well said

Elizabeth Edwards wrote an incredible article reflecting on the death of Tony Snow. Be sure you read it

It's not what you know, it's who you know

Now that the funeral service is all over, let me say it was an adventure finding a pianist.

Our fabulous pianist was already committed to rehearsals accompanying students practicing for solo competition. Many other capable pianists were involved in a piano contest at the local university. After talking to our pianist, from 9:15 am to about 2:00 pm, I called 5 methodist churches, 1 Christian (Disciples of Christ) pastor, 1 Presbyterian elder (who happens to teach piano to the Entertainer), Mid-Life Rookie, multiple musicians whose numbers I received as possible suggestions, and one of my best friends that I've known for 14 years who suggested another pianist that I've known for 15 years. I had already called her but my friend said, "I'll call her. She'll call you back in a minute." And she did and she did.

We worked together on staff all those years ago. So I had no worries about her skill or her flexibility. And she played and sang. As a matter of fact, she's the one that suggested the songs -- that were perfect. And, before the service, when I said, the other job that you didn't know you had is to pray that I don't say something stupid. She said, "You won't. You'll be fabulous. Well, here ..." and she grabbed my hand and prayed right then and there.

Doubly blessed

Sat 5/3

On Saturday, instead of attending the last class session for my last doctoral class, I will be officiating the service for a 30 year old who was murdered.

There are way more questions than answers.

His grandmother is one of the very active older members of my church. He was living with her when I first came here almost 3 years ago. So, while I didn't know him well, I did know him and had talked to him casually. I just recently learned that he was divorced and had a 7 yr old son.

Please pray for his family. Pray that the police officers who are working the case get the information they need to bring answers to the family. Pray that in this difficult time there will be much kindness and gentleness.

I, for once, have a crisis for which I have had training and so have been able to be helpful to the family. However, I've never had to officiate a service like this before so I could use some prayers that the sermon is what it needs to be.

And, prayers that I actually get the course work completed on time, might be a good idea, too.

Madeleine L'Engle

One of my favorite authors, Madeleine L'Engle, died yesterday. I just found out. It makes me sad.

The New York Times article ends:

“Why does anybody tell a story?” Ms. L’Engle once asked, even though she knew the answer.

“It does indeed have something to do with faith,” she said, “faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically.”

With a free subscription, you can read the article here.

An article published by Episcopal Life has a quote from her about suffering and grief. You can read it here.

Several years ago, I was one of the adults on a youth camping trip. Most of the group were out on a hike. I was at the campsite reading "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art." Another adult who came back just ahead of the group saw the title and said, "Oh, that's how you do it-- a how to book -- walking on water."

Lord, hear our prayer

The following was forwarded to me through a couple of different lists. The message without the forwarding mess is below.

Urgent Prayer Request for the South Korean hostages held in Afghanistan:
We have received an urgent prayer request from Bishop Kyung Ha Shin head of our sister Methodist Denomination, The Korean Methodist Church, in South Korea, as that country waits in fear for the outcome of a hostage crisis unfolding in Afghanistan.

On July 19th, 23 Korean Christians on a medical volunteer mission trip to Afghanistan were kidnapped and are being held hostage by the Taliban in the Qarabagh district between Kabul and Kandahar.

Demands are being made for the release of rebel prisoners. Negotiations have been hampered by the lack of a central government in the region. This past weekend an envoy from South Korea arrived in Kabul to coordinate efforts to secure the group's safe release. Prior to the envoy's arrival the leader of the VIM group, Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu was shot to death by the captors. Rev. Bae leaves behind a wife and nine-year old daughter. Late word this afternoon (Wed, Aug 1) from contacts in South Korea is that a second volunteer has been executed. The nation of South Korea is united in prayer for the safe release of the remaining 21 hostages.

We ask our United Methodist brothers and sisters to pray:

for reconciliation and a just resolution in the situation

for hopeful negotiation and safe release

for all Volunteer in Mission leaders in our churches as many offer
themselves in mission close to home and in other countries

for Christians in Korea and the entire nation, as the Korean Methodist
Church and others feel the pain and anguish of this unfolding situation.


Let us join our hearts in prayer for the pain and fear experienced by so
many in this situation.


Your Servant in Christ,

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung


There's a news release on the main UMC.org website titled "United Methodists pray for Korean hostages. I tried to link to it but Blogger won't cooperate.

summer camp

A long time ago, at a camp far, far from home, I was struggling with the question, "why even bother being a Christian?" I could not reconcile a God who loved me with the God who planned my father's death and further, I could not get that same God on board with kids who were abused physically or sexually by Christian adults. The pat answers that said everything was a part of God's plan wasn't working for me. If life was full of suffering, why not drink, smoke, and do drugs anyway 'cause God sure didn't make any difference. That was the summary of my extensive thoughts about stupid Christians and their God that wasn't worth spit.

It so happened that the camp far, far from home was a Christian camp. You might wonder how a kid with such deeply held opinions against God ended up at a Christian camp. The short answer ... Mom never said, "No," to church stuff. So even while I considered church and God a waste of time, church stuff got me out of the house -- and church camp got me out of the house for more than a week.

There were various "workshops" (I think they had a different name for them) to choose from. I don't know how I ended up there but in one workshop this guy was talking about Grady Nutt. If you remember Hee Haw, you might remember him. He was a Christian comedian and he died in a helicopter crash. The guy talked about how unfair it was for Grady Nutt to die. The guy talked about asking the same questions I had been asking about what kind of God does that kind of stuff. I had no idea it was theodicy but I did know that no one else had ever talked like that around me before.

The guy talked about how he had talked to some other Christians and pastors about the whole situation and how he finally came to understand that while God does have a plan for our lives sometimes we choose not to follow God's plan. He talked about how God made creation and loves creation but chooses not to be the grand puppeteer toward creation or its creatures including us. He talked about how God put the laws of physics in place and lets them work. And sometimes things just happen. and that when we cry because our hearts ache from grief and loss that God cries with us because the Creator cares so deeply for us. And I found a God that I could believe in again.

I didn't know all the theological background for all of the well intentioned but unhelpful comments that had been made as I grieved my father's death or the different theological background articulated by the guy four years later. I did understand that the very certain statements offered by the former did not convey what the less certain statements offered by the latter did -- grace.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin

p.s. I'm pretty sure the guy was Andy Stanley when the only reason anyone knew him was because he was his father's son but I could be wrong.

Roommates

Have you ever seen the movie Roommates? We watched it in the grief class last week. What a great movie. If you cry, you'll need a box of kleenex. If you don't cry, you might need a kleenex.

Throughout the movie there is life happening in the face of death. The grandfather, played by Peter Faulk, ends up raising his grandson. The family dynamics and the coping, or lack of coping, with death is portrayed so well. I don't think I would have ever rented it myself. But I sure am recommending it now that I've seen it.

grief and bereavement

When I started the class on Grief and Bereavement, I wondered whose funeral I would officiate or who would die before May 8 when class ends.

Last week I assisted for a funeral at my church for a woman I did not know who had been a member. She was not living in town because her children found a nursing home for her that was more convenient for them to visit. It happens that I had been to that nursing home many times while serving a different church. It really is a terrific facility with a truly caring staff. The daughter told me she was surprised that there were a couple of nurses who cried when her mother died. She was touched by the depth of care.

The daughters requested that a retired minister be included in the service. That was a deep relief to me. He really did know the woman and celebrated her life. Some of my church members were amused to hear that my name had changed though. The retired minister has confused me with another minister several times -- not a surprise to me -- but a surprise to some attending the funeral. I let them in on the whole story during the family meal while we were in the kitchen. And I told the story again during Bible Study with a different group who also commented on the name change.

And before I had finished with that service, I was asked to go to a hospice house where the neighbor of a church member had been moved. The neighbor had been fighting cancer for some time. This was the second round and they found spots in her ribs and other bones. Then there were spots in her brain. She and her husband came to worship a couple of times because my church members invited them. But the couple were not all that interested in church or religion, etc. That is, until death was imminent. There were a few times when the husband just talked about a lot of things. He so clearly felt alone and did not want to be so alone. Tomorrow I meet with him and the family and friends he has gathered to figure out how to have "something" for his wife who died Sunday morning. They originally agreed that she would be cremated and there would be no funeral or memorial. As her death drew closer, her husband, sister, and best friend decided that it was just not right to do nothing. So we'll figure out what "something" looks like tomorrow.

So now the wondering has shifted to wondering if there will be more.