Words that carry us
The last Michael’s Musings I sent out was in July. Since then, some of you thought you’d been dropped from the email list. But it’s not you. It’s me. My emotional and creative bandwidth was running low… maybe even running out. I felt it, even if I couldn’t admit it.
I was soul-tired. Perhaps you know the feeling. Perhaps you’re living the feeling. When I preached on Selah: Reclaiming Rest in August, I was preaching to me…
The last 18 months have been heavy for all of us, and heavy for each of us in different ways. Then the COVID surge returned. With it came more frustration, anger, division and grief over so much lost again. There is the loss of whatever “returned normalcy” we might have enjoyed for a hot minute, the loss of time and energy to quarantines, testing, and adjusting plans. There’s the loss of actual people we know and love. For me, there was the grief of cancelling a trip to Idaho to celebrate my grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary and introducing them to our youngest child. And then the tragic mourning of my grandmother’s death from COVID the day of her 60th wedding anniversary.
Layered on that is the devastation of storms, the decision-making of school systems and state legislatures, the tragedy of Afghanistan, the climate-exacerbated raging wildfires and water-scarcity in the West…
My soul is weary and my spirit is heavy.
I’m so grateful for the incredible sermon Patrick Messer preached on Sunday. If you missed it, please, give it a listen. You can find the audio podcast here (or wherever you get your podcasts) as you drive, do the dishes, or sit quietly. You can also watch it here (minute mark 28:35).
My soul needed the rest of that message, its beautiful honesty, the expansive vision of faith Lamentations offers, and the opportunity to find “defiant hope.”
I did get some real rest on vacation last week, which I deeply needed. Selah.
During that vacation, in two final conversations with my grandmother, when words were hard and fraught, I found comfort in the words of Jesus. In the gospels, Jesus teaches us by his own example to pray. But he doesn’t leave us there. He also teaches us how to pray. And then, as if knowing that sometimes prayer is just too much: he gives us words to pray. Words that I don’t ever recall sharing before with my grandmother. But in sharing them with her these words that have always carried God’s love for us now carry her love for me, and my love for her. These words also carry defiant hope and subtle depth. They carry theological beauty. And these words, when we don’t have words of our own… can carry us.
These are the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
I look forward, in this hard and exhausting season, to share worship with you Sunday on the “front lawn” (see below for details). I look forward to sharing again these ancient and ever-renewing words of prayer that can surprise us in their depth. Over the next few weeks we’ll walk slowly through these words, letting them carry us when needed, enriching our imaginations, inspiring our weary souls, and making us new.
See you Sunday,
Meet Jim
I’m so excited to welcome Rev. Dr. Jim Abernathy to South Elkhorn! The Cabinet (South Elkhorn’s governing board), with recommendation from the Sabbatical Team and Personnel, unanimously voted to call Jim as Interim Sabbatical Minister for this summer (June 1 – August 31). He will be joining us for worship on May 22 and I can’t wait for you to meet him!
How Long is Compassion?
It’s long-lasting and long-reaching. Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Learn how your gifts make a difference.
Surprise!
During that vacation, in two final conversations with my grandmother before her death, when words were hard and fraught, I found comfort in the words of Jesus. In the gospels, Jesus teaches us by his own example to pray. But he doesn’t leave us there. He also teaches us how to pray. And then, as if knowing that sometimes prayer is just too much: he gives us words to pray. Words that can carry us.
Unfair
It seems everyone wants to be more authentic. Jesus points to a challenging counter-intuitive path with a surprising detour through denial.
Living in Denial
Holy ground hurts. Sandals don’t stay on when you sprint. I didn’t expect actual flames.
Holy Ground Hurts
Holy ground hurts. Sandals don’t stay on when you sprint. I didn’t expect actual flames.
Jumping In
I was grateful for Acts of Reconciliation resources provided by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). My heart is hurting and my spirit is stirred by the cries of black and brown people who are facing the crushing weight of structural racism. And not only those who are featured in television interviews and news articles, but also those I know personally: friends, colleagues, and siblings in Christ. I'm listening. I'm learning. I'm praying. I'm sitting with the [...]
The Colors of Christ
Growing up, "whiteness" was mostly invisible to me. I knew that I was white, that others were not, but I mostly didn't think about race. And if I'm honest, when I did think about it, it made me really uncomfortable. I quickly retreated to "colorblindness" (choosing not to see race, and pretending race had no impact on how I treated people). Maybe that's why I still remember when I was shocked by "whiteness"... it was when [...]
What does glitter have to do with God?
This weekend is special. You might just discover what glitter has to do with God. I'm so excited for you to experience the unique gifts of the South Elkhorn youth. The online worship service is led by youth sharing their music, song, prayer, short reflections, a children's moment, communion, and more. You can tune in on Facebook at 10:30AM on Sunday, or anytime this weekend here. Their joy, hope, and creativity lifted and elevated my spirit. I suspect [...]
You might be here
You might quickly realize where you are on the graph below. Perhaps it accurately describes your own roller coaster of emotional well-being, and maybe even our wider social situation. I don't know about you, but after a period of camaraderie and shared heroic effort, I now sense and see the disillusionment growing, circulating, deepening. Perhaps that's where you are. Maybe that's what you are sensing in others, too. Click the photo to enlarge. That disillusionment [...]
Monastic Moment
"We are all monks now." That headline stopped me in my tracks. Whatever else this moment is, what if it might be our "monastic moment"? What if "healthy at home" can be more than a pandemic precaution, but an opportunity for something more. No, this isn't the shallow cheer leading that suggests we should learn a new language, master a new skill, or build something new with a zealous discipline and loads of "free time." [...]
Sunday Morning Zoom Communion
Your invited to share Communion by Zoom on Sundays at 11:30 AM. Pause for a sacred moment to greet the church family, hear the words of institution, share bread and cup with whatever elements you have at home, and receive a blessing. To join, follow the links and use the password here.
Excarnation
You don't just have a body. You are a body. And bodies matter to God. So much so that God "became flesh" in Christ and lived among us (the "incarnation"). So much so that God raised Christ's body. So much so that when Christ was raised and appeared to the disciples and to Thomas he showed them his scarred body--his hands and his side. Bodies matter to God. And in Christ God embraces and relates to who we are [...]
A Blessing You Can’t Turn Back
My heart soared seeing so many faces yesterday. It was Maundy Thursday, and over 40 screens (filled with 70-100 people) gathered via zoom to remember Jesus' last supper, share in communion from our many different rooms and tables, and receive a blessing. If you weren't able to join, I want to share that blessing with you (at the very bottom of this email). I pray these words bless your soul as they have mine. See you (digitally) [...]
What you might be feeling…
I think it's grief. At least that's what I've noticed about myself. I'm grieving. It doesn't feel like the grief I expect when a loved one dies. But it's grief, I'm growing more sure of it every day. I've seen some powerful acknowledgment of this grief. Recently I read a beautiful one by a South Elkhorn Church and choir member and professor at Transylvania University, Jeremy Paden. Maybe you've noticed it, too, even if you have [...]
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