The Race Card Project

click here to go to NPR story 

I discovered this regular feature listening to NPR.  They invited people to write their take on race in just a few words.  Marc Quarrels of Northern California wrote:

With kids I'm Dad, alone thug

His story is a powerful reminder of how we judge each other by what we see on the outside.  He is black and wears dreadlocks and when he is by himself people judge him, fear him, suspect him.  When his family is around, his kids and his wife, the neighbors treat him differently.  He's just another dad and people chat in the yard etc.   By himself he is treated one way, with his family (his wife is German) he is treated another.  He is the same man.  Kind, caring, a hospital worker who loves to care for people.  A man who loves his family, his community and his work.

I really learned a lot listening to Marc's experiences in life.  I encourage you to listen too.  Click on the heading above to go to the website and listen.

the Confederate Flag represents Hate

In the wake of the murders at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, many are talking about the murderer's use of the Confederate flag and what it means.   I vividly remember in Middle School learning about the Civil War and having my teacher ask, "What were the two issues leading the South to succeed from the Union?"

The first answer was easy, "slavery" rang out from several voices.

The second reason came slower

"States rights"  I gave the answer.

My Dad was a huge history buff and I had already watched the PBS special on the Civil War so I knew the right answer.   But my answer was not complete.  Because if we call "states rights" a second reason for succession on its own then we are not correct.  The states wanted the right to regulate slavery.  So states rights and slavery are in reality the same cause.  People like to use "states rights" as a reason for upholding the confederate flag and to say that succession was ok, in part.  But it was wholly wrong.  The states wanted the right to enslave human beings.  The states wanted the right to declare black people as property.  The states wanted the right to discriminate.

Dylan Roof was inspired by the Confederate flag and the cause of the Confederacy -- a cause that led to violence and killing 150 years ago and led him to murder a week ago.  The reasoning then and now is the same: black people are less than white people and the Southern heritage of enslavement is justification for violence toward blacks and whites who oppose discrimination.  Roof wanted another Civil War, a "race war" he said, for that was the cause of the Civil War.


Don't believe me??

How about reading the words of the southern states themselves in their Declaration of Causes of Seceding States?

Georgia's Declaration of Cause for Succession January 29, 1861:
For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery. They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property,

Missisippi's Declaration of Cause for Succession adopted Dec 1860:
In the momentous step which our State has taken of dissolving its connection with the government of which we so long formed a part, it is but just that we should declare the prominent reasons which have induced our course. 

Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization. That blow has been long aimed at the institution, and was at the point of reaching its consummation. There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin. That we do not overstate the dangers to our institution, a reference to a few facts will sufficiently prove. 

Texas' Declaration of Cause for Succession Feb 2, 1861
Texas abandoned her separate national existence and consented to become one of the Confederated Union to promote her welfare, insure domestic tranquility and secure more substantially the blessings of peace and liberty to her people. She was received into the confederacy with her own constitution, under the guarantee of the federal constitution and the compact of annexation, that she should enjoy these blessings. She was received as a commonwealth holding, maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery-- the servitude of the African to the white race within her limits-- a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist in all future time.

The states themselves made it clear what they wanted the right to regulate: slavery.  The reason for the Civil War was slaver and the states' right to have slavery.  Nothing more or less.  The confederate flag is a flag of treason.  A flag of oppression and injustice.  There is no reason to display or honor a flag of division, treason and racism.

Why the flag has been flying for the past 60 years 

South Carolina politician Strom Thurmond ran for president under the newly founded States Rights Democratic Party, also known as the Dixiecrats. The party's purpose was clear: "We stand for the segregation of the races," said Article 4 of its platform. 

At campaign stops, fans greeted Thurmond with American flags, state flags -- and Confederate battle flags. As it passed milestones like the Supreme Court ruling on Brown vs. Board of Education, which gave black American children access to all schools, the Confederate battle flag popped up more and more.

The flag was resurrected because of civil rights and desegregation.  The flag has been, and always will represent rebellion against equality, justice and progress.  It is used by the KKK and white supremacist groups along with the Nazi Swastika - but no one would support the flying of a swastika at our state capitals.

When I see a Confederate flag I am personally offended and scared.  Because for me that flag represents the desire of some to enslave, hurt and kill my children.  That is the flag of lynching, of beating and hurting people I love.  Please don't fly it, please don't excuse it.  Please confront those who hold onto it with the facts.

Saying Good-bye

Sunday was out last service in the old building.  

We sang our #1 favorite song, "Lord of the Dance". We had a children's chat reminding us that when we leave our house we are still a family - when we leave the church building we are still the church.  Offering was taken and announcements made about dates and times to help pack and move.  Scripture was read from Exodus 33: God told the Israelites to go, leave Mount Sinai and go to the land flowing with milk and honey that God had promised.  I preached about moving and moving on.  How this is hard work, heart work and yet it brings peace and joy when we work through that hard stuff.  I reminded the congregation that God gave the Israelites the Ark of the Covenant as a sign of God's real presence with them wherever they went as the traveled through the wilderness.  We have our own signs as well: the cross, the candle, each other.  Wherever we go, God is already there.

Then we had a litany of thanksgiving for all the good things God has done in this building.  We sang "Now thank we all our God" and as we sang the verses, people came up and removed items from the front of the church.  The altar cloths, the banners, the candle, the Bible and, finally, the large wooden cross.   Then the church left the building.  And we stood in front on the grass to proclaim the words of de-consecration together.  "This building having been consecrated and named Calvary United Methodist Church together with the land on which it stands we now deconsecrate and release for any honorable use.  We declare that it is no longer a sanctuary of God"  Finally, we held hands and sang "Shalom to You".

After the service ended Kevin said to me, "you have to appreciate the symbolism of the motorcycle guys reving it during the words of de-consecration".  One of the dangers of worshipping on Hwy 71 is the traffic noise and some motorcycles had rotten timing Sunday.

It was symbolic -- words we really didn't want to hear, words we really didn't want to say were drowned out by the roar of motorcycles.   And I was glad no one could hear my voice because I was choking up in that moment and barely squeaked out half the words.

It is hard saying good-bye.  Even when you know that this is the right choice.  Even when you know the future God holds has great things because you are saying good-bye.  It is still hard.  And that is ok.  If we don't grieve, then there was no love, caring, or attachment.
Because it hurts, we know that there was love.

I was looking around this morning and noticed that where the cross hung on the wall was a very slight shadow.   Can you see it in the picture?   Even as we move forward as a congregation and build a new church, the lasting imprint of the ministry Christ has done in this church will never be forgotten.

Memories of the joys we have shared, the comfort in times of sorrow will be in our hearts.  And the memories remind us of God's love and care.  I remember so many myself.  The Sunday I left the church crying because I found out Kenneth (my stepson) would not be allowed to live with me anymore. The joyful Sunday I baptized my sons, Sampson & Isaac.  The Sunday I confirmed my son & daughter, Catherine & Isaac.  The Sunday Kenneth joined as an adult member.

This building has been "home" to our spiritual lives.  It has been important.

This morning my friend Gayle came to haul my pew to the new house.  I took this picture while I waited for her.  The pew leaving the building.  Going on into a new life, fulfilling a new purpose as a part of my home.  The building is going on to a new life and purpose too.

This congregation has a future, a promise of better land "flowing with milk and honey" where God is leading us.  We will be at home there, and it will be worth the journey.

Wherever we go, God is already there.
Thanks be to God

Two more Weekends!

Its really amazing how fast the past month has gone, and now we only have 2 more weekends before we are officially out of this building!
WOW
Its really scary and exciting at the same time.
In some ways I can't wait to not have to walk up the steps and not have this cramped little office with too much stuff and too many people needing to do work.  Yet its also a huge safety net - the place where everything goes and we can always meet there at the office.
What will I do without all my stuff?
Of course I will have plenty of stuff.  Just moved to the new office space (in the Iowa Rock and Roll Museum in the East Oaks Mall by the Lighthouse)  and my books will move to my house.
It is hard to say goodbye.
And we grow in new directions when we move forward with God.

God bless us all in these next few weeks.

God is Outside

From the University of Rochester website, see full article here

Being outside in nature makes people feel more alive, finds a series of studies published in the June 2010 issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology. And that sense of increased vitality exists above and beyond the energizing effects of physical activity and social interaction that are often associated with our forays into the natural world, the studies show.

Richard Ryan, professor of psychology, psychiatry, and education

"Nature is fuel for the soul, " says Richard Ryan, lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. "Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature," he says. 

The findings, adds Ryan, are important for both mental and physical health. "Research has shown that people with a greater sense of vitality don't just have more energy for things they want to do, they are also more resilient to physical illnesses. One of the pathways to health may be to spend more time in natural settings," says Ryan. 

In recent years, numerous experimental psychology studies have linked exposure to nature with increased energy and heightened sense of well-being. For example, research has shown that people on wilderness excursions report feeling more alive and that just recalling outdoor experiences increases feelings of happiness and health. Other studies suggest that the very presence of nature helps to ward off feelings of exhaustion and that 90 percent of people report increased energy when placed in outdoor activities. 

What is novel about this research, write the authors, is that it carefully tests whether this increased vitality associated with the outdoors is simply the feel-good spillover from physical activity and people-mixing often present in these situations. To tease out the effects of nature alone, the authors conducted five separate experiments, involving 537 college students in actual and imagined contexts. In one experiment, participants were led on a 15-minute walk through indoor hallways or along a tree-lined river path. In another, the undergraduates viewed photographic scenes of buildings or landscapes. A third experiment required students to imagine themselves in a variety of situations both active and sedentary, inside and out, and with and without others. 

Two final experiments tracked participants' moods and energy levels throughout the day using diary entries. Over either four days or two weeks, students recorded their exercise, social interactions, time spent outside, and exposure to natural environments, including plants and windows.

Across all methodologies, individuals consistently felt more energetic when they spent time in natural settings or imagined themselves in such situations. The findings were particularly robust, notes Ryan; being outside in nature for just 20 minutes in a day was enough to significantly boost vitality levels. Interestingly, in the last study, the presence of nature had an independent energizing effect above that of being outdoors. In other words, conclude the authors, being outdoors was vitalizing in large part because of the presence of nature.

Washing Judas' Feet

I Found this awesome article "At Judas' Feet"  Here's a piece of it:

That is what servanthood is -- cleaning up other peoples' messes. That is what the Lord came to do. He spent his life cleaning up the messes that we make, putting things back together. He was a servant; he poured himself out even to the point of death.

The thing that is instructive to me is that Jesus poured himself out as a servant even for Judas. All the way through Jesus' association with Judas he was reaching out to him. He knew from the very beginning who it was who would betray him. Many times, through allusions, he would try to draw Judas toward him. His comment in the Upper Room that he was aware of what was going on was one of these attempts. Toward the end of his life, as he approaches the cross and sees Judas moving irrevocably toward betraying him, Jesus reaches out for Judas. Then, in this incident in the Upper Room, he washes the feet of Judas, the betrayer.

Evidently, all through their association, Jesus never gave any hint to any of the disciples that he knew it would be Judas who would betray him. The disciples were not aware of who the betrayer was when Jesus said that one of them would betray him. No one knew. The Lord loved Judas. There was never a hint of resentment, never even one note of bitterness. He just loved him and kept reaching out to him.

What beauty!  How awesome is Jesus?!?!  Loving even Judas to the very end, washing his feet even knowing what Judas would do within the next couple of hours.  God loves us with this kind of amazing, grace-filled love.

Then Jesus commands his disciples to do the same, to be servants after Jesus' heart.  

So, could you wash Judas' feet?  

Could you wash the feet of a hypocrite? a traitor? a murderer?

Could you wash the feet of a Boko Haram or Taliban or ISIS leader?

Jesus commands us to pray for our enemies and wash each other's feet.  Big stuff, hard stuff, life changing stuff of God.

Meditation - A part of Ancient Christian Tradition

Since the Great Enlightenment in the 18th century, Western culture has continually tossed away emotional and spiritual expression for logic and science.  This cultural shift led us to forget, and in some places, reject large parts of of our spiritual heritage.  This is why meditation and other Eastern practices seem new to us -- our foreparents didn't pass down our own heritage of meditation and spiritual connection.

Prayer is Talking to God - sharing your fears, hopes & dreams

Meditation is Listening to God -
God's fears, hopes and dreams for you and the world

Contemplation is taking a phrase or piece of scripture and going over it in your mind letting it sink into your heart


How to Meditate

Create "Holy Space", a quiet comfortable spot away from the phone and other distractions.  If you are a beginner then having a picture, candle or incense to look at may be helpful.  Having a comfortable chair or cushion to sit on is important too.  If you have a timer, set it in the other room so you aren't tempted to look at it, but can hear it when it dings.  5 minutes is a good starting time.

Get comfortable, but not lounging-back straight and feet flat on the floor or folded.  Stretch your arms up and then let them rest lightly on your knees.

Let your eyes and face relax and your gaze be soft, not really looking but resting on your candle or other focal point.

Clear your mind.  Think of your mind as the surface of the lake.  Any ideas that pop up are leaves floating on the surface that you gently push away.  Focus on your breathing, in and out in deep long breaths.  Picture light from heaven shining down onto the top of your head, into your body, down into your heart and lungs, your breath is moving that light throughout your body.  Into every finger, into every toe.  Feel the warmth of God's light and the warmth of God's love for you.
Keep breathing, keep picturing that light, keep feeling warmth in your head, heart and body.

You are meditating!


If, after you meditate, thoughts/memories/feelings surface that trouble you, this is the Holy Spirit helping you work through things you have suppressed.  Please call your pastor!
Talk about those things, and keep meditating.  God the Great Physician is working on your heart and mind to help you get rid of things you don't need.