-day practices to increase their chances for playing in High School, which leads to scholarships for college, and some even make it to the minor leagues or the pros!
Activity isn't sinful. Living a life that prepares us for circumstances that may put us in places of solid Godly work in the future is exactly the types of activities we need. Bible Studies, small groups, intentional times of getting together for prayer, meals, cleaning, life. Ministry is all the little activities we do in ways that are more like Christ would do them. The patterns we create change and shape us. If we stop offering activities in the church, it will become a useless building, a place where people come when they can fit it into the rest of their activities.
God, help us to do the right things. Let us not tire of doing good. Keep our eyes open for activities that lead to life. Teach us to walk in your ways. Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name's sake. Let us learn and grow together as people who live in this world. May activity be a blessing for our churches, people who love you, and people who don't even know you yet. Amen.
When we work around our houses, no one in the household says, too much activity. Stop the laundry, no more cleaning, no more fixing or meal preparations. Too much activity in daily life just means that there is little time to accomplish all that needs to be done. Some books that talk about simplifying help you by narrowing down what you keep, creating better filing systems and encouraging use of keeping information in places where you can retrieve it easily. However, no one advises, stop getting the mail and only a rare few suggest pairing down to one set of clothing.
What do we need to get rid of in the church? Meetings? Well we have cut down on meetings, but people still don't make time for classes. Worship, no, that doesn't interfere with any one's regular life time, and if it does they skip church, so we don't need to get rid of that activity. Fundraising activities? Apparently most churches these days need to have supplemental fundraising efforts due to lack of regular giving and tithing as a practice of Christian churches and Christian people.
Maybe we need to do what we usually do in different ways. Walking together to get things done. Preparing meals together, cleaning together, fundraising together, but most of all living in worship together. Activities do wear us out if we are just active without direction. However, with a purpose, 16-20 Jr. High Boys are willing to get up at 8:00am on the last days of summer to practice football. The boys, and girls, are willing to take the torture of two-a-day practices to increase their chances for playing in High School, which leads to scholarships for college, and some even make it to the minor leagues or the pros!
Activity isn't sinful. Living a life that prepares us for circumstances that may put us in places of solid Godly work in the future is exactly the types of activities we need. Bible Studies, small groups, intentional times of getting together for prayer, meals, cleaning, life. Ministry is all the little activities we do in ways that are more like Christ would do them. The patterns we create change and shape us. If we stop offering activities in the church, it will become a useless building, a place where people come when they can fit it into the rest of their activities.
God, help us to do the right things. Let us not tire of doing good. Keep our eyes open for activities that lead to life. Teach us to walk in your ways. Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name's sake. Let us learn and grow together as people who live in this world. May activity be a blessing for our churches, people who love you, and people who don't even know you yet. Amen.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Focus?
One of the things I have always thought might accompany discipleship was a state of focus. Clarity, calm, sense of purpsose, what ever you like to name the deep peace that somehow finds its way into the corners of life. In my office is a poster from a great friend of mine, it lists the qualities of an intentional life in Christ. I don't look at it very often, but I sit quite close to it everyday. I know that there are important characteristics listed there. Qualities of life like: "Think clearly in order to live in truth." and "Seek God's direction in order to be wise."
When I went home for lunch today my table was piles of diseray with chocolate mixed in. How out of order I usually am, and God has called me to a profession of order. The ideal of focus and clarity that I thought would come from being a disciple has not emerged from my life with Christ, so far. Perhaps it is about discipline or more about practice. Either way, here are the two truths on my poster that stand out most, today.
Solve problems in order to de-cluter my life.
Focus on a dream that will capture my heart.
My hope is that these and other practical steps like them will help me get to the bottom of the piles. Find again the source of order in my life. Trusting, all the while, the One who draws me into faith.
God of truth, lead me along strait paths. You are awesome and wise. I seek you. I long for your council and joy. I delight in your ways. Let clarity lead me to order and faith keep me. My eyes have grown weary of the clutter and I am ready to solve the problems I see. Capture my heart again, Oh Lord. Amen.
When I went home for lunch today my table was piles of diseray with chocolate mixed in. How out of order I usually am, and God has called me to a profession of order. The ideal of focus and clarity that I thought would come from being a disciple has not emerged from my life with Christ, so far. Perhaps it is about discipline or more about practice. Either way, here are the two truths on my poster that stand out most, today.
Solve problems in order to de-cluter my life.
Focus on a dream that will capture my heart.
My hope is that these and other practical steps like them will help me get to the bottom of the piles. Find again the source of order in my life. Trusting, all the while, the One who draws me into faith.
God of truth, lead me along strait paths. You are awesome and wise. I seek you. I long for your council and joy. I delight in your ways. Let clarity lead me to order and faith keep me. My eyes have grown weary of the clutter and I am ready to solve the problems I see. Capture my heart again, Oh Lord. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)