Images of God

I am not in the writing mood today but I decided to share with you through images 4 ways I've seen God working in my life this past week.

Sunday: Admittedly, I've been out of town a number of weekends this summer and haven't spent as much time as I would like at church on Sunday. But, I had the privilege of attending worship this past Sunday and certainly felt God's presence. I enjoyed Pastor Joanna's sermon about Mary and Martha and appreciated talking about our "Mary and Martha tendencies" with my own Mary (mom) and sister Laura. The worship service outdoors gave me some "Mary" time, because I could finally focus on God.

 

Monday: This is a picture of the Green Lake County Government Building. This is a new home for me this summer. No, not the jail, but the health department! As much fun as I've had doing interny things at the Health Department, I've learned from this job that being healthy is far more than not weighing too much or exercising enough. Being healthy means having a well body, mind and soul. Not only should we, as Christians, work hard to strengthen our own souls, but we should be helping others. According to a 2012 Green Lake County Community Needs Health Assessment, 20% of County adults reported inadequate social support. As a faith community we are fortunate to have a strong network of relationships at First Congo, but I've learned that there are many more people in our area that lack loving support from others.

Monday: One Tuesday I finished one of my official favorite books of all time, Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man who would Cure the World. Dr. Farmer is the man in the photo on the left. I've talked my family's ears off about how inspirational this biography is. Dr. Farmer is a physician at the Brigham in Cambridge and a rural clinic in Haiti, infectious disease specialist, founder of "Partners in Health," and Harvard Med MD/PhD Medical Anthropologist. He's lived a life of devotion to helping poor Haitians and Peruvians and prisoners in Russia with diseases such as TB, HIV, and MDR. At some point in the book, I began to feel like I will never come close to Dr. Farmer's accomplishments; and I likely never will. But Farmer addresses this worry. The author writes that Farmer made it clear he doesn't want others to strive to fit the Farmer mold. But he wants them to do something. In fact, we need  to do something.

Tuesday: On my way to Fond du Lac today, I saw lanes of clouds like these from the road. I have never seen clouds so organized before. The angels must surely be doing some housekeeping!

God is everywhere. I am blessed. Amen.

What's in a Name, Take Two.

Once upon a time we wrote this entry (well, Stephanie wrote it, but with a common understanding) about why we chose the name "The Thinking Church."

At the time, we all thought that the name really spoke about who we were, a group of church members who want to ask questions and seek deeper answers.  As time moved on, I received critiques from several people-- church members and non-church members-- saying that we sound like we think we're better than everyone else by having that name.  At first I thought well that's not true at all; we don't think that and I shrugged the critiques off.  After a while, especially when I saw the wide variety of people who were bringing the same feedback to me, I began to realize that with this title we were projecting an image of ourselves that wasn't representative of who we are, or at least who we're striving to be. 

We are A Thinking Church, but we're not THE Thinking Church.  I know a lot of thinking churches.  I know Thinking Churches that are fundamental and Thinking Churches that are progressive and everything in between.  We're a lot of other things too.  We're a questioning church.  We're a searching church. We're a worshiping church.  We're a visioning church.  We're a welcoming church.  We're a laughing church.  We're a crying church.  We're a creating church.  We're a challenging church.  And oh dear...when I really stop and think about it...isn't just about every church all of those things?  So how can we possibly say that we have the monopoly on any of them?  

So, here's what else we are: we're a church of Grace, and in that we should be a church willing to admit that sometimes we make mistakes.  So I'm going to admit it-- calling ourselves "The Thinking Church" is a mistake.  And I hope you'll all be full of Grace and let us change the name to something we are and nobody else is:  First Congo of Ripon-- short, of course, for The First Congregational Church of Ripon.  We, among other churches, are a church who is "using heads, lifting hearts."  We're still thinking people, but we're not THE ONLY thinking people, and I hope you'll see that in the words written in this little corner of the internet world.  

Peace and Grace to all of you, from A Thinker, but not The Thinker, 

-- Pastor Joanna 

P.S.  We are not changing the URL (Riponthinkingchurch.blogspot.com) at this point because that address has been published in several places and we don't want to lose people who might still type it in as they originally knew it.  That change may happen in the future, and when/if it does we will make sure to make an announcement.

A Response to General Synod 29 | Sunday July 7, 2013

Read: Psalm 30 and Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Listen: Why I Love Church (There was a sound glitch in the beginning, but it picks up after a few seconds)

Watch: Here is a slightly longer version of the video I was planning on showing instead of summarizing it myself.  You can see the meditation in its entirety, along with Rita Nakashima Brock, here at 1:09:00.  

Inspired

Today, I'm excited by the supreme court ruling on DOMA and Prop. 8 and I'm excited by a book I finished called "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo.

I believe we, as a nation, are finally raising our heavy feet from the quicksand of prejudice to lovingly embrace brothers and sisters who have been fighting a silenced struggle for too many lifetimes. And I'm overjoyed that regardless of the political outcome today, Americans across each state are and have been affirming their support of those who simply want their love for another to be acknowledged. I'm inspired by where we've come and where we're headed. I'm inspired by countries like Norway and South Africa and Belgium that set examples of LGBTQ acceptance for the U.S. I'm inspired by the way God is uniting lovers, families, churches and political leaders in the name of loving thy neighbor and loving God.

As I mentioned, I also found inspiration in the book, "Behind the Beautiful Forevers." I strongly recommend this book as it tells a non-fiction narrative of the lives of individuals of Mumbai's Annawadi slum. Boo spent 5 years investigating the daily routine, struggles and triumphs of children and adults who collect and steal polyurethane bags, plastic bottles, and scrap metal to sell in order to make a few rupees each day. What made this story incredible to me was not the squalor in which these people live, but the intelligence, thoughtfulness and hope of the people. Emotions and dreams very much like my own. Survival is certainly at the forefront of most Annawadians' minds, but extending deeper than that is their desire to achieve success for their family through a child's completion of school, finding a stable job or moving into a more prosperous slum. One boy described his goal to be "ice," which is water (something all people have in common), but a "better state." He understood the link that connects all individuals but knew he wanted a life of meaning for himself. He didn't want to be forgotten after he had died, but rather strived to make a lasting difference despite his grim circumstances. THAT is inspirational to me.

What both the court rulings and content of Boo's book reminded me today is that we are all one people united as children of God. God forgets about no one, even when our marital laws and living conditions cause us to forget about the basic needs of our fellow humans. As a Christian, I frequently feel like how Jesus' disciples are often portrayed, trying to do the right thing, but not quite getting it right. Jesus set the perfect example and the disciples did their best to follow, but often stumbled. As I learn more about the world I see that we have a long way to go before we are loving our neighbors and giving a coat to someone who needs it. We might think we're doing the right thing, when in fact, God's will is far from our actions. That said, I'm inspired by the dreams and realities of those who are making the world a more heavenly place in the U.S. in India and in many, many other places. I praise God for acting in the lives of these people, and I have so much hope for the future of the world.

What is General Synod?

Hi Church and Church Lovers!

I'm about to attend the ultimate church-lover conference: General Synod.  This is a gathering of the national denomination of the United Church of Christ which occurs every 2 years in a different location in the US.  This year, it's in Long Beach, California!  At the conference, we attend workshops, gather with various groups for networking opportunities, worship together, and vote on Resolutions and Formal Motions of the UCC.  

The United Church of Christ is a denomination in which the local churches work both autonomously and covenantally.  What that means is that each church makes its own individual decisions, but because of the covenant made with the denomination the decisions made at synod are recommendations to the local churches.  So, those resolutions and formal motions linked above are recommendations to us, the First Congregational Church of Ripon!  

What do you think about them?  As a delegate, I am your voice!  I'd love to hear what you think so that I can make decisions that represent both myself and this community.  

Any time that General Synod is in session (plenaries, worship, etc.) in the main hall, they will be webcasting live. In general that means that they will be following the schedule found in the Detailed Agenda.

The stream will be seen live on this page and on the UCC Facebook page.  I highly encourage you to tune in for the worship times.  I will be posting on Facebook just before worship each day as a reminder to tune in. 

On Thursday, I will also be attending a pre-Synod gathering of the 2030 Network of the UCC.  The 2030 Network is made up of ordained and licensed clergy in their 20s and 30s.  This will be a day of fellowship, discussion, and worship which I am so, so looking forward to!

Stay tuned!  I'll be updating along the way!

-- Pastor Joanna 

Sermon Reflection | Sunday June 9, 2013

Read: 1 Kings 17:8-24
Listen: God Will Provide
Dig a Little Deeper: 

     As I mentioned in my message, I'm reading the Psalms every morning as a Spiritual Discipline and as a form of prayer.  I put together a simple check list with a space to write when you read each Psalm and some brief thoughts about it, if you're interested in joining me and setting a goal.  My personal goal is to read one Psalm every day.  I'd love it if you'd join me in this!  Let me know if you do, just so I can have an idea of who is participating.  If you'd like a copy of the Psalms list, e-mail me at pastor@firstcongo.net and I'll send it to you! 

I have to say the Psalms challenge has started a lot of discussion in the D'Agostino household.  You may know that my husband is a poet.  That makes it easy for him to love the Psalms, of course.  They are poems.   Well, they are songs, but we read them usually without music.  He has been recognizing the way that a lot of religious poetry reflects the essential ideas/concepts of the Psalms-- rhythmically, conceptually, etc., and has even found some that he wants to put alongside one another as past and present compliments of each other.  This is a baby-idea for him, but I've asked him to find an example and share it on the blog sometime.  It may be a few weeks, but you might encourage him if you see him (or in the comments)! 

Okay, anyway, so on the topic of 1 Kings... I hope you'll just listen to the sermon.  I don't have a lot of follow-up on it.  You might read this commentary.  

Or you might just sit and think about these questions I asked in my sermon:

"Ask yourself, what fills you?  What rules your thoughts?  What takes up your time?  If you’re empty, how can God fill you?  If you’re full, how much of your fullness is God’s goodness and how much is junk food and negativity and unhelpful noise and hoarding.  Is your coffee can full of things that make it hard to open yourself up to God’s love and grace?  How can God come into us when we are already filled by earthly things? 

 And then, think-- how can God work through us when we remove those distractions and really concentrate and listen to what God is calling us to?  I’m not saying we should get rid of all of the activities we do, or that we should turn our church into a silent monastery and just listen; what I’m saying is that it’s time to clean out the spiritual junk food—the worry, the negativity, the bad stuff…and make room for God.  Make room for what is good and right.  Because the woman’s coffee can was empty, there was so much room for kindness and compassion and faith and mercy."

Another question:
When have you been served by the people you thought you were serving?  Or learned from the people you were teaching?

Well folks, the next three weeks I will be out of town.  I'm in North Carolina and my brother's home in Rockville, MD for about 10 days, and then off to the General Synod of the UCC for one week.  I am glad to go, and I will be glad to come home!  Come listen to Rev. Gary Miller and Dr. Brian Smith preach the next three weeks!

Peace!

Sermon Reflection | Sunday June 2, 2013

Read: Luke 7:1-10
Listen: "Who is Worthy?"
Dig a Little Deeper:
     First let me tell you a little bit about why I preached on the topic of "worth" this Sunday.   There is an epidemic spreading throughout our congregation, and perhaps throughout our whole society, called the, "I'm not good enough for that" disease.  It's a brutal disease.  It effects the heart, and the head, and the energy-level, and sometimes brings physical pain throughout the entire body in a strange, indescribable way.  It's a disease that effects the faith of afflicted individuals.  Symptoms include: not praying, because you think God won't listen to you (ie: "trust me, God doesn't want to talk to me), not going to church because you think the church will go up in flames if you step in the door (ie: "I've sinned enough for Hell to come to me!"), not joining a committee, not speaking in church, not volunteering (ie: "those other people do a better job than I could ever do").  Oh, and these are just some of the church symptoms.  You should see (maybe you do see!) the home and work symptoms.

    So I wanted to get up in front of the congregation and say, "Stop thinking that way; you are worthy!"

    So I did.

    And then I got home, and I plopped myself down on the couch and I said to myself, "I didn't preach that sermon as well as I should have."*  Are you kidding me!?  I preached a sermon about how ONLY GOD CAN MAKE US WORTHY and then I went home and beat myself up about not doing a good job.  I said it before: this disease is brutal.

    Friends, we're worthy of God's love.  We're worthy of the love of our neighbors.  Let's make it a Mantra.

    I wonder how many of you have practiced the spiritual tradition of the labyrinth?  It's a good one.  The meaning, or purpose, of a Labyrinth is all over the place, but I like to look at it this way: when you follow one, you are journeying inward towards a goal.  When you reach the center you have attained that goal, and then you bring it back out with you so that it can be incorporated into your daily life.  I don't know if this is right, but it's what works for me.  I invite you to follow this Labyrinth (print it out, look at it on the screen, follow it with your finger or just with your mind) and make the goal in the center: a full understanding that you are worthy.   

*I like to remind myself that an excellent Major League baseball player has a batting average .300; if 30% of my sermons are hits, I am doing an excellent job...

***
     Okay, so that's that.  You are worthy.  But in the Dig a Little Deeper section, I bet you were really hoping to learn more about Centurions.
     Or perhaps you just wanted to check out some good commentaries on the text... Check here, or here for some of my favorites this week.

But probably, based on the feedback I got after worship, you're just hoping to hear this song again.  "Come to Me" by Christopher Grundy, based on the scripture from Matthew 11:28.  You can also find it here on Youtube.

May we all live into God's calling, while all realizing that who we are is good enough.  

Pastor Joanna