One night last week, I crashed into the chair in our family room, and turned on the television to catch up on the news of the day before heading off to sleep. The first thing I saw was a commercial about a program that focuses on the abilities of those we categorize as “dis-abled”. It began with a man sitting at a canvas, painting a breathtaking seascape with his fingers using thick paints that left a raised texture giving the image a three dimensional depth. The interesting part of the scene…the man is blind. And as you see an image of his face, eyes closed, he says, “You call me blind, but I can see more with my fingers than most people can see with their eyes.”
His three dimensions of sight include a texture that you can feel. His ability to “see” is enhanced because has dimensions of sight that those of us with fully functioning eyes often lack.
Like our sight, we long for a three dimensional faith which helps us to see God in our midst, have faith that is alive and relevant for the way we lead our lives hear and now, and gives us hope that directs our decisions for the future. We want to be able to see much more than our eyes allow. We want that texture of faith whereby we can “see” God in three dimensions.
Well, the season of Advent is upon us. And honestly, most of us relate to Advent as the four weeks of December that give us time to prepare for Christmas. But the word “advent” means, among other things, “arrival”. It is a time when we anticipate the arrival of Christ. However, this anticipation is three dimensional. In our readings for Sunday, we will remember the past hope of the prophets that anticipated the coming of the Messiah. We’ll remember the story of the way in which God finally broke into our present world as a newborn baby of flesh and blood. We’ll also hear passages of the New Testament that guide our faith towards the fulfillment of the Kingdom that awaits us in our future. Emmanuel, God with us, in the past, present and future. Advent is a three dimensional season that helps us to “see” the ways in which our faith in Christ fits into the texture of God’s work in the world that began in the past, continues to this day, and leads us into our promised future.
Just as the innkeeper made room for the Holy Family in his stable, just as Mary made room in her very body for the Christ child to be born, Advent is a time when we make room in our lives to see the Christ Child coming to us in real, incarnate ways. But sometimes, we can feel “dis-abled” by the rush of schedules and events to prepare for this season, and we need other dimensions to help us “see” this incarnate reality. So, as we gather together this season for worship, fellowship and service, (three dimensions of our faith in action) let us feel the depth of those who anticipated this good news in the past, experience the faith of those who touched the hand of God in the manger, and help one another see the way that follows the Prince of Peace, leading us into our future.
And while we wait together, may you have a blessed Advent, and Glædelig Jul.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Do you know who made your shoes?
So, it’s the harvest season, and in the month of November, ICC is going to see a unique harvest as we celebrate our annual Harvest Festival, and also as we consider our time and talent, share our gifts in music and worship, gather gifts for our refugee brothers and sisters at Sandholm, and help our children prepare their gifts to share during the holiday season. Yes, there will be much harvesting of gifts, time, talent, and resources in the next few weeks.
And I have no doubt that just about every newsletter from just about every parish in the world is going to have a pastoral epistle about the Harvest during this month...and this one won’t be any different.
But, I want to share my thoughts on the harvest in a little different way...
Our congregation has many mission partners, who serve the Gospel around the world, and right here in Copenhagen. One of those partners, is Rygaard’s Skole, here in Hellerup. As a part of our relationship to Rygaard’s, I go multiple times during the year to lead the opening assemblies for the International Department. And a few weeks ago, I went to lead the primary department in an assembly on the Harvest. We sang the song, “Oats and Beans and Barley Grow”, which (much to the angst of the teachers who were trying to keep their kids calm!) describes in great kinetic flair the work that the farmer puts into growing and harvesting our food. I was asking the children to not only give thanks for the food that is on our table, but to give thanks for the farmers that put so much of their life into making sure we had food to eat.
Well, it wasn’t a few weeks later that ICC hosted the Trade Week of Action. (If you missed it, feel free to listen to the service on my website:
http://www.therimmers.org/pastors-blog/2007/10/15/trade-justice-lord-bless-the-bread-you-have-given.html )
In worship on that day, and in the Trade Justice forum that followed, we considered the real cost of our consumption to local farmers and producers around the world, the relationship between economics, public policy and justice, and especially, the link between our faith, our lifestyle, and justice in God’s vision for this world. It was truly a day to give thanks not only for the harvest of goods and food, not only for the farmers and workers that make our lifestyle possible, but to give thanks for a God who frees us to think imaginatively about ways that we can live and share the harvest in order to bring justice to all of God’s children who toil in creation just to survive.
Well, only a week later, I caught up with an old friend for a little acoustic jam, and he played a song called, “I Know Who Made My Shoes”. After weeks of thinking about the harvest, justice, solidarity, shalom and my calling to live in a just, sustainable and faithful way, I was blessed to hear him sing, “I know who grew my food and yes, I know who made my shoes.”
Sometimes I wonder, whether we are in the top or bottom of the social stratus here in Copenhagen, while we harvest such an abundance of food, life, security...do we know who made our shoes? Do we know who grew our food? Do we always or ever really know how much life and energy were drained into the abundance that we feast on? Do we know what cost our security exacts on our neighbors?
Of course, there is a spiritual pulse to all of this. Whether we are talking about caring for creation, economics, agricultural practices, fair trade, or caring for our neighbor, we give dignity and honor to our neighbors when we consider how our lives impact all of creation. We give honor to the God who leads us to see our neighbor, and the God who gives voice to our calling to care, to share, and to work to use our harvest in fair and just ways.
Even in matters of faith, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3, that he is the one who planted the seeds, a man by the name of Apollos watered the seeds of faith, but God gave the growth.
None of us can ever claim to reap a harvest on our own. Shalom is dependent upon our ability to recognize, give thanks for, and then bear the fruits of the work of God’s people and God’s Spirit that surrounds each of us every day, nourishing us to grow, and in return, to care for this little corner of the vineyard that has been entrusted to us.
So, this harvest season, let’s keep these three things in mind as we reap the harvest and share our gifts faithfully…
1) Feel thanks for the one who nourishes us with abundance to grow towards the ultimate vision of peace, justice and wholeness.
2) Live thanks for the fruits of your harvest by striving to live more simply, equitably, sustainably.
3) Find out who made your shoes.
For the fruit of all Creation, thanks be to God!
And I have no doubt that just about every newsletter from just about every parish in the world is going to have a pastoral epistle about the Harvest during this month...and this one won’t be any different.
But, I want to share my thoughts on the harvest in a little different way...
Our congregation has many mission partners, who serve the Gospel around the world, and right here in Copenhagen. One of those partners, is Rygaard’s Skole, here in Hellerup. As a part of our relationship to Rygaard’s, I go multiple times during the year to lead the opening assemblies for the International Department. And a few weeks ago, I went to lead the primary department in an assembly on the Harvest. We sang the song, “Oats and Beans and Barley Grow”, which (much to the angst of the teachers who were trying to keep their kids calm!) describes in great kinetic flair the work that the farmer puts into growing and harvesting our food. I was asking the children to not only give thanks for the food that is on our table, but to give thanks for the farmers that put so much of their life into making sure we had food to eat.
Well, it wasn’t a few weeks later that ICC hosted the Trade Week of Action. (If you missed it, feel free to listen to the service on my website:
http://www.therimmers.org/pastors-blog/2007/10/15/trade-justice-lord-bless-the-bread-you-have-given.html )
In worship on that day, and in the Trade Justice forum that followed, we considered the real cost of our consumption to local farmers and producers around the world, the relationship between economics, public policy and justice, and especially, the link between our faith, our lifestyle, and justice in God’s vision for this world. It was truly a day to give thanks not only for the harvest of goods and food, not only for the farmers and workers that make our lifestyle possible, but to give thanks for a God who frees us to think imaginatively about ways that we can live and share the harvest in order to bring justice to all of God’s children who toil in creation just to survive.
Well, only a week later, I caught up with an old friend for a little acoustic jam, and he played a song called, “I Know Who Made My Shoes”. After weeks of thinking about the harvest, justice, solidarity, shalom and my calling to live in a just, sustainable and faithful way, I was blessed to hear him sing, “I know who grew my food and yes, I know who made my shoes.”
Sometimes I wonder, whether we are in the top or bottom of the social stratus here in Copenhagen, while we harvest such an abundance of food, life, security...do we know who made our shoes? Do we know who grew our food? Do we always or ever really know how much life and energy were drained into the abundance that we feast on? Do we know what cost our security exacts on our neighbors?
Of course, there is a spiritual pulse to all of this. Whether we are talking about caring for creation, economics, agricultural practices, fair trade, or caring for our neighbor, we give dignity and honor to our neighbors when we consider how our lives impact all of creation. We give honor to the God who leads us to see our neighbor, and the God who gives voice to our calling to care, to share, and to work to use our harvest in fair and just ways.
Even in matters of faith, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3, that he is the one who planted the seeds, a man by the name of Apollos watered the seeds of faith, but God gave the growth.
None of us can ever claim to reap a harvest on our own. Shalom is dependent upon our ability to recognize, give thanks for, and then bear the fruits of the work of God’s people and God’s Spirit that surrounds each of us every day, nourishing us to grow, and in return, to care for this little corner of the vineyard that has been entrusted to us.
So, this harvest season, let’s keep these three things in mind as we reap the harvest and share our gifts faithfully…
1) Feel thanks for the one who nourishes us with abundance to grow towards the ultimate vision of peace, justice and wholeness.
2) Live thanks for the fruits of your harvest by striving to live more simply, equitably, sustainably.
3) Find out who made your shoes.
For the fruit of all Creation, thanks be to God!
Faith and Friendship...
This month, I have been thinking a great deal about friendship and faith.
During our Council meetings, we have been devoting time to discernment about our identity as an English language, international, ecumenical ministry in Denmark, and our roles as Council leaders in that ministry. Among the wonderful conversations of care and concern, is the ongoing desire for individuals in our congregation to get to know one another, as a means to relate deeply to our diverse experiences of life and faith.
In other words, how are we as a congregation finding ways to build relationships with one another than can lead to the deep learning, sharing, and caring that members of a Christian Community need to nurture a life of faith?
At first, it seems that there is an obvious answer to this question. Of course, ICC provides multiple opportunities every month, not just to gather in worship on Sundays, but worship, education and fellowship throughout the week. We are reminded of these events in weekly bulletins, monthly newsletters and on the website, too.
But honestly, there are so many organizations that demand our time, energy, and provide social outlets for us who make Denmark our home.
So, what is the quality and nature of friendships that we seek to build in a Church? With so many places and opportunities to find friendships in our community, what is unique about friendships that we experience in a community of faith?
It just so happens that as our council is asking these questions, Tværkulturelt is hosting their annual conference on the first weekend in November. The theme is Venskab på tværs, and it will consider the nature and purpose of making friendship across cultures and faiths.
I will open the conference on Friday night at Freden’s Kirke, with a lecture given on the subject of Friendship’s role in forgiveness and reconciliation, globally and locally. The weekend will continue with lectures and practicuums given on building friendship across cultures and faiths. The conference will end on Sunday morning with a panel discussion at Sct. Andreas, followed by the conference joining our regular worship and fellowship at ICC.
This conference will be a chance for us to continue to ask this question about why it is that we seek friendships with one another, and why you would choose to make a community of faith a source of our friendships.
In the Bible, there are different kinds of love that are mentioned, and one is “philos”, which is the love that one has for friends. This is the kind of love that we find when we dedicate ourselves to gathering for fellowship after worship, attending bible study, coming to outings, participating in Diner for Six and the many group activities that are offered at ICC. But, again, we can find friends of this kind of love in many places. So, the question remains...what is unique about the friends that you will make in a community of faith?
Jesus reminds us through his teachings and parables, that there are many reasons to make friends in this world...to benefit one another, return favors, support one another, be comfortable when we are outside of our comfort zone. But Christ defines the purpose of friendship through the lens of faith in the 15th chapter of John, “no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He goes on to say, he does not call us servants any longer, but friends, and that we will be his friends if we follow in his way. In other words, we have been given the opportunity and means to develop friendships that live out the love of God that we yearn for.
One way to discover the love of God is by deepening friendships that bear a quality of shared faith. We do need all kinds of friendships based on common interests, gifts and activities, but no less important are your friendships that bear an authentic texture of God’s love, and provide the space to share God’s love active in your life. The purpose of Christian community is always to increase our relationship with and experience of God. But if we want to nurture that experience of God in our daily lives, might one way be through deepening friendships that have a different texture than what we commonly find in the world? In these days, I encourage you to strive to share your time in fellowship, developing your friendships with your fellow Christians in your community of faith.
For where two or more gather in Christ’s name, he promised to be there. Christian community is not just another activity in a busy schedule, it is a nourishing gift from God.
In your journey to seek God active in your life, I encourage you to devote the time to finding a friend at ICC or where you live, gather in Christ’s name, and watch what happens!
During our Council meetings, we have been devoting time to discernment about our identity as an English language, international, ecumenical ministry in Denmark, and our roles as Council leaders in that ministry. Among the wonderful conversations of care and concern, is the ongoing desire for individuals in our congregation to get to know one another, as a means to relate deeply to our diverse experiences of life and faith.
In other words, how are we as a congregation finding ways to build relationships with one another than can lead to the deep learning, sharing, and caring that members of a Christian Community need to nurture a life of faith?
At first, it seems that there is an obvious answer to this question. Of course, ICC provides multiple opportunities every month, not just to gather in worship on Sundays, but worship, education and fellowship throughout the week. We are reminded of these events in weekly bulletins, monthly newsletters and on the website, too.
But honestly, there are so many organizations that demand our time, energy, and provide social outlets for us who make Denmark our home.
So, what is the quality and nature of friendships that we seek to build in a Church? With so many places and opportunities to find friendships in our community, what is unique about friendships that we experience in a community of faith?
It just so happens that as our council is asking these questions, Tværkulturelt is hosting their annual conference on the first weekend in November. The theme is Venskab på tværs, and it will consider the nature and purpose of making friendship across cultures and faiths.
I will open the conference on Friday night at Freden’s Kirke, with a lecture given on the subject of Friendship’s role in forgiveness and reconciliation, globally and locally. The weekend will continue with lectures and practicuums given on building friendship across cultures and faiths. The conference will end on Sunday morning with a panel discussion at Sct. Andreas, followed by the conference joining our regular worship and fellowship at ICC.
This conference will be a chance for us to continue to ask this question about why it is that we seek friendships with one another, and why you would choose to make a community of faith a source of our friendships.
In the Bible, there are different kinds of love that are mentioned, and one is “philos”, which is the love that one has for friends. This is the kind of love that we find when we dedicate ourselves to gathering for fellowship after worship, attending bible study, coming to outings, participating in Diner for Six and the many group activities that are offered at ICC. But, again, we can find friends of this kind of love in many places. So, the question remains...what is unique about the friends that you will make in a community of faith?
Jesus reminds us through his teachings and parables, that there are many reasons to make friends in this world...to benefit one another, return favors, support one another, be comfortable when we are outside of our comfort zone. But Christ defines the purpose of friendship through the lens of faith in the 15th chapter of John, “no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He goes on to say, he does not call us servants any longer, but friends, and that we will be his friends if we follow in his way. In other words, we have been given the opportunity and means to develop friendships that live out the love of God that we yearn for.
One way to discover the love of God is by deepening friendships that bear a quality of shared faith. We do need all kinds of friendships based on common interests, gifts and activities, but no less important are your friendships that bear an authentic texture of God’s love, and provide the space to share God’s love active in your life. The purpose of Christian community is always to increase our relationship with and experience of God. But if we want to nurture that experience of God in our daily lives, might one way be through deepening friendships that have a different texture than what we commonly find in the world? In these days, I encourage you to strive to share your time in fellowship, developing your friendships with your fellow Christians in your community of faith.
For where two or more gather in Christ’s name, he promised to be there. Christian community is not just another activity in a busy schedule, it is a nourishing gift from God.
In your journey to seek God active in your life, I encourage you to devote the time to finding a friend at ICC or where you live, gather in Christ’s name, and watch what happens!
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