ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 30, 2024
O Heavenly Word, speak to me even when you know it will challenge those things I hold dear. I am not necessarily looking to have my feathers ruffled, and I am most certainly not looking forward to finding everything with which I feel comfortable suddenly being flipped upside down. Yet for your message to be Good News to some means that others might find it provocative, even threatening to the comfortable patterns of life. I seek forgiveness now, even if I have not started complaining. I request patience, even if my crankiness is unbecoming someone who claims to be following Jesus. I believe you are gracious and kind, and your mercy is beyond anything I could imagine. This is Good News, at least on paper, but there will be days when the Good News of Jesus will feel like disconcerting news. When you provide me a second chance, or even a thirty-second chance, I reluctantly ask you to not give up. In fact, I ask you to keep on nudging and challenging me where it is necessary. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 29, 2024
In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we read: “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 

Who has given a gift to God in gratitude, though in the back of one’s mind is the hope of receiving a gift in return? Who has complained when those who are faithful seem to fare no better than those who are not? Have we forgotten that the riches of God are far deeper than what the world defines as valuable? Have we lost the joy that is found in the sheer exhilaration of offering our lives to the work of God in this world? I ask a lot of questions, though it is in the asking of questions that we often receive answers.

O Merciful God, I offer you my life in hopes that you can make of it what you desire. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 28, 2024
The late great John Shelby Spong said, “When any human group decides that they can define God, the outcome is always predictable. The ‘true faith,’ once defined, must then be defended against all critics, and it must also then be forced upon all people—for their own good, lest their souls be in jeopardy.” Christianity might do well numerically when it does not give people a choice, or if a choice is given, it is basically “Believe or die?” The Kin(g)dom of God is built with a compelling vision, but at the end of the day, there is space for an individual to make a free choice. We probably don’t have all the details of the moments when Jesus called the disciples, but I believe there was something so captivating and inspiring that a YES emerged and a journey of faithfulness followed. Of course, each new day brought those disciples and brings to us another opportunity for a YES to God’s invitation. 

In your grace, O God, you extend an invitation for me to follow in faith. I am thankful for both the invitation and the respect you have for my free will. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 27, 2024
There are some passages of scripture that scream joy and optimism. I love coming across those passages and allowing their undeniable cheerfulness to lift my spirit. Of course, not every passage makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. For instance, Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” I read those words, and I am reminded of the old sketch on Saturday Night Live with Debbie Downer. The opening song started, “You’re enjoying your day; everything’s going your way; then along comes Debbie Downer.” Debbie Downer had the amazing ability to take any positive, joyful, or happy moment and yank every hopeful ounce of life energy out of it. I think the Proverb is attempting to offer a word of caution, yet I find it to be an embodiment of how the negative outlook of one person can drag even the most euphoric individual into the proverbial pit of pessimism. Negative people may think they are right, but in fact their way ends in death. Let’s do our best to be a people who lead others, not to death but to life, hope, and joy.

Provide me a spirit of joy, O Gracious Giver, so I may be an emissary of your joy in the lives of others. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 26, 2024
Another headline caught my attention. This article was entitled, “Boy Abducted From California in 1951 At Age Six Found Alive On East Coast More Than Seventy Years Later.” Luis Armando Albino was kidnapped in 1951, taken to the East Coast, and placed with a different family. It was an online ancestry test that reconnected Luis with his true family. A niece made the connection, and though his Luis’ died in 2005, she never gave up on finding him. Luis is a retired firefighter and is a veteran of the Vietnam War—US Marines. All those years earlier, Luis’ brother, Roger, was interrogated and considered a suspect in the disappearance. Roger was able to reunite with his brother, though Roger died last month, just six weeks after being reconnected.

I read that story, and I suddenly found things in my life that I described as complicated no longer carrying quite the same weight. Luis was abducted, fed lies about his birth parents, and over time, came to love his new parents… all of it under a heavy shadow of falsehood. And then Luis’ brother, Roger, was accused of possibly being involved. Yet seventy years later, the description of a woman who Roger claimed to have seen turned out to be accurate. Yet there had to be people who wondered and maybe even questioned Roger’s potential involvement. Luis’ family members back in California never gave up hope, and for me, that is quite the testimony of perseverance. How often do we throw in the towel after a couple of tries, muttering the words, “I give up! It is pointless.” In the case of Luis’ family, they kept the hope until science could catch up with the dream of reunification. 

For the truly important happenings in life, O God of Power and Possibility, I pray for hope to continue to push forward, even when others might encourage me to let go of my wishful thinking. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 25, 2024
It is important to state upfront that I am opposed to the death penalty. As a follower of Jesus, I cannot find any way of arguing in favor of it. With that in mind, I was so troubled to read the headline: “Missouri Supreme Court Declines To Halt Tuesday’s Execution Of Death Row Inmate Who Prosecutors Say Might Be Innocent.” Even the family of the victim wants to halt the execution. This for me raises a lot of questions about our justice system and what is “reasonable doubt” when making the determination of whether a person is innocent or guilty. When asking lawyers and one judge to define “reasonable doubt,” what I received was a sort of rhetorical dance. Now please understand, I don’t have a better phrase to use in such a determination, but in regard to Marcellus Williams, who is to be executed at 6pm tonight (I am currently writing this on Tuesday), I can’t imagine what it must feel like to have the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, Wesley Bell, publicly say that he believes Marcellus is innocent and to offer a lengthy list of concerns from the original trial, yet to have those with authority turn down your application for a stay of execution. I once had a member of a previous church say to me, “Our system will probably execute some innocent people, but that’s just the way our system works. We need to be ok with that.” I’m not ok with that, even in theory. What if that is someone you love? What if that is you? And where does a follower of Jesus stand in moments like this?

God of Love and Justice, we seek to follow in the ways of Jesus, who offered a very different vision of love and justice. Continue to nudge us in a way that isn’t just pursuing retribution, but truth and healing and reconciliation. Amen. 

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 24, 2024
In yesterday’s Etching, I referenced some words from Archbishop Oscar Romero. Many of us have heroes that don’t play professional ball or star on the big screen, yet their names are not well known. With Romero, his name is well known in certain parts of the world and among certain people. Though a bookworm prior to his promotion to Archbishop, he was suddenly thrust onto center stage. He was given the position, in part because the Catholic Church believed he would not have time to pull his nose from the books and get involved. The El Salvadorian government was repressive and brutal in its tactics. In a twelve-year period, more than 75,000 people were killed at the hands of the government’s death squads. Romero spoke up with strength and truth. Some of his fellow priests were assassinated, and less than a year after Romero’s murder, three nuns and a lay church worker were abducted, raped, and murdered. It was that event that finally grabbed the world’s attention. Though sadly, the violence continued. There are many inspiring words from Romero, but the quote that resonates with me today is:

“The church, the people of God in history, is not attached to any one social system, to any political organization, to any party. The church does not identify herself with any of those forces because she is the eternal pilgrim of history and is indicating at every historical moment what reflects the kingdom of God and what does not reflect the kingdom of God.”

Whenever religions seek earthly power at the expense of the most vulnerable, we pray for your Spirit, O Lord, to call forth those who will stand for your Kin(g)dom vision of love, mercy, and justice. This is our request, offered with ears attuned to the voice of the Spirit. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 22, 2024
Prayer for the Week: Words from Oscar Romero (Archbishop of El Salvador) 
Peace is not the product of terror or fear.
Peace is not the silence of cemeteries
Peace is not the result of violent repression.
Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.
Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity.
It is right and duty.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 22, 2024
For a few weeks now, I have been talking about Spiritual Gifts, and, more specifically, how we bring more of who we are to the work of Jesus in the world. The first two weeks, we talked about the head (wisdom, knowledge, leadership, organization, etc.) and the heart (compassion, kindness, empathy, hospitality, etc.). Today, we are looking at our hands, feet, and voices. Now let’s be clear: I understand that for my hands to work, my head/brain needs to be involved. And often the work of people’s hands, feet, and voices is rooted in a heart of compassion and concern for others. No gifts exists within a silo, but there are certain skills that require specific coordination. As I mentioned in my Etching yesterday, I was at the Regional Men’s Retreat, and during a breakout session, a couple of the guys gave testimony to some of the hands-on missions the men of our Region have done, including the construction of buildings for our denominational boarder ministry, Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries in Los Fresnos. The men have raised money and then sent construction crews over the years to raise buildings that serve an incredible ministry of compassion and care. Among those men in the breakout session, there was a genuine sense of purpose in that work. Yes, they needed to bring some knowledge and compassion, but it was a lot of work done with their hands. Psalm 90:17 says,

Let the kindness of the Lord our God be over us.
    Make the work of our hands last.
    Make the work of our hands last!

We pray this day, O God, for those gifts given by you to find purpose in this world. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 21, 2024
Good morning! On this Saturday morning, I find myself at Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat Center for the 2024 Regional Men’s Retreat. I’ll be cutting out early so I can be back in Spring for worship tomorrow. Ten hours (five each way) seems like a long drive for less than 24 hours at the actual retreat, and there would be times when I’d agree. But the fellowship, the one keynote I’ve heard so far, and the setting make it all worth the drive. There is nothing extraordinarily stressful in my life right now, though like many of you, there is a general busyness that often requires me to push. The drive here (and I assume the return trip) was put to good use—a few phone calls to check on church people, and then listening to a book on Audible that I have been wanting to read but have not found the time to get it done. The setting along the lake is really quite breath-taking, and there are moments when putting myself in a new setting where I am surrounded by nature is what helps my batteries recharge, like pulling up to the Tesla Supercharger Station and getting what I need for the next part of the journey. For other people, this might not look like renewal but exhaustion. Each of us is wired differently, and for that, I am thankful. But whatever it is for you, even if it is getting up before the sun or staying up after others have gone to bed, consider lighting a candle and spending some time in prayer. Read again the well-known words from Psalm 46, “‘Be still, and know that I am God!” How often do we make reference to such an idea but don’t do our part, which is to be still, to get away, to make a break, to create some space, or simply go for a walk? There are many ways we can connect with God, to have that deep connection with God, but in the chaos of life, it often requires us to be still.

There are times when I need some assistance, Holy and Amazing God. There are times when I need that extra bit of help to pause and connect. Encourage within me a spirit of intentionality, as I know I need a few minutes with you. Amen.