Over the last few weeks and months I, like many, have wondered about our nation and worlds economic position.
I have wondered what the effects of the loss of jobs will have on my family and friends. I've wondered how low income families, as costs go up, will be able to make ends meet.
Along with all of this, I have wondered about the general church and its practice of supporting the ministerial clergy. As one, I have wondered how the current economic situation will impact my own life. As church congregants continue to feel the pinch, I wonder how will this effect their giving to their local church, and as such, impact the personal support of their staff.
For generations we have had vocational & bi-vocational pastors; the bi-vocational pastors are men and women who lead congregations while also maintaining "secular" jobs - to pay the bills.
To some degree I consider what I'm doing now - with the coffee house and church ministry - kind of a bi-vocational thing. Although, it's not completely bi-vocational, since the coffee house is in direct connection to the church. Yet there is a since of bi-vocation as the coffee house can end up being a full-time job.
So as the rise of unemployment continues upward, the cost of living, and what not continues to spiral downward, I can't help but wonder how this will impact me, my friends, and the church.
If push came to shove, I am confident I could go outside the church to pay the bills. But as I look at this possible option, I'm not certain this is the principle of God's upside down kingdom our faith community is or should be striving for. There is something beautiful (even biblical) about a group of people coming around and supporting their clergy (see 1 Cor. 9).
As I look at this historical practice, I can't help but wonder if consciously or subconsciously we have set this as a way of modeling the kingdom; our community ethic - relying on the support of one another.
Perhaps this ancient practice has practical implications as we strive to living out the upside down kingdom - the anti empirical kingdom of God. Perhaps this practice of supporting the clergy was established to place & encourage the spiritual leaders to model what it means to live in community. I can't help but wonder if Jesus, with his reliance upon others, wasn't speaking to us a new ethic of living in community - where we look not only to the needs of our self, but also to the needs of the other, where we take care of one another... in regards to all of our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical needs.
Perhaps as we look at our country/world economic position, we need to re-look at our own community ethic. In this time, as many are in need, God's upside down kingdom just might be calling us to love in new ways. God's upside down kingdom might be asking us to come around one another - in a truly supportive fashion - to display God's upside down kingdom to one another and the world.
God's upside down kingdom, is just that, upside down to the world, and this might be our chance to once again step into it!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
passing of time
When do we get old? is it at a specific birthday? Is it something we do, or is something which happens to us? We're about to have a baby, is that what makes me now old? Or was it when I first began to subscribe to the newspaper. Perhaps it's the reading of the newspaper which defines the passing of time for us. Perhaps it is in the simple reading of the news, walking out to the curb in the morning, in slippers, with the dog on the porch watching, which begins the adulthood process.
I'm not sure when the process starts, or what defines one as an adult. But, I suppose I'm there.
I'm not sure when the process starts, or what defines one as an adult. But, I suppose I'm there.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
2009
It has been a long time since I last wrote,
and a lot has taken place.
I graduated from Seminary,
and my wife is pregnant.
Seminary and pregnancy, those seem to be the biggest mile markers of late. Bree is due in April, and we're excited to bring new life into this old house once again.
Thinking about the house, I've often wondered what stories it might tell about life over the years. It has experienced many things and many people. I'm sure its story would be one of interest, if only it could speak.
and a lot has taken place.
I graduated from Seminary,
and my wife is pregnant.
Seminary and pregnancy, those seem to be the biggest mile markers of late. Bree is due in April, and we're excited to bring new life into this old house once again.
Thinking about the house, I've often wondered what stories it might tell about life over the years. It has experienced many things and many people. I'm sure its story would be one of interest, if only it could speak.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
listen.
I was joking with some friends last night about what Jesus would say… in regards to listening.
I had just been in a listening position at Mo for well, probably close to an hour. A nice lady came in, who’s come in several times. And I think she is in need of being heard, having a voice and someone to listen to her.
Well, my question to my buddies was… does Jesus ever say… “dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about…”
I felt that way a few times throughout my “conversation” with this neighbor lady.
And yet, I felt that it was my place, my position, and my responsibility to be willing to nod, smile and be a listening presence in her life.
This experience has caused me to wonder what it means to listen and be patient. I often want quick answers and only hear half of what’s told me in anticipation of getting it done. Well, at least that’s how I seem to function with God. Maybe last night was a reminder that I need to be willing to slow down and be patient with others as well as with myself and God. Maybe last night was a reminder that just as I have an innate desire to be heard, others have that same structuring. And as such, my position just might be a position of hearer – and not always doer.
You know, maybe our doing really does need to flow out of our hearing. Especially those of us who seek to model our lives after Christ.
It just might be that our doing wants to get ahead of what we have heard, when in actuality our position should first be to hear the cries, laughs, and passions of those around us before our time of action.
Although throughout my time last night, I wanted to say, “I have noooo idea what you’re talking about” I believe that my listening ear was well received. I don’t always have to know what is being said to be able to hear who is speaking.
In all the names that were dropped and the stories told, my friend was seeking a place for her voice to be heard and a person to call friend.
I had just been in a listening position at Mo for well, probably close to an hour. A nice lady came in, who’s come in several times. And I think she is in need of being heard, having a voice and someone to listen to her.
Well, my question to my buddies was… does Jesus ever say… “dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about…”
I felt that way a few times throughout my “conversation” with this neighbor lady.
And yet, I felt that it was my place, my position, and my responsibility to be willing to nod, smile and be a listening presence in her life.
This experience has caused me to wonder what it means to listen and be patient. I often want quick answers and only hear half of what’s told me in anticipation of getting it done. Well, at least that’s how I seem to function with God. Maybe last night was a reminder that I need to be willing to slow down and be patient with others as well as with myself and God. Maybe last night was a reminder that just as I have an innate desire to be heard, others have that same structuring. And as such, my position just might be a position of hearer – and not always doer.
You know, maybe our doing really does need to flow out of our hearing. Especially those of us who seek to model our lives after Christ.
It just might be that our doing wants to get ahead of what we have heard, when in actuality our position should first be to hear the cries, laughs, and passions of those around us before our time of action.
Although throughout my time last night, I wanted to say, “I have noooo idea what you’re talking about” I believe that my listening ear was well received. I don’t always have to know what is being said to be able to hear who is speaking.
In all the names that were dropped and the stories told, my friend was seeking a place for her voice to be heard and a person to call friend.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Disenfranchised
Disenfranchised.
What does this mean?
adjective
deprived of the rights of citizenship especially the right to vote; "labor was voiceless"; "disenfranchised masses took to the streets"
As a church we believe we are for the down and out and the poor. We say we're available to the widow and the orphan. We desire to be a place for the disenfranchised.
Yesterday we had a guy come in who I (in my anti classification mind) would classify as disenfranchised. He'd been in before. The first time he came in he scared our friend who was working to death. She wasn't sure if he was going to come in with a chainsaw and cut her arms off or just pull out a gun. And to be honest, the first time he came in while I was behind the counter he freaked me out too. I had the phone ready to dial 911 and the alarm ready to sound off to the police. His very demeanour beckons you to stare and want to leave his vicinity.
As soon as he walked in yesterday, with his hat on and plastic bags wrapped around him I could smell him. As he walked down the galley to our main door I immediately looked over to the Demitasse in concern for the parents and children. Did I mention he smelled. It was the kind of stench that stayed for a minute or two after he had left. It reminded me of a children's film, some anime that my wife had me watch, in which a cloud would follow the character. This is how it was yesterday. I didn't want to run around spraying air freshener, but I didn't want the coffee house to smell like this guy for the rest of the day.
Our very structure as a coffee house is set up to engage with the community, every aspect of the community, including the poor and disenfranchised. And yet, when the poor, the disenfranchised, and the sometimes scary step into our lives, we long for the upper middle class annoying woman who drives a BMW and is happy to have a place to bring her snotty child who leaves a mess when they exit. At least this snotty woman doesn't smell and require much, well much out of the ordinary.
So what does it mean to be for the disenfranchised? What does it mean to provide space for them? Is this true... even when the smell like they've been in the dumpster for weeks only now attempting to come out into the open? If so, how can we love them. How do we love them and move beyond our desire for them to sit on the bench drinking their coffee OUTSIDE?
I've been thinking about social justice lately. Which is common for a lot of people. But, I haven't been thinking about in regards to reading books and participating in global activism. I've been thinking about it in regards to my own life (I can't even say I think about it alot, cuz frankly I think about it when something hits me in my face). but, I've been wondering how I am participating in the justice of those around me. How is the very organism I helped create and form (the coffee house) functioning in the life of social justice.
I don't have answers to these questions. But I suppose it's been helpful to write them down. I suppose that in the coming days I will continue to balance providing space for anyone in the community while maintaining a family friendly environment with being for the poor, the disenfranchised and even the scary.
What does this mean?
adjective
deprived of the rights of citizenship especially the right to vote; "labor was voiceless"; "disenfranchised masses took to the streets"
As a church we believe we are for the down and out and the poor. We say we're available to the widow and the orphan. We desire to be a place for the disenfranchised.
Yesterday we had a guy come in who I (in my anti classification mind) would classify as disenfranchised. He'd been in before. The first time he came in he scared our friend who was working to death. She wasn't sure if he was going to come in with a chainsaw and cut her arms off or just pull out a gun. And to be honest, the first time he came in while I was behind the counter he freaked me out too. I had the phone ready to dial 911 and the alarm ready to sound off to the police. His very demeanour beckons you to stare and want to leave his vicinity.
As soon as he walked in yesterday, with his hat on and plastic bags wrapped around him I could smell him. As he walked down the galley to our main door I immediately looked over to the Demitasse in concern for the parents and children. Did I mention he smelled. It was the kind of stench that stayed for a minute or two after he had left. It reminded me of a children's film, some anime that my wife had me watch, in which a cloud would follow the character. This is how it was yesterday. I didn't want to run around spraying air freshener, but I didn't want the coffee house to smell like this guy for the rest of the day.
Our very structure as a coffee house is set up to engage with the community, every aspect of the community, including the poor and disenfranchised. And yet, when the poor, the disenfranchised, and the sometimes scary step into our lives, we long for the upper middle class annoying woman who drives a BMW and is happy to have a place to bring her snotty child who leaves a mess when they exit. At least this snotty woman doesn't smell and require much, well much out of the ordinary.
So what does it mean to be for the disenfranchised? What does it mean to provide space for them? Is this true... even when the smell like they've been in the dumpster for weeks only now attempting to come out into the open? If so, how can we love them. How do we love them and move beyond our desire for them to sit on the bench drinking their coffee OUTSIDE?
I've been thinking about social justice lately. Which is common for a lot of people. But, I haven't been thinking about in regards to reading books and participating in global activism. I've been thinking about it in regards to my own life (I can't even say I think about it alot, cuz frankly I think about it when something hits me in my face). but, I've been wondering how I am participating in the justice of those around me. How is the very organism I helped create and form (the coffee house) functioning in the life of social justice.
I don't have answers to these questions. But I suppose it's been helpful to write them down. I suppose that in the coming days I will continue to balance providing space for anyone in the community while maintaining a family friendly environment with being for the poor, the disenfranchised and even the scary.
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