11-12-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 12, 2024
Someone asked me about Veteran’s Day, and the person was correct that I did not make mention of it in worship. In this case, last Sunday came at the end of a 100+ hour work week, and it, along with a few other things, slipped off the radar. It was also the final Sunday to encourage commitments toward our 2025 Campaign and a Sunday where there were some palpable emotions brought about by the election. This is not an excuse, but there are times when a Sunday becomes overloaded, and trying to include all the announcements, offer an important thank you, trying to inspire some giving toward the next year’s budget, and actually preaching the Gospel can leave me feeling as if I did not give adequate time to the Gospel. A few years back, I had a conversation with a retired U.S. Navy Chaplain. He talked about the unique role a chaplain has within the military, as chaplains do not always represent their specific denomination or even their religion. He shared how so much of chaplaincy is not simply asking, “What do I believe God is saying in this moment, but how does God need to be heard by this unique individual standing before me in this moment?” When I am preparing to preach, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how the message will be heard by the audience, but as a pastor assigned to a specific church, I do not spend much time thinking of how a Jewish or Buddhist person is going to hear my message. There are days when I think my job is complicated and challenging, but a good military chaplain who is respectful of his/her position has different layers of responsibility and complications I will never fully comprehend. So today, I not only honor those who served (and are serving), but the chaplains who worked tirelessly to bring good news to them.

For all the good people trying to do a good thing, we are thankful. Holy God, continue to encourage all of us in our pursuit of what is good. Amen.