Well - I'm not the bionic man yet, but I'm getting there. Knees are fixed and working like knees should. Back is getting better - walking farther without much pain AND I had cataracts removed from both eyes and replaced with astigmatism correcting implants. No Glasses except to read (actually hardest adjustment, trying to keep up with where I laid them down lasdt). Dr Miller and her staff did a wonderful job - easiest and probably most succesful treatment I've ever been through.
Still having trouble riding a bike: My balance issues have me weaving all over the place with an occasional crash. But I persevere.
But enough about me
The world is a mess right now. I know it's always been a mess, but we didn't have the interconnectedness of commerce that we have right now. There are no good answers that I have heard. Partisanship and ideological bickering here and abroad have paralyzed governments.
Fear - generated by massive amounts of cable "news" coverage as well as the usual broadcast channels, further divides us. We fear everything these days- especially people who don't look like us or talk like us. When we begin calling other human beings "aliens" we are calling into question those foundational traditions that made us a great country.
Whatever we do we need to begin replacing fear with genuine charity of heart. Charity is the old English word for love; not romantic love, but the love of one another that calls us to trust one another with dignity and respect, no matter your state in life, where you come from or what faith you profess. We can also stop being obsessed with the fodder tossed at us by the 24 hour news cycle. Working in a soup kitchen, being a Citizen Advocate (more on this in a separate blog post); helping out at one of the senior centers - all of those things and more will rip you away from the paranoia that we call news these days.
Well - I'm back and I promise to be more regular in posting.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
What's the big deal about church?
Well - it's like this: If you take Christ seriously, living is a community of faith is a given. In fact - if you take any religion seriously, a community of faith is essential.
I used to visit the Holy Cross monastery in Pineville SC (not there any longer). The monks - all except one - lived 24 hours a day in community - in relationship with each other. The lone exception was one monk who felt called - at least for a time - to live as a hermit. The community wanted to honor his wishes, but also wanted him to be safe. They devised a number of ways for him to check in and for them to check on him. So even in his "solitude" the community shared his calling in their creative support.
The 10 commandments - if we pay attention to them- speak to this living in relationship - in community. The first several commandments speak to our relationship with God. The rest speak to how we live in relationship with one another. Far from being an abusive, tyrannical list of rules, they tell us with great precision how we might learn to live together more justly, and therefore live in relationship with God more closely. They are not a bag full of clubs to beat up errant sinners (that begs the question, "aren't all sinners errant?")
Church can be exciting, frustrating, hypocritical, loving, merciless, merciful, forgiving, judgmental and many times simply boring. Now change the word "Church" to "living."
This blog is not exclusively about religion. But it doesn't exclude the topic either. Practicing religion is about perfecting our relationships with God and with each other. If we aren't working on those two things then religion, organized or other wise, is not worth the time and travail.
Pax
I used to visit the Holy Cross monastery in Pineville SC (not there any longer). The monks - all except one - lived 24 hours a day in community - in relationship with each other. The lone exception was one monk who felt called - at least for a time - to live as a hermit. The community wanted to honor his wishes, but also wanted him to be safe. They devised a number of ways for him to check in and for them to check on him. So even in his "solitude" the community shared his calling in their creative support.
The 10 commandments - if we pay attention to them- speak to this living in relationship - in community. The first several commandments speak to our relationship with God. The rest speak to how we live in relationship with one another. Far from being an abusive, tyrannical list of rules, they tell us with great precision how we might learn to live together more justly, and therefore live in relationship with God more closely. They are not a bag full of clubs to beat up errant sinners (that begs the question, "aren't all sinners errant?")
Church can be exciting, frustrating, hypocritical, loving, merciless, merciful, forgiving, judgmental and many times simply boring. Now change the word "Church" to "living."
This blog is not exclusively about religion. But it doesn't exclude the topic either. Practicing religion is about perfecting our relationships with God and with each other. If we aren't working on those two things then religion, organized or other wise, is not worth the time and travail.
Pax
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Customer Service Redux
Customer Service is not always an oxymoron (see my earlier post). Took the new car back to Southern Motors Acura because the service light was blinking - along with the tire pressure light. Mickey and Brian gave me a loaner vehicle, got everything fixed, noticed I had a screw in my tire (causing the pressure problem) and put on a new - yes new tire at no cost to me.. That's customer service. Comcast could learn more than a few things from folks like Brian and Mickey.
Latest telephone scam Alert!!! Companies now have automated messages that sound conversational, as if a real person was speaking to you live. After about 30 seconds you begin to realize it's not so, but they are pretty clever in their execution and will only get better over time. Just say no!
Latest telephone scam Alert!!! Companies now have automated messages that sound conversational, as if a real person was speaking to you live. After about 30 seconds you begin to realize it's not so, but they are pretty clever in their execution and will only get better over time. Just say no!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Church Growth
Well the title of this piece seems to be an oxymoron. Latest studies (who does these studies and why are they always late) show the mainline churches in decline over the last 10 years and even the "new" movement personified by mega churches that are big on entertainment and self actualization and pretty thin on the theology are showing some fraying around the edges.
So why might that be? Most;y, I think, because we spend a huge amount of our energy on social justice issues and precious little on the Gospel. Heresy you say! Actually not. The Episcopal Church (my brand) in particular has always been incarnational in its work in the world. Believing in the dignity of every human being, we have been leaders in social justice issues even before people called them that.
Here is the problem in my view. We have, over time, minimized the importance of making ministry come out of our understanding of theology. We should do ministry as a gospel imperative, but very often we approach ministry using a secular, social service agency approach. Here's a news flash: bad as some might be, social service agencies are much more adept and equipped to do their jobs than we are.
Passing resolutions every three years bemoaning the state of the human condition, doesn't really change the human condition. Dabbling in one ministry or another - the "ministry du jour" one might say, leads to little accountability and even less effectiveness.
That is not to say that churches, the Episcopal Church in particular - don't do good work in the world - we do. But we could do better if that work came more often out of what we believe about God and his call to us, as opposed to what simply "feels right" in any given circumstance.
Our primary mission is to know Christ and to make Christ known. Very often in the outreach we engage in, Christ doesn't make much of an appearance. This is not about conversion, it's about naming the reason and motivation for the ministries we engage in.
Ministry to the world needs to be for the long haul. "Feel Good" ministries last, mostly, until feeling good is replaced by boredom, feeling put upon or simply being ready to try the next "feel good" thing.
Ministry needs to be rooted in something more than good feelings or the current trend. Ministries need to be rooted in the Gospel. Ministries, must be accountable - to each other, to those we serve and ultimately to God in Christ. It's time to re- incarnate the incarnational Church.
So why might that be? Most;y, I think, because we spend a huge amount of our energy on social justice issues and precious little on the Gospel. Heresy you say! Actually not. The Episcopal Church (my brand) in particular has always been incarnational in its work in the world. Believing in the dignity of every human being, we have been leaders in social justice issues even before people called them that.
Here is the problem in my view. We have, over time, minimized the importance of making ministry come out of our understanding of theology. We should do ministry as a gospel imperative, but very often we approach ministry using a secular, social service agency approach. Here's a news flash: bad as some might be, social service agencies are much more adept and equipped to do their jobs than we are.
Passing resolutions every three years bemoaning the state of the human condition, doesn't really change the human condition. Dabbling in one ministry or another - the "ministry du jour" one might say, leads to little accountability and even less effectiveness.
That is not to say that churches, the Episcopal Church in particular - don't do good work in the world - we do. But we could do better if that work came more often out of what we believe about God and his call to us, as opposed to what simply "feels right" in any given circumstance.
Our primary mission is to know Christ and to make Christ known. Very often in the outreach we engage in, Christ doesn't make much of an appearance. This is not about conversion, it's about naming the reason and motivation for the ministries we engage in.
Ministry to the world needs to be for the long haul. "Feel Good" ministries last, mostly, until feeling good is replaced by boredom, feeling put upon or simply being ready to try the next "feel good" thing.
Ministry needs to be rooted in something more than good feelings or the current trend. Ministries need to be rooted in the Gospel. Ministries, must be accountable - to each other, to those we serve and ultimately to God in Christ. It's time to re- incarnate the incarnational Church.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Customer Service?
Briefly. A few weeks ago I set up the new office computer. This included hooking up the internet/phone/copy machine connections.
All went well. I did need to have Ricoh come and set up the copy machine for scanning to the computer. Called/explained/tech arrived less than an hour later/set up the scanner/ said, "have a good day. No muss no fuss and no bill.
Comcast phone service goes out. Call the 800 number and wait several minutes. After half an hour of "diagnosing" the phone tech said you need a new line splitter. I said, "fine - when can you come and install it?" I am told that once installed the splitter is "mine" thus it will cost lots of money for them to come and replace it. He suggested I go to store and buy one and put it in myself. I did. $4.00 part.
But please explain Comcast's abundance of advertising featuring their excellent customer service and satisfaction. Ricoh? Comcast? Wish Ricoh was the internet provider.
All went well. I did need to have Ricoh come and set up the copy machine for scanning to the computer. Called/explained/tech arrived less than an hour later/set up the scanner/ said, "have a good day. No muss no fuss and no bill.
Comcast phone service goes out. Call the 800 number and wait several minutes. After half an hour of "diagnosing" the phone tech said you need a new line splitter. I said, "fine - when can you come and install it?" I am told that once installed the splitter is "mine" thus it will cost lots of money for them to come and replace it. He suggested I go to store and buy one and put it in myself. I did. $4.00 part.
But please explain Comcast's abundance of advertising featuring their excellent customer service and satisfaction. Ricoh? Comcast? Wish Ricoh was the internet provider.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Pet Peeves
Not in any particular order:
- People who believe Olive Garden is quintessentially Italian
- Ditto and then some for those who like Bella's
- People who stay home from church because it is raining (and tell you)
- People who have ready suggestions/criticisms/ and complaints in any organization who refuse to be active in fixing those things - or anything else
- People who tell Italian/Ethnic/racist/sexual/ the list goes on jokes. By definition they are not funny.
- Me when I whine and complain about my health - especially when I compare it to folks who really have problems
- People with "issues" or "agendas" Yes you are pretty obvious.
- People who ask your advice and then get angry when you give it to them
- People who think 63 is old (including me when I feel it)
- Bad music of any kind
- People who tell me they are "spiritual" and don't need Church -Blechhhh!
- People who say they are Christians (Jews, Muslim, Bahai, Unitarian) but have not darkened the door of a house of worship in decades.
- The above same people when they tell pollsters how religious they are
- People who start sentences with, I have a lot of _______(you fill in the blank) friends, but.......
- More when I'm feeling like whining again
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Lions and Tigers and Bears, O My!!
Well that's kind of how I felt when the orthopedic surgeon said he needed to revise my knee replacement done back in December 2010. Technically called a revision (verson 1.0 to 1.517?), it's basically knee replacement surgery light - we hope. So that's what I have to be thankful for as I am scheduled to do this the week before Thanksgiving.
Sunday's 9/11 liturgy went well, but the discussion afterward, as folks shared their feelings then and now, was - I think - the most significant part of the day. Just as the Church is a community, so are all of us whose lives were affected (in large or small ways) by that day a community.
There are some pundits who say it's time to move on, but remembrance is an important part of who we are as a people. We don't need to get stuck in unhealthy grief, or be paralyzed by fear, but remembrance - in the ancient sense of "making present again" keeps us in community with one another - no matter how wide we are dispersed. It is, in the ancient and catrholic practice of the Holy Eucharist, how we make Christ present to us in the here and now - not the only way we make him present, but in a profound and elemental way.
As our genration passes from the scene, those who follow need to here the stories of sacrifice and bravery and compassion. We need to assure that our children and children's children understand - in the most fundamental way, that Love conquers evil every time. Anger - righteous or not eventually leaves us bitter and fallen in on ourselves. Love calls us out of our bitternesss and anger into lives of mercy and grace. As Paul tells us, "Love never ends.... Faith Hope and Love abide thse three, but the greatest of these is Love."
Sunday's 9/11 liturgy went well, but the discussion afterward, as folks shared their feelings then and now, was - I think - the most significant part of the day. Just as the Church is a community, so are all of us whose lives were affected (in large or small ways) by that day a community.
There are some pundits who say it's time to move on, but remembrance is an important part of who we are as a people. We don't need to get stuck in unhealthy grief, or be paralyzed by fear, but remembrance - in the ancient sense of "making present again" keeps us in community with one another - no matter how wide we are dispersed. It is, in the ancient and catrholic practice of the Holy Eucharist, how we make Christ present to us in the here and now - not the only way we make him present, but in a profound and elemental way.
As our genration passes from the scene, those who follow need to here the stories of sacrifice and bravery and compassion. We need to assure that our children and children's children understand - in the most fundamental way, that Love conquers evil every time. Anger - righteous or not eventually leaves us bitter and fallen in on ourselves. Love calls us out of our bitternesss and anger into lives of mercy and grace. As Paul tells us, "Love never ends.... Faith Hope and Love abide thse three, but the greatest of these is Love."
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