UCCNY Crossroads

"If the Stones Cried Out.."

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:08:00 +0000

"Not only did God redeem our [ancestors] from Egypt! We, too, were redeemed. We. too, were with them in spirit. Each of us living today is a beneficiary of the struggle of ages gone by." (Concise Family Seder, Rabbi Alfred J. Kolach, p.12)

At UCC Bayberry yesterday Bob Welcher introduced his Children's Message by handing out some stones. He invited the children to hold the stones to their ears and listen. "What do you hear?" he asked. "Nothing," was the reply.

I must admit that, although I am increasingly becoming hard of hearing, the stones were speaking to me.

They ground against each other under the city of Port Au Prince. I felt them burning and spewing forth from the volcano melting the glacier in Iceland. I felt them pelting through the air, bouncing off the soldiers' shields in East Jerusalem and Tehran. I heard them crunching under the feet of those seeking illusive sources of water in dry lands, of those trudging across our own borders to seek a better life, and of those running away from militias that seek ethnic cleansing in the Congo and spiritual cleansing in Afghanistan.

I sensed the hardness of my heart, too. I thought of how, unlike God, I have had occasion to give a stone instead of the "bread" of a little mercy, grace and love to those in need .

In recounting such events spiritual directors are wont to ask those that seek to grow in every way into the Divine purpose for us, "How did you experience God at that moment?"

Indeed! The old stories live in us today as we think of how God is present for us and with us: speaking a word of justice and peace, of stewardship of the earth and help to the poor, the hungry, the dispossessed, of hope to the desperate and joy to the disconsolate.

In looking over the city of Jerusalem Jesus responded to the disciple that gazed in awe at the Temple, "Yes, it's beautiful now, but soon there will not be left one stone upon another." And then, he offered this lament for God, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, murderer of prophets and other voices that I have sent to you. How often would I have gathered you up like a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not."

If the stones were to cry out, I would suspect that they would cry for the seekers of freedom in our midst that we dismiss as being illegal. I think the stones would cry out for justice for those whose lands are usurped by the powerful and unscrupulous. I know that they would cry out for the poor, for the women and children, for the refugees, for the countless millions in need of a little of what we abundantly hoard.

The stones lead me to pray during this week, "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for you are my refuge, O God." (Ps. 61:2) Lead me to the Rock where there is protection for all of God's beloved, all of God's creation lovingly brought forth by God's good pleasure and sustained by God's providence. Lead me to the Rock where salvation lives to bring true freedom, peace, justice and joy to the world. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.

Holy Week Blessings,
Rick Cowles

"...with..."

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:52:00 +0000

After dropping off P.V. George on my way home from the Advent Gathering of the "Water for All" mission project of the Oneida Association I suddenly found myself transported to another place and time. The houses in the lovely DeWitt neighborhood through which I was driving were all blazing with lights and yard decorations.

One house caught my eye, however. There was a home made, painted plywood sleigh and cut-out versions of Santa Claus and the reindeer on the front lawn. It was much like the Santa, sleigh and reindeer that my father made and displayed on our front yard in the mid-fifties. I remember "helping" him with the display, placing everything in just the right way, struggling with the lights and fighting off the cold. As the number of Christmases pile up for me I find that neither the memories nor the anticipation of the Day fade.

Christmas is very different these days. Families grow. Our son, Peter, will be with his fiance, Mary, and her family this year. Traditions change. And, we try to adjust. Susan and I decided that we would decorate the bushes and trees out front with colored lights this year. We were informed by Sarah, our daughter, that she was brought up with the notion that colored lights were for inside, white lights were for the outside! Indeed, as a local church pastor I soon learned that it was much easier starting a tradition than changing it!

Christmas has always been very important for me. I learned to "do" Christmas, especially Christmas Eve in my home church in Springfield. Our pastor had been a Moravian minister, and when we came to us he brought with him the beautiful traditions of decorations and worship that he had learned in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (white lights in window boxes, the Moravian Star hanging from the chancel in the church and beeswax candles for the candlelight service on Christmas Eve). Through his influence I went to Moravian College, sang in the choir and received my call to ministry while singing an anthem during one of the Christmas Vespers services.

And so, when I became a pastor in my own church I wanted to recreate and share my experiences of the beauty and grace of God for my parishioners, especially on Christmas Eve. I spent much time creating the service down to the last, written detail of lighting, the choreography of ushers, deacons, choirs, etc. I was so worried that everything went "just so" that I became quite emotionally tied in knots. In other words Sarah didn't fall very far from the tree!

But God continually does a new thing and even I can come to the point of putting colored lights on the bushes outside! This year pastors Joe Blotz and Craig Schaub of Plymouth Church, Syracuse have given me a great gift. They've asked me to offer the Eucharistic prayer during the Family Service this afternoon.

Holy Communion is a central part of the worship of all Christians. One of the declarations at the end of the formal prayers of the Communion liturgy (the Eucharist) states that by partaking of the bread and the cup of the Lord's Supper we proclaim his death until he comes again. I would add that we proclaim the Lord's abundant life as embodied by his first coming also.

Christmas is a celebration of the embodiment of God, the God-Becoming-Flesh, God's grace, love and peace measured in the gurgles, cries, swaddling clothes of the babe in the young mother's warm embrace. Communion is the celebration of relationships turned sacred in the breaking of bread. Holy Day and Holy Meal speak of the "with-ness" of our faith.

What a wonderful word is "with". "You" and "I" become "us". Isolated, lonely, disenfranchised, no more. Welcomed, included, embraced, respected from now on. At Christmas we celebrate that God is with us. In Communion we give thanks that through the fellowship of the Upper Room we are with God.

And so, I wish you a Happy Christmas. I rejoice in the fellowship that we share together through the mission and ministry to which God in Christ calls us. May your worship tonight be filled with peace and joy as if you were hearing the story for the first time.

One last word: you may have heard that Emmanuel UCC, Massena has returned to the church building that was devastated by fire a couple of years ago. Here is a video of the re-dedication service held the first Sunday of Advent. I can't help but think that from now on whenever the congregation worships in that space that the Angel song will burst forth from the very bricks and mortar, feeding and filling worshipers with the glory of God and peace to all whom God favors.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"A 'Good and Plenty' Harvest"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

So, the frost is on the pumpkin, there's a nip in the air, the leaves are colorful, the grass is no longer growing, sweaters and winter jackets are coming out of storage, and we are beginning to sing those wonderful "harvest" hymns in worship. But what I'm really anticipating is my favorite of all meals – Thanksgiving Dinner. Just thinking about it fills my heart with joy and allows at least 5 additional pounds to hang over my belt!

So much happens this time of the year. Why, I don't know. It's not like life is really "easy" in the summer so that we feel the need to make up for it with busyness in the fall. But, all of a sudden the piles of church newsletters I receive get thicker. They all speak of this program or that dinner. (Put all of these dinners in a row and I could eat out every weekend!) I know that my schedule is suddenly much with preaching engagements, attending church functions, consulting on church mergers, staffing church search committees, and mediating church conflicts. But, I love it! I really do.

Not only do I love it, but I want to share some additional programs and events with you.

First, here's a video that I produced of slides and clips from the recent ecumenical retreat of German pastors from the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau and New York Conference pastors at Silver Bay last week.

It was a very enjoyable and inspiring retreat. Mark Burrows, professor of Church History at Andover Newton Theological School, facilitated a marvelous discussion of the use of imagination and creativity in the pastoral role as teacher. He utilized the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, Mary Oliver, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and others to engage us in this approach to the teaching task. Our German partners also provided thoughtful and provocative lectures on the pastor as teacher. It was also great to come to know new friends. The worship was grand and the singing wonderful! On her return home, Jan Jorgensen, our pastor in Willsboro, Essex Association, wrote a poem. I've included it as a post script to this blog.

The Oneida Association Mission Engagement Team has a new project underway. With the churches of the Association they have the goal of raising at least $3,100 to help Church World Service provide a well for a village in Kenya. To help raise awareness about the issue of our very limited potable world water supply, the Mission Engagement team has provided a series of resources provided by the National Council of Churches, Church World Service and Common Global Ministries. Here's the link to the web page article on the Oneida website: Water for All.

Last April Ann Hanson, national UCC staff person with Justice and Witness Ministries, gave a workshop at the Susquehanna Association Spring Meeting on the "Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith" Curriculum. There was so much interest in this program, especially for use with the youth of our congregations, that Sprite Johnson, the Susquehanna Partner in Education, and others began planning for a Train the Trainers event. This will be held at First Congregational UCC, Binghamton on November 13-15. Here's the link to the web page article about this event. Our Whole Lives Training.

So, have a happy harvest, a fabulous fall, an awe-inspiring autumn. Have a good and plenty time. Actually, I never much liked Good and Plenty candies. Licorice is not a favorite. Give me a Milky Way, a Snickers, or a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup any time!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"In your eyes:
for my sisters and brothers in Christ"

We hadn't known our hearts were your tomb, O Christ,
we hadn't realized how beautifully they could burst open
we hadn't expected this belonging to you
to become this longing to be with one another.

We hadn't really comprehended
until our eyes responded to your poetry, your fiat
(now we embody both separation and its greater child …)

Now
in our eyes
the world is cleansed: see how the prism promise glistens!

Our eyes mirror the Jordan
as the Voice calls: “My beloved, my chosen …”

Beloved,
in your eyes
I glimpse a hologram of the new creation.

Jan Jorgensen

Easing Through Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:08:00 +0000

And So It Goes
We ate our lunch together and went out to the cars. We said our, "Good byes," hugs all around. Then we stood watching as Michael walked across to the bus station, to New York and then to Philadelphia. There were no tears, or speeches. We had said it all (or at least we had said enough). As we watched, Carol and I echoed to each other, "And so it goes." After one last look, we packed into the care and rode home to Syracuse.

It was a great leave-taking in my mind. We had just finished our last Staff Retreat at a lodge outside of New Paltz. We joked and laughed with each other. We had long discussions about our work in the Conference. David, Michael and Geoffrey each spoke of their upcoming plans. We had some wonderful meals together. And, then...it was over. The staff that had been together for 8 1/2 years was no more. It wasn't with a whimper that it ended, or by "raging against that dying of the light." We knew that as very different people, we had learned to work together exceptionally well. We rejoiced in this knowledge and then we simply moved on. A great leave-taking, indeed!

Moving On

Four persons left early this morning on a NY/Help trip to Honduras. Eileen Brittain, Gordon Comstock, Nancy Savoy and Hanna Zetterstrand-Robinson embarked for a 12 day trip to work in the medical mission of the New Hope Clinic in the village of La Laguna, atop Mount Mataderos in the north central highlands of Honduras. Read more about the trip in the NY/Help blog. Please pray for these four as well as the people of La Laguna with whom they will be visiting.

Fall Clergy Retreat

October 12 - October 14, 2009
Silver Bay of the Adirondacks
Silver Bay NY

Theme: "The Pastor as Teacher"

Leader: The Rev. Mark S. Burrows, Professor of the History of Christianity, ANTS, Chair of the "Working Group" for UCC's full communion partnership with the UEK in Germany and is writing a book on the pastor as teacher.

Worship Leaders: Marjorie Purnine, Martha Koenig Stone, and Ruby Wilson.

Register online

Other Events to Mark

Boundaries Awareness Train the Trainers Event
August 27-28 (noon to noon)
Stella Maris, Skaneateles

The Oneida Association Mission Engagement Team invites our churches and all those with a heart for mission to engage in an extended Mission Study on the theme: Water for All. Our goal is to raise $3,100 to install a well in a yet to be determined location. Beginning with a gathering at UCC Bayberry on Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 we will study the issue of how the abundance and absence of water affects people around the world. We will provide resources for churches to study over the church program year with gatherings of all participants during Advent and Lent culminating in the final gathering during the season of Easter when we plan to dedicate the donations for the well and celebrate our mutual learnings.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

A Mid-Summer's Meanderings

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:31:00 +0000

I've been looking forward to this for several months now. The calendar is not so packed. The busyness of Associations, the Conference and General Synod are past. By and large committees in all of these settings are taking a break. Authorized ministers are taking vacations or going on study leave. Life is good.

On the other hand there continues to be some activity. Here is a random compendium of news, business, upcoming events and other items of interest.

Something we can do to support those who care about the democratic process in Iran!

Stan Bennett licensed as a community minister of Malden Road UCC to serve at Hutchings Psychiatric Center, has notified me of a group of Iranian emigrés living in Syracuse that have come together around their concerns for the direction of their country. They also have an interest helping the rest of us come to know this new community better.

Here is the pitch: Churches or groups from your church offer to host a tea party to which you invite members of the congregation and members of the Iranian Community. Enjoy refreshments, good talk and fellowship.

Read more by following this link: Tea for Democracy.

Search Process Underway to call the Interim Conference Minister

The Executive Committee of the UCCNY Executive Council is conducting the search for the Interim Conference Minister to head the staff and the Conference into the transition between the ministry of Geoffrey Black and the next person that God is calling to be our Conference Minister. The job description has been published and the Executive Committee is looking forward to receiving the application of qualified candidates.

Here is the link for the Job Description: UCCNY Interim Conference Minister Job Description

Global Ministries will be the focus of the 2010 UCCNY Annual Meeting!

Programming, worship, and workshops will focus on the theme of Global Ministries. We anticipate the participation of the staff from UCC Wider Church Ministries in both the planning and in leadership at Silver Bay. The UCCNY Commission on the Global Church will be working with the Annual Meeting Planning Committee in coordinating plans for the event. We have scheduled a planning retreat at Silver Bay for October 23-24.

Other Miscellaneous Items

Don't forget to check out the Seminar for Church Musicians, sponsored by The First Congregational Church, UCC Norwich for the weekend of July 31 - August 2. Composer Alan Pote will be the keynote speaker and workshop leader. Here's the link for the Norwich Church website. Water from the Well

I subscribe to the email news feed of the World Council of Churches. In today's posting news came of a speech with WCC General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, made to the gathering of the All Africa Council of Churches in Kinshasha, Republic of Congo.

Dr. Kobia spoke about the need for the churches to speak out against the unspeakable violence that continues to target women in the Congo and across Africa. "The churches still seem to relegate violence to the private sphere, and still understand violence as only physical," he said. "The first and most obvious [effort] is to acknowledge that the violence actually exists..."This means taking it out of the private arena and placing it squarely at the altars of our churches, in the seats of our parliament and in the halls of our academies," said Kobia.

The WCC email reported, "Kobia's speech coincided with an ecumenical delegation visit sponsored by the WCC. The visit is part of the Living Letters series of visits where delegations visit churches in countries in conflict to listen, learn and show solidarity."

"We have seen and heard stories of women and children who not only disproportionately bear the hardships and burden of poverty but sometimes with their bodies and life pay for the egos of violent men," said Kobia.

"While these stories ring loud and clear in our ears and their pain bleeds in our heart, we still find the myopia or perhaps complete blindness of the churches and communities to recognize and acknowledge this violence," he said.

"Kobia said women were asking how many stories of pain they needed to tell before the church began to listen," reported the email.

The situation is caused by the ongoing rebellion in the Congo. Please pray for God's people there, for the end of the fighting. For more information about the World Council of Churches follow this link. media@wcc-coe.org.

Happy Summer!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

General Synod 27 plus 6

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Well, General Synod 27 is over. It was a good Synod...very exciting for New Yorkers. Our Conference Minister, Geoffrey Black, was elected as the seventh President of the United Church of Christ (the office is now known as General Minister and President).

The plenary sessions and many other events and services of worship were "streamed" live over the internet. Many of these events are available for viewing on the UCC website. I am including many of the links to these on this blog. You may also be interested in seeing a video presentation of the photos and video clips that I took while at Synod.

Here are the links to some of the events at General Synod 27.

General Synod Video Gallery

Geoffrey Black, Linda Jaramillo and Steven Sterner elections

Hitting the Streets for Service

John Thomas' Sermon to General Synod 27

Other Synod News, Resolutions, Speeches and Sermons

Attending General Synod is a great experience. I highly recommend it for the glimpse that it gives into the workings of the wider UCC, but more as a means to connect with people in our churches across the denomination. In the exhibition hall just about every staff person from the national church is available to listen and to share the work that our OCWM contributions afford.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Off to Grand Rapids...Almost!

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:50:00 +0000

So, it's almost time to head off to Grand Rapids for General Synod 27. Of course, many people are already on their way. The UCCNY Bike Challenge cyclists (Michael Caine and many others) started last week. Hopefully, they've at least crossed over the Ohio border into Michigan by now. I also hope that the beautiful weather that we are experiencing in Central New York today has replaced the torrential rains of last week for them.

Geoffrey Black left for Synod today. Others are going to various Pre-Synod events. Marian Shearer is attending the GLBT Coalition event. David Felton flew out today. Most of our delegates along with Carol Giordano are flying out tomorrow. I'm driving. I'm taking out the audio/visual equipment with me. Better than renting it from our hotel.

This Synod will be a special event. We'll have the chance to vote for Geoffrey as the next General Minister and President of the UCC! Wow!

We'll celebrate those from out midst who will be lifted up as Honored Lay Women. Mona Arnold from East Side Congregational, Binghamton (Susquehanna), Dorothy Gist from St. Albans, Queens (Metro), and Jean Golden from Mountain Rise, Fairport (GVA) will be honored at one of the luncheons.

Please pray for Geoffrey, Mona, Dorothy and Jean. Also please pray for the UCCNY Delegates from the Upstate Region Association: Patty Farr and John Werley (Black River/St. Lawrence); Anne Hurd (Essex); Wayne Fuhrman, Margot Phillips and Al Twyman (HMA); Ashley Clarke, Sue Gibson and Jim Turturro (Oneida); and David Heckman, Ann Withers and Peter Wright (Susquehanna).

On another tack here are some tidbits from various events in which I have been involved since the UCCNY Annual Meeting at Silver Bay.

First, here is a slideshow of the Annual Meeting that I've also posted on Facebook and Flowing Streams. In case you haven't seen the photos here they are:

Last Saturday folks from our churches in Ithaca, Liverpool, Phoenix, Syacuse, and Mattydale represented the New York Conference at the 2009 Pride Parade in Syracuse. The rain didn't dampen the spirits of the participants. Here are some photos from the event. (Thanks to J.K. Boodley for his photos.)

Finally, after the Annual Meeting our guests from the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau visited churches in GVA, Oneida and Susquehanna for a couple of days. They all gathered at the Conference Office for lunch on June 10. Then Clare Price, David Heckman and I drove them to JFK for their flight home. Everyone reported wonderful visits and exchanges in the churches. Before they left they gathered for photos on the front steps of the Conference Office. And, they sang to us. Here are the photos of our luncheon along with the closing song.

Safe Travels and Blessings,

Rick Cowles

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:02:00 +0000

I’m discovering that I cry a lot these days. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, I don’t know. But, when I listen to certain stirring music, or watch a movie where the reconciliation of families or individuals or communities happens, or even when I’m sad, the tears flow.

On Sunday morning during the closing worship of the Conference Annual Meeting, my task was to introduce the Offering, which, as it happens immediately followed the Covenant of Release for Geoffrey, David and Michael from their work as Conference staff. I heard sniffles all around me, but tried to remain strong. I had to go “on” after all.

And so, I tried to think of different things, other than saying good bye to good friends and colleagues. My mind wandered back to the Annual Meeting in 2000, when Allen Fluent and I watched Geoffrey’s election as Conference Minister from the side of the room. Allen and I, both pastors, had also served on the Conference Executive Council. Allen had just accepted a conference ministry staff position in the Penn Central Conference. Within a year I would join our Conference Ministry Team as a fellow staff member.

Both Allen and I marveled (I with tears) at how far we had come as a conference. The struggles, conflict, hand-wrenching decisions and hoped-for visions for our life together in the New York Conference seemed to culminate in that one vote, in the standing ovation for our new Conference Minister.

Sitting in the auditorium at Silver Bay, waiting to introduce the offering, I had similar feelings: How far we have come as a Conference since 2000! Geoffrey has built a staff that respects and likes each other. Together, as a Conference, we have worked to strengthen our witness for the transformation and mission of our churches and pastoral leaders with Casting Your Nets, with Ecumenical and Global Church partnerships, mission trips, clergy retreats, and more. We purchased and funded a new Conference office. We have worked to restore a sense of mutual mission, respect and integrity.

So, yes, I also fought back the tears. I had to “do” the offering after all. And, as I walked to the center of the worship space, I remembered that God loves a cheerful giver. God takes joy when we have fun doing ministry, responding to God’s call to serve, to work for justice, to do the right thing, to BE THE CHURCH!

Praise God for the gift of joy. Praise God for the gift of wonderful colleagues. Praise God for the gift of churches, associations, and a conference that rejoices in our life together.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

By the way here are some slides of the Annual Meeting for your viewing pleasure.

"Paradise or Parking Lot!"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:38:00 +0000

News from Fulton: The auction to sell off the everything that could be sold from the remains of the First Congregational Church of Fulton was held yesterday.

The pews (which were later put up for bid) were full. Jan Milesky, the last Trustee of the church that has overseen the care and disposal of the Church property and assets, observed that if the attendance had been this good the church would never have closed.

The stained glass windows sold for a total of $25,000. The organ, donated by Andrew Carnegie in 1909, went for $2,300. The antique "banjo" clock that hung on the wall behind the pulpit was a popular item. The mood was generally energetic and festive.

In talking about the auction at a meeting of the Oneida Association Mission Engagement Committee later yesterday afternoon, committee member Stan Bennett of the Malden Road UCC quipped, "It sounds like the line from the old Joni Mitchell song, 'Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone. They paved over paradise and put up a parking lot.'"

With much the same intent but in a much different context God's message to the Israelites delivered through Moses (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) came to mind for me,

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
Even so, it was a depressing experience for me to witness the auction. It is true that the church died many years ago, long before the official closing worship in January, 2007! As it happens with so many churches, the church members in Fulton had a long history or saying, "no," to life and "yes" to the patterns of a dying church. Over and over again they chose against mission and service in favor of maintenance and survival. Anything new or creative in terms of ministry seemed to infringe upon the ability to do the next fundraiser.

Mark Clark, the last called pastor, started ministries to welcome those on the fringe of society. He offered bible study at the diner across the street. He also offered breakfast and bible study at 5:00 AM once a week in the church social hall. He was attracting as many people to that as attended Sunday morning worship. For his efforts he was asked to leave.

These were the wrong "kind" of people, after all. Questions of the building's security began to arise and the early morning breakfasts were cancelled. Still, one of these early morning "congregants" shared with Mark that the church saved his life. One night the man declared that he was about to jump off the nearby bridge that crosses the Oswego River, but he changed his mind when he looked at the light shining from the church steeple."

Over the period of Mark's ministry and then when Andrea Stoeckel came as Interim Pastor, my colleague Marian Shearer and I had been in conversations with the church about its future, including how it might close with dignity and a sense of purpose. The handwriting on the wall was clear to us (Andrea, Marian and me) and to some of the church leaders (Jan Milesky), but most refused to acknowledge the reality that we saw.

After a time, the decision to close the congregation and to disperse the property and assets (mostly to the New York Conference UCC) was made. And, then the real work began for Jan. He has said that if any one wants to know how to close a church, he's their man! He found a buyer for the property -- a video store that will tear down the church and manse to build, not a parking lot nor paradise, but a video store! He organized the dispersal of various church artifacts to those church members that wanted them, and then to other churches and community organizations that had need. And, he organized the auction yesterday.

As it happens, Jan has seen to it that in dying the church (or at least the church's legacy) has been born to new life. The New York Conference will get the proceeds from the sale of the property for use in the ministry of the United Church of Christ across New York.

Operation Southern Comfort, a disaster response organization based out of St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool, NY, that has been helping to rebuild St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, will receive the proceeds from the auction. At least two of our UCC congregations have become active participants in this ministry: UCC Bayberry in Liverpool (Oneida Association) and UCC Sherburne (Susquehanna Association).

Jan was ecstatic in reporting that the auction would net over $32,000 for the mission of Operation Southern Comfort. Founder/coordinator Norm Andrzejewski was also overjoyed at the thought that nearly enough was raised to build a house for someone in New Orleans! He offered to call it the "UCC House".

In this season of Eastertide we can still remember how Jesus was hailed by the crowds on Palm Sunday,

"Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!"
and how the religious leaders asked him to silence them, "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’"

Even so, God's message of love shouts out from the bricks, mortar, wood and glass that was the building that housed the First Congregational Church of Fulton. Praise God!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Pictures at an Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:50:00 +0000

We're back from vacation in Tuscany. What a trip! Tuscany is beautiful, in the rain and definitely on cloudless days (we had both!).

Perhaps my favorite stop wasn't even in Tuscany but in the Umbrian city of Assisi. Like most of the ancient and medieval cities and towns in Italy, Assisi is situated on top of a hill. We enjoyed a beautiful day. The leaves were just beginning to show signs of budding. As we walked along one of the main streets toward the church where St. Francis is buried, we passed medieval houses, narrow side "streets" wending uphill and down. And, there was the church.

Now, I am not Italian nor am I a Roman Catholic. If I were either of these, the entire trip and especially this part of it would have been an overwhelmingly inspiring pilgrimage. Even as a dyed-in-the-wool Protestant, I was overwhelmed.

Yes, I'd heard the stories of St. Francis talking to the animals, and the way he initiated the modern way of celebrating Christmas with the use of the creche (or depiction of the Nativity scene). I knew that his Order of Friars was one dedicated to the values of poverty, chastity and obedience, at a time when so much of the Church seemed to only value obedience to the power of the papacy. I knew that he was and is considered the "second after Christ" in holiness. But on this one day I was experiencing the city in which he lived, the sights he saw, and the absolute veneration shown him.

He was a holy one and a saint in any definition of the word. He was also a prophet preaching and working for peace between the warring city-states of what is now Italy. (Assisi and neighboring Perugia were constantly at war with each other.) The poverty that he espoused undercut the lavish pursuit of power of the papacy of Innocent III. Even his talking with the animals and his poetry that lifted up the beauty of the natural world spoke prophetically to a society that was known for its cruelty to animals.

All of these things came home to me, but what spoke to me the clearest was the chapel in the basement of the church where his tomb was placed. For generations the tomb was hidden there, all covered over with stone for fear that Perugians would come and destroy or otherwise desecrate it. Now the stone encasement has been removed, except for four pillars in each corner. Between the pillars are steel wire screens in order to protect the coffin from the millions of pilgrims that file by each year.

As this pilgrim filed around the tomb, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. It seemed as though there were bits of crumpled paper thrown inside the fencing. A closer look brought the realization that this was not litter, but hundreds of photographs of children, families, and adults were placed there. Prayers of the faithful to the great saint in hopes for the healing of the untold maladies of loved ones.

Now, the Protestant in me knew that we didn't need long dead saints or anyone else to intercede for us in our prayers to God. We know that God as the loving One receives us directly as we approach the Throne of Grace with humility, hope and faith. Yet, these prayers to God through the Saint touched me greatly. They bespeak the understanding that there are some things that we cannot control, or achieve or gain just because we want them. There are some things that we must leave to God. As the psalmist knew, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise [the Holy One], my help and my God." (Ps. 42:11)

Today, we say prayers from some others lost to us, whose pictures are displayed on side tables and hearths, or in wallets or photo albums, but who will not be coming home. None of us probably knew any of the 13 people murdered or those that were wounded, or those that huddled in the basement of the American Civic Center in Binghamton yesterday, or the one that did the killing. But the thought of them waking up with a class to attend, or appointments to keep, and homes to which to return haunts us. (At least it haunts me.)

Of course, we pray for them and their families. We pray for the people of Binghamton for whom such tragedies are unprecedented. Please say some prayers tomorrow afternoon as the religious leaders offer a service of remembrance and healing for the entire Binghamton community at the city junior high school.

Of course, we may consider counting each morning given to us as a blessing. We may pay attention to giving loved ones an extra hug, or making certain to say our prayers, or offering thanks to God for the life we have and the days that have already been laid out for us.

Of course, some will want to consider how we can protect ourselves, how we can heighten our security. Some may even want to express their fear and sense of insecurity by punishing some innocent member of the attacker's ethnic group. Hopefully, the latter will not happen. And, hopefully, we won't worry too much about how to protect ourselves. No matter how we try, protection from the hazards of living and from the vicissitudes of being human is not possible. The writer of Ecclesiastes was right, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Eccl. 3:1)

With much the same understanding Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky penned the marvelously, rich and powerful symphonic masterpiece, "Pictures at an Exhibition." Every movement of the piece musically describes the grandeur of the Gates of Kiev, the awe and fear of the Catacombs (subtitled, "With the Dead in a Dead Language"), the busy beauty of the Market in Limoges, France, and even the serene Promenade that exudes the confidence with which one can walk from painting to painting hanging in an art gallery. The entire piece carries with it the freedom that comes from pure enjoyment of these masterworks that depict all of the realities and ideals of life in safety.

What comfort do we have, what can sustain us but our hope in God, the One that is always faithful and who provides what we need.

"Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Is.40:27-31)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"A Day in the Life"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:24:00 +0000

Wally Brown died a couple of weeks ago. He had been ill for quite some time, but took a turn for the worst about ten days before he died. He gave into his illness enough to tell Dave, the moderator of the First Congregational Church, Bridgewater (Oneida Association) that he just couldn't preach on Sunday. As the week progressed, he grew increasingly weaker. And, on that Wednesday, he died. His funeral was Sunday, March 8.

Jean Smyth, mother of Michael Richards (pastor Hartford United Parish, HMA) died about 10 days ago. Her memorial service took place this past Saturday with Michael giving the eulogy, Michael's wife Sharon (also a UCC clergyperson) and I taking parts of the liturgy.

It's fairly rare that I participate in conducting funerals these days. As a conference staff person, I attend funerals and sometimes give greetings or say a prayer. But I was honored to be one of the officiants at these funerals.

I've conducted many funerals over the years of my ministry. Sometimes it's easy after so many of these occasions to forget to take real notice of the life lived or the family dynamics playing out before you. Sometimes it's easy to see this funeral as just another in a long line. It's not right to do this, it's not exemplary, but it is common enough. I am not proud when I have found myself in this state. I know that it's a defense against the effects of loss, of the stress of giving comfort to others while trying to overcome one's own grief. Still, I'm not proud.

I guess that I didn't approach either funeral with the best attitude. Wally was a nice guy. He was always supportive, always had some bit of humor to share, but had not been involved in leadership. His ministry had not been in any kind of trouble. He never called upon me to consult with the church over this aspect of ministry or that. So, in short, I knew him, but not well.

I knew and had worked alot with Michael and had stayed in Mike's and Sharon's house a couple of times. I had only met Jean once. She seemed nice, too. The point is, both service occurred in the midst of a bunch of other obligations and meetings (don't they always!), and I was tired. The way was long, dark and deep and I had miles to go before I could sleep (but wanted to be home and at my goal of resting right then!).

Well, shame on me. Both services spoke to me. I learned about Wally. He was a newspaper editor for a local weekly. He was well known in the community. One of his sons spoke of how in the mid-eighties his dad proved that he was ahead of the curve by purchasing a Mackintosh computer. He went onto say that his dad proved his ability to continue to use things to which he had grown accustomed by never replacing that computer, but employing it to edit the paper until the end.

I learned other things about him, too, from what people said. And I thought, who knew! There was more to Wally than met the eye, a life beyond the Church, beyond ministry! (I know that I have such a life other than what I have beyond my ministry. Sometimes I forget to look for this life in others.)

The most moving part of Jean's service was a teary confession made by Harrison, a teenaged boy. Working through his tears he was able to get out, "I miss her." When Jean moved in with Michael and Sharon and began attending church in Hartford, she sat next to Harrison. They became fast friends. Another woman spoke of how, as part of her church obligations, she visited Jean in the hospital. She went onto say that these visits became increasingly more frequent and less obligatory. The woman said that she began to need the comfort of Jean's strength and life perspective, seemingly much more than Jean needed her visit.

This past weekend during which Jean's service took place was quite busy: Conference staff meeting in Syracuse on Thursday; the Conference Executive Council in Schenectady on Friday and Saturday; Jean's service outside of Glens Falls on Saturday afternoon; meeting with the Search Committee of East Side Congregational Church in Binghamton on Sunday morning; and attending services at the Sikh Foundation in Liverpool in conjunction with my participation with InterFaith Works of Central New York.

Each of these events and or meetings provided learnings. One such learning came at the Sikh Foundation when my friend Narinder Bains, explained during the service that Sikh wisdom teaches that we can control two things in life: effort and prayer.

We decide how much or how little effort we will put into any activity. We also decide how and when we will pray. Effort sometimes provides great success, sometimes it provides no success at all. Prayer provides perspective for the relative success or failure that we experience through our efforts. Prayer gives us the wisdom and grace to learn to want what we get rather than merely seeking to get what we want.

Forty years ago (or so) the Beatles sang the song, "A day in the life". It was a song about worldwide events as well as the individual non sequitors of life. In this latter context the "bridge" of the song tells of the typical morning of one person, "Got up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head, made my way downstairs and had a cup, then I woke up and went into a dream...ah, ah, ah, ah!"

I guess we never know when we are making an effect on some other person, even when living through the humdrum aspects of life. A son reflects on the life, humor, foibles and love of his dad and promises to follow his dad's example. A boy, sitting alone, is befriended by a stranger in church, and his life is changed. We hear a word from a friend, a word of insight and it helps clarify our thoughts. We learn something new about the life of others and find meaning in our own lives.

Pastors have lives beyond their ministry. Ministry is a calling, a profession. It requires our effort, our prayers, the commitment of everything we have. And, God has also given us a life before, during and beyond ministry. It could be making certain to take time for personal reading, or going on a hike, or learning some new skill (writing music or a poem, learning to garden, connecting with others on Facebook or some other social network).

Of course it's the same for everyone. But, for today I will urge churches to encourage their pastors to develop this "other" life. The deeper and more well rounded the pastor, the better and more effective the ministry of the church.

Christian mystic George Herbert wrote this reflection on John 14:6, "Come my Way, my Truth, my Life, such a way as gives us breath, such a truth as ends all strife, such a life as killeth death..." It is my prayer for me and for you.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

How's Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Jacob Marley spoke the truth of his misspent life to Scrooge in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" when Scrooge remarked that his late partner was an honest man of business,

"BUSINESS? Mankind was my business! Their common welfare was my business! ...It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men! If it goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death! It is doomed to wander through the world! Oh, woe is me! And witness what it cannot share but MIGHT HAVE SHARED on Earth and turned to happiness!"

I've just been preparing to take part in the leadership of a seminar this Sunday on the book "I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church" by Paul Nixon. It's a provocative book. It's a book about us in the so-called "Mainline" church by one of us, a minister in the United Methodist Church.

I've never met Paul Nixon nor heard him speak, but I imagine in reading this book that he is so passionate about the church of Jesus Christ that he shows no partiality in speaking his mind about the ways in which our churches would rather choose the sameness of death rather than the faithfulness of life in the community that Christ has called together to be the Church.

The part of the seminar that I'm leading is the workshop on the chapter in the book that asks the reader to choose the frontier over the fortress. His premise in this chapter is that most of our congregations have a fortress mentality. He stated that there is a definite correlation between the construction of a permanent building and the decline of church membership. He underlines this observation with statistics from United Methodist Church archives.

In one passage from this chapter Nixon wrote of his work as a consultant with local churches. He said that he loves to ask congregations what the business of the church is. Usually folks say that it's to glorify God, or to love our neighbors, or to win souls for Christ.

He noted how different this answer is from that which the earliest Methodists on the American frontier would have answered. He said that at the turn of the 19th century Methodists sought "to reform the nation and spread scriptural holiness over the land." Still, he points out that regardless which of these aspects of the church's business we choose, it's difficult to truly live these out unless we get out of our buildings.

Nixon encourages his readers to make the business of the church about mission to the community. Forgive me if this sounds like a book report. I don't mean it to be. I do know that it reminds me of another book that employed the concept of mission as the churches purpose. C Kirk Hadaway wrote about transformational communities of faith in his book, "Behold I Do a New Thing."

Hadaway referred to the observations of organizational analyst Peter Drucker in stating that when Drucker asks corporations to answer the question, "What is your business?" they don't know exactly. "In fact, one major study demonstrated that the business of corporations that were successful over many years was not in producing a specific product, but to meet a specific need in society. The product they are producing is simple a way to meet that need."

Hadaway went on to answer this question on behalf of the church, quoting Drucker again, "The business of a church is to change people; the business of a corporation is to satisfy them."

We may not like to think of the church as having a business. No matter, we could insert the term 'purpose' if we'd rather. The point is to ask ourselves how we are keeping to our purpose. If we use Hadaway's definition that the church's purpose is to change people, then it is important for us to ask ourselves whether our congregation is changing people? Is our congregation changing the community around us? If the answer is, "no," then the congregation has a different purpose and that purpose says Hadaway is probably satisfying people.

Putting the two books together, our business is about mission, about serving people outside the walls of the church. If we are more concerned with maintaining church buildings, we are not doing mission. If we look at our church buildings as vehicles for doing mission, our prayers and praises as the conduit for mission, our life together as the bond that enables us to go and "walk abroad among our fellow men [and women]," then we are in sync with our purpose as the church.

I rejoice in the weekly emails from Journey UCC, the new church start in Slingerlands in the southwestern suburbs of Albany. Pastor Sandy Damhof and the new flock of UCC congregants are alive in the spirit. They are praying for one of their members on a mission trip in Africa. They worship, hold Bible studies, involve themselve in mission.

All of these things are wonderful. But they do not do them alone. They are in mission together with their sponsoring church, the Clinton Heights Christian Church UCC. They receive support from the New York Conference. In short Journey UCC is a marriage of many saints that are working together to be change agents and witnesses to the Blessed Community that is the Church of Jesus Christ. Check out their website:

Likewise the North Congregational Church, Middletown has partnered with the wonderful outreach ministry of Steve Ruelke on the streets of nearby Newburgh. Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh holds services every Sunday afternoon on the street. Steve writes:

"Our work is about walking the streets and meeting, greeting and accepting others for who they are, where they are. It is about building relationships with people who have seen their support structures fall apart and who have no good reason to trust anyone. Our message is a simple one - You matter. No matter who you are, you matter. No matter what you’ve done in your life, you matter. Others may have left you, but God has not and God will not leave you. Listen! "
Here is a glimpse of Ecclesia's website.

Project Hodos is a new church start in Saugerties. Admittedly in the formative stages, founding pastor John Speers has a website, produces blogs, and holds weekly God Talk sessions in a local Senior Citizens Center. Here is the link to Project Hodos website: http://projecthodos.org/drupal/ .

The Hartford Yoked Parish (ABC/UCC), with pastor Mike Richards is sponsoring the street ministry of Terry Mosholder in Glens Falls.

Evangelical Protestant Church in the Port of Albany continues its longstanding alternatives to incarceration ministry under the direction of pastor John Miller.

Plymouth Church, Syracuse, advocates for justice for migrant workers and immigrants through the New Sanctuary Movement.

How's business? God's business is hopping in God's churches that have the eyes to see and the will to follow through on the work of reconciliation, of transformation of people and nations.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Anticipating Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Pastors Craig Schaub and Joe Blotz send out a weekly e-newsletter to their congregation at Plymouth UCC, Syracuse. In it they provide news about upcoming events, particularly what will be happening on Sunday.

This is important enough. I love receiving it. What I really love about this e-newsletter is the headline for the section on worship: "Anticipating Sunday." What an inspiration! What a change in the way in which we usually think about Sunday morning in church!

More than a bland listing of the scriptural texts or the schedule of the different events, this newsletter invites us to anticipate. No mere markings on our calendars! No personal notations to remember the duties we've signed up for on that day! No twiddling of the thumbs as the seconds click away on the clock! No staring blankly out the window because we're bored from watching midday television! No workday minds wondering about a better life beyond the paycheck! No!

Anticipate Sunday! Prepare to hear the Word of God, to experience it, to let it change us! Pray for the eyes to see God's salvation in the face of the person sitting next to us in the pew; and for the heart to warm to the needs of the person huddled in the shadow of the church building; and for the hands to grasp hold of the gospel of peace for the ones that need jobs and homes, food and water, and a respite from violence and poverty. Anticipate Sunday! Become Excited! Be hopeful! Be strong in faith!

David Ashby, Interim Pastor at Corning UCC, wrote of a conversation with some colleagues in the aftermath of the Presidential Inauguration for the church newsletter. In response to another minister's statement that he was thinking of preaching on the theme, "Change We Can Believe In," David quipped that maybe he would preach on the theme, "Belief We Can Change Into".

It's all about change, isn't it! We know that we need to do things differently in government, in international relations, in our economy, in the cars that we buy, in our revamped household budgets, and in our churches.

I saw an interview on television some weeks ago about the economic recession and the effects that it has been having on every aspect of our lives. The one being interviewed was talking about all of the hardships, the loss of jobs and homes and investments, and all the sacrifices that will be necessary. On the upside he noted that in the Great Depression people pulled together. They looked out for one another. Families and neighborhoods and churches became important. They recognized the value of participating in more home grown entertainments.

Yes, the recession is on our minds. There is much anxiety and fear. We have to adapt, do things differently in order to make ends meet, and plan ahead for a different way of living in a new world.

These realities are being addressed in our pulpits and in church newsletters. The newsletters I receive discuss the ways in which our faith speaks to the present crisis. They describe the ways in which the community of faith and the wider community can pull together for fellowship and mutual support. They promote ways in which the church is seeking to meet the basic needs of people in the community that are hurting.

The Preble Congregational Church has started a new food ministry for the community. Many churches have such ministries. But Preble at this time, in the first few months of the pastorate of Barbara Blom, is starting something new to reach out to the community. God bless them!

Friedens UCC, Syracuse emphasizes the value of fellowship and service. They have a Shawl Ministry that provides items to warm the shoulders and companionship to warm the spirits of senior citizens. They have an active Senior Ladies Group, and conduct Bible Studies for teens as well as adults. The church also provides a space for an African American and a Burmese congregation. The three congregations have planned mutual social events. Coming together for a common meal is a great translator for people of different ethnicities and languages.

The First Congregational Church, Greene has an active presence in the community and beyond. They have a Food Pantry, a Clothing Bank, and run an Open Kitchen meal program. They also host the monthly meeting of the local WIC chapter and put together Families in Need Kits for people in the community.

Emmanuel Congregational Church, Watertown has an active Global Mission Team. The Team is planning a Disaster Relief Mission trip to Florida over the mid-winter school vacation in February. Co-Pastor Ron Farr is presently leading another Workplace Christianity Breakfast group. Ron is the founder and leader of the Laity Empowerment Project (http://laityempowerment.com/) has developed a number of courses including "Unwrapping our Gifts", "Hearing God's Call", "Unleashing our Weekday Ministries", and "Newcomers Class" to name a few.

Emmanuel is trying to cut maintenance costs by utilizing the tried and true method of relying upon the congregation for some practical help. In January they asked each member to bring a bag of calcium chloride pellets to help keep the side walks safe and free of ice.

Many churches look for ways to save money while keeping up to date with today's technology. Along with Plymouth Church, I receive a weekly e-newsletter from The Park Church, Elmira; Journey UCC, Slingerlands; Blooming Grove and from First Congregational, Albany. Trinity UCC, Rome; Corning, Madrid, Massena and Deansboro send their monthly newsletters by email.

Plainville Christian Church and UCC Bayberry host weekly luncheons for Senior Citizens. Plainville and Rome Trinity also host regular movie nights for the community.

Anticipation! Chris Xenakis, in his first newsletter article as pastor of the Groton Community Church, wrote about the church's calling to minister to the community beyond the church. In so doing he referred to the story of Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream of the seven skinny cows devouring the seven fat cows. Joseph saw that this dream foretold the coming of seven prosperous years followed by seven lean years. When Pharaoh asked Joseph how he would act upon this dream, Joseph said that Pharaoh should store up all the grain he could for the seven prosperous years in order to have enough to feed his people during the seven lean years. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the effort and the rest, as they say, is Biblical history.

The point of this is that life is like this. There are both lean and prosperous times. We need to anticipate this and make the most of every day that is given to us. And, if we have not prepared for the lean times, we can at least provide for each other by sharing what we have. In the end through our faith in God we trust that this is enough!

Ginny Anderson, pastor of Friedens UCC, Syracuse, declared her faith in God the great artist. She said that she never appreciated the colder months until she saw a book of paintings of trees in winter. She became impressed with how beautiful were the artist's depictions of these majestic parts of God's creation, God's masterwork. She declared that she would never again think of winter as ugly, and that she would give praise to the God who is and who has made everything to be good and beautiful and true.

I pray for the grace to anticipate Sunday and hope for the change to come for justice and peace!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"The Heart will never rest"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Songwriter James Taylor extends a very appropriate invitation today.

"Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King"

I frequently think of Martin Luther King, especially on his birthday. The Civil Rights movement, the War in Vietnam, the landing on the moon, President Kennedy's call to ask what one can do for one's country that led among other things to the establishment of the Peace Corps., and even my own call to a ministry of reconciliation, the sixties as a whole continue to be seminal influences on my life.

And so, when my wife and I took some time away from General Synod in Atlanta and went to the MLK Center and sat in the Ebenezer Baptist Church, I cried while listening to the tapes of his sermons and speeches that continually play for the visitors. In fact I am an absolute wreck on MLK Day when, invariably, the "I Have a Dream" speech is played back. The eloquence of thought, the brilliance of the delivery, the quality of the man, the respect for the martyrdom that awaited him, the ideals for which he stood and the hope that he inspired all come flooding through me, and the tears pour forth.

Would he be happy today, if he were alive to witness the Inauguration of an African American as President of the United States? I cannot imagine otherwise.

Is there justice in the promises that Barack Obama will make on Tuesday when he promises to uphold and defend the Constitution? Undoubtedly!

Can I rejoice with all African Americans, indeed all people of color and all those that are marginalized, that one of "their own" will occupy the most powerful office in the free world? Certainly.

Has the national sin of slavery that has tainted our nation been ameliorated? Is racism a thing of the past? Do we have more work to do with regard to racism, bigotry, white privilege, hate related violence? No! No! and Yes!

Last April 6, author Taylor Branch published an article entitled, "The Last Wish of Martin Luther King," in the New York Times. Based upon a speech he had just given at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Mr. Branch wrote eloquently and provocatively of Dr. King's last sermon at the Washington Cathedral on March 31, 1968, the Sunday before he was murdered in Memphis. (Here is a link to the entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/opinion/06branch.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=Martin%20Luther%20King&st=cse&scp=2 )

At the close of the article Mr. Branch wrote of how Dr. King included a discussion of the Parable of Dives and Lazarus (Luke 16). "Dr. King loved this parable as the text for a fabled 1949 sermon by Vernon Johns, his predecessor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery.

Lazarus was a lame beggar who once pleaded unnoticed outside the sumptuous gates of a rich man called Dives. They both died, and Dives looked from torment to see Lazarus the beggar secure in the bosom of Abraham. The remainder of the parable is an argument between Abraham and Dives, calling back and forth from heaven to hell.

Dives first asked Abraham to “send Lazarus” with water to cool his burning lips. But Abraham said there was a “great chasm” fixed between them, which could never be crossed. In his sermon, Dr. Johns drew a connection between the chasm and segregation.

But according to Dr. Johns, Dives wasn’t in hell because he was rich. He wasn’t anywhere near as rich as Abraham, one of the wealthiest men in antiquity, who was there in heaven. Nor was Dives in hell because he had failed to send alms to Lazarus. He was there because he never recognized Lazarus as a fellow human being. Even faced with everlasting verdict, he spoke only with Abraham and looked past the beggar, treating him still as a servant in the third person — “send Lazarus.”

Dr. King’s sermons drew more layers of meaning from this parable. He said we must accept the suffering rich man as no ordinary, nasty sinner. When refused water for himself, he worried immediately about his five brothers. Dives asked Abraham again to send Lazarus,this time as a messenger to warn the brothers about their sin. Tell them to be nice to beggars outside the wall. Do something, please, so they don’t wind up here like me.

Dr. King said Dives was a liberal. Despite his own fate, he wanted to help others. Abraham rebuffed this request, too, telling Dives that his brothers already had ample warning in Torah law and the books of the Hebrew prophets. Still Dives persisted, saying no, Abraham, you don’t understand — if the brothers saw someone actually rise from the dead and warn them, then they would understand. Jesus quotes Abraham saying no. If the brothers do not accept the core teaching of the Torah and the prophets, they won’t believe even a messenger risen from the dead.

Dr. King said this parable from Jesus burns up differences between Judaism and Christianity. The lesson beneath any theology is that we must act toward all creation in the spirit of equal souls and equal votes. The alternative is hell, which Dr. King sometimes defined as the pain we inflict on ourselves by refusing God’s grace.

Dr. King then went back to Memphis to stand with the downtrodden workers, with the families of Echol Cole and Robert Walker. You may have seen the placards from the sanitation strike, which read “I Am a Man,” meaning not a piece of garbage to be crushed and ignored. For Dr. King, to answer was a patriotic and prophetic calling.

He challenges everyone to find a Lazarus somewhere, from our teeming prisons to the bleeding earth. That quest in common becomes the spark of social movements, and is therefore the engine of hope."

Even so, there is much to be done. In light of this reality the New York Conference staff is planning a "Sacred Conversation on Race" retreat on January 25-26. With the facilitation of Berniece Powell Jackson, former Executive of the UCC Justice and Witness Ministries, the staff along with some other leaders from across the state will begin this conversation in hopes of developing some strategies for broadening the circle to engage the entire Conference. Please keep us in your prayers.

"There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest

Oh, Let us turn our thoughts today
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the Earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood" (James Taylor)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Overcoming the Darkness

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Well, the holiday season has come and gone. And, how wonderful it is! I love Christmas and generally do not look forward to how empty the house looks when the decorations have been packed away. This year I feel somewhat differently. I'm actually rather glad it's over.

Still, I had some small surprises that have brought occasion for delight. My son's girlfriend, Mary, gave me a book for Christmas, "The Greatest War Stories Never Told," by Rick Beyer. While cleaning up afterward I confided to my wife that I'm always interested in what people think I want to read. That is, at first glance I was not particularly interested in this book. Yes, as my wife pointed out, I like history. (And what is history about other than war!)

But what a surprise! It's a nice little book of 100 snippets of stories from different places and times gathered together for the History Channel's "History Minutes" series. And, the stories are fascinating. Take for instance the one about General Santa Anna (the Mexican dictator that defeated the north Americans at the Alamo) who helped to inspire inventor Thomas Adams to create modern chewing gum.

Or, the one about the military unit of ancient Thebes called The Sacred Band. This unit not only was instrumental in defeating the vaunted Spartans, but remained undefeated over a span of thirty years. The uniqueness of this group was that it was intentionally made up of 150 gay couples. The reasoning behind this was the each soldier would have the incentive to fight hard in order to both protect his partner and to avoid being shamed in front of the partner. An amazing (and successful) case of "do ask, do tell."

Or there is the story that particularly strikes me at the beginning of Epiphany: that of Joan of Arc. Joan was the 17 year old peasant girl that became the leader of the armies of France in recovering French soil from the British in the fifteenth century.

As Rick Beyer points out (p.24), "What she did to make that happen -- in a time when women were regarded as property -- beggars the imagination.

She talked her uncle into taking her to the local military commander.
She convinced the commander to provide a military escort to take her to the Dauphin (the crowned prince).
She convinced a group of priests that God was really speaking to her, and that she should be allowed to meet with the Dauphin.
In less than five minutes she convinced Charles (the Dauphin) to give her an army.
She persuaded grizzled veterans of the war against England tht they should take orders from a seventeen year old girl. Further, she got them to give up cursing and sex while serving under her.
In an age when war meant hand-to-hand combat, even for commanders, Joan survived numerous battles while never wielding a weapon.
Not only did she lead her army to victory at Orleans, she also liberated dozens of French towns and defeated another British army at Patay."

More than providing a few moments of interesting anecdotal reading this one story, at least, also provides some food for thought.

Last evening I presented the NY Conference OCWM powerpoint to a Council meeting in a local church. In the discussion we mentioned that the times are hard! (Don't we know it!) Anxiety is rampant! Money is tight! As we discussed how this local church might be able to give more to Our Churches Wider Mission, one man rather poignantly confessed, "In times like these sometimes we just want to give up."

Indeed! Sometimes we do just want to give up. In recognition of this fact I responded, "But we don't give up. We certainly don't want to give up on the church!"

Whether or not this answer was helpful to those gathered, I stand by the conviction (and Joan's story certainly underscores it's truth!) We don't give up, but keep pressing on. Why? Because God calls us to ministry and God promises to be with us in good times and bad. And, as God calls and promises, God is also faithful and just and abounds in steadfast love.

Another truth from Joan's story is that we need leaders that are willing to own and champion God's call to leadership. We have leaders that seem embarassed to take on the mantel of leadership. I'm talking about church leaders both ordained and lay, here!

The leadership of worship seems to be little more than begging the pardon of the worshipers for taking their time, for actually asking them to open up their hearts and minds in prayer, or to consider their need for forgiveness and to forgive others, or to commit themselves to a life of discipleship through the giving of their time, talents and treasure.

Indeed! I believe that we need to take Paul's rejoinder to heart: that we were not given a spirit of timidity but rather a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). We need to become much more bold in our witness to the power of God's love in our lives.

Boldly receiving and proclaiming the good news of God's love for all humanity in Jesus Christ does not mean that we are "puffing ourselves up", or denying the validity of other faith traditions, or putting ourselves in place of God. Rather, it is joyfully proclaiming that we have seen the light of salvation as we have experienced the grace and peace of the Christchild. It is walking with God and one another with humility, knowing that we are not God ourselves and that it is only by the grace of God that we embrace the journey at all.

It's a gloomy January day in Central New York -- the worst kind in my view (a wintry mix of rain, snow and sleet).

But it's Epiphany! With some good reading and reflecting on our own experience of the light of God in Christ maybe that light can brighten the day.

Furthermore, with Simeon we may find ourselves rejoicing, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Great Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:29:00 +0000

The other day (I think it was Saturday afternoon) my wife, Susan, and daughter, Sarah, were watching television in the den. The first thing I noticed was that they were not watching football! It's the bowl season and it's a Saturday and they're not watching football! My son, Peter, had been watching football earlier, but he had to go to work, and therefore the remote was up for grabs.

I don't know what I was doing, but it was something other than watching television. What I do remember is that whatever I was doing took me through the den several times within about a 5 minute span. They were flipping channels between different movies of Charles Dickens' novels. On my first trip through the den they were watching "Great Expectations." On my second trip they had switched to "Nicholas Nickleby" and, finally, "A Christmas Carol".

The last time I walked through the den I paused just long enough to see them flip between all three. And it occurred to me that these movies all looked the same. Pip's love for Estella, Nicholas beating his uncle at his own game and Scrooge with Fezziwig at a quick glance all looked the same. And, I said which one are we watching this time!

Now you might be wondering how my family feels about it when I flip between football games. My answer to that is that each football team wears a different uniform with different colors, and each player has a number and most of them wear their names on the back of their jerseys. And so, I say that there's a big difference between the way the NCAA packages their football games and the way that Hollywood sanitizes Charles Dickens!

But, I didn't want to talk about television in this posting. Our expectations, our hopes for the season, that's the ticket!

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian." (Is. 9:2-4)
Christmas is upon us once again. The age old story of prophets foretelling the holy birth will be renewed in countless sanctuaries around the world over the next weeks.

Personally, I have written and/or preached about these texts for over 35 years as an ordained minister. Over the last several I've wondered what I believe about these texts.

My heart continues to be gladdened when I hear the sacred texts and, especially when they are combined with the glorious sacred music of the season. Memories rush in when I listen to popular songs of the season, especially "I'll be home for Christmas...if only in my dreams." (Thoughts of my parents and the Christmases of my childhood fill my heart and mind.)

But I wonder what it is I hope for. Do I still hope for visions of the Christ child? Do I actually anticipate the coming of peace on earth? What is it that I expect from God? For what am I waiting?

Many of Charles Dickens' novels spoke of people who were waiting, hoping and expecting certain things from life. Scrooge devoted his life to the love of money and the making of ever-increasing amounts of it. Much the same could be said for Nicholas Nickleby's uncle. Pip built his life on trying to relate to the Havishams in the notion that Miss Havisham was his secret benefactor.

Of course, Dickens wrote several twists into the plot lines of his stories that tended to turn these expectations on their heads. It also seems as though the most important characters are not the supposed heroes, heroins and villains. I end up being much more impressed with the faithfulness of Bob Cratchit and the love that he has for his family than the notion that Scrooge can be transformed into one who can keep Christmas well. And, although Nicholas is a fine character, Snike is the one to whom my heart goes out.

For what am I waiting? I do grow weary of much of what passes for the observance of Christmas in churches and in shopping malls. Such observances are necessary. I will go to worship on Christmas Eve, after all. And I have done my share of Christmas shopping. However, it has occurred to me that my surprise that it's Christmas already comes from a true lack of readiness to celebrate all that Christmas means.

Still, I do know that my heart is moved by stories of love found, gifts generously given for no reason other than because there is a need, or of spirits renewed in the joy and contentment of connecting with family and friends.

God also rejoices when these connections happen -- in small ways, by the way, on any given occasion.

Does God expect peace? Will God bring it about? Will all people come to know the salvation of God (as the prophet also foretells)?

In God's time, undoubtedly yes. In the time that God gives me it is enough to await the casual word of friendship; to take joy in little indications of grace -- when someone forgives me, when I can be patient with someone (even myself), when together we can find a sense of wellbeing in gathering around the table eating, or in the sanctuary praying or singing in soul lifting harmonies.

"Come, my heart, canst thou not hear it,
Mid the tumult of thy days?
Catch the old sweet song of angels,
Join thy voice to swell their praise!
Hast thou never share the blessing,
Never known kind Heaven's gift?
Bethlehem thy Saviour cradled!
Heart of mine, a song uplift."

(from a hymn by William Allen Knight, 1915)

Christmas blessings to you all,

Rick Cowles

"We all need a little resurrection!"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:32:00 +0000

We were getting ready to sing along with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for their presentation of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, the so-called "Resurrection Symphony". The Syracuse University Oratorio Society (of which I am a part) were combining with the Syracuse University Singers for this concert.

Our chorus directors were giving us our last minute pep talk before taking our seats onstage. Professor Warren of the University Singers told us how much work we had put in, how he and Professor DeKaney (our director) had knit-picked" every aspect of the choral section along the way.

He urged us to remember all of their instructions. But then he noted, "Don't lose sight of the meaning of what you're singing. It's about resurrection, renewal of life." Then, he remembered that he was speaking to many college students, and many people (young and old) who were members of different faith communities (or of no faith community), and so he added, "And, you know, we all need a little resurrection."

I don't know about you (you weren't there to hear the professor's oration) but I thought this was so funny (read, ludicrous). I turned to a couple of fellow basses and said (somewhat mockingly), "Well, I guess I know what the theme of my next Easter sermon will be, 'we all need a little resurrection.'"

On the way home after the concert, when I told this story to my wife Susan and our friend Bob, they immediately starting singing this theme to the tune of the song from the musical Mame "We need a little Christmas right this very minute..."

Now, Professor Warren was not trying to be disrespectful. He wasn't trying to trivialize the Resurrection. He knew and spoke often of the tortured view of life that Mahler experienced and that he expressed in his symphony. There is nothing trivial about the challenge to believe in the resurrection to eternal life in this world where misery, hardship, injustice and death are so very evident. But the professor was trying to ease any tension we felt. And, perhaps, he was trying to act "cool" . I don't know.

In any case it caused me to think again of how easy it is for us to trivialize that which is most important in life. And, how easy it is for us to give importance to that which does not last.

This is a great weekend in the course of the church's calendar. It is All Saints weekend. Like Christmas it begins with All Saints (Hallows) Eve (Halloween) which recalls the opening of all the graves on the Day of Judgement. It continues with the remembrance of the Saints and finally on the third day of the festival the veneration of all souls. The message of this feast is the gift of God's grace in promising life beyond these "three score and ten".

The meaning of life goes beyond the material, the temporal, the manageable. Yet we give ourselves over to the trivial. We focus on the parties, the costumes and candy of Halloween and fail to understand that this one night is the prelude to the great feast of the rising of the saints and all souls from their graves to live forever in the glorious presence of God.

In much the same way we become concerned about many things in life. We become anxious over "pocketbook issues." In fact politicians look to play upon these very anxieties.

In today's "Stillspeaking Devotional" Bill Green wrote about these things in Paul's first Letter to the Thessalonians. "Finding love and security in hard times was as difficult for the first
Christians as it can be for us. Paul emphasizes the Holy Spirit, or “God’s word
at work in you believers," as the source of strength in the face of doubt.
This power enables believers to overcome fear and find hope realistically and
confidently. In our own ways today, by looking to God and no longer, as Waylon
Jennings sang, 'looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in
too many faces,' we become freer and more hopeful, less anxious and needy.
This is what God’s power makes possible--God’s power, not ours, and beyond
anything we believe possible."
God's power to work through the faith and faithfulness of God's people, God's faith in responding to calls for justice and peace, God's desire to promote whatever is good, thebeautiful and the true is anything but trivial. It is the battle of life that always works to overcome death. As Mahler wrote,

"What is created must perish! What dies must be reborn! Leave off trembling! Prepare yourself to live! O grief, you all-pervading, I am escaping you! O death, you all-conquering, now you are overcome! With wings that I have won in love's fervent striving shall I soar to the light, which no eye has penetrated!
"With wings that I have won for myself, shall I soar! I shall die, so as to live! Resurrected, yes, yo shall rise up, my heart, in an instant! That which you have vanquished, to God shall it bear you!"

Yes, I guess we all need a little resurrection.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

P.S. This is my first posting in a couple of months. I've been spending most of my "extra" time working on my website of resources for local churches (www.flowingstreams.org). I invite you to check it out. R

A Bayberry Block

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:36:00 +0000

And so, it's been three weeks since my last posting. I began a posting on August 7 (the day between the observances of the only nuclear bombs dropped during a time of war) but I found myself staring at the blinking cursor on the blank page. I even had a catchy title, "Between Then and Again!" I might still find the words to go with the title (and the thought underlying it all).

My blog server tells me that I've written 152 postings (since January 15, 2007). I guess I'm due for a case of writer's block.

It's been a great summer though. I've worked on stuff around the house. Work continues on various resources for the New York Conference (An introductory video on the UCC Manual on Church; transferring the Powerpoint presentations of Casting Your Nets and OCWM into a more internet-friendly video format; further development of my website -- http://www.flowingstreams.org/). But, no blog postings since August 3...that is, until now.

Much has been going on in the world (and even in and across the UCC) while I've been enduring blog withdrawal: the Olympics, the Russian invasion of Georgia, a change of power in Pakistan, the U.S. Presidential Campaign, tropical storm Fay, to name a few events.

The UCC has another nationwide TV ad campaign underway. The deadline is fast approaching for contributions toward the $350,000 campaign goal. Here is the link describing the campaign and for donations: http://www.ucc.org/allthepeople/.

Here's the ad "All the People".

The Oneida Association Global Church Committee is planning a Mission Fair for our churches on September 13, at the Fairmount Community Church, Syracuse to benefit "Tents of Hope".

Tents of Hope provides a tangible way for church folks to actually do something to help refugees from the genocide in Darfur. Here is the link to the online flier for our event: http://www.flowingstreams.org/Oneida/Oneida%20Mission%20Fair.htm.

From noon to 4:00 we'll paint 12" square canvases that will be sent to a U.N. Refugee Camp in Chad. The squares will be sewn together there into a tent. It takes 300 squares to make one tent. By the way the event will also include visits from the local Sudanese community, the regional director of Church World Service, videos on the crisis in Darfur, a chicken barbecue, a bake sale...and, did I mention, great fun!

Well, that's all for now. I guess I'm out of the blocks (to borrow an Olympic metaphor).

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

A Mid-Summer Intercessory

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Today was one of those days when I didn't want to go to church. The increasingly delusional thought that summer is less busy than the rest of the year to the contrary, this past week has been one of many meetings. I do have a meeting later today, but my morning was free. I wanted to sit at home, drink my coffee, have my breakfast and read my book.

But, I went, and I'm glad. We sang. We said our prayers. Pastor Mark Lawson preached and we celebrated Holy Communion. All of this was good, but it was during the pastoral prayer that I thought of some extended intercessions that I would offer for your consideration, too.

And so, please pray with me...

For the life of our churches, especially...

those that are in times of transition (1st Corning, 1st Ithaca, Park
Elmira, East Side Binghamton, Preble, Plainville Christian, Ravena Christian,
1st Poughkeepsie, 1st Albany, Gloversville, Clinton Heights)
those that are actively searching for pastoral leadership (Groton Community, Homer, Preble, Deansboro, Center Lisle, Caroline Valley)
those that will soon vote on whether or not to become Open and Affirming (Sherburne) and those that are in the process of discernment regarding Open and Affirming (Fairmount Community, Greene)
those that have been involved with conversations with other churches
regarding more intentional cooperation of mission and ministry (Plymouth
Bethesda Utica, UCC Cortland, 1st Binghamton, Groton Community, Groton City,
McLean Community)
those that are brand new congregations (Journey UCC Slingerlands, Ecclesia Ministries Newburgh), newly merged congregations (Three Steeples United--UCC/PCUSA) and about to join the UCC (Central Square Community)
those that plan retreats, go on mission trips, hold picnics and ice
cream socials
and all of our churches that do the work of ministry or seek to do this work faithfully.

Join with me in praying for those authorized to lead us in ministry, especially...

those that have moved to new ministry settings out of our Conference (Randy & Mary Lou Hammer -- Tennesee, Daniel Happel -- Germany, Nathan Wright -- Canada)
those that have found new ministries within our Conference (Tomi Jacobs -- Interim Protestant Chaplain of Hendricks Chapel, Vicki Johnson -- Executive Director Cortland County Council of Churches, Bruce Schoup -- Interim 1st Poughkeepsie, Eileen Dearborn -- Interim Ravena, Sandy Damhof -- Journey UCC Slingerlands, Anthony Green -- Interim 1st Albany, Ralph English -- Interim Gloversville, Barbara Wright -- 1st Presbyterian Scipioville)
those that are on sabbatical leave (Craig Schaub, Carol Giordano) and that will soon be going on sabbatical leave (Mark Lawson)
those who are going through rough times in their churches, in their personal lives, those who are recovering from surgery

Join with me in praying for the life of our Associations and our Conference, especially for...

Casting You Nets on the Other Side and the churches that this exciting program is helping to recapture a vision, energy and plan for mission
the many ministries of the Commission on the Global Church: as partners with Mision Cristiana in Nicaragua; the United Congregation Church of Southern Africa and our missionary partners in East London SA, Dawn and Jon Barnes; NY/Help Honduras, the Disaster Response Team in it's upcoming training for local churches (November 15 in Syracuse and November 22 in Albany) and the planned work camp trip to New Orleans (October 5-11); and our plans to hold Mission Possible 3 in Syracuse (March 27-28,2009)
the work of the Commission on Ministry as it seeks to support ministers through Clergy Retreats (November 5-7, 2008 and March 23-25 each at Stella Maris, Skaneateles); and through the New York School of Ministry, UCCNY's vibrant regional program of preparation for ministry.
the Oneida and Susquehanna Associations in their work of visioning an revitalization
the Oneida Association's Mission Fair, Saturday, noon to 4:00 on September 13, at the Fairmount Community Church to raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Darfur through involvement in the Tents of Hope project.

Join me in prayer for the United Church of Christ, especially for...

the thousands of youth and adult leaders from across the denomination at the National Youth Event in Knoxville, Tennesee last month
the Collegium of Officers, our national leaders, as they seek to help the entire national setting to envision a new covenantal structure for our life together and our mission
all those that work on our behalf in the national setting, in conferences and around the world as missionaries
the new God Is Still Speaking television ad campaign and the need to raise another $250,000 ($100,000 has already been raised) by September 1, in order to ensure nationwide coverage.
the continuing efforts to be faithful in mission, witness for justice and radical welcome, and encourage and work to strengthen our churches for mission.

The petitions are endless -- for peace in Iraq and Afghanistan; the end of racial, ethnic and political strife in the Sudan, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya; for reconciliation between Isreal and Palestine, China and Tibet, India and Pakistan, Columbia and Equador/Venezuela; saftey and recovery from forest fires, floods, typhoons and hurricanes, mortgage foreclosures and so many more.

Prayer is one of the things that we are called to do as people of faith, however. As Christian people of faith, we find strength, encouragement and power in praying together in Bible studies and prayer groups, in churches, associations of churches, conferences and denominations, etc., etc.

And so, I'm glad for the time of prayer that I shared with the good folks at UCC Bayberry this morning. Again, these prayers saved me from myself by opening me up to the grace of God and the call to minister to the needs of God's people. Praise God!

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"And So It Goes"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:19:00 +0000

Sometimes it's hard to "move on." I know that I've been stuck over the last few days. Woodchucks! Woodchucks love living under the tool shed in the corner of our back yard. We had a family of these critters when we first moved here seven years ago. But then they either moved or they became more subtle in their movements. At least we hadn't noticed them again until this summer.

We inherited the tool shed from the previous owners. There is evidence that they had also dealt with the attraction of the tool shed to the neighborhood wildlife. And, we've known that we needed to do something more to plug up the gaps under the floor. Clearly, the time was now.

So, we called the pest control company to come and remove the woodchucks. For a fee that caused us some extended hyperventilation the pest control person (PCP) would come, set traps and remove the woodchucks to a forested area a safe distance away from our home. The contract was signed, the trap was set, and over a period of two days two woodchucks were safely caught and set free in a new home.

Meanwhile the problem of plugging the gaps under the tool shed weighed on our minds. We needed to coordinate this effort with the removal of the woodchucks, of course. We also needed to develop a design, a schedule, a budget, in short, a plan that we could work around work schedules, weather, limited labor skills and a desire to do it as cheaply as possible.

It was all so paralyzing. I could think of little else. In meetings, sitting at my computer in my office, driving along the road, lying awake in the middle of the night I went over all of these things in my mind. Stones. Pavers. Edgers. Leveling the tool shed. Getting enough dirt for the landscaping. Over and over again in my mind. It seems simple enough. But I kept getting stuck. The more I thought about it the more complicated it got.

I was willing to buy the stones, the pavers and the edgers. but I absolutely didn't want to buy the dirt. But in order to get enough dirt without buying it, I needed to take it from another part of my yard. I could do that if I decided to extend the width of our driveway (another longstanding project). But did I really want to do that too?

...And so it goes...

I run into many situations in ministry where the foundations of our decision making and problem solving similarly consist of so much shifting sand.

I know of a small country church that is searching for a new pastor. They want the new part time pastor to help "grow" the church by providing a presence in the community, building the Sunday school, conducting adult Bible studies, all for $12,000 per year!

They are particularly interested in redeveloping the Sunday school. They had three to five children in attendance at worship nearly every Sunday but were awaiting the arrival of the next pastor before starting any programs for these children.

But what if someone in the congregation decided to do something to teach the children some Bible stories, or help them to memorize some prayers or teach them some hymns. It might take an extra fifteen minutes either before or after worship (maybe during the coffee hour).

The church might find that they have a nascent Sunday school developing through one person's plan to share the Church's faith and tradition with some children in an uncomplicated, straightforward manner.

Addressing the issues that present themselves to us in today's global culture boggle the imagination. One round of letters to the editor in the Syracuse papers recently has involved the issue of interfaith relationships. Words such as pluralism, multiculturalism, and tolerance signify the breakdown of the American way of life to some people. They represent the only hope of world peace and justice to others.

Yesterday, I met Jill Carroll, director of the Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance at Rice University. The Boniuk Center was founded by a grant from a millionaire (after whom the center is named) who thought that he could transform the world and bring about complete interfaith tolerance if he produced and distributed Religious Tolerance lapel pins to everyone in the world.

Jill and other staff of the Boniuk Center decided that there might be a better, more realistic plan to achieve this goal. They developed the Amazing Faiths Project based upon the premise that if they brought people from different faith perspectives together for a simple meal and a carefully planned and moderated discussion of various issues of faith, then a new culture of mutual respect and cooperation would develop. These discussion would not be interfaith dialogues, but rather conversations among people of different faith traditions about life. Based in Houston, TX the program has spread to other cities in Texas and beyond. InterFaith Works of Central New York is planning to bring this program to the Syracuse area.

Interfaith cooperation like any kind of cooperation between races, genders, ethnicities is difficult. Reports from the Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, to the United States prove this premise. But starting with a simple plan, having dinner together, just might start something totally new.

At the end of his life the prophet Moses received the Word from God that he passed onto God's people. The message was the choice between life and death. Such choices rarely present themselves in life' big events. Most often these choices come in the mundane moments of deciding whether or not to opt for hope and possibility or for the fear of anything new or different.

Do we encourage the new member who has different ideas about how to keep the books, or organize the church growth program or church supper? Or do we dismiss them with the seven last words of the church ("We've never done it that way before!")?

What if we really wanted to have the services of a full time pastor, even though we were a small church with a budget to match? We learned that we could call a full time pastor if we were willing to share pastoral services with another congregation. Things progress. Both churches are more than willing. The job description is developed. The decision is nearly made. There is one problem. Both churches worship at the same hour. The churches have the choice. What is most important, calling a full time minister to this new two-point "charge" or keeping the integrity of their existing schedule of worship? Which priority brings the greater promise of life rather than death?

Choices. Deciding to make them, or not. As we Develop an idea, make a plan and take one step at a time we just might find that suddenly the shifting sands under our feet have become a firm foundation upon which we can build a new life of faith and faithfulness.

As far as decisions about matters in my own back yard go, I dug a trench around the tool shed. I nailed some edging to the floor frame and filled the bottom of the trench with rocks. Then I covered over the stones with the readily available. I'll do the rest of the landscaping soon. I will use the dirt from the section of my driveway that I will extend. It will take the rest of the summer probably. But for now, the woodchucks will not find it easy to get under the tool shed.

...And so it goes...

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Well, it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood (mine, at least). The hazy, hot, humid days earlier in the week have given way to deep blue skies, puffy white clouds and a gentle westerly breeze.

For many of us in the Church days like this reflect the gentler schedules that we enjoy at this time of year, regardless of the setting. The congregational newsletters that I receive are "thinner". They talk about combined services with other congregations, or revised worship schedules, church picnics, retreats and workcamps, and reminders to keep up our pledges even if our weekends are spent doing other things than worshipping.

For my part, as a conference staff person, local churches that are in a time of pastoral transition continue to need assistance in going through the process of finding a pastoral leader. In the two associations for which I am primary responsibility for coverage (Oneida and Susquehanna) 11 of the 56 congregations are in the search process. Fortunately, most of these congregations have very good interim pastoral leadership to help them to grow through this transition time.

Yes, it's a beautiful day in my neighborhood, God is in heaven, and all is right with the world. I look out on my back yard and the grass is green (and doesn't need mowing for another couple of days!), the bushes are trimmed, the gardens are weeded. Yes, things are pretty good...until I think of the goffer holes under the storage shed and back deck, and the myriad other odd jobs that need doing. Suddenly, I'm thinking of going on a day-trip to take me away from it all. But then, I find myself wondering about how beautiful the day is in other neighborhoods.

It's partly cloudy in East London, Republic of South Africa, today. Our missionary partners, Dawn and Jon Barnes, are enjoying a mild mid-winter day with temperatures varying between 46-61 degrees Fahrenheit expected.

Dawn and Jon play a similar role to mine in working with pastors and churches in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa (the southeastern tip of the continent). They help facilitate clergy meetings, retreats, and womens' meetings. They help local churches address nutritional and economic needs. They's helped to start community garden that provide food and some income. And, they are very involved in the Samaritan Care Centre, a health clinic that provides, educational outreach programs and palliative care to HIV/AIDS sufferers. Click on this link for stories and articles of their work on our behalf in South Africa: http://www.globalministries.org/africa/missionaries/?country=&issue_topic=&missionaries_for_stories=barnes-jon-dawn.

In Nyala in the southern, more mountainous region of Darfur, Sudan it is 83 degrees. They are expecting rain and thunderstorms. Expectations might be different in the northern part of Darfur, where the U.N. peace keeping force was attacked by the Janjaweed yesterday.

We wonder what can stop the fighting, the ethnic conflict, the genocide. More peacekeepers with a broader mandate to stop of the violence might help. More pressure on China (one of the Sudanese government's strongest allies) might also help. Keeping our sisters and brothers in Darfur in prayer as well as their persecutors in Khartoum and the hosts of their refugee camps in Chad will definitely help.

In addition to prayer we can sign petitions of support on websites like http://www.savedarfur.org/ and give money to support the refugees and advocate for the end of the violence.

As churches we can also raise awareness and show our support by participating in such programs as Tents of Hope. Tents of Hope (http://www.tentsofhope.org/) raises our awareness and connects us with the suffering of the people in Darfur through the symbol of the refugee tent. We paint tents (or sections of tents) while we learn of the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur regions of Sudan. The Tents of Hope organization is planning a nationwide gathering of these colorful tents on the Mall in Washington D.C. in November.

The Oneida Association Global Church Committee is taking part in the Tents of Hope effort. The Committee invites all churches of the Association to join in a Mission Fair, September 13, Noon-4:00 at the Fairmount Community Church UCC, 4801 West Genesee St., Syracuse. Come for food and fellowship. (There will be a chicken barbecue plus hotdogs and hamburgers and "fixins".) Come and learn more about the crisis in Darfur. Come to paint a 12" square section of a tent that will be sent to the United Nations Refugee Camps in Chad. Once there the sections will be assembled into full tents.

In the meantime Plymouth Congregational UCC, Syracuse is also participating in the
Tents of Hope program. They will paint and display their tent during the annual Syracuse Arts & Crafts Fair, July 26-27. They also plan to take part in the Oneida Association Mission Fair.

And so, with thanks to Fred Rogers,
"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?..."
Perhaps in their own way, the people of Darfur are asking these same questions.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

"On Thinking Beyond Tomatoes"

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:26:00 +0000

Read all about it! In the recent crisis involving the spread of Salmonella scientists believe that it's time to change their perspective on tomatoes. "They aren't off the hook," the scientists reported, "It's just that we have to start thinking beyond tomatoes."

Last week Christina Villa, long time staff person of the national UCC Stewardship Ministry Team, wrote a helpful meditation in the daily UCC Stillspeaking Devotional. She wrote of a childhood trip to the Statue of Liberty, how she and her family took what seemed to be hours in climbing the (what seemed to be) endless stairs to the top. Tina wrote that all she found herself thinking about was those stairs. She stared at the stairs. Her entire experience of this central symbol of what it means to be "American" involved thinking about the stairs.

"Some years later," Tina continued, "I saw the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island ferry on a brilliant late summer day. This time was different. I couldn't take my eyes off it. There it is! The Statue of Liberty! From half a mile away, its meaning was arresting."

She went onto observe, "'Give me your tired, your poor.' That's the meaning of the Statue of Liberty. Our political arguments over immigration policy are like the stairs inside the statue. They are what you remember while you're missing the point. God's regulations about who can eat the Passover meal are like that, too. See God's pronouncements from a distance and from some vulnerable and hopeful position, like that of an immigrant approaching at last a harbor. That's how you get the point."

What's the point? Yes, tomatoes are the immediate cause of the spread of salmonella poisoning. And, warnings should be broadcast and tomatoes removed from grocery store shelves and restaurant menus. But, maybe it's not the tomatoes' fault alone. Maybe there are other vegetables or fruits that also are infected. Maybe it's a matter of where they're packaged or the materials with which they are packaged, or the place whence they are being shipped.

The price of gas in the U.S. is finally reaching international fee levels, and we don't like it. So, what's the point? Does it mean that we should increase oil production (including drilling in areas within wildlife preserves)? Does it mean that we should limit those whose speculation on Wall St. are causing prices to spike? Does it mean that we engage more intentionally in producing alternate fuels and adjust the technology of our cars and other toys accordingly? Does it mean that we just grin and bear it all? (A most recent Pew Survey reported in this morning's paper suggests that a majority of people approve of drilling for oil in wildlife reserves, by the way.)

Reports from Moscow are that another city landmark will be renovated. The huge toy store, Detsky Mir (Children's World), will be gutted and modernized. Said one official, "It has become both morally and physically obsolete." So, what's the point? In what way can a toy store be morally obsolete? Does it sell toys laced with led? Are the employees unfairly treated by management? An interesting comment, nevertheless. There are those who fear that the renovation will destroy an historic aesthetically distinctive and pleasing landmark. So, where is the point at which becoming physically state of the art crosses over into aesthetic immorality?

I can think of many of our church buildings that can be described as physically obsolete. It might also be true that their physical obsolescence has moral implications. (Handicapped accessibility comes to mind!)

One of our churches needs a new roof over the sanctuary. This church has also identified the need for new, more comfortable chairs for the sanctuary. Sometime this winter a couple of families paid for the chairs. The church council has just asked the congregation to embark upon a fund drive to pay for the new roof. The council also noted that worship and Sunday school attendance has stagnated somewhat recently. (Hopefully, there will be no heavy rains that will leak through the old roof onto the new chairs, filled by fewer people!)

The national setting of the UCC is debating whether or not to undergo a modification of the recent restructure. Some leaders have felt that making the relationship of the different covenanted ministries more streamlined and efficient, with clearer lines of leadership and authority, and reducing the unwieldy size of the various volunteer administrative boards will make the national setting more faithful in its calling. If this doesn't happen (especially reducing the size of the boards) there will be little alternative other than reducing the already bare bones paid staff. Those who stand against the proposed modifications fear a loss of voice for traditionally under-represented groups.

So, what's the point? The point is that it's all a matter of perspective. So often we become so immersed in the details that we miss the point (as Tina Villa put so well). We read in the scriptures that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and that God wishes that we see things like God does.

The United Church of Christ is a covenantal church. We love God, we follow Jesus, we seek to grow together in all God's ways. We propose to live out this calling by extending a radical welcome to all God's people, working for justice where there is oppression, grace and peace where there is violence.

Our local congregations are called to be the church in their locations: to proclaim the Gospel in word and in deed; to share fellowship with Christians everywhere; to respect all people especially those whose pathways to God differ from our own; to identify and serve the needs of the community, especially those that are the most vulnerable.

The United States of America has as part of its oath of allegiance that we are "one nation under God with liberty and justice for all." Many of our fellow citizens hear the words "under God" and feel that we need to get prayer back into the schools and allow sculptures of the Ten Commandments in our state houses.

While these maybe worthy pursuits, my view is that God is probably much more concerned with liberty and justice for God's children than with public prayers dutifully stated by rote or badly executed statues. God is more concerned with providing for the poor, the homeless and the oppressed than with building walls to keep them out. God is more concerned with one world, than with one nation over against the others.

That's the problem with thinking beyond tomatoes. Things get more complicated. But, just maybe, like the Statue of Liberty from a half mile away, we might just get the point.

"The earth is God's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it."

(Ps. 24:1 NCH)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Doing what We Can

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:55:00 +0000

My wife, Susan, and I were sitting on our back deck after lunch earlier this week, talking about the news. What a downer of a conversation! Floods in Iowa (and almost everywhere along the upper Mississippi)! Wildfires in California! Bloodshed in Kenya! A dictator acting like a dictator in Zimbabwe! Xenophobia in South Africa!

I started singing this song made popular in 1959 by the Kingston Trio.

"They're rioting in Africa, they're starving in Spain.
There's hurricanes in Florida, and Texas needs rain.
The whole world is festering with unhappy souls,
the French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles.
Italians hate Yugoslavs, South Africans the Dutch,
And I don't like anybody very much!"

And then I remembered an anonymous quote from my college yearbook, "the more things change, the more they stay the same."

Indeed the news is troubling. There's no way around this. Do we give up? Do we throw our hands in the air and say that the world's going to hell in a handbasket, and what's the use! Or, do we retreat into a cocoon of compact schedules and safe days? Do we keep our nose to the grindstone and our shoulders to the wheel and disregard everything that's not our business? Or do we respond to calls to action? Do we give to Church World Service or the Red Cross? Do we sign on in support of this or that advocacy group to speak out on issues of immigration, civil rights and liberties, war and peace, global warming (the list goes on)?

The answer to all of these questions is undoubtedly, "Yes." On any given day we may respond in any or all of these ways. At least I know that I do. Sometimes I simply shut down at the appearance of one more cry for help from a worthy cause in my email inbox. Sometimes I'll pass on information for support of various causes by means of blogs and emails. Sometimes I'll send money.

Mostly, I'm finding that I truly admire the passion and energy that activists inside and outside of churches employ in pursuit of their causese. I rejoiced to hear of the commitment of the congregation at Plymouth, Syracuse to create their own Tents of Hope in support of the victims of the genocide in Darfur, as well as in their rededication to advocate for hopeful immigrants within our midst through the New Sanctuary Movement.

Through my recently greater invovlement in InterFaith Works of Central New York I've been focusing my efforts in the Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism. I participated in a "Dialogue Circle" last fall. And, this month I volunteered as a facilitator in the CWD 3rd Grade Exchange Dialogue, involving a suburban and an inner-city elementary school. For four hours with eight 3rd graders in each school I attempted to facilitate the dialogue. I wasn't very good, but I did what I could do. I did something. It felt worthwhile.

My job involves working with so many churches that seem to care less about actually proclaiming the good news of God's love through words and deeds of justice, mercy, understanding, yes, even love. Many of our churches are showing a great deal of care for their members. Our church in Constantia that just closed down used to have a worship bulletin sized page full of people (from the church and community) for whom to pray. This is wonderful. It's a great ministry. But it's not enough. Prayers are essential. But prayer in order to be Godly must take us beyond ourselves, our own circle, our our needs, our own health. Godly prayer gives us a Godly perspective.

I subscribe to the online newsfeed from Common Global Ministries. A recent feed reminded me of the power of prayer to change our perspective and to place us humbly at the feet of the throne of grace. The Council of Churches of South Africa wrote a statement of contrition and apology for the ethnic violence among the people of South Africa that has been directed at the growing number of refugees mostly from neighboring Zimbabwe. In a letter on behalf of the Board of the Council dated June 18, Mr. Eddie McKue, General Secretary wrote:

"We are ashamed that in a nation where four out of five people profess to be Christians, we have not been more effective interpreters and practitioners of the Bible's demand that we show hospitality to strangers and welcome to outsiders. Just as the sons and daughters of Israel were aliens in the land of Egypt, so too many South Africans spent long years in exile in neighbouring lands, including your own countries. Even in times of want and duress, you demonstrated your solidarity with our struggle by making us feel at home and sharing your resources with us graciously.

Our shame is compounded when we acknowledge that we have neglected the imperatives of our culture as well as of our faith. Whatever language we speak, whatever our heritage, as Africans we share a common understanding of our interdependence as human beings. The South African concept of ubuntu – that each person becomes human through his or her relationships with others – has parallels in other societies around the continent."

He went on to talk about the need for Christians to do more than express shock and outrage. Christians have the imperative of confronting such behavior and looking for ways

"to cooperate in the search for development paradigms that promote genuine human security, the need for stronger and more structured relations between sister Christian Councils in the SADC region, the need for us to uphold the dignity of all people, the need to address the enormous inequalities that our present economic and political systems have produced."

Further, he invited ecumenical partners around the world "to join in conversation with us in order to explore these issues. We also commit ourselves to working with you as we together seek sustainable solutions that are consistent with our heritage and our faith."

Now, in my book that's Godly prayer! Yes, it came in the form of a letter, but it is prayer nonetheless. It is a confession before God of complicity in the violence by association, if nothing else, coupled with the desire to promote the Way of Peace that Jesus embodied.

In our own faith heritage as United Church of Christ people the 17th century citizens of "Plimoth Colony" called days of prayer and fasting regularly whenever they endured hardship, privation, or community wide doubt or fear.

The statement of the Council of Churches of South Africa reminded me of this heritage. And, I thought how faithful it is whenever we are able to look at our behavior -- individually and collectively -- and confess when we are wrong in the context of commiting ourselves to doing what is right and just.

For Christians it's much less a matter of patriotism than it is of faithfulness.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

Serendipity

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:42:00 +0000

So, here's the thing: I wanted to write about surprises, you know the ways in which Grace sometimes appears right before our eyes -- unsought, unexpected, but very enlightening, awe inspiring and peace-giving. As I thought about this the word "serendipity" came to mind. I thought I knew what the word meant, but wanted to make sure. So, I checked my tried and true American College Dictionary published by Random House in 1958.

I thought that the word 'serendipity' reflected gracious surprises somehow. I remember first coming across the word in my first pastorate in the mid-seventies. A brand new, progressive type of Bible study series was being produced by a group called Serendipity Press. This type of Bible study has become common place now, but it was quite innovative then. It started with some basic questions of what was happening in the text, followed by questions regarding our feelings about the text, then asking us to take the text to heart and apply it to our lives.

What I learned in checking out my dictionary was that the word 'serendipity' was coined by Horace Walpole, son of the 18th centry British Prime Minister, Robert Walpole. Besides being a part of the nobility, Horace was somewhat of an antiquarian. In his pursuit of things ancient he came across an old mythic tale from the Asian sub continent, "The Three Princes of Serendip." Serendip, as it turns out is an ancient name for the island of Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. According to Walpole's own correspondence on the subject the princes in the story “were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of”. From these stories and the home of the princes Walpole coined the word.

I found an informative article online about all of this by Richard Boyle, entitled "The Three Princes of Serendip". Here's the link: http://livingheritage.org/three_princes.htm.

The upshot of all of this is that I think I may have been on a serendipitous journey in discovering the definition of the word. I'm no Sherlock Holmes with highly developed powers of observation and seemingly limitless knowledge. I don't have the wisdom of a Jeeves. Sitting under an apple doesn't spark my intellect like it did for Isaac Newtion to conceive of the scientific reality of gravity.

Likewise, I never before heard of Serendip nor of the Three Princes thereof, nor Horace Walpole, etc., etc. Although I neither ascribe to any high level of sagacity (acute mental discernment and keen practical sense), I can say that I found something for which I was not looking. And, I have learned about the context in which we can sensitize our mind, body and soul to the nature of life that life and nature can show us many seemingly miraculous things when we least expect them.

Jesus talked about having the "eyes to see" not just the weather but the "signs of the times", and about having the "ears to hear" not just intellectually taking in the words but taking the words to heart: changing the way we think, act and feel; changing our enitre worldview in fact. I think that Jesus was inviting us, imploring us to be open to all of the details of what's happening around us that point to the meaning of life within, between and beyond us.

I have often found myself in situations where I have experienced serendipitous moments. I travel to a meeting. I think of what's coming up on the agenda, whose going to be there, what my responsibilities are going to be, how long everything will take, what time I'll be able to get back home. I try to anticipate everything so that there are no surprises. But along the way, I have a chance conversation with someone that has nothing whatsover to do with the meeting, and I realize that this one conversation was the real reason not only for my attendance at the meeting but even for getting up that day.

So what's happening now for you, or for those we love, or for the world. In Zimbabwe a run-off election will be held to decide who will be the new President of the country on June 27. Common Global Ministries in cooperation with the World Council of Churches is asking for our congregations to unite in prayer and action this Sunday. Here is a link to the article on the Global Ministries website: http://www.globalministries.org/news/africa/prayer-and-action-for.html.

Here is a prayer for the people of Zimbabwe written by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. Eternal God:
In your sight nations rise and fall, and pass through times of trial. We pray with and for Zimbabwe in this hour of national decision, and we ask your divine blessing on all the people of the land. May Zimbabwe's leaders seek justice by means that are just; May the voters take action to promote the common good; may international observers and mediators be guided by your wisdom. Lead us not into temptation, Lord, and deliver your people from evil: Empower us all to overcome anger, jealousy, division and violence; help us to respect one another despite our differences; and teach us the things that truly make for peace. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Many of our congregations are also scheduling annual meetings for this Sunday. Please keep these churches in your prayers: UCC Bayberry, First Congregational Church of Phoenix, and others of which I am not aware. The Central Square Community Church will be voting during their annual meeting this Sunday on whether or not to join the United Church of Christ.

The Conference Commission on the Global Church is meeting on Saturday. We'll be receiving reports, making plans. We also will be inviting a guest involved with a health clinic in Nicaragua. But what else will happen? What possibilities for mission will come to us that we didn't anticipate?

We hope and pray that the Holy Spirit may surprise us as we meet, as we pray, as we worship, as we go about our daily lives, with insights into who we are as congregations, as people of faith, as God's beloved children. With hearts and minds open maybe adversaries will be able to see each other in a new light. Maybe we will be able to listen to each other so that we can work out solutions to once insurmountable problems. Maybe we will find new possibilities where we had felt stymied by deadends.

Richard Boyle in his article quoted remembered that John Barth observed in his book, "The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor" (New York, 1991): "You don't reach Serendip by plotting a course for it. You have to set out in good faith for elsewhere and lose your bearings serendipitously."

I think that this is what Jesus meant when he said that we should seek God's realm and righteousness first then all of the matters of life over which we are anxious will be resolved (Matthew 6:25-35).

That is, as we do the right thing for all people; as we work for justice and promote liberty; as we work to end violence of thoughts, words and deeds non-violently; as we forgive and seek forgiveness; as we make these things part of our prayer life, our daily life, our public life, our national and international life; God's abundant mercy and love can overflow with all that we need.

As Jesus said, "Those with the ears to hear, let them hear." (Let the reader know that I'm also speaking to me, here!)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

The Examen

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Cowles) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:47:00 +0000

St. Ignatius taught his followers in the Society of Jesus to pray, study, praise, and serve. One of the exercises of prayer that framed different portions of each day was (is) the examen. It is a simple discipline of looking at the events of one's life and meditating upon how God has been present to us and how we have been present to God. The purpose of this exercise is to train disciples to open themselves up to the Divine in ever increasing ways, day by day.

In the aftermath of the New York Conference UCC Annual Meeting at Silver Bay on Lake George the ways in which God was present have been coming to me. I wish I could say that I was consciously "doing" the examen, but that would not be honest. Rather it seems as though the examen has been "doing" me.

Many people work very hard to plan, coordinate, and guide the annual meeting. Geoffrey Black is primarily responsible for this. He works with the planning committee all year in preparation for the four day meeting. His administrative assistant Antoinette Montgomery also works very hard at this. Sometimes Regional Staff have specific responsibilities. Marian Shearer also served on the planning committee. The Executive Council and various committees have official responsibilities. Carol Giordano presents the budget and always presents it at a hearing.

Most of what Regional Conference Minister's do is unofficial. 90% of our part of the meeting is unscripted, around the edges. We spend much of our time talking with pastors and church leaders about all sorts of things.

The young pastor who just left a part time pastorate to deal with some increased family resposibilities came up to me and began to talk. She was worried about the church she had just left. And so, we talked about this...for about an hour. She came up to me during a 15 minute break and we talked nearly until the next break in the meeting.

It was great to catch up with the pastor with whom I used to be in regular contact. We sat and talked about his church, about Barak Obama and Trinity UCC, about our lives. I've always enjoyed his intellect and his insightful, somewhat off-center sense of humor.

Pastors looking to move to another church, leaders wondering about whom God is calling to be their next pastor, delegates wondering about what's happening next and where, sharing casual conversation around the dinner table, leading workshops, taking part in the plenary business session, and finding inspiration in the worship and the preaching. All of these things are part of the meeting.

I'm particularly grateful for the wonderful moment when the Commission on the Global Church honored the Clinton Heights Community Church with an award as a Global Mission Church. The list of programs, commitments of money and persons to mission wowed the delegates gathered in the auditorium. The church and their Interim Pastor, Nathan Wright, were shaking with the surprise of this honor. It was quite a moment.

And for me, I was very grateful for the ministry of the youth to me. During the Communion Service planned and led by the youth on Saturday night, three teenagers gave examples of their experiences of God. One boy declared his love of water saying that when he swims or boats he hears God in the sound of the water. And, immediately I was transported to hearing the water lapping up against a stone wall under the dock at my grandparents' lakeside cottage in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. I could hear the gurgling of forest brooks and the crash of ocean waves. Through it all I hear the voice of God promising peace and eternal presence.

This is not an evaluation of the meeting. There were wonderful "things" that happened. There were some things about which I would not write home. Despite the ebbs and flows of the meeting, I experienced God's presence. And, that is enough and I am glad.

How was God present for you this weekend? How is God present for you today?

Blessings,

Rick Cowles