There is Nothing Better than a Hot Cup of Coffee

There is nothing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning. That first sip tastes great after a long night’s sleep. The aroma alone awakens the senses and creates a sense of anticipation. I believe it is the anticipation of the first sip that alone awakens the psyche and creates a desire for that first morning cup.

We live in a world of anticipation. We anticipate when we will receive our paycheck. We anticipate that first car. We anticipate that first kiss. The list goes on and on, but anticipation is a way of life for most of us.

Anticipation was a way of life for Jesus as well. Jesus anticipated his suffering and death on the cross. This was not something that he looked forward too. The disciples anticipated Jesus setting up God’s Kingdom on earth and they were disappointed. Their anticipation fell short, as they didn’t understand most of Jesus’ teachings. In our lives today, anticipation sets us up for great joy or sordid disappointment. It all depends of our expectations and how certain we believe they will be met.

It is terribly distressing when we look forward to that first cup of coffee, anticipating its aroma, warmth and taste only to find out that there is none in cupboard. We expect it to be there but when the coffee is not, we feel disappointment, irritation and possibly even anger. That is the way the disciples and Jesus’ followers felt on the night of his trial. After all he is the Messiah, why can’t he defend himself against these Jewish accusers and Roman pests? Why does he just stand there and take the mocking of the guards? Why doesn’t he simply answer Pilate’s questions? Why doesn’t the “Messiah” call down an army of the heavenly host and restore the fortunes of Zion?

The followers of Christ misunderstood his mission to save humanity. They anticipated and even expected a Davidic liberator. Disappointment and fear must have run through Jesus’ followers like ice water.

During the season of Epiphany we hear the people’s soft voices proclaiming this is the one who will bring us freedom and restoration. With every miracle they anticipate something greater is about to happen. Yet, it doesn’t, at least not in the way they expect. In some ways they reached for the cupboard and found it bare of what they sought and expected.

Like Jesus’ followers we are invited into the crowds and even the inner circle of Christ. Do we understand why Christ had to die the wretched death he did? Or are we still confused as to why God didn’t act in the moment?

Often we find ourselves wondering why Jesus went through so much pain and agony. After all he is the Son of God! Why should he endure the persecution of humankind, which as part of the Holy and Blessed Trinity, he created at the beginning of time? As we read the Scriptures our anticipation and expectations are soon shattered against the hard wood of the cross. But shattered they must!

Christ came into the world to save and liberate the world from sin and death. Therefore he had to experience life as we do, but without sin. While many anticipate and expect God’s power to overcome evil, that is not the way of it at all. Rather Jesus gives us an unexpected example of how to overcome the Adversary. It is done with humility and love. Jesus tells us “we must give up our lives to obtain life.” What does he mean by this? We must let go of our expectations and take on a new role. God calls us to a life of servant hood and humility, not a life of might makes right. We should anticipate being persecuted in the name of Jesus, but are expected to stand in faith. This is the way to eternal life in Christ.

As we approach the liturgical season of Lent we can anticipate the on coming darkness of doom. We can expect the persecution of our Lord. The cupboard is empty. There appears to be little or no hope. Yet despite our human understanding and confusion, God is in the midst of us and driving his Son forward on his misunderstood mission of salvation.

The Good News is that we will eventually awaken to the incredible aroma of the Resurrection. Through Christ’s victory over sin and death we can expect eternal life and an endless supply of salvation. Our cupboards will be filled with the grace of God.

Fund Raising, an Art form of its Own

Fund rising is an art form of its own. The mere words make many of us cringe with utter disdain. The thought of asking people and organizations for money takes a special personality. Not everyone has the gift of asking for donations to a specific cause. Nevertheless in the non-profit world, especially the church it is a necessity for survival. Therefore fund raising is important.

Finding those individuals with “deep pockets” is occasionally a challenge, depending on the geographical area one lives. However, there are people in every community who are blessed with financial resources, we just have to identify them. In the more urban areas it is much easier to identify sources that are well endowed with financial assets.

If we choose to grow we have to become willing to not only identify the people who can assist us, but become willing to ask them for money. The trick is just how much money to ask them to donate. On the one hand if we ask to little and they are willing to give much more we run the risk of offending them or simply come up short ourselves. Secondly if we ask the person for too much assistance then we run the risk of embarrassing them as well as us. This is why it is important to do our homework when asking for financial contributions. We need to get to know the person and understand their gifts, passions and where they like to make contributions. We also need to learn how much they give on an average basis.

This process of course is often time consuming and drawn out over a long period of time. We must not be impatient and ask for aid too quickly or we may find ourselves disappointed. It is vital to build trust and a sincere relationship with the person we are seeking a financial contribution. This sounds manipulative but it is really not. We are teaching people how to be a good steward of the resources God has blessed them, as well as cultivating new friendships.

I find fund raising exciting. Raising the money is simply “icing on the cake.” Developing a deeper relationship and listening to people’s stories is what is important. The more we understand the person’s background and life story, the easier it becomes to ask them for the appropriate contribution amount.

Fund raising on any level is often an uncomfortable subject. Nevertheless it is important in sustaining the financial life of the parish or any other non-profit organization. When we turn the process over to God and become willing to step out in faith wonderful things take place. We may not always achieve our financial goals, but out of our attempt we develop new relationships, as well as introduce our organization into the community. Once our name is out there, who knows what untapped resources God may make available.

College Football Recruiting and Filling the Church Pews

College football recruiting is an interesting game that includes the athlete selling himself to universities, and universities selling themselves to the athlete. It is a fascinating and often intigeral dance that takes place, especially when several schools are pursuing the same athlete. Immense amount of pressure is felt by all. Everybody wants the right fit. Everybody wants to rate high in recruiting.

The athletes are rated from 0 to 5 stars; 5 being the best of the best. All the major football universities try to get as many 5 and 4 star athletes as possible on their team. Occasionally a school will purse athletes that will fill a specific need required by the team.

Nevertheless, college football signing day is intense as it is entertaining. Often the most well know and talented athletes attend the schools with the best winning records. Thus it is a real battle in the trenches to obtain the person a school truly desires. So much plays into how the athlete makes his decision. They look at the winning records of the schools along with their football program traditions. They take into conideration whether they will get to play immediately, or if they will be redshirted for the first year.

Coaches play a huge role in recruiting as they put on their best behavior and salesmanship. They make in house visits and attend the athlete’s football games. The coaches spend a great deal of time building relationships with the players. Strong personal ties to each other are important to attract and keep the athlete from signing with another team.

The church could learn much from the college recruiting process. Rather than get out in the field and actively evangelize folks, we have a tendency to simply throw a Hail Mary and hope that somehow people will simply wander in our doors from off the street. We usually give no heed to reaching out to folks and developing relationships with perspective members.

The interesting part of this whole scenario is that we want to grow. We want to recruit 5 star members, but the fact is we fail miserably. We don’t invest the time or the energy in going out and attracting new membership. We complain about attendance and the budget, but what have we actually done to change things? Usually very little.

We tend to live into the old model, “build it and they will come.” That model no longer works for the mainstream churches. People want to know what the church has to offer their personal spiritual lives. People need to be actively recruited from the surrounding neighborhoods, work, or friends of parishioners. The harvest is plentiful, yet something prevents us from walking out into the fields.

We can learn a great deal from college football recruiting. We have to show people our successes and establish relationships with those who are unchurched or seekers. It is important that we be actively present in the community. We need to allow newcomers to participate in the life of the parish if we are to keep them actively engaged. There is no redshirting potential parishioners unless that is their decision. Unlike major college football where there is competition for positions, we make room for all people to participate in the life and ministry of the church. We operate on a level playing field.

The clock is slowly running down. Are we going to wait until the closing seconds of the 4^th quarter before we try anything new? Or are we going out into the world, presenting our best, and build relationships with our neighbors? It doesn’t matter about what star they may have by their name. The bottom line is that we are to proclaim Christ and make him known. We have been assigned by the “Great Head Coach” to go into the world and make believers of all nations.

  

The Ministry of the Deacon

Deacons are an integral part of the three folds of ministry: Bishops, priests and deacons. Their role in the church is traced back to biblical times when the Disciples realized they needed assistance with their ministry. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that seven deacons were ordained for such duty. Stephen is the most widely known deacon as he was the first martyr recognized by the church. As the church grew in the second and third centuries we find the addition of bishops and presbyters.

What does it mean to serve the church today as a Deacon? In this day and age the role of the deacon and the priest have become somewhat blurred. Often people view the deacon either as some sort of “Jr. Priest,” or as a step towards the priesthood. This is theologically incorrect and needs to be revisited to form some clarity around the role of the deacon.

First of all the deacon is ordained by the Bishop alone. The reason for this is that all deacons serve directly under the bishop’s authority. This goes back to the tradition of the ancient Church. While the deacon serves in a church under the supervision of the priest, ultimately it is the bishop they serve.

A deacon is ordained to a special ministry, mainly focusing on service to the world and surrounding community. They are often referred to as a bridge between the church and the world. The majority of the deacon’s ministry takes place outside the church. They have a specific ministry, usually to poor, the destitute and the social out casts. This is the area their ministry has the largest impact. But before they begin their ministry they are to work with the bishop in order to define their ministry.

In the church the deacon serves in the liturgy along with the priest, and certified laity. During the Sunday service they proclaim the Gospel, introduce the Creed and Prayers of the People, as well as the General Confession. The Deacon is responsible for the ablutions left on the table after the service of Holy Eucharist. The deacon is allowed to preach as well as teach. They are allowed to administer either a chalice or paten during the Holy Eucharist. The deacon also visits the sick, but not as a substitute for the priest.

While this seems clear, unfortunately through the years the role of the deacon has become confused with that of the priest. The deacon is not allowed to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, not even from the Reserve Sacrament. Of course if there is an emergency with the priest and no supply priest can be found due to time restraint, the deacon is allowed to serve communion to the people from the Reserve Sacrament. The deacon is not allowed to bless or administer the oil of healing. Only a priest or bishop is allowed to administer unction to the sick.

Once again I stress that the main function of the deacon is carrying Christ into the world through the service of a specific ministry outside the church. Deacons are a important ministry to the church, and their service and ministry to the world is deeply valued.

Learning to Disagree

Controversy at parish meetings is nothing new. It actually began from the very start of Christendom. In the 1^st century at the Church of Jerusalem the Jewish Christians insisted that Gentile converts be circumcised. There were those that opposed this theological idea and argued against it. The arguments became quit heated!

Arguments in the young church can be found throughout Paul’s Epistles. Conflict is normal and we still deal with issues that divide us today. Therefore we should work in good faith with one another to bring some sort of collaborative conclusion to whatever topic it is that divides us. Name-calling and isolation do not solve the problems. We have to remember that we are all on the same team with the same goal in mind; to love and honor Christ. When we personalize issues then they become much more about us than about working to spread the Kingdom of God.

We need to look at our commonalities rather than our differences. It is from there that we are able to build bridges to one another and lay and firm foundation in which to amicably present our arguments. All to often we find ourselves in the competitive mode in which the argument becomes about winning and losing. While in some cases this is a course we must take, they are rare. Rather we need to learn to view each other as fellow Christians in whom we are in relationship. From this perspective we are able to work from a more collaborative format.

Fighting amongst each other often creates schism, isolation and ill will. If it somehow leaves the vestry and enters the congregation then situations can rapidly become quite nasty, and much harder to contain.

We have to learn to disagree fairly and in love. We are all entitled to our opinions and perspectives. But unless we listen to those who disagree with us with an open mind, we miss the opportunity to work together to resolve an issue in an amicable manner. Once communication breaks down then the meeting becomes out of control as well as unproductive. Often we end up compromising and that leaves both sides feeling like they gained nothing. Thus the argument will continue to pop up and raise its ugly head, not only in meetings but in the congregation as well.

Of course there is the avoidance factor in which people on the committee or vestry simply don’t engage in the argument no matter how they feel. Perhaps they are afraid of conflict, as it is always uncomfortable. Nevertheless, avoidance should only be used under special circumstances. We all have something worth adding to the argument whether we think so or not.

Occasionally we find ourselves accommodating the other person we are in disagreement. Accommodation is unhealthy as we chose to abandon our beliefs and concede to the other. Perhaps it is an intimidating individual or a person we wish to avoid engaging in disagreement. Regardless, we lose a piece of ourselves when we bend over backwards to accommodate someone out of sheer fear.

Anger and shouting matches never accomplish anything good. They divide the group, create boundaries and make it difficult for the committee of vestry to accomplish anything. This should be avoided at all cost (a positive sense of avoidance).

In conclusion, building-trusting relationships is the best way to manage conflict. It is on these grounds that we are able to collaboratively work together in a respectful manner to solve the problem. And who knows, in the end we might just end up laughing together about struggle!