For Heaven's Sake Someone's Sitting in my Pew!

I recently came across an article that I read a year ago in the Alban Institute’s quarterly publication, Congregations entitled “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Churches.” In an era of individualism in which our faith is constantly challenged, communities of faith divided and churches struggling to gain new membership, this article left me inspired and enthusiastic. We church folks are such creatures of habit, especially Episcopalians! (Remember the old joke? - In the Episcopal Church if we do something more than once then it becomes tradition). How true! We often miss the joy in life and new opportunities for ministry because we are so consumed with preserving our own needs, or those of the institution. I'll never forget one Sunday morning in church, my Grandmother insisting that someone move because they were sitting in "her" pew! Good grief! We get so bogged down in the silly minusia!

This list, composed by the United Church of Christ, is a beautiful reminder of how God calls us to live in community. It illumines the beauty of healthy change, and reminds us just how easy it is to become stuck in spiritual ruts.

It reads as follows:

1. Strive for excellent service to Christ. In other words, give God our best and continue to have fun, enjoying our ministry.
2. Cultivate a spirit of innovation and experimentation. Try new ministries and different approaches. Perhaps even try sitting in another pew on Sunday morning. Its really OK!
3. Take initiative to build relationships with people and groups in the wider community beyond our congregation.
4. Accept responsibility for mistakes; learn from them, and in all things LET GRACE ABOUND. Mistakes happen, so give each other a break and ourselves too! Our achievements are secondary to God’s abundant grace.
5. “Always be prepared to give an account of the hope that is within you.”
(I Peter 3:15). Find the places where love, energy and life flow and trust God to find ways to meet life’s challenges, even when we feel we can’t.
6. Find the willingness to allow folks have their feelings, and stay focused on the core mission of the parish. Love, compassion and acceptance of diversity are important spiritual elements in the life of a healthy congregation.
7. Splash it on! Finally, God loves cheerful givers. Spend your time, talent and money wisely, well and freely in God’s mission and ministry.

(For more inforamtion go to www.alban.org)

I express my sincere thanks to the United Church of Christ, the Alban Institute and it’s publication, Congregations for providing us with this simple but most effective way to grow and thrive spiritually in challenging times.

Don’t let Prayer Interfere with Life’s Interruptions…. Say What?

Making time for prayer and contemplation is often challenging and even difficult for many of us. Schedules, and more schedules along with the intrusion of life’s daily requirements and responsibilities often interfere with our best prayerful intentions. I can’t count how many times I have told myself, “This time I am determined to do this prayer thing right!” Yet all too often those well meaning, sincere and heart felt intentions fall way short. Why? Well, life happens! Am I alone in this or what? Answer: Probably not.

I have found over the years that my prayer time has had to adapt to my crazy life and its often busy schedule. I have come to the reality that I do not live, work and worship in a monastery; therefore I don’t have the benefits of solitude, silence and intentional time for prayer. Instead, I have learned to give myself a break. I have learned to use life’s opportunities to pray. Often while running, I am able to use that time to reflect and focus my mind on God’s presence and prayer (that is if my heart rate is not topping 170 or if I don’t have some rock tune blaring in my ears from my ipod). Depending on traffic and my subsequent mood, driving in the car is an occasional good time to pray, although I don’t recommend closing your eyes! The best place I have found to pray at home is in that brief island respite known as the shower. It is one of the very few places I can escape and relax for at least 10 minutes (OK let’s be honest – 20 minutes). Although even there I am bound to be interrupted by arguing children or even the nosy cat!

It is important for us to understand that prayer is not just words (or demands) spoken to God; prayer is active listening and looking for God in everyday life. Believe it or not, prayer happens in the ordinary and mundane daily tasks. It is an integral part of how we live, inner act with each other and form relationships. Real prayer often exists in our lives, yet its presence goes unnoticed. So many of us are children of structure; we love our formulas. I grew up believing that God only spoke the language of Kings and Queens (King James Bible) and if we were not in certain prayerful positions (on our knees) with the ambiance just right, then the prayer was null and void. Arrrrgh! What a trap I found myself having to exist! I spent more time trying to set the prayerful mood, along with choosing every word perfectly than I did experiencing God’s holy presence.

Today, intentional prayer still has its challenges, but I have learned that God is always with us and I can listen or talk with him any time. The Incarnate Christ is a deep and genuine part of each and every one of us. My active ministry has opened my eyes to the fact that we often experience and profoundly encounter God in life’s daily interruptions. After all if we think about it for a moment, isn’t that what God does best – interrupt our lives by calling us out in our busy daily tasks and work? Think of Moses, the Prophets, the Disciples and Paul. God interrupted their busy lives, transforming them forever. Perhaps we should stop trying to do everything so perfectly and let God interrupt our lives, allowing him to meet us where we are in life.