Flashback Post: The Superpower of Creating Dialogue

Below you will see an article from the May 2013 edition of our church newsletter, The Spire.  I felt the need to republish it here so that I could link it to our soon-to-be new website! 

Dear church family,

I do believe that the ability to create dialogue is the most incredible Superpower that we have as human beings.  No other creature on earth can participate in conversation the way that we can.  Surely other species can signal to one another about hunting and gathering or about the need to nurture their young, and as research evolves I am awestruck by how the communication that goes on between other species is far beyond what we originally thought possible.  Regardless, we can be sure that human beings are able to talk about issues that are infinitely more sophisticated and intellectual than any other species.  What a blessing we have!  Or is it a curse? 

Our Dialoguing Superpower allows us to talk about deeply emotional issues with people who disagree with us (e.g.: politics and religion; ways of raising children; the definition of a “healthy” lifestyle).  And when we make the decision to use this Superpower, we have to make another decision at the same time—will we let the alternate opinions of others make or break our relationships with them?  Though at times it may seem difficult, the best decision is to allow differing opinions to form and strengthen us as individuals.  In college, for example, several courses in Asian religions and belief systems made me more certain that Jesus was The Way for me.  My husband’s advocacy of plain black coffee made me more certain that I take cream and sugar.  My brother’s confidence that it doesn’t get better than living in Washington D.C. prepared me to move to a small rural town. 

This all has a point and is relevant to our current church context.  The Open and Affirming (ONA) process that has begun in our congregation is a time when we are invited to put on our Superhero capes and become Dialoguers.  ONA is a designation given to congregations which “make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.” This is one of those deeply emotional conversations, isn’t it?  But it is one that we have to have in the 21^st century, because the Church has a call to stay relevant and maintain a voice in the conversations of our society.  Since its foundation, the Church (our own and the institution as a whole) has been at the forefront of social justice and civil rights dialogue and now, in a time when church conversations revolve around potlucks and building maintenance more often than issues of caring for the marginalized and downtrodden, it’s time for the First Congregational Church of Ripon to say once again, “Hold on, we have a Superpower and we’re going to use it.” 

When we use this Superpower, we won’t all agree.  And that’s why we have to remember to make the decision to allow differing opinions to form and strengthen us as individuals.  We will be a diverse community of God’s children whether we agree or not.  And that, in itself, is a gift; we learn little when we are only exposed to those who agree with us.  So for the next year and a half to two years, we will occasionally get together and talk about becoming an ONA church.  I want us all to feel free to put our true opinions on the table in the form of healthy, respectful dialogue in which many viewpoints are represented by speakers with open ears and open hearts.  When we take the vote, it may pass and it may not, but we can be assured that as a church we will have a voice in this extremely important issue of our time, and that’s what makes us a strong, vital part of the Body of Christ. 

As we begin this process, there are a few points that I want to make very clear.  One: Your voice matters.  I don’t want to see anyone hiding in the shadows because they think their opinion is the unpopular one.  No one will be kicked out of our church for a different opinion.  Which brings me to point two: There is no pre-determined outcome of this vote. Whether our congregation votes yes or no, we will emerge from the process a stronger church family for having asked the question.  Furthermore, we will remain a church family that, like any other family, has differences and disagreements but continues to be bound by love for each other and our common desire to learn what it means to be Christian in a world that is always in transformation.  And finally I want to make point three: No matter where you stand on the issue, I am your pastor.  That means I’m here to listen when times are tough, show up in the toughest and most amazing times of your life, and pray for your peace and well-being because I care deeply about you.  Please let me know if you want to visit over coffee or in my office and have a conversation about the process.  I’m always glad to get to know each of you better anyway!

With the hope and peace of May’s flowers,

Pastor Joanna 

Sermon Response | January 26, 2014

Hi There, Friends!

You'd think with all of this cold weather I'd be blogging away, but somehow the weeks just keep slipping by.  Let's get back on track, shall we?

This week in my sermon I talked about the E Word-- Evangelism.  This tends to be a scary word for progressive Christians like myself, who want so badly for each individual to think for themselves.  But at the same time there's some balance necessary here.  When I try out a new recipe that I love, I share it.  When I hear a band or a musician I love, I share it.  So why is it that when I read a Bible passage I love, attend a church service I love, or hear a prayer that I love, I only share it with the people I know who are Christian or who are a part of my church?  This is a very difficult balance-- sharing the part of the story we love while at the same time not pushing others or forcing others to think the way we think. 

But I'll tell you what-- I really do love our church.  I love what we do, I love who we are, I love the potential we have to do big things.  But that word "potential" is a key word for our ministry right now.  We have ideas-- BIG ideas-- but we may not have the time and the energy to implement those ideas at this time.  Our time and energy has to grow, and in many ways that means finding more people to share in our journey.  How will we find them?  

I may be ruffling some feathers here.  Actually I'm ruffling my own feathers a bit.  This type of talk is out of my comfort zone because I'm one of those people who feels very uncomfortable with "The E Word."  So will you join me on this journey of finding balance between being pushy and being inviting?  Will you join me in the journey to tell the story about who we are and why you should check us out?

Read: Isaiah 9:1-4, Matthew 4:12-23

Listen: Sharing the Story

Sermon Reflection | November 17, 2013

Hi Friends!
I don't know how long it takes a normal person to get back into the swing of work after maternity leave, but I feel like I might be finally getting there.  This week is my fourth week back.  I am usually about 15 minutes late every morning, but I do make it to the office, and I am always dressed.  This morning I fit back into some pants I haven't fit in for a while and my 2-year-old exclaimed, "Oh Mommy, congratulations!" followed by, "You're soft; I want to hold you."  I always wonder how those little minds work.  She is certainly back into the swing of toddlerhood and has taken to life as a big sister quite well.  She only likes the baby when he does something, which is very rare at this stage in babyhood.  At least it gives me confidence that she will love him more the older he gets!

I'm also feeling as if we're getting back into the swing of things because the church seems to be revving up again.  First of all, yesterday was our largest attendance in two months.*  Second, our little one-room Sunday School is building in consistency and excitement.  We don't have a lot of kids in our church, but the ones we have are so fun and unique and I want them to have a great place to learn here.  Our new CE director, Olivia, is doing such a great job serving kids ages 2 years to 7th grade - a very, very difficult task.  And the best part-- they're coming!  Consistently!  And they're enjoying it. Third, we have many great programs and ideas in place and ready to get started.  I'm afraid several things fell by the wayside when summer came along.  People were out of town, I was tired and pregnant . . . but now we're ready to start book study again, along with a monthly film viewing called "Popcorn in the Pews."  We'll be joining Madison's Prison Ministry by attending worship services at Fox Lake Correctional Facility.  Confirmation class is up and running . . . Well, let's just say it feels like the church is a fun place to be right now!

*Don't get me wrong-- I fully believe that numerical attendance isn't a sign of success in itself but it is still great when people show up!

Okay folks, part of getting back into the swing of things is that I'm ready to get back to my sermon reflections on here.  So here goes!

Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17*, Luke 14:28-35
It's important to read The Message Version of this passage, which goes: "May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech."
Listen: "Look What We've Built!"
Dig a little deeper: This week was Stewardship Sunday.  I am always asking the church, "what gifts do you have?" in a rhetorical way, and therefore no one ever responds to me!  This Sunday I asked about surprising gifts, but in an even broader sense.  I asked the question, "What are three things about you that might surprise us?"  Here were some of the many interesting responses we had:

Several people responded about what they want to be when they grow up.

• Maria, who is a musician, said, "As a child I loved to draw house plans and wanted to be an architect."
• Laura, a senior in high school, said, "I tell people that I'm interested in psychology and journalism, (and I am,) but when it comes down to it I truly have no idea what I want to be when I grow up."
• Holly, one of our college students, said, "I want to be a high school guidance counselor when I grow up."
• Casey wants to raise bison and meat chickens and his wife Erin has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up!
• My husband used to want to be a priest but now he wants to be a stay-at-home dad.
• Maggie, a freshman in high school, said, "I want to be a pilot."
• When Robyn, a mother of two, grows up she wants to still be a kid.

Several people talked about fears and things they hate

• Barb is afraid of coffee.
• Kara is afraid of heights.
• Maggie is afraid to become an adult.
• Maria hates coconut.
• Tim hates "labels, and people who hold fast to dogma, ideology, and political parties." (I wasn't surprised)
• Maic "doesn't care for" the Beatles, Harry Potter, Star Trek, and Vodka

And I couldn't believe the things some people said about their eating habits: 

• Stephanie has eaten raw fish eggs out of Green Lake.
• Tim loves M&Ms and bacon, together I assume.
• Andy has eaten raccoon
• Kurt, one of our tall, lean members likes to eat fast food once a week
• Bob loves meatloaf and mashed potatoes (at least some people around here are normal...)

So, what does this all have to do with our faith?  What do you think?  How do you think silly questions like this help us to grow together as a faith community?  Answer in the comments!

P.S.  I didn't have the time to write a sermon reflection on this sermon from last week (From One Generation to Another), but I do think you should listen to it, and if you do you might want to see the following articles, which I referenced in the sermon.
1. NPR "To Stave Off Decline, Churches Attract New Members With Beer"
2. This article on Nadia Bolz-Weber is where I first learned about her, but you're probably better off looking at her personal website.
3. National Geographic show, "Church Rescue"

Introducing Our New Christian Education Director!

Hi Church! 

After being so blessed by a wonderful interim Christian Education Director, we have hired Olivia Wetzel to fill the permanent position.  Olivia was the obvious choice for us, as she has been such a great nursery attendant, working with our other nursery attendant Nalani for the last several months.  Our little ones think she and Nalani are just awesome, and we're really glad that Olivia can step up and work with them more often throughout the week.  Olivia will be delivering children's messages, teaching Sunday School, continuing her work in the nursery, and coordinating family/church family activities.  She will also be posting monthly on this blog. This position is in constant re-definition right now as we work to understand what Christian Education means in our community, and Olivia and I are excited to work together with the Christian Education Committee to make that happen.  

Please come meet her and get to know her during coffee hour on Sunday, August 25th.  

Here is the introduction that Olivia contributed to the August edition of The Spire, our church newsletter. 

"Hello UCC Community!

            My name is Olivia Wetzel and I will be serving as the Director of Youth Christian Education! I just finished my undergraduate career at Ripon College and I am currently a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the field of professional school counseling. During the school year, I provided nursery care to the church community, but I am extremely excited to take on this new position as a Christian educator. One of my favorite things about the UCC church is the open and caring environment. In this environment, I feel that I have the unconditional support to help inspire the youth of the church community to engage in their own faith journeys.

            I am greatly looking forward to working with not only the youth of the church, but also its adult members in discussing different topics in faith and also organizing events for the church community as a whole. To kick off the start of Sunday School, I would love to meet you at coffee hour after the service on August 25^th! Hope to see you there! Continue to have a safe and fun summer!" -- Olivia

Peace to you all!
Pastor Joanna

            

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.

The Thinking Church: What’s in a Name?

I can still remember a commercial for a TV channel that aired during my childhood, well over 15 years ago.  Someone stands in the center of the screen and says, “Great minds think alike!”  The Genie from Aladdin sticks his head sideways in the shot and interjects, “Great minds think for themselves!”  

If you haven’t felt the love already, welcome to The Thinking Church!  As with any project, many discussions prior to the launch focused on what to call our blog.  Your blog.  How do we capture, in one short phrase, our community’s identity and our history and our intentions and our future and our aspirations?  It was a bit mind-boggling.  

The Thinking Church.

This name came out of our best efforts to articulate who we are and who we want to be.  It wasn’t easy.  Our congregation is home to Tea Partiers and former Woodstock-ers.  We have representatives from the Greatest Generation and the Millennials.  Some have their fingertips constantly tapping a smart phone, and others aren’t connected to the internet.  Some grew up in church with a vibrant, religious past, and others identify themselves as agnostics, searching for some sort of unknown meaning to life.    

We embrace our diversity, but it’s exactly what makes it hard to abbreviate our identity into one phrase.  Like Genie’s recommendation during my formidable years, we feel that what does unite us is our desire to think critically about our faith.  What that looks like, exactly, is slightly different for everyone here.  That means that our congregation consists of different opinions and preferences.  We see respectful debate and internal struggle as part of the continuous process of extracting truth and developing a greater understanding of God.  We don’t see the world comprised of black and white issues, but vibrant hues of cyan, magenta, and everything in between.  Our thinking will never end and we will never be finished understanding how scripture translates meaning into our everyday life.  

We are The Thinking Church, using our heads to lift the hearts of those in our community, whether inside or beyond our church doors.  No matter who you are or what you believe, we are glad you're here.  Welcome!  

- SP