ps from ps If you live in the 716, you are starting to see the announcements of events, gatherings and memorials to recognize the massacre at Tops on 5/14/22.
We have struggled and worked hard at St. Paul’s to not make that day be about “just one day.” Our calling is to be about a continual conversation (and the work that comes from that) to make sure there is never another 5/14 here or anywhere. And yet when we turn on the news, we see that we have to step our game up.
I had coffee yesterday at the Golden Cup coffee shop, next to that same Tops, with friends from St. Paul’s, East Side Bike Club and Bethel AME Church. We did some sharing, checking in and planning for future stuff. We want to keep the conversation going beyond “photo shoot memorials,” as one of the guys said. But it was Bishop Jerry’s thoughts that really struck me. He said: “I’m 74 years old. I’ve sat around these tables in these same conversations with good intentions more times than I can remember. And yet here we are still!”
Here we are still!
There was a tired sound in his voice. An exhaustion. But he still came to the table! Running the race set before him.
We must still run this race as the church. We must still ask the questions. The hard questions. The awkward questions. Because when we ask them, and if we open our ears and set aside our viewpoints, we might just hear God’s answers.
If you want to be a part of asking questions and listening for answers, come to May’s God on Tap. Please email the [email protected] to let us know you’ll be there. But we’re going to wrestle with this further. St. Paul’s. Ray of Hope. Peniel Haitian Church. Bethel AME. East Side Bike Club. Wheels for Workers. And more.
Spoiler alert: we probably won’t figure out all the answers in one hour. But we WILL take steps forward, meet new people, create new community and support one another in the challenging times.
As Old Biegner says: “If not us, who? If not now, when?” He’s right!
So let’s keep the conversation going. Us. Now.
Lord, bless these conversations and let us be open to hearing your answers. Amen
Michelle read this phrase in two different readings this morning and told me about them and how that phrase reminds her of everyone’s favorite youth director, St. Paul’s own Adam Weber. So, I thought I would continue the theme.
Adam has been often overhead expressing his surprise in the phrase: “Wait, what?” For example, Adam has been working at St. Paul’s for four years now and upon me seeing his Christmas card and gift still in his mailbox, I texted him to let him know. You’ll never guess his response: “Wait, what? I have a mailbox?” (Side note, I’m pretty sure this is a picture of Adam in High School but it’s the only one the interweb would give me.).
This is a “Wait, what?” kinda week for more than just mailbox and Christmas gift discoveries.
Wait, what? – We’re not coming here to celebrate a king of power and glory coming into Jerusalem?
Wait, what? – What do you mean New Command? And that’s just wine and bread, not your body and blood, is it?
Wait, what? – Why is he actually letting Judas hand him over like that? Can’t he stop this?
Wait, what? – Why would you want Barabbas released when this other guy’s done nothing wrong?
Wait, what? – I wasn’t with him. I didn’t follow him. I don’t know him.
Wait, what? – I thought you could heal and raise the dead? Can’t you get yourself down?
Wait, what? – I’ll be with you in paradise?? Today??
Wait, what? – That can’t possibly be his last breath?? It can’t end like this, can it??
This week is full of surprises that Jesus would take this route. There had to be a better way right? But this was the only way that God could show the depth of God’s love, redeem the world and conquer death itself.
May you be surprised, caught off guard and amazed as the story unfolds again this week for us. And may you not miss the end of the story….
Wait, what? – The stone is rolled away???
Lord, thank you for walking a story that surprises us with the depth of your love. Amen
ps from psWhy do I love Palm Sunday? I’m glad you asked.
I love Palm Sunday because it’s one of the times in church where we tell the longer story. In our particular mission sites, we turn the whole service into the entire passion reading in the gospel, from Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to death on the cross. All of it, except the empty tomb. We save that for the next Sunday, Dingus Day Eve.
We slow it down. Give the bigger picture. Hear/read all the voices, phrases, shouts, questions, prayers. And we do it in the order it happened….so Communion is in the front part of the service. (Last Supper) Prayer is in the middle. (Garden). Confession is at the ending. (Standing at the cross) There is cheering. And there is silence.
We live in a sound bite, TikTok, 10 second video culture. We rarely get the whole story.
We use a few Bible verse or stories to try and defend our position when it’s convenient for us. Hypothetically like picking out seven sections of the Bible over the other million chapters on love to defend things like our homophobia. Hypothetically.
We like bumper sticker life and sometimes faith.
But on Palm Sunday (and Saturday), we get to hear it all. Our misunderstanding of what Jesus was doing. Our changing of our minds. Our denial. Our confusion. Our betrayal. And through it all, Jesus keeps going.
Jesus keeps going.
This coming week, hear and feel the whole story. If you can’t be at a church to do it, read Matthew chapters 26 and 27.
Church purists would argue that we do Palm Sunday wrong and it should just be the reading of Jesus entering Jerusalem. And on some levels they might be right. But I would argue it’s worth “getting it wrong” and hearing the whole story to start each Holy Week off. Because we will hear that Jesus keeps going!
ps from ps Ever feel “stuck” in Lent? A sense of being stuck in a long season of “returning?” Of wanting to press Fast Forward on the remote and get to Easter?
Lenten Stuckness.
Take a few minutes of reflection with Paul Storfer’s music and enjoy being stuck in Lent by clicking HERE.
Lord, thanks for few moments to be stuck with you Amen
While I was out on a run this week, I was reminded of this. Let me share just a few things that are OK for today.
1. It’s OK to start, start over or start again. It will take courage but if it doesn’t work/go well, you can start over another time. But if you never start, you never experience and you never finish. 2. It’s OK to ask for help. It doesn’t show weakness, it shows strength. And the person you ask might just need to help you as well! 3. It’s OK to be nervous. It means you care. And the same feeling that is labeled nervous, can also be labeled excitement. 4. It’s OK to be sad. It means you loved, cared, hoped. Don’t let sadness be named a negative emotion by someone else. Honor the sadness and let it become sacred. 5. It’s OK to be optimistic. Dream your dreams and live into them every day without letting anyone/anything pull you from them. 6. It’s OK to adjust. Take what today’s “run” gives you and enjoy it for what it is. That means you might have to adjust your run plan mid-run. 7. It’s OK to be different. Your difference will make the team stronger and deeper. We are designed to be in community and community needs differences to be whole. Celebrate your difference.
The Scriptures speak of these and many more things that are OK. In the days ahead, I’ll share more with you in person about how God addresses these things. But for now, you go on your run or your task or your work or your ministry or just go into your day…and know you are loved and it’s OK.
Lord, thanks for reminding us that today can be OK Amen
I love Men’s Breakfast at St. Paul’s and it’s coming up again this Saturday. I love the book we’re reading and the discussion we have around it. And I love that in the book, there is not mention of Jesus….and yet, it’s really all about Jesus.
The book is called – Legacy.
What Legacy are you leaving today?
Too often we think about legacy as something we give away once we depart this earth. But what we’ve learned is that EVERY interaction we have with those in the world around us leaves a legacy.
And Jesus modeled that for us.
Every interaction. There are no throw away moments.
General David Petraeus said: “Instill in your team’s members a sense of great self-worth – that each, at any given time, can be the most important on the battlefield.”
Jesus didn’t just call 12 disciples to the battlefield, he called every person he interacted with to live differently, boldly, compassionately and loved. His interactions and relationships with his team (read: the world) invited others into love. Every. Single. Time.
In John’s 4th chapter, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well and she is surprised and astonished that Jesus is (a) talking with her and (b) offering HER water and waters of life. The was pre-International Women’s Day clearly! But Jesus still creates a Legacy. A legacy of grace, invitation, hope and compassion.
Every. Single. Time. Legacy.
What will today bring you? Who will you meet at a well? What can you offer in your interactions?
God has already given to each of us a Legacy. How will we build our team today?
Lord, may all my interactions today build your Legacy. Amen
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