We Need PROPHETS not PROFITS

I was at an event at Grace Cathedral not long ago, and there was someone who was talking about the current situation and future of the church. The person was showing a PowerPoint thing, and in one of them was the statement above. I thought about it for a quick second and realized that the statement was so true.

As I look around, not only at the Episcopal church, but at other denominations and religions, I am amazed at how many of them seem to get the words confused, and it also seems that not many of them talk about modern day Prophets and how one should aim at becoming one. Yes it is important that religious organizations need money in order to help spread the Good News, but has the goal of money really taken over religion? Think about it.

I will admit that I am one who has been really concerned about the number of people in the seat of the pews, but after reading that statement and thinking about it, it made me realize even more how important the work that Deacons do, and the importance of places like Sacred Space are to the world. Deacons do something that many of us don't do, and that is they go out into the world and bringing Christ to the people that are not only the down trodden, but are also with many material things. Deacons and others are also doing such things as Sacred Space & Open Cathedral not only in Oakland and San Francisco, but in many other cities around the world.

Yes it takes money to keep the churches open and the offices of churches & dioceses running, but it seems as though some have forgotten to put the Holy Trinity at the center of everything. I see a number of churches that have concerts and other things, but rarely do I see them doing any of these events for free.

We seem to of forgotten that the Holy Trinity does not work only through the clergy, but through each and every one of us. Just because one has been ordained a Priest, Deacon or Bishop does not make one more special to the Holy Trinity than the homeless drug addict that we see. If that homeless person is out proclaiming the Good News to people along with acting in a Christian way towards ALL that belongs to the Holy Trinity, does that make them less in the eyes of the Holy Trinity compared the the Clergy person who is treating their congregation in a wrong way and not really getting them to live in Christ?

To me, the true Prophets of the world come in ALL shapes, sizes, colors and backgrounds. At times people will wonder why I will spend time talking with kids, and not chatting with them in a “downward” way. What kids have to say about different things are incredible. By listening to the things that they have to say you will learn and here things that will really make you think.

But at times it seems as though the people of the church and Christianity are not willing to Listen to not only the words of the children, but the words of each other unless it is going to be something that the person wants to hear and already know that they will want to agree with. I often sit in meetings and notice how etiquette seems to of gone away. I'm not talking about hard things, but the simple thing of raising ones hand in order to speak. People seem to feel that it is more important to speak and say what they have to say before giving those who haven't spoken, but have risen their hand, a chance to speak. If these people would simply give others a chance to speak, they might even get the chance to hear a prophet speak. Having degrees and knowledge doesn't make one a Prophet, it mainly means that you have a piece of paper that says that you studied a field and have some knowledge about it, but in truth that doesn't make one a Prophet, but someone with knowledge.

Churches seem to worry about money all of the time, which in other words can be they seem to worry much about the Profits, and they seem to forget that the most important thing is the Prophet. Sometimes I wonder if Money is their real God? Hopefully some of them will stop worrying about the Profits and concentrate more on the Prophets, as I think that the Profits they need to run will then truly come in.

The 21st Century Laity

(I am not sure if I had posted this before or not, and it is something that I wrote a few years ago... Hopefully you will enjoy this)

The 21^st Century Laity

In many ways, they Episcopal Church still operates as though it is the 1950s in the ways of what Clergy and Laity do. In the 1950s if you burnt someone out, because the congregations where full so it was easy for someone else to step up.

But over the recent years the numbers sitting in the pews has fallen, the congregations have had to rely on fewer and fewer people, and when people burn out their isn't a pool of people available to fill in, so those who are brunt out continue to do work that they should of stepped back from.

But is this just an Episcopal Church problem, or a problem in many of the other denominations also? Is this problem even bigger? Are we as a society doing way to much multitasking causing us to burn out much faster? But could also much of this burnout be due to the fact that when many people get a bit of power they have a hard time letting that power go or sharing that power? Are the laity becoming burnt out because they are being asked to do more than they should?

The answer is that in most cases it is a mixture of all of the above, and not just one thing. But what can we as a diocese do to slow the burn that is happening?

1. Get people to really think about what they really want to do. we spend time working with people prior to Baptism, Confirmation and Marriage getting people to really think about what they are about to do, but not about many of the activities that go on in the churches.

a) One way to to get Congregation Vocation Committees (CVCs) to think about becoming Congregation Discernment Committees (CDCs). With Area Ministry, people would get involved with their CDCs to figure out what their ministry in the church is. Also get people to go through a CDC every few years and rethink about where there ministry is at that time. (The name change was something that the CoM talked about at it's last retreat.)

b) The Diocese currently does a Vestry Training Day and a couple of other church training things. Maybe the Diocese should find out what committees and commissions that congregations have and do training days for some of the most common ones where possible.

2. Both the Clergy and Lay Leaders need to speak up and let the congregation understand that in order for the church to survive that it takes all to get involved. By getting more involved, it will mean that the work gets spread out amongst more people instead of just a few causing the few to burn out.
3. Getting people to think about transferring to another congregation for a “Fresh Start” is something that they could or should do. By changing congregations from time to time, it permits people to renew their spirits, and congregations will be able to renew themselves and not become stuck in the same mold which doesn't permit it to grow. I am currently seriously discerning how much longer I will remain in the congregation that I am in, and to which congregation I will transfer to once I leave.
4. The diocese should start encouraging Communities of Lay Leadership. For example, get the Lay leaders from St. James, St. Paul's, St. Augustine's and Our Saviour to sit and have a meal together every few months to talk about what is going on in each of the congregations. this would be something that would travel from congregation to congregation with the meal. I have seen some interesting ideas that I have tried to bring back to St. James. Maybe in each month that has a 5^th Sunday,a couple of the leaders from each congregation would go to the service of one of the churches in the group and have this meal after the service. Yes part of the role of Deaneries should be people connecting and having these conversations in my opinion, but in the deanery that I am in, I didn't see that happening much when I was attending deanery meetings, but it has been a while since I have been onto the Deanery. At our last Annual Meeting I was elected onto the deanery as a Delegate, so I will get to see what is going on, but I don't expect to see any changes.
5. Better times need to be chosen for meetings. One of the complaints the Laity has are meeting times. For most of the working members in the diocese, they have jobs during the day and are not able to attend meetings that occur in this diocese for the different committees and commissions that exist. Because of this, those who are able to attend these meeting tend to be retired and/or in a situation where they can attend, and they end up on so many that they become easily burnt out. Here is what I would suggest:

a) Establish certain days when these groups would meet. Let's say the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays

during the evening, and the 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays during the day.

b) Get people to really think about which and how many commissions and committees, and

which ones that they truly feel called to be on with the maximum being three.

What these will also do will get younger people involved and they will feel apart of the church

in more than just going to church on Sundays. By getting younger folks involved, it means that

those with children will be examples that their kids may follow.

With the clergy, especially those who have congregations, by having them limit the amount of

things on a diocesan level means that they can concentrate more on their congregation, and it

will also give those who aren't doing something on a diocesan level a chance to get involved.

6. With Area Ministry, encourage Lay Leaders in these clusters to have a meeting with a meal every 2 or 3 months. This meeting would rotate amongst the congregations in the clusters. The meetings would be about what is going on in the cluster.

6. Get congregations to establish term/time limits with different the different commissions and committees that they have where possible. This will allow for new ideas to be brought into the group(s) and all of those who would like to do things within the congregation to have a chance. It will also get those who are burnt out because they have been doing so much to actually have a chance to become refreshed.
7. If term/time limits are established, the diocese should designate a Sunday where the those who are dropping out of these committees and commissions are thanked and applauded and those coming on are welcomed. This service would happen in each congregation.
8. The Diocese and Congregations should take advantage of not only DioBytes, but our Facebook group and other resources available in promoting events. The people of the Diocese need to take advantage of these sources also in finding out what is going on. Sometimes I am really frustrated with the congregation that I am in and want to leave the Episcopal Church totally, but I will go to an event at another congregation and become renewed and refreshed knowing that great things are actually happening here. I am currently going to a four week event at St. Paul's Oakland because of an invite sent to me via Facebook.
9. With Area Ministry, let's take advantage of clergy in this diocese who are not in a congregation. With the ones who are willing, let them be kind of a “Arch Layperson” (I really can't think of a good term to use at the moment,) but for like the Advent Series and Lent Series they would have a list of Lay Leaders in an area that they would contact to get them to announce and gather people to come to these events. If it would be possible to move the event around to different congregations, this person would work with these leaders on arranging space and such. These clergy people start off by leading these events, but as they get to know people, they could get them to lead a portion or all of an event.
10. We must have people who know Tai Chi, Meditation Techniques, and other things who would be willing to lead an hour or two a month where lay leaders would gather to do some of these things together. This could be one form of Health and/or Spiritual renewal.

There are many things that the diocese could do that will help to stem the burnout that occurs within the Laity, to renew the laity, but as long as the church continues to think in the 1950s mentality and not really moving truly into a 21^st century thinking and ways, where the clergy realize that they don't have to lead things in the church outside of the service, and the people realize that in order for the church to really survive it must take the lead and the responsibility in a healthy way, burnout will continue.

I would love to know what ideas you have to help in the growth of church congregations and Christianity as a whole...

God's Music

 I was sitting in a church last night for a service which was mostly sung by a choir. Now the service was nice, as it was one that isn't done much. It was some men and boys choir, and was disappointed that the boys didn't do much singing, and even at one point began to wonder why they even had the boys there.

As I was sitting there listening to them sing, I suddenly began to wonder about something and began to laugh about it more inside as I thought about it. Now I won't say that I know what God likes as far as music is concerned, but it became a question and a thought in my head.

Now in the congregation that I am in, we have no playing organist. We do have someone with the title of Organist, but he only has it in order to do some work to repair our organ. For some things he is really good and I enjoy his playing, but as far as being a Church Organist, I have had people inform me that if I am not going to be there, and he will be playing the organ, to inform them so that they could go elsewhere for service. Sadly he just doesn't have the skills that a Church Organist needs, but I have heard him play other things, and he is really good.

As I sat there I really began to wonder what God really likes as far as music goes. The choir was singing this traditional old Latin song, then suddenly I looked up at the priest who was sitting there meditating and picturing him as if he was God. Then Family Radio came to mind when it was suppose to be the rapture and the music that they were playing on the station. I then began to think about things like Gregorian Chants and other types of religious music. Oh I do love religious music, but I also love other types of music.

One of the nice things about the congregation that I am in and using the computer to do the music is the fact that we get to hear a variety of different different styles of Christian music. Some times I will play traditional stuff, and at other times I will play some Country, some Rap, Jazz, Blues, Blue Grass and other types of music. Our former Bishop used to enjoy coming to our congregation because I would play Gospel. He would be in the church while nobody else was, and I would have some Gospel playing and he would be dancing up and down the aisles. The first time that it happened, it shocked me, as I didn't realize that he was even in the church and I was just playing some music for myself until the people started coming in. I happen to look up to see him in the aisle just dancing away. After service was over and the people where in the Parish Hall, I needed to check on the music for the following Sunday, so I put some Gospel on only to look up a little bit later to see him dancing again.

With the way that the priest sits in the congregation that I was in, his chair is against the wall facing the congregation. Now I know that this priest wouldn't do it, but I suddenly imagined him as God and turning to the choir after they had finished one of the songs and turning in a booming voice and telling them thanks, he had heard enough, then picking up a phone and saying that he wanted James Brown to come in and give a concert, followed by the Rolling Stones, the Sex Pistols, then George Clinton.

I don't know why all of this came to mind, but it was like the thing about eating the same thing everyday at every meal. I mean that at a point it gets tiresome and you need a change. Is God sitting there when his desire to hear music with like a radio and he turns the dial to something that he wants to hear at the moment. Oh I am sure that some will say that he will love hearing song giving him praise, but wouldn't get tired of hearing just music praising him after a point? I mean wouldn't God want to hear some Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Madonna, Elton John, Wayne Newton, Sammy Davis, Jr., Cab Calaway, etc at some point just for something different?

Now I could be totally wrong about this, but think about it. If you were God, would you really want to hear the music that is done in the Christian churches all of the time?

The Middle Ground

Yes I know that it has been a while since I last wrote anything in this blog, but I have been busy with a bunch of things and when I have had time to wrote something, this blog hasn't been on my mind. Hopefully I will get back into the habit of writing something more often from this point on.

Over the last few weeks, I have been attending a “Soup Lenten Series” being held at one of the local congregations (St. Paul's Oakland,) and the series has been about contemporary Saints. The series has been really interesting, as we watch a video, after which we discuss what was on the video and the things in the world. I have really enjoyed it, and wish that we would have a series about something at the congregation that I am at, but sadly we couldn't get people to attend. I know that my Pastor would enjoy doing a such thing, but the congregation wouldn't show up for it.

At the recent one, as we watched the video, I suddenly began to wonder about something. I would really love to read your thoughts about it in the comment box below this blog. The discussion also went into this area and I what I wrote down began to hit me hard, as it was so much related.

What I wrote down was something to the effect of “Is there any real difference between the Taliban and the Conservative in this country?” Now my original thought was really related to the roles of women in the world. If you really look at both and what they are trying to do, it seems as though the aim is to put women into a lower class than men. In both cases it seems as though one of the aims is to control females so that they are basically put into the role of slaves. Now I am sure that some will say that the Taliban are much crueler than what the conservatives of this country are trying to do, and yes that is true, but to a point.

From what gets reported in this country, it seems as though females are basically treated like a piece of property. Females are expected to remain virgins until they marry, which is something that the Conservatives of this country seem to want to push also. With the Taliban, if a woman becomes pregnant she can't get an abortion even if it would mean saving her life, which is also another thing that the Conservatives seem to be pushing. With the Taliban the males are the rulers of the home, which is something that the Conservatives desire. If a female is a single mother, under the Taliban these females have little to no support, and if you look at the cuts that the Conservatives want to make, many of those cuts would leave single mothers with little to know support.

But I also must say that the liberals are like the Taliban also in that like them, they have there agenda which they seem to be stuck on and trying to force down everybody's throat without wanting to here and really pay attention to the other side...

How do I come upon this conclusion about the all of them. Watch tv's “Talking Pundits” over the week and weekend. All that they all seem to want to do is to battle with each other and really not try to reach the middle ground on any topics. With both sides it's about what they want and nothing less, and from what gets reported on tv about the Taliban, they are doing the same thing.

But the same thing can be found in the Holy Bible also if you just really look and think about it. People seem to forget that Jesus gathered people from all spectrums of life and was really the person in the middle ground. Look at Moses and the things that he had to go through both before and after Egypt. You can look all through the Bible and find plenty of examples of it being one side against the other, and if you think about it, in many cases it was the ones in the middle who really got anything done. Those in the middle seem to be the Peace Makers on many things.

I have no “ill will” against the Taliban, the Conservatives or the Liberals. I just wish that someone would come along who was the Peace Maker and stood in the middle ground...

Please post your comments and thoughts in the box below this blog...

I'm Published

 I had thought about putting this into my last blog, but figured that it would be better if I did this separate.

 As I have mentioned in the past, my favorite "service" is "The Stations Of The Cross"... Over a bit of time I actually created 9 that can be used which consist of different themes and have published them in a book. The themes range from Racism, Forgiveness, Alzheimers, Immigration and more. If you would be interested in buying a copy, then here is the link... https://www.createspace.com/3731853

Wish Upon A Star

 I was sitting at a table not long ago before a meeting and a discussion was going on with a few of us, when somehow one of the people said something that I found interesting and it made me wonder how well people really understand and think about the words that they use and what we are taught in the Bible. The person had what they said was a bad upbringing by there mother and that their mother was going to Hell for the way that she is/was. I found this remark to be very interesting in that it is so against the teachings of the Bible and the words of Jesus.

In the Bible Jesus says that we should Love Our Neighbors As Ourselves. Many people just think of physical actions when it comes to this statement, but this statement is also true of our words. Now I will admit that I have done this, and most likely will in the future, but I really do try my best not to wish ill upon someone else.

I was listening to someone a number of year ago talk about wishing ill upon someone else, and it made me think about the words that we use when it comes to stuff. The example that the person used was about cars. They said that there are some cars on the road today that seem to have a common thing where something will break down after so many miles. But he pointed out that this wasn't true of all the cars within the different makes and models, in that for many of the cars the part(s) will last a number of times longer than people are saying. The ill will comes when someone says to the owner that the car after so long their car will have this certain problem, instead of saying something to the effect that they had heard about the problem, but that we happy to see that the person bought a car that they were happy with and liked. Would you want for someone to tell you that you are going to have problems with a vehicle that you are happy with and most likely won't happen for years, if it even happens?

Now think about the times that you either thought or told someone that you wish that they would go to Hell. Now do you want for someone to say that to you and for their words to come true? Would you feel guilty if you were to go to Heaven and you by that time you had a developed a great relationship with the person, and when you asked where they were, God looked at you and reminded you that you wished that they went to Hell, so he granted your request? What if the person that you wished would just simply die, and they then dropped dead right in front of you? How would you feel?

I was talking with a friend of mine, and our discussion was about some of the things in the Bible. Somehow we got to talking about the parting of the seas so that the Jews could cross with Moses, and he said that it is sad that we celebrate the passage, but yet don't mourn for the loss of these soldiers who died. I really hadn't thought about it. Then he said something to the effect of “Since God created us all, wasn't those his creations that died?” The more that I thought about what he said, the more that I really began to rethink that story.

Late last year a scandal broke at Penn State University. One of the assistant football coaches was accused of sexually abusing some young boys. One of the results of the whole thing was that the head coach, Joe Paterno was fired. When things initially broke, Paterno said that he would retire at the end of the season. Now even though he wasn't the one abusing the young boys, and when an accusation had been brought to him he did what he felt he had to do, when the story broke people wanted him fired and some wished that he would die. Companies backed away from him, the the College system removed his name from an award. When he died, I suddenly began to wonder how many of those people who vilified him where now giving nothing but high praises about him? I also wonder how many of the people who vilified him and wanted to see him die now regret the words they used?

I had lunch not to long ago with someone who did something wrong in not giving me the credit due because of some work that I did. They had been told that they need to apologize for there actions, but they have done whatever they could do avoid saying the words “I'm sorry.” They have laid blame on so much other stuff, even on their upbring and on their own mother. When I mentioned to them at lunch what was due to me by them, they had even more excuses. One of the excuses I found really disturbing and realized how they really enjoy damaging others. The person started talking about how it should be done in private so that the person giving the apology isn't embarrassed, but thinking upon what was said is so wrong. I began to wonder how many of the people who bullied someone thought that they should apologize to whom they bullied, but were going to wait until they were alone with the person, now regret it even more because the person killed themselves because of the bullying that happened? How many lives could have been saved if a simple apology had been made? I wonder how many of those bullies will now end up in Hell because God granted the wish of the one who killed themselves even though the bully changed their life around and actually brought people to the teachings of the Bible?

Oh I forgive the person who did me wrong, but I feel sad for them, as no matter how hard they try to justify to themselves as to how right they are, they will have to answer to God for there actions. I am sure that they will try and come up with excuses, but for all of us our excuses won't work, as God knows us better than we know ourself. We aren't going to be judged just on the Good that we have done in life, but also up on the bad that we have done, and that bad also includes the words that we use.

Words are a powerful thing, and the way that they are used are even more powerful. Can you honestly look in the mirror and say that you don't regret anything that you have said? I know that I can't.

The True Meaning Of Christmas?

 Now I am sure that I will get comments on this post, but I want for you to think about it for a bit. I could be right, or I could be wrong.

 I find Christmas not to be a time of joy, but a time of sadness. We go out and spend so much money buying presents and other stuff over an event that in reality is a very sad event. Billions of dollars are spent every year over this season, but in reality none of the presents or trees, etc really have nothing to do with what we celebrate. 

 Imagine being a parent who's child says to you that they will go someplace to give their life in order to die for the sins of the people of the planet. We are brought up thinking that we will outlive our children, but here is one who will die before us.

 What would be even worse is knowing that your child will dies not only for the people, but the people that you yourself created ever so long ago. A place where very few of those that you created would actually give you the honor and praise that you ever so deserve by creating there life in the first place. The ones that you gave the commandment to Honor Your Mother & Father, but yet they choose not to honor you as their parent. Oh sure, some will honor you in a way that you deserve, but most will basically spit upon you. 

 Then you have a child who says to you that they will die for all of the sins of the people. You child who could of simply stayed in your place with all of the comforts that you have, but yet they choose to surrender all of that in order to get people to start paying attention and thinking about the way they do and honor you in there lives.

 You child goes and doesn't become a Priest, but a Deacon to the world. You child goes out among the rich and poor and speaks of the love that you have for each and every one, and that the rules that you should follow are really simple, that being to love your neighbor as yourself, and to love you with all of there being. You know the future in that they will nail your child to a cross where he shall die.

 You watch over time as they create a day to celebrate the day that your son arrived, but instead of spending time thanking you and your child for coming and reminding us what happened, and that your sins were and are forgiven, they spend there time in ways that will cause them to continue to sin, and in some cases those sins will be even higher than before.

  You also realize that when they celebrate the birth of your child really isn't on the day that he came upon this earth as it is told in your Holy Book, but then again you do like the fact that they are celebrating it. But then you sit and think about it and begin to under why they don't celebrate it everyday? Why aren't they celebrating the life of your child each and every day. Oh they do celebrate it on Sundays, but then they turn around and  as soon as they leave the temples that they have built to honor you, they go out and commit more sins like they really didn't take what they experienced really seriously.

 But then you sit back and smile, as you realize that even with all of the wrong that they have and are doing, there are many of your creatures who try and honor you in all that they do each and every second of there life. 

 Now I ask, which are you? What is the true meaning of Christmas to you?