Stripping Away the Layers

Don't we all have stuff? You know, a drawer, a closet, an attic, basement, garage...your heart, your soul...

Our stuff is one of the hallmarks of American life. We overspend, overconsume, and obsess, and we're left with too much stuff crowding our lives. Television programs help us "sort" and "store" and even show us how our stuff can be a psychological disorder when it becomes hoarding and some of us live in filth because we simply cannot let go.

It is said that our internal life can be manifested in how we live. Life coach maven Martha Beck says that our psyches choose and arrange our homes according to our life histories.

I believe this because I have lived this... there is a dumpster in front of my house right now. Dear friends have come in to help me sort it out... Am I holding onto something because it is important or is this one of the things needs to be passed on to someone else who can use or appreciate it. We've created a new verb, "Goodwill it," we say.

Recently at the Iowa Conference United Church of Christ annual meeting, J. Bennett Guess, likened this time in the life of the church as a time of going through the attics and closets of our church and denomination. What do we really need to move forward? Just like going through our own personal things, it is hard. We are attached in many ways both emotionally and spiritually to that which we hold on to at home and at church.

And yes, we will be changed for this effort. There's no doubt that change happens, whether you want it to, or not. Ben says that you simply cannot go through a period of change without changing yourself. A true fact. And that can be just a little more than daunting for some of us.

For me, it has gotten to the place where I have really evaluated everything and pared down. Household stuff, books, clothes, some bad habits...even found that my body is getting smaller.

Our congregation is in the midst of transition. The theory is that when people move to a new house, they go through their stuff so they don't spend money and effort moving what they don't need any longer. Same is true as a congregation evaluates where they have been and where they think they are headed. Lots of closets and attics to go through. Lots of dark corners to shine light into and see what's there. It is hard work and hard to let go of things that we have a strong emotional attachment to. There are good reasons, we might say, for why it is kept away in the dark. It's better just left there...

But it is necessary work. Just as it is good for us to have a good sort and clean at home, in our personal lives, and in our congregations. It's important to have a good look. There are certainly things that need to be brought out, dealt with, and let go. It could be the phrase, "that's the way we've always done it," or "we tried that and it didn't work."

We may also find treasures that are worth dusting off and using again. What's waiting for you?

A Chance to Be Yourself

When you first see the youth gathered for last week's regional youth event, they look like a typical group of midwestern high school students. All shapes, sizes, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, interests, and personalities. Dancers, musicians, theatre students, trekkies, athletes, teens who are popular in their school and those who are not, all came together to participate in a church youth event with other teens from Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. 

Here's the thing:  Everyone fit in here. Ask any of the youth and they will tell you how easy it is to make friends at these events. "People don't judge me here like they do at school." It is a safe place for teens to be themselves. At their age, this is huge. Someone likes me for who I really am, that person I don't share with the rest of the world unless I feel very safe. 

In addition, youth and adults attend workshops on what youth can do to prevent HIV, what it means to be a progressive Christian, how to be a straight ally, wondering if God tweets, and many others. They learned about immigration issues and environmental justice. And at the end of a particularly intense day, they did what more adults should do. They hit the slip n' slide, play volleyball, throw water balloons, and have duels with inflatable swords for hours with kindergarten rules. 

Nicole Havelka and I laughed that in the midst of all the heavy topics of discussion, probably no other topic had as much discussion as who calls it "pop" and who calls it "soda." 

These can be mountain top experiences for many of these youth and the return to reality can be difficult. Making friends is very easy at events like these and saying goodbye to return to what may or not be a positive situation at home can be difficult. But keeping in touch with new friends is very easy these days. All the way home, the youth in my car slept and texted those friends. 

Experiences like these are intense in many ways, spiritually, intellectually, and sometimes physically. Every person I had a chance to visit with was amazing. My dear friend Elizabeth Dilley is very good about stating that the youth of the church are not just the future of the church, they are the present. I reminded them that they are not leaders at some other time, but they are leaders now and they are needed and wanted. My hope is that our churches will see it that way, too, and be open to the ways in which the spirit moves them. 

Just Hanging On

Drive through any small town and you'll find a handful of church buildings. Some are in good repair, some are closed, and many are just hanging on.

Often the ones that look good and are well used are those that are more Evangelical in their views. They are building gymnasiums and educational wings while the others are struggling to keep the doors open.

Here's a radical thought. Bring together those congregations that "feel" most alike in the small town. Chances are, everyone either already knows each other or is probably related. Instead of pouring tens of thousands of dollars times three or four in to three or four different buildings, decide on one and maintain that one well. Let the ELCA, the Presbyterians, and the United Church of Christ share the building and the expense. Think of the money that could then be used for the real mission of the church, not maintaining a building. And, maybe, just maybe, they could even worship together once in a while.

Where Have All the Pastors Gone?

One of my best friends celebrated her 20th ordination anniversary this summer and remarked how very few of her seminary classmates were still in ministry. Where have they gone and why did they leave? The seminary pastor seems to be an endangered species. More mainline denominations are licensing lay pastors who are leading congregations in areas where it is difficult to attract a pastor. My experience has been that many of these pastors are as "real" if not better than their more highly educated counterparts.

We spend a lot of time thinking about reaching out to new members, those who may have some experience with "church" and those who have never been. While that is important, it is also important to consider that there seem to be fewer good pastors to go around. What are we doing to support good pastors in a career that is challenging (to put it mildly) and to have the guts to tell others who believe they are good ministers that their gifts may lie elsewhere.

In this time of declining attendance in mainline congregations, increasing attention to the televangelists and their gospel of prosperity, it is time for the church to pay attention to the decline of ordained clergy and to support and nurture those who are challenging their congregations to dream new dreams. For the church to continue to be relevant, we must identify and cultivate strong pastoral leadership. Or we must put "great pastors" on the endangered species list.