ExtraChristy

Eastminster Presbytery has the heartbreaking task of ministering to pastors and some members of two churches who want to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) yet take the Presbyterian Church's property with them.

While it is fine for a member or minister to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) because they don't agree with the church or simply find God calling them elsewhere; it is not fine to violate the trust given to pastor when Presbytery installs a pastor in a Presbyterian Church and attempt to take the church members and property away from the Presbyterian Church (USA). Such action violates their ordination vows and the constitution of our church while being destructive to the witness, ministry and mission of the whole church.

Reading their reasons reminds me of children taking a family home away from elderly parents because they are “in the way” and the children don't want to support them anymore.

Other “reasons” simply aren't true and sadly remind me of political attack ads.

I have some information elsewhere on my web site and there is an excellent blog called the Eastminster Observer that I can recommend for an elder's view of the situation. As well as Eastminster Presbytery's web site www.faithfulness.com

Let's hope and pray the faithful Presbyterians of Eastminster Presbytery including those of the Stow and Hudson Presbyterian churches will find a faithful way together without extreme measures of kicking family members out of their home.

:LOGO

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I gave a guy in a HUGE pickup truck a jump start this month. His oversize tires and special suspension made quite a contrast to my little Toyota. But we got the monster roaring back to life.

Jump starts are part of life in the Midwest where I've spent most of my life. I've carried cables ever since I've had my own car. I haven't kept track, but I probably have been on the recieving end of a jump as often as the giving end.

The hit show Grey's Anatomy had a character convince a patient to accept help with this advice:

You need help. Everyone needs help from time to time; someone to look out for them. Make sure they're okay. Make sure they're ready. I have that. And you need that right now.

“Izzie” could have been talking about church because faith is kind of like that. Sometimes we need a jump start, a pick me up, a transfer of energy and sometimes we can give that jump start to someone else. Low on faith? Borrow ours! is a good bumper sticker summary of this idea.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Hope you jump today!

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Mark 12:38-44

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Respect is one of several songs considered to have defined the 1960s. Originally written by Otis Redding as a plea for respect from a woman; Aretha Franklin's version of the song came to exemplify the feminist movement. In 2002, the first American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, got some Respect and into the top ten with her version.

The song asks for respect, in the Otis Redding version especially because the singer is giving all their money to other.

R E S P E C T
I'm out to give you all my money
But all I''m askin in return honey
Is to give me my proper respect

If I was making a music video of this scene at the temple…RESPECT would be playing as the money is given.

We hear a lot about Respect. There is paying respect, earning respect, and even withholding respect, which makes one think of respect as wages. There is also respect for the office, respect for your elders, respect for the flag, and respect for the dead. We do things both out of respect and in respect. Even stranger, we say “with all due respect” right before we are disrespectful.

Some folks like to tell new pastors, new employees, new boss, new elected officials, new anyone that respect has to be earned. I believe that respect is never earned. The scribes and rich might have been looking to earn that respect by making a show of long prayers and large gifts. They failed, while the widow, who had no reason to expect she was earning respect, received it from Jesus. In my mind, if respect could be earned, it would be something else. I think you can earn the right to be feared or earn the right for someone to be in your debt, but I believe to truly have respect it must be given freely. I think it is like love in that way. It cannot be bought or earned, only given. One my theology texts, the movie “Bruce Almighty,” has God giving Bruce his Almighty powers except that he fails when he tries to force someone to love him. For Love that is forced isn't love. Both Love and respect must be given to be real.

If respect cannot be earned by long robes or long prayers nor bought with large sums, how do we get Christ's respect? The way to respect is shown by the poor widow. She gave everything she had, her living. I believe that is the foundation of respect, giving our life for something. The rich people were giving sums that would not make a difference to them. Their life would be the same whether they gave it not, but for the widow, it cost her a meal or other necessity, meant she would forgo a simple comfort in a difficult life. She was giving her living, not just paying her dues.

In Grey's Anatomy this week, George learns about cost in terms of a ham and egg breakfast. Ingredients for that one meal consist of a contribution for the chicken, but a commitment for the pig. George's questions is, “Are you ham or eggs?” Do you give your life, or leftovers?

Maybe the problem with lack of respect today, is just a symptom of a larger problem. There is nothing we value enough to give our lives to. It's all eggs; no ham. Our nation votes split right at 50/50: it is hard to commit to leadership that might flip the other way in the next election. Divorce and living together undercuts commitment to marriage. Layoffs, outsourcing, downsizing make commitment to a career draw puzzled looks from today's younger worker. Churches lose their way in culture wars and worship battles; folks switch rather than fight. The average stay of pastor gets shorter as they burn out and get fired due to stress or conflict.

Respect isn't automatic anymore because our values aren't automatic anymore. The problem isn't a lack of respect but the lack of values in our life. The church needs to help folks find what is worthwhile to give one's life to, to respect, because culture is all about telling you everything and everyone isn't worthwhile. We need only to think back to the political ads this season to watch how to tear down values and extinguish respect. Do we have leaders so great we would die for; give our living for? Not after the political machine gets done with them. I remember an ad that had a candidate caught “red handed.” It showed a picture of her with her hand colored bright red. Ahh, the wonders of technology! The value of public service is discounted again, and respect is reduced.

What do you give your living for? What carves out a portion of your time, treasure and talent that Jesus would notice? Would call his disciples and say look there, that person has sacrificed for something beyond themselves?

• I see Jesus pointing at grandparents taking their grandchildren to church every week or even into their own homes saying…see, look others give gifts to their grandchildren…but these people are giving their lives to them.

• I see Jesus pointing at teachers who do more than the minimum working with kids who seem to have no one else who cares in their life, being discouraged with how little they have to offer…if they could only hear Jesus' approval that they did give all they could
• I see Jesus pointing to the folks who provide funeral dinners…look, others send flowers, but these people give themselves to people they barely know in hospitality and care

• I see Jesus pointing to our nursery, Sunday School and youth volunteers. Others endure children, these folks are investing in them.

• I see Jesus pointing to volunteers at Good Neighbors, Haven of Rest, City Hospital, all right here in our congregation and saying…they are fixing the whole world, getting the spotlight, but they are giving part of their life for others

The Christmas decorations are already up and the tidal wave of big impressive gifts is coming. Some will try to use gifts to force love, to buy respect, even to make others jealous…take Jesus Christmas shopping with you this year. Try on His values, maybe it is the Angel tree party, ringing the bell for Salvation Army, making a love gift to the Deacon's year round ministry, visiting the homebound with communion with Rev. Flower, give your living for the one who gave his life for you, after all, its His birthday…He deserves a little respect!

Copyright © 2006 Advanced permission is given for non-profit, for-prophet use of the above at no charge as long as it is reproduced unedited with notices and copyright intact. Written copies are provided after they are preached as a courtesy for the personal, private, appreciative use of the congregation of Goodyear Heights Presbyterian Church, their families and friends to support the ministry of Goodyear Heights Presbyterian Church and its pastor the Rev. J. Christy Ramsey. Join us Sundays! 8:15 Traditional Worship and 10:15 Blended. Mingle in our Gathering Room between services and take advantage of Christian Education opportunities.

A retired woman wanted to make a copy of a framed picture of her as a child. She carefully removed the decades old picture from the frame to discover that behind her picture, was a picture of her mother she had never seen before! Fifty years ago, her mother had put her child's picture in front of hers.

All these years her mother had been behind her. When anyone looked at her picture, they were looking at her mother too.

Working in churches over years, I can see parents in children. Sometimes it is a facial feature, sometimes a way of walking or a turn of phrase. “You have your father's eyes.” or “I can see where your son gets his humor from”, is heard at family gatherings at church and at home.

If people could peel away your surface appearence who would they find behind you? Who do you remind people of?

A Christian greeting in worship is “I see the Christ in you“. It is based on Colossians:

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.- Colossians 1:27

I hope when folks look at me, they can see my heavenly parent in me.

Here's looking at you!

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Today is All Saints Day. A mirror image of Halloween, it finds hope in those who have died, instead of fear. A strong tradition says Halloween springs from the alternate name for All Saints Day, All Hallows Day. (Hallow as in something Holy, Set Apart or Special — in the case of people, a Saint!) Thus, the night before Hallows Day was Hallows Eve. This slowly was corrupted into a shadow holiday of the eve of the holy day, Halloween, with trick or treaters running past symbols of death.

Where the Eve is about the dread of the dead, the Day is about the blessing of the breathing–the example of a good and faithful life led by saints.

It occurs to me we choose what we Hallow—set apart, make special—every day, (and “eve”!) The evil and scary or the compassion, kindness, and faithfulness shown by saints even in the midst of the horrors of this world.

Hebrews has a great list in chapter 11 about the heroes of the faith who have gone before us. At the end of the list it encourages us:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.- Hebrews 12:1

I hope you set apart the living example of all those saints that have gone before you, looking at their life and not their death. (One of my saints is linked below, I hope to live up to her example of dedication, helpfulness and kindness.) May All Saints Day inspire you to run the race of goodness and faith and not just race for tricks or treats.

Hoping You Remember Your Saints this Hallows Day

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