Hello friends of the Elm Park & Otego UMC’s,
The pastor says they sit front and center. The gay boys. Sometimes they hold hands. And some folks have said he should address the issue. But the pastor tells me he doesn’t know what to say.
There is a couple who are pregnant and not married. Walks in shame as her father a “Man of God” physically slaps her legs while she is having morning sickness and the boyfriend who is not wanting to marry her. But the pastor tells me he doesn’t know what to say.
And then there’s the man who sneaks in the back door. Fresh off the street. After the service stars. And leaves before the altar call. The people sitting close to complain about how bad he smells. Of beer and smoke and sweat. But the pastor tells me he doesn’t know what to say.
And then there’s the young mama who wears dirty clothes and lets her four children come in and ear all the donuts and drink all the watered-down juice. Some church staff say they “…eat like pigs. Like they haven’t eaten in weeks.” While the mama just stands there and lets them. And the elders say something must be done and said. But the pastor tells me he doesn’t know what to say.
And then there’s the promiscuous woman sitting among the faithful. And everybody knows her. She sits with a painted-up face, cheap perfume, and a broken heart. And those who sit close, well, they all treat her for what they think she is. And at the last staff meeting, her name came up. Something must be done about her. But the pastor tells me that he doesn’t know what to say.
The pastor is a good man. Holy and just. And he wants to do the “right and loving” thing. And he wants to “look like Jesus.” And he asks me if I have any thoughts on anything he could say.
Yes, sweet Pastor, I do. Start with this and say it Louder than any other words: “Welcome to Church. This is a place of love and hope and safety and forgiveness. There will be food for the hungry. Living water for the thirsty. We are so glad that you’re here. You are invited. You are loved. Come on in – we’ve been waiting on you. Welcome here. We are the church.
Say that. To the called and to the called-out. To the leaders and the greeters. To the dirty and the clean. We are all the same. We are.
May we blow religion out of our souls and choose affection instead. May our words and actions and reactions be a sanctuary for all.
Jesus broke many laws to love. So, Jesus, be our voice. Be the only words we should ever speak. I believe this will all my heart. Years ago we were kinder. Everybody looked out for one another. We need to go back to that. It takes us all. We gotta do better at looking out for each other instead of breaking each other down.”
This story in italics above was not written by me. A friend of mine sent this to me, as I was working on the fourth draft of this month's newsletter. We were not able to determine its author. Everything I had written myself sounded generic and void of the full attention of my heart. Or maybe just a bad case of writer’s block? It happens from time to time. If I had been writing this on paper, there would surely be a pile of crumbled up pieces all over my office floor.
Quite often, I find myself not knowing what to say. It makes me feel inadequate! I’m supposed to know all the things to say! But that can’t always be the case. After my friend sent me this article, I knew right away what I wanted to say.
You, Elm Park and Otego teach me so much. I don’t need to feel discouraged if I don’t always have the answers. I don’t need to feel insecure when a new person walks into church, and I want to make sure they feel comfortable. I don’t need to worry if the hungry will be fed and the thirsty will be given water, because you are already living out the paragraph above that has been bolded.
This Easter brings a time of change. And not just the much needed and wanted springtime! It’s a wiped clean slate. Whether we have 100 people in worship, 50 people in worship, 1 person in worship, as long as we continue to live out that bolded paragraph. The only thing I would change to that paragraph is an addition. We are a place of change...not just tradition!
When you feel that God is trying to change something in your life, it’s best to work with that change. There’s something better in store for you.
Oh, and by the way, my friend who sent me the story does not share in the belief of God…but he “felt compelled for some reason to share that with me.” God works through us all, whether we realize it or not.
Embrace the change! We Are Easter People!!!!
Your brother in Christ, Pastor John
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