News and Announcements

The eight Western District pre-synod area meetings are now completed. It was gratifying to see delegates and other interested persons, actively engaged in these conversations that sought to prepare us for our work as a synod. If you go to www.mcnp.org and click on "2010 Synod," you will be able to read the various reports and Memorials that have been submitted.

Composing the Western District report caused me to smile frequently. Smiling is not something that I associate with writing reports! However, as I wrote about signs of life in the congregations, I couldn't help but feel gratitude and hope. The discipline of gratitude encourages us to pay attention for signs of life.

One colleague responded to the report by affirming 99% of it. I was surprised since we often see things differently. I've concluded that those signs of life hold us together in hope. This colleague also noted something that I had overlooked, that other 1%. He was right and I thanked him for bringing it to my attention. As I re-read the report now, many more stories and faces come to mind that I could have written about. We are richly blessed. Isn't it wonderful that even in being "corrected" we are pointed to the gift of life in Christ Jesus.

With gratitude for the ministries entrusted to our hands,
Jim

What do you do behind closed doors? This is a timely Easter topic! It is behind “shut,” “locked,” “closed,” doors that Jesus finds the disciples, and us (see John 20:19+). Those doors shield us from fear. Many of our congregations, are wondering about their future. To me, that sounds like the disciples’ concern.

Into this fear, into what we would keep hidden, Jesus inserts himself. There is nowhere to hide. A lie in our society is the notion that “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” This phrase is neither harmless nor true and cultivates a destructive illusion. The cross fosters the illusion that God can be denied. Not so. Fear says what happens on the cross stays on the cross. Jesus will have none of this.

“Peace be with you!” Notice how his greeting is intricately tied to showing them his hands and side. There is nothing about those wounds that are illusory or deceptive. These wounds are not hidden in the tomb. They go with him. Into the midst of this world’s brokenness, he enters, wounds and all. What happens on the cross stays on the cross? No.

The disciples “rejoice.” Jesus again asserts, “Peace be with you.” Ironically, John’s Gospel, which often lingers in long explanations, immediately quickens the pace – “As the Father has sent me, so I send you!” What is going on behind closed doors is to be fully shared.

“Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’ he said. ‘If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?’” (The Message, Eugene Peterson).

Do you suppose the world is watching to see if the church believes in forgiveness? I do. Practiced forgiveness is evidence of being sent – by God. Foregoing forgiveness allows us to avoid being sent. Then church focuses inward, on our problems, and once again the doors are “locked!” We’re back to thinking that what happens on the cross stays on the cross.

Again Jesus enters and stands among us. “Peace be with you.” What are you going to do, there is nowhere to hide!

-James

In this first year as District President I’ve been listening, because I believe it is the task of leadership. It’s been a blessing to visit with the Joint Board of one half of the District congregations. Several of those visits involved the call process, though most were focused on building relationships and offering encouragement. Paul’s words to his "beloved" Timothy have instructed and encouraged us. Hear the tenderness of Paul’s affection, "Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy" (2 Timothy 1:4).

The opportunity to visit with pastors and to hear their witness has been a gift and a joy. In our listening together we’ve shared our hopes, dreams, struggles and sometimes our stubbornness! All point to a love of the Lord, which is at the core of our work.

Several things jump out at me as I listen to Joint Board leaders. One is a deep hunger for their congregations to thrive. When the church listens to this hunger, we are at our best. Our listening together has led me to hear the following difficult questions. As you read them, I wonder what you hear.

-How do we get more members?
-Does the District Board, PEC or other congregations care about us?

As our congregations have struggled in recent years, we have become more isolated. It is not uncommon to turn within. It is a basic survival instinct. I pray that the hunger of faith will continually cause us to turn our attention outward. Evidence of this outward turn has been accumulating for years. Thus it is not surprising that mission trips and a prophetic concern for justice are shaping the life and witness of the church.

In the isolation of incarceration, Paul maintained his outward focus. He was passionate about encouraging Timothy. Who are we passionate about encouraging? Where does the Holy Spirit seek to move us out of our isolation? There is a deep hunger in the church to listen together for the leading of the Spirit! There is a deep hunger for words of encouragement and affirmation.

We’re not the only group whose struggles are evident in our questions. Page through Luke’s gospel and look at the questions asked of Jesus. I was shocked to realize how rarely the disciples are portrayed asking questions. Instead the questions are asked by Jesus’ parents, the devil, demons, rulers, scribes, Pharisees, chief priests, a lawyer... What does this mean? Is Luke nudging us to listen to the world’s questions and to Jesus’ responses!

Being heard is a gift. Listening is a gift too!

Engaging together in basic Christian disciplines such as prayer, study of the Scriptures, and acts of hospitality, reveals where Jesus is sending the Holy Spirit to guide us. Together, let’s pray, study and practice hospitality so we can recognize who we are being sent to. Do we hear how the Holy Spirit seeks to overcome our sense of isolation? When prayer, Scripture and acts of hospitality shape our lives and thinking, we are equipped to follow. Listening prepares us to say, "let us follow Him."

-James