Killing the spirit of ecumenical dialogue

Several months ago I got an email.  A local S. Baptist pastor had been looking over the church's website and wanted to know 1. if we considered ourselves Christian (We are a merged www.disciples.org and www.pcusa.org congregation), and 2. he was concerned that he didn't see anything regarding our beliefs about the important "Biblical doctrine of the Trinity."  He asked if I would like to get together for coffee.
I emailed back and said yes, we consider ourselves Christian, and we do affirm the Trinity and the Holy Spirit, but please direct me to the scripture where I can find the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity.

Our first couple meetings we acknowledged that we were both coming from completely different starting places regarding our views on just about everything, but especially our views of scripture.  However, we both seemed interested and willing to exchange ideas and views.  The recurring refrain from my Baptist friend was that he wanted to challenge me to be "intellectually honest."  His take was that it is intellectually dishonest for me to deny the inerrancy and infallibility of scripture and still call myself a Christian.  May take is that it takes a great deal more mental gymnastics to insist that scripture is a divine product straight from God's mouth to the writers' ear.

Our third meeting though is when I guess my theological sparring partner decided this was the knock-out round.  He kept mentioning that by refusing to accept Biblical inerrancy and infallibility I was not in submission to God, the Holy Spirit, or to those great scholars who are so much more knowledgeable than we two.  Once submission became a frequently used word I found it hard to calm my hackles, my hackles were raised, were raring to go in fact, and I was beginning to worry that if he used the word submission one more time I would find the nearest King James pulpit Bible to knock him off his judgement seat.
The end of the conversation came when he told me that he felt he had to warn people about my church because we were using the name and banner of Christianity for our own gain and under false pretenses.
I told him that last time I checked I wasn't on t.v. selling God's favor for thousand dollar suits or fancy cars and I didn't see how my little congregation of 50 people was misrepresenting Christianity because we didn't believe the same things he does.

 He graciously informed me that even as his enemy he would pray for me, and he would pray for the Holy Spirit to convict me into submission.  How does one even respond to that? I assured him that I also would be praying for him and for the Holy Spirit's conviction in his life, I didn't add what went through my head which was that the Holy Spirit would convict him from being such a self-righteous, Pharisaical A-hole...which I thought was a great step toward Christian unity.

I reflected on this encounter as I read http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/ entitled "Is God's Presence Limited to Scripture?" She states "scripture points to Jesus, not the other way around."
I think it's unfortunate that my Baptist colleague and I couldn't continue our conversations in the spirit of Christian unity.  For me as a Disciple, I have a strong value of the importance of respect and tolerance of difference of opinion, even difference of conviction.

The other subtext of this entire episode is that of the role of gender.  I have to wonder if Mr. Baptist gatekeeper for Christendom has felt the need to straighten out any of my UCC, Lutheran or Methodist colleagues on "Church Row," the pastors of which are all male.

The whole thing left me angry, frustrated, and somewhat sad.  There are many conservative, evangelical, I would say fundamentalist voices out there placing the blame for the decline of Christianity and the Mainline Church in the U.S.on progressive Christianity and liberal pastors like myself.  But I believe faith, religion and the Church are being dismissed because we have forgotten what Jesus proclaimed to be the greatest commandment: "to love God and love my neighbor as myself."  Jesus also told his followers that the world would know they were his followers if they loved one another.  It seems to me like we can barely manage to love one another, let alone our neighbor.

Of Council meeting reports and Holy Week...

Why is it so hard to get into the discipline of blogging?? I try, then I get overwhelmed by wanting it to be witty, pithy or deep! ugh.
I'm trying out a new format for my Council report tonight.  I have been doing a written report divided up into personal, congregational, and community with a record of my goings and doings.  But last month one of our new elders said he wants to hear about what I'm thinking, more reflection etc... Actually in my previous church I don't think I ever even gave a written report.  When I first started here there was a very antagonistic elder and basically my report became a way to demonstrate I was "earning my keep."  Which isn't a negative thing.  I think many people don't have much idea what ministers do with their time.  The problem with a report that includes hard data is all the stuff it doesn't include, study time, phone calls, all the intangible stuff of day to day ministry.
We'll see, I have a feeling some elders may now say "this isn't enough info!" We'll see.
This week is Palm Sunday.  I used to feel the need to do Passion Sunday but it's best left for Maundy Thursday and/or Good Friday.
As we near the end of Lent I confess I wasn't very successful at giving up violence, especially viewing violence on t.v.  It's insidious, it takes many forms.  But I'm thinking at least my pangs of guilt whenever a show I was watching would take a violent turn helped me be more aware and sensitive to it, which was really a big part of my intention.  I feel that it is such a part of our culture that we become immune to it.

This is my granddaughter Sophia.  She's actually several months older now than in this picture, but I haven't gotten around to downloading more recent pics.  Sophia is 14 months old now and I wonder where the year has gone!  I feel young to be a grandmother.  My grandmothers always seemed old to me! I suppose they were about 10 years older than me when they became grandmothers.

Being a grandmother is an amazing thing.  I've noticed how often I think of my own grandmothers and how blessed I was to have two such loving and wonderful women who watched over me throughout my life.  I also feel a bit inadequate in that I'm not much like either of my grandmother's in the domestic department.  They could both sew, cook and housekeep like superstars of their generation. How did they manage to cook all the food at once and keep it hot?? It's still a mystery to me...While I admire those things about my grandmothers, I mostly look back and remember what tough women they were.

My paternal grandmother was a very short woman who was always smiling.  She was gentle and soft spoken.  She would get frustrated with my grandfather but would just laugh.  He died at the very young age of 54 and she never remarried.  He was the love of her life and she filled her life after his death with work, her children and us grandchildren.  She made the best cherry pies and always had ice cream for dessert, one little scoop after dinner.  Her kitchen was bright yellow and always smelled of toast and coffee.  I remember her hands were always soft.  After my grandfather died I laid on their bed and cried and cried and she let me listen to a music box she had over and over again.

My maternal grandmother was especially strong.  My grandfather moved her and my mom's family all over the country, from N. Dakota to Wisconsin to California and finally Arkansas.  She had 8 children, three of whom died before her.  She attended church almost every Sunday of her life in the Southern Baptist church which is sort of ironic considering she had no patience for sexism or racism.  She was very intelligent and could beat just about anyone in Scrabble and did the New York Times Crossword every day.  She had a dry wit and loved The Far Side.  She was a little more prickly than my other grandmother but we knew she loved us and she was probably exhausted by the time us grand kids came along!

I have much more to write about my grandmothers but I guess that's enough for now.

I've been fighting a nasty flu bug making the rounds.  It's on of those with chest congestion and a cough and anytime I get up to do anything I break out in a sweat! Ugh!  I'm not sure if it's my imagination but I feel like I've been more sickly in the year since moving to Hawaii, maybe the change in climate...
One of the things I love to do when I'm under the weather is watch old British police shows.  But my absolute favorite is the old A&E series Jeeves and Wooster.  Hugh Laurie and Stephen Frye are so great together!  It's hilarious.  It's hard to believe Laurie is the same actor who plays House, because his Bertie Wooster is such a google eyed idiot...
I'm preaching this week on the Luke text when Jesus asks the disciples what they have to eat.  I suppose broiled fish could be a kind of comfort food...when I'm sick I remember all the delicious casseroles my grandmother used to make to give us when my mom or someone in the family was sick.  She could make even the most basic casserole taste yummy! She used to make the best Spanish Rice casserole.  Of course she didn't have recipes for any of these things and so now most of what she cooked is gone with her.  I would ask her for a recipe and she would invariably say "oh a little of this and that, whatever I have on hand!"  When I try to combine whatever I have on hand it does not turn out tasty and delicious, more like, " it's edible but I won't ever try that again!"
My aunt and uncle are coming next week for a visit and I'm really hoping I feel better.  I'm also hoping I can get a decent sermon together.  That's one thing about ministry, you may not go in to the office or do other weekly work, but unless I've been incapacitated I don't think I've missed more than a couple Sundays in 15 years of ministry due to illness.
I am grateful for work that allows me flexibility.  I can't imagine what it must be like for people who work minimum wage, who don't get sick days, who can't afford to miss more than a day or two of work.  So, even though when I'm sick I like to have my little pity parties about housework and household chores I know I have much to be grateful for and very little to complain about.
I hope my ministry colleagues out there are practicing good self care and health.  What do you turn to for comfort when you're sick?

I need to write in the morning!  By the time I got home from a meeting and choir I was exhausted!  A little bit of choir drama...I go back and forth about singing in the choir, but then I think, I don't need to get drawn into this, it's between the choir director and the choir.  But it's never that simple and clear cut is it?
I got to spend some time with my sweet little granddaughter this afternoon.  I'm amazed at the drive to keep moving forward that I see at work in her.  It seems like she just figured out how to sit up, then pull herself up, and now she acts like she wants to climb!  It made me wonder when I shut that part of myself off?  When do we as adults quit pushing ourselves?  Or maybe some adults don't, which is why you read about an 80 year old running a marathon or skiing.  So I'm thinking I need to learn or try something new, something physical.  I'm more than comfortable reading about new theology or stretching my mind, but not so much with physical stuff.  I need to do it now before the gravitational pull of the couch wins totally.  So, the next question is - what?  I have done some outrigger paddling as a substitute, but can't seem to find a regular, recreational paddling opportunity.  I live in an area that offers lots of outdoor opportunities...maybe I"ll try stand up paddling...

Exploring the faith, religious, spiritual blogosphere

In trying to develop my own habit and ritual of blogging I have been exploring other blogs.  Mostly religious, faith, sprituality based, but not all.  I am finding that there is some wonderful writing out there, and some not so great or compelling stuff.  I decided to jot down some of the things I really enjoy and some of the blog themes and topics I will skip.
I really enjoy:

• Humor.  There are some really creative, clever, and funny ministers out there, and a lot of great blog titles too!
• Thoughtfulness.  As in, posts that reflect some serious thinking.  (unlike my recent rant about my car)hahaha
• Practicality.  As a minister preaching every week I love reading and discussing the lectionary, sharing resources for worship and ministry.
• Inspiration.  I'm a word lover and hoarder.  I will copy and paste quotes all day long.  I love coming across wonderful thoughts and quotes people share.
• Interesting.  People's stories and lives are generally fascinating.  
• Books, books, books.  I love to read and love to know what others are reading and what they think.
• Poetry
• Music

Blogs and/or Posts I'll Skip:

• Blogs about cats, or dogs, or pets. Unless they can talk.
• Blogs in which people refer to themselves in the first person.
• Blogs in which people refer to their significant other with a cute endearment, as in "the beloved and I went on vacation."  "Sparky and I fixed meatloaf." ugh.
• Posts about one's most recent tattoo and its significance.  

What particularly interests or disinterests you in the blogging world?

RevGalPrayerPals: A Place for Prayer: Wednesday Prayer

RevGalPrayerPals: A Place for Prayer: Wednesday Prayer