Adding My Voice to the Covid Chaos

A sunrise experienced while awaiting AJ's test results

The Tuesday before Halloween, AJ came home from a brief stop at the ranch office looking miserable. He'd already not been feeling great, but since he often readily admits to the "man cold" phenomonen, I didn't pay much attention. Even when I learned that four ranch employees all tested positive for Covid, I continued to doubt its occurrence in our family. AJ is preparing for the biggest sale the ranch has ever hosted, and for weeks he's had his nose buried in the computer compiling the catalog. Seemingly keeping a distance from those who'd presented symptoms, AJ's chances of having Covid seemed unlikely. He tested on Wednesday morning, and we awaited results until Friday evening.

This is meant to be my honest contribution to the growing story of Covid spreading in our great country, so I need to say this: Even though AJ got tested on Wednesday, the rest of us didn't self-isolate until we received the surprisingly positive results on Friday evening. I really was convinced he'd test negative (I'd been down this path a few times with him the past 6 months). Except this time, I was wrong. And me being wrong put the health of others in jeopardy. 

On Friday, I sent Briggs to school. I officiated a graveside funeral. I entered the church building with another congregant to tidy up before a big service on Sunday. I even went into Goodwill for a brief moment with both kids. On this side of these past 10 days, all of my actions now seem negligent. But that's the crazy part of Covid days. We can only live in the moment we're in, without the benefit of hindsight to guide us.

I have two pieces of consolation I cling to as I sit with the reality that for two days, my actions possibly put the health of others in jeopardy. First, my covid test from Saturday morning came back negative, which I hope to mean I wasn't yet contagious on that Friday. (I definitely contracted Covid, however, as did our kids, and I'll get to our symptoms in a bit). My second piece of consolation is that in the midst of all the uncertainty 2020 has offered, I've made certain one thing: the kids and I wear masks indoors. Do I know for certain that we didn't spread? Of course not, but our mask-wearing has been an essential part of making peace with the choices I've made the past two weeks.

I share that I received a negative test result, because I think it's significant to note how many of us have Covid-19 beyond what the official test results reveal. I can't tell you why I tested negative, but I can share our family's health journey these past 13 days.

AJ was SICK. I mean, didn't get off the couch for a week, couldn't work, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Meanwhile, the kids and I started exhibiting symptoms more gradually. In addition to being extra tired and irritable, both kids shared a few strange symptoms I hadn't yet heard connected to Covid-19. Gastro-intestinal changes and cystitis, or urinary pain and frequency. Like a UTI, only triggered virally. Blaire continues to deal with this, and I mention it to contribute to our collective growing knowledge of this bizarre virus. Last night I had her in a pull-up, because she just can't control it. (For reference, she hasn't used a pull-up in so long I actually forgot we even had them! And neither kid has ever had urinary issues in the past).

Nothing keeps this girl down.

 

Briggs worked hard each day, timed math a favorite activity.

All while caring for AJ, homeschooling the kids, keeping up with laundry and cleaning, and providing 12 meals a day for our growing kiddos (okay, barely 3 meals a day, but oodles of snacks), I've also been trying to manage my own health. My symptoms? Low-grade fever that comes and goes (never above 99.5, but always a sensation of feeling very warm), typical sinus congestion and a-typical brain fog, strange body aches (neck, back, head), prickly feelings in my legs, persistent ear pressure, sore throat and cough, difficulty catching a full breath, and the clincher that confirmed it for me: losing my sense of smell and taste. But the most difficult to manage, given my role as momma: FATIGUE.

Day 4 of reading comprehension with Briggs

I can't say my symptoms are improving, not yet. I would estimate that I'm about 5 days post-AJ in experiencing my symptoms, and just yesterday he stopped taking pain meds. So I hope that by mid-week these symptoms will lift. I'm also realistic and know many cases don't improve until 3-4 weeks in. I also know how very little we yet understand, which is why I offer our experience, in hopes it might create a sense of solidarity and ease among others.

The final aspect of this Covid-19 experience I want to highlight is the extravagent KINDNESS I've received from our village here in Pierre. SO MANY church folks, neighbors, and friends have checked in, offering to run errands for us. The independent part of me has difficulty asking, but I appreciate the intense willingness of those who've cared for us via errands run and meals delivered. Last night I cried on my front stoop, exhaustion in my voice, as I thanked a congregant for providing a meal. I often preach caring for each other as a grace of community, and when I find myself in a moment of need, it confirms for me how much I really believe that we are better together. 

Thank you for holding us in your prayers. Thank you for caring in the ways you do. I wish I could say we've cleared this virus, I can't. What I can affirm is this: the peace I find in the midst of chaos is because of the community we exist among; you are all balm that leads to healing.

Last night's sunset; God's beauty on full display, even amidst sickness

Wisdom in Gratitude: Believing What We Have is Enough 1 Kings 3: 5-14

 

1 Kings 3: 5-14

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”  And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.  And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.  And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted.  Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”

 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.  I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.  If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

I’ve recently taken interest in Brene Brown’s book called Daring Greatly. She, a sociologist by trade, uncovers much of what motivates us and our behaviors. She specifically describes one component of the fear-based actions so many in our world are currently living; it’s called “the myth of scarcity.” It’s the idea that there’s just not enough for everyone, so you better take what you can, even if it means A. Grabbing more than you need. B. Grabbing from someone who needs it more. (think, I don’t know- empty toilet paper shelves in March & April). The myth of scarcity means we’re always fearful there isn’t enough for all; so we learn mistrust of neighbor, preoccupation with self, and worst of all, greed. You’ve seen it the world over. You know it inside yourself. None of us are immune to its potential hold on our lives. Greed is a powerful force for tearing apart people, nations, families, and even beautiful communities like Pierre, SD. Unless, that is, we counter that fear of scarcity with another- more powerful story. It’s the story that begins in the garden of Eden, the story we hear in 1 Kings that continues throughout the Gospels, taking root finally in the early church & even us today. It’s the story of a God who supplies us our every need.

Interesting to note in Brene Brown’s work, that the opposite of scarcity is not overabundance (they are two sides of the same coin). No, the anecdote to the myth of scarcity, is the truth of enough. We have enough, not only for ourselves, but for everyone. Enough food exists in this world to feed everyone, when distributed properly. Enough love exists in this world, when we dare to believe that it grows when shared. Enough courage lives within our hearts when we choose to live into it. Enough is the anecdote to scarcity. And the path to believing that we have “enough” is gratitude.

I just love King Solomon’s story here, in which the wisdom of gratitude is on full display. He acknowledges that the power he’s been given- the ability to control the outcome of his people’s lives- was not his own doing. He inherited his privilege, and he knows it. So instead of allowing a culture of greed to dupe him into thinking he needs even more, he asks for a way to use what he already has, well. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil.” It’s not often a person with power asks for wisdom to discern the common good- rather than how to benefit himself. That’s a powerful spiritual practice for each of us, no matter how much or seemingly little we do have, because it changes how we see ourselves in this world. Glass half-full or glass half-empty? If our glass is half-full, we have enough to share with others; if it’s half-empty, we’re well on our way to living in fear.

I have a confession to make. I have been on Amazon.com a lot lately. You know, presumably making my life better? Maybe it’s not Amazon for you, whatever store you shop at. You know those product, right? It’s the water shoes that are going to change my life. The sun umbrella that will keep my melanoma skin cancer at bay. The camp rocking chairs that I know are just gonna make our trip this coming week- perfect.

And this interesting thing happens when I’m on Amazon.com. I start to realize all the things I don’t yet have- and I begin to need more! Well if I get these running shoes, I should probably get the running socks too, right?!? It only makes sense! Before I realize it, my cart is full, but my heart is still left wanting. You know what I think that’s called? Greed.

So if we’re going to take a page out of Solomon’s playbook here, I could probably (instead of asking for more stuff), ask for more discernment. Do I actually need these items, or were the marketing algorithms just too effective in my moment of weakness? There’s a lot of money to be made in this world by convincing shoppers like me that we just don’t have enough. Here’s the good news, though. That’s not the story we need to live with. We can decide that what we have is already enough. This is where discernment plays a role, like in the case of Solomon.  

I happened to recently read about a technique some wise shoppers use- they don’t let themselves buy things without first doing the 30-day test. They “save for later” items of interest, and after 30 days, if they still truly want and need that product, okay! Time to check-out. 30 days seems to be long enough for us to discern between the myth of scarcity and the truth of enough.

This has saved me COUNTLESS times from buying an impulse product. And I got to thinking- if I can practice this “I have enough” type of gratitude with stuff- couldn’t I (couldn’t we) also practice this with something more profound, like the relationships in our lives? Maybe we don’t need more friends, just need to spend more attention and gratitude on the friends we do have?

What if what King Solomon receives from God at the end of this story isn’t more riches in the literal sense, but simply a greater awareness of the riches he already has?

I have a deep friendship with 2 women I’ve known since kindergarten. And this is another confession from me- I didn’t always appreciate the rich blessing of their friendship. When I went off to college, I thought the grass would be greener- that’s where I’ll make lifelong friendships, I was just sure. And I did, to a degree, but thank goodness that Nealy and Katie stuck with me through those college years of self-discovery, because this is what I found to be true after college: my kindergarten friends knew me best and loved me most. I already had enough friends, I just didn’t have the discernment yet to truly cherish them.

True wisdom IS discovered through gratitude. And gratitude must be practiced. So here’s the question for each of us today…What gift is already a part of your life, that you might need to acknowledge and appreciate? Where in life is God asking you to be grateful for “enough?” This is the wisdom that leads to life abundant- not stuff, but gratitude. You have enough- and you are enough. It really is a life-giving practice to be satisfied with “enough.” Amen!

Romans 7: 15-25 True Freedom in Christ: The Gift of Second-Chances

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

The United States of America was founded on the principle of “freedom.” Specifically, it’s “freedom from” Great Britain, right, that led us to the day of Independence- the Fourth of July. Now it’s been awhile since then, so we might ask again, what is it the colonies wanted freedom from? For one thing, taxation without representation (yes, remember that from 6^th grade social studies?) Taxation without representation stifled a free governance structure. And those first pioneers, well they wanted freedom FROM being told what to do! I think we all get that, we’re South Dakotans, freedom from something drives many of our policies today.

As much as I love freedom (really I am so grateful for the liberties I experience everyday) I want to offer a different lens on freedom today. What if thinking about freedom didn’t have to mean a separation from others? Here’s what I mean, if we live only within a freedom-from culture, we start framing our identity by what we’re NOT rather than what we ARE. We’re NOT British! Okay. So, who are we then? I will let the world of politics handle the American identity piece, because I think a more profound question to ask is who are we (you and I gathered in this park for worship) as followers of Christ?

The concept of freedom is woven right into the Jesus story. John’s Gospel reminds us: "So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." Only, the Jesus kind of freedom is not freedom from in quite the same way as American freedom. The Jesus way of living, is a freedom to…, rather than freedom from. Freedom to claim an identity that is not bound by nationality or race or even religion. The Jesus kind of freedom frames our lives by the greatest hope I could fathom: a life of second chances.

Because here’s the truth you and I know well. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t give us “freedom from” sin. This is why Paul speaks (almost in circles) about this internal struggle to live into the freedom of Christ. “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.” The struggle is real. I mean, one minute I’m praying with my kids, they’re offering me blessings on my forehead; and 2 minutes later, I’m losing my patience over how darn long it takes those blessed child of mine to brush their little teeth. And in that moment, I’m reminded that being Christian doesn’t mean freedom from “making poor choices.”

We are never free from sin, and we won’t be, not in this lifetime. So if we’re not free from sin, what’s Christ’s freedom all about?  It’s about second chances. A freedom to discover our identity and purpose as people who can admit when we’ve made a mistake. You know there’s a fancy word for that, right? Repentance. Never have I practiced repentance more than in my relationship with my children.

I blow up at something minor because I’m stressed. Takes me a bit, but after I cool down, the important part begins. I say, “Buddy, I was wrong to snap at you like that. I know you only wanted to help your sister brush her teeth, and I lost my patience. I shouldn’t have done that. Can we start over?”

It’s hard work, but that’s repentance. Understanding when we’re wrong- and choosing to go in a new direction. And we do it because deep down we know that only the truth can set us truly free. Of course, like Paul in Romans, it helps when we can identify those parts of our lives that don’t live up to the call of following Jesus.

“Yep, I messed up being a mom today, thank you God for second chances.” That’s the gift of repentance, it’s the freedom that comes from actually admitting when we mess up; it’s reflected beautifully in this strange monologue of Paul’s. He knows the struggle is real (remember, he’s actually killed people), and so of all followers of Jesus, Paul can testify to a God of second chances. He inspires all of us to believe that that real freedom IS possible. Not freedom from sin, but freedom in knowing we do not belong to our sin, we belong to Christ.

I think about the mess that is human history on this 4^th of July weekend. We have an obligation as a nation to face the wrongs of our past (you know, slavery, denying women and people of color the right to vote, breaking treaties with our native neighbors, torture, all that stuff that’s hard to talk about), but see when we do, there’s this phenomenon that happens only when we can tell the truth about something: it sets us free to turn in a new direction. This is the path we are all called to as Christians. This morning, as we receive communion together, I invite you to consider the mistakes in your own relationships. Because if we can’t start here (in our hearts), then what hope of true freedom do we celebrate on a weekend like this?

Consider those tender parts of your soul today, acknowledge them before God, and allow the gift of Jesus’ blessed body and blood to be a reminder of second chances. Because repentance is the true path to freedom. Freedom to live in love again. And again. And again.

Let’s say it with Paul today, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” for this good news!

Galatians 5: 22-23 What We Model Matters: Faith from a Youth’s Perspective

Galatians 5: 22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to youth ministry this year. Our confirmation crew had so much awesome momentum in early March, having prepared a meaningful worship for you all, focused on lives of service  a few days before they could offer their carefully prepared worship, the world turned upside down. Jack, Avery, Sarah, and Jenna and all of our youth have been faced with issues adults have trouble handling, on top of the already tumultuous “being a teenager” stuff.

All the while, it’s not safe to gather together for supportive conversation and prayer- as I have longed to do (maybe they have longed for it too). Sure, we can make contact and enjoy little moments of connection, but what I miss most is the face-to-face opportunity to share deeply of our lives.

Ministry in the teenage years is crucial, in a narrow window of time when meaning-making and identity-formation are strongest. And while I totally think the stories and teaching of our faith should factor in heavily, what I have always valued most in youth ministry is the lasting power of relationships. We have a strong mentor-type model of faith formation in our church, and so even while I mourn the loss of time to gather around content, I trust the very real connections youth make in church and with church friends beyond the walls of worship, will last far longer than the details of a curriculum.

And so I come back to this: seeing a life of faith modeled by adults is the most effective form of spiritual education. And guess what- neither a pastor nor a program is even required for this kind of Christian Education. Of course, I love the chance to be authentic about my faith with our youth (and I cherish each of them and their willingness to trust me in walking alongside) AND our SS teachers are vital…but what we hear time and again from graduates is this: it’s the WHOLE CHURCH FAMILY, in interactions ranging from inside jokes, to celebrating milestones, to a consistent handshake, hug, or smile, that has shaped who they are and how they see God at work in their lives.

That means you are (whether you know it or not) all engaged in youth ministry, all the time.  How we model our faith matters. It matters so much, in fact, that it will influence the way young people experience God. So if we as church want to take youth ministry seriously- we have a simple directive to follow: Live in a way that young people will identify the Spirit at work in our lives.

Recently I listened to Brene Brown speak about the power of vulnerability and openness in parenting, and in one sentence she sums up her parenting advice. I love it for the implication of youth ministry as well. Here it is, no fancy programs required: “be the adult you want your child to grow up to be.”

And I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s this passage in Galatians about spirit-filled living that I want to embody: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  When we live by the Spirit- we actually produce this kind of fruit. And it’s exactly what I pray our young people will see us embody as a church. We’re not perfect of course, but steadily we can create this type of culture in our homes and our churches.

It’s Father’s Day, so let me offer one personal note about my own experience of growing up in the faith. At the age of 15 (that’s our confirmand’s age), I was asked to preach on Father’s Day. I was given no direction, simply a supportive, “Whatever you want to preach, Emily, it’ll be great.” Okay, awesome! I ended up selecting scripture that spoke of how I saw my own father embody his faith. That scripture was: Galatians 5: 22-23.

Now, I had an awesome youth group and youth minister during my teenage years, but do you know how my faith grew most? By watching my parents model for me a life devoted to the fruit of the Spirit. Are they perfect? Of course not. But day after day and year after year, they produced fruit that spoke of Spirit-filled life. My most vivid memory of faith that I received from my father actually has nothing to do with what he said. I would sometimes sneak to the top of the stairs when I was supposed to be sleeping, and watch as my dad sat in his recliner reading the bible. Sometimes it was a book about pigeons, but mostly it was the bible. As I grew older, same thing. I’d pass by on my way to bed, he’d look up from his bible just long enough to say goodnight, sweetheart. He didn’t have to say much about his faith because he embodied it- he modeled spirit-filled living, and I’m convinced that youth ministry in churches is way more about relationships than it is programs. Those spirit-filled connections can certainly originate in the home, AND as church we can be young people’s chosen faith families, the people who model Christ’s way of living for young people.

So on Father’s Day, here’s a simple and profound gift anyone who wishes to be a father-figure can do: Be the adult you want our youth to grow up and be. That’s true youth ministry. Amen!

Baptism: Hope that does not disappoint Romans 5: 1-8

Romans 5:1-8

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us."

Why do we practice baptism as a sacrament in the church?

I offered some thoughts on this in the email this week. My best assessment of human family is this: most of us try really hard, much of the time, to share love with one another. Of course, any number of fault lines emerge over the years, which can create deep and lasting scars in family dynamics. To be family is to risk failing at love. Baptism offers a redeeming perspective on family in two ways:

1. To be baptized into the Christian faith is to inherent a "chosen family," guided by the faith, hope, and love Jesus embodies for us. That means we've got siblings in faith that don't share our blood, but DO share our joys and concerns as only chosen family can.

2. When our "chosen family" at church fails in love, which we inevitably do at times, baptism offers us the kind of hope that does not disappoint: to be affirmed as a child of the living God is to be in relationship with the only true source of unconditional love in this world.

And that, my friends, is what we all remember as we celebrate baptism this week!

I was reminded of the significance baptism holds for each of us uniquely, as I stood with Enid Hyde’s daughter Helen in our sanctuary this week. I listened as she recalled the memory of her own baptism. She described the dress she wore, how she tried her best to be well-behaved. And she paused for a bit, then wondered aloud why she was old enough to remember it- before getting baptized. I too recalled the memory of my own baptism. 10 years old, waiting in line with other kids and adults to be dunked in the tank built into the structure of our sanctuary.

I grew up with a believer’s baptism theology, and today I celebrate an “at any age” baptism theology. Why? In short, because it’s always Christ’s story we celebrate in baptism, alongside our own. And Christ’s story is powerful enough to be relevant for babies, children, youth, adults, everyone.

In the immersion baptism world, the expression of submerging under water symbolizes dying with Christ, so that we might be raised with Christ- as expressed when a person re-emerges at the surface of the waters. Now if you’re really into it, you get submerged three times- in the name of the Father (dunk), and the Son (dunk again), and the Holy Spirit (three times the charm). I love this idea of symbolizing God’s grace with water, and I’ve come to understand that symbolic promise is less about the “how,” and more about the “why.” At the core of Jesus’ story is a deep expression of empathy. The dying and rising to be unified with all of us humans. As all sacraments go, the “why” is in a way unique to our individual walk with God. But could it be, that in order for baptism to truly shape us as a faith community, we need it as a reminder of Christ’s compassion.

 Henri J.M. Nouwen, 20th century
"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless."

And so my current practice of baptism usually involves the sign of the cross three times on the forehead, as you witnessed with baby Otto. I love immersion too- if you’d like to be baptized that way, we’ll head out to the river for yours! See, no one expression of God’s grace is better than another, so long as it connects us with a community willing to walk with Jesus toward becoming a more selfless, compassionate “chosen family” for one another.

For me, that’s absolutely the “why” of baptism: it’s an act of gathering in community to affirm God’s selfless love on behalf of each of us. Today we affirmed that Otto is indeed God’s beloved child, and as Christ’s body, we make particularly commitments. To show Otto, by teaching and modeling, a kind of Christ-like love. We don’t have to be martyrs like Jesus (that’s why Jesus did what he did), but we do make a commitment to one another that affirms this about the Christian life: “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

So we walk a particular way of faith alongside Otto, encouraging him to persevere in difficult times, celebrating alongside him in joyful times, and committing to hope, because God’s hope does not disappoint.

Even as we celebrate Otto today, we also re-affirm our own baptism, because the story of belonging to God never gets old. I need reminders of my own belovedness, like, 4 times a day. It’s the best fuel I can find to keep running the race for God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Justice, peace, unity, solidarity, and compassion. When someone suffers, we suffer. None of that is possible unless I place my life and worth and belonging into the hands of God, rather than a particular ideology. That’s the power of baptismal waters. So when you’re feeling unloved, discouraged, unworthy, maybe even abandoned by your own family, find a bit of water, place it on your forehand, and remind yourself what God longs for us to truly know: “You are a blessing.”

Hebrews 12: 1-3 Running the race: encountering and persisting through discomfort

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Last week on Pentecost Sunday, I spoke briefly about spiritual practices being one way that we ready our hearts to be set on fire by the Spirit. I’ve recently reclaimed one of these practices in my own life: running. For some, it might be like an anti-spiritual practice, but for me it works.

It also happens to be an image the author of Hebrews uses to convey something about the Christian life. So I’ve been letting this image stir in me this week as I begin again to develop the spiritual discipline of running. Like many worthwhile things in life- it requires practice and perseverance. There’s this moment during a run when I want to give up. Do you know this feeling? You’ve come a long way, but your legs begin to weary, and you see how far you are from the finish. And that’s when the discomfort sets in.

And I want to stop. Walk. Maybe head back altogether and say, “to heck with running. It’s too hard.” Here’s the truth, though, it’ll never get easier until I decide to push through the discomfort. Until I believe I have it in me. Until I know it’s worth it. Until I get that my muscles and my lungs- they actually increase in capacity as I lean into what is hard.

On Thursday, I developed a mantra for myself (a little weird, maybe, but it works for me)- it steadies my pace and increases my perseverance. Here it is: chin up. Abs in, full stride, pump those arms. And I need it. When the going gets hard, I need constant reminders that pushing through discomfort actually makes me stronger.

In this season, we have many races to run. Sorting out this new world in the midst of (and hopefully one day post-) Covid-19. A fresh reckoning with the racism that has been a part of our DNA as a nation since the beginning. Political tensions running high. Mistrust of one another. An economic crisis that increases anxiety about the future (especially for those in low-wage jobs), and in the midst of it all, we’re just trying to tend to one another; be present to our families; deal with everyday struggles.

I have days this race feels too hard to run, I know. So did the early Christian who writes in Hebrews about how we run with perseverance. So what motivates this guy? Jesus. “The pioneer and perfecter of faith. Of all people, Jesus knows what it’s like to persevere. He could have quit. He didn’t have to finish dragging that cross up the hill. He had the internal power to shift everything around him for his own comfort- and still he chose to give his life. “For the joy set before him.” What was that joy? To give humanity hope. To tackle injustice by enduring the ultimate injustice: death at the hands of power. And this legacy Jesus leaves is meant to motivate us to run the race of our lives (and maybe sometimes on behalf of one another) without growing weary or losing heart.

In the light of what Jesus endured, having a difficult conversation about political differences doesn’t seem quite as hard. In the light of what Jesus endured, gathering in a park rather than a sanctuary, or wearing a mask, standing 6 feet apart, it seems like a cake walk. In the light of what Jesus endured, giving up my comfort to work toward the full dignity of my friends and neighbors of color seems like a no-brainer. Thank you, Jesus, for being the pioneer of faith, so that we know the race is not always easy, but it is worth it.

Here’s the best truth of all- when we choose to persevere in these practices, when we refuse to stay in our comfort zones, when we have hard conversations and push through- we actually grow. We learn something new about ourselves and our God of all creation. Our spiritual muscles and lungs increase in capacity, and slowly, at the pace we are capable of sustaining, we get stronger- so long as we keep at it.

That’s the race we’re in, friends. A marathon, not a sprint. And we needn’t push to the point of injury (because let’s face it, we’re more likely to quit if we do), we simply push through the discomfort that keeps us from real change. One run, one conversation, one prayer, one change of heart, one new friend, one educational opportunity at a time. And before you know it, we are stronger- and the world around us is too.

So let’s consider what our unique and collective race might be. If we’re wondering, the answer might lie in the moments that we’ve experienced discomfort the past few weeks and months. Those are the races that require true perseverance. Are you ready? Let’s run, fixing our eyes on Jesus. He has shown you, O Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

The race is clear- the way is hard, which is why we need one another. When I get weary in helping God bring kingdom life on earth as it is in heaven, I need you to inspire me to reach beyond my comfort zone. Will you do that for me? Let’s run this race, side by side, a great cloud of witnesses. Chin up, abs in, full stride, pump those arms. Amen.

Acts 2 The Spirit in Me Acknowledges the Spirit in you

SCRIPTURE: Acts 2 (waving involved Holy Spirit Sticks)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind (WAVE), and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. (WAVE) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (WAVE)

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, (WAVE) they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." (WAVE) All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: (WAVE) "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
   'In the last days it will be, God declares,
      that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, (WAVE)
         and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, (WAVE)
         and your young shall see visions, (WAVE)
         and your old shall dream dreams. (WAVE)
   Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
      in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
         and they shall prophesy. (WAVE)
   And I will show portents in the heaven above
      and signs on the earth below,
         blood, and fire, and smoky mist. (WAVE)
   The sun shall be turned to darkness
      and the moon to blood,
      before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
   Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (WAVE)

Spirit energy breathed life into the early disciples- connecting them across space and time and language and nationality. (WAVE) Spirit energy that has persisted across generations and millennium to meet us here today. (WAVE) Spirit energy at work within all gathered bodies witnessing to Christ’s presence in the world. (WAVE) Spirit energy that brings us hope and lifts us to new visions of what church can be. (WAVE)

We know how significant connection really is, maybe more poignantly than ever. And we know the early disciples did not live spiritual lives alone. Their faith formed in communities of belonging through the gift of story; they got to haggle over Jesus’ teachings, pray for direction in their lives, and share their visions and dreams. All evidence that the Holy Spirit had indeed been poured out for all and for the sake of saving the world.

I’d like to share with you today an experience where the Spirit moved me to a new understanding of how much work is ahead of us if we’re to reach that great and glorious day of the Lord’s coming together.

I spent a year after seminary living and doing a bit of social work in Newark, NJ. I lived in a neighborhood that was predominantly home to people of color. And so this week, with the news of George Floyd’s death, my heart was drawn back to Newark. See, this public murder of yet another black man by white officers representing power, reveals how far we are from what Jesus intends for our world. Racial acts of violence are not isolated to this incident. How do I know this? Beyond statistics, one of the profound gifts I received from my brief season of work in Newark was learning the stories of young men and women of color. Let me say, their stories do not mirror my own privilege as a white woman. My privilege allows me to trust that officers are here to help me. I say this, because we know SO many dedicated officers of the law, so it’s really hard to believe that police would be capable of racial profiling, until, that is, you hear the many, many stories. Xavier, one of the young adults I was assisting in our program, was a black man dating a white woman from a different part of town. And he tells of the day he was walking from her place back to the bus stop- when he got pulled over by the cops- for walking in a white neighborhood, in 21^st Century America. That story burns, and when I expressed to Xavier how awful that must be, he looked at me (almost puzzled by my response) and says- “Oh, that happens almost every time I walk back to the bus station.” Racial profiling has become for him (and countless people of color) almost normal.

Friends, it’s not okay that that happens in America. And it’s also not okay that I didn’t realize this was a 21^st Century problem until I saw it up-close. My time in Newark taught me to listen to the stories people of color are telling, because they’re true- and they’re terrible. Here’s why it needs to change: because my liberation as a human is woven together with the liberation of all humans. That’s the story of Jesus, crucified and risen. Here’s how we can begin that change: Using power of the Pentecost story, we can practice this simple and profound phrase: “The Spirit in me acknowledges the Spirit in you.” (let’s do that, together). This practice is especially important with people who don’t share our culture or skin color. Because if we do that, then the stories of people who are different from us will matter to us. Our Spirits and our destinies will be tied together. And what is revealed in those stories will move us to new ways of creating justice, which always precedes peace. So if you feel grief about the state of the world, there’s power for you yet in the Pentecost story.

Hear it again. (Spirit sticks) Spirit is here among us even now, and Spirit will prevail:

   'In the last days it will be, God declares,
      that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, (WAVE)
         and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, (WAVE)
         and your young shall see visions, (WAVE)
         and your old shall dream dreams. (WAVE)
   Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
      in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
         and they shall prophesy. (WAVE)

You know what this means? It means in the exchange of life stories, we begin to see new visions of what is possible. Xavier taught me to never ignore how vast the difference is between his safety and mine. And because of it, I have a new vision of what using my voice to speak up for him (and countless others like him) can do.

And if you feel powerless when you hear news of racial violence, don’t believe it- because you’re not. If you’re in the Pierre area, you know we still have work to do with racial misunderstandings and sometimes violence based in ignorance. That’s why the work starts here & here (point to heart & ears), You and I, we can all start by listening to the stories of others that point us to new and life-giving visions for every single person, no matter their skin color.

“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,” God says. That’s the life-giving promise of Pentecost- we couldn’t be at a more important moment to receive it in human history.

Howard Thurman, 20th century
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

Let’s recommit- or maybe commit for the first time- to doing the hard and good work of acknowledging the Spirit in someone whose story we don’t yet know. If we do that, we will come alive- and so will Christ’s church.  That is the spark that will set our hearts on fire.

Holy Spirit, Come Quickly, and set our hearts on fire.

Acts 17: 22-31 What worship reveals about "being right."

SERMON: Acts 17: 22-31 What worship reveals about "being right"

Then Paul stood in front of the Greek Council and said, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him — though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.'

"Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a person whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

Friends, I could not have selected a more perfect scripture for an outdoor worship service. Thanks to divine providence, the lectionary text today speaks of God’s vast presence. Of a church without walls. Of worship with no idols. What is the church? God’s people. Not a building, not any fancy objects inside the building. Not even one of our beloved rituals.

Paul, the author of our story today, knows something about worshipping idols; not long before giving this eloquent speech about God’s majesty to the Greek council, he had been in the business of killing people who followed Jesus.

“God gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.” I love that line from Paul, because he says it with the conviction of someone who’s heart has been changed by true worship. In fact, even his name changed from Saul to Paul- in order that his inward transformation might be recognized in his life story.

And now here he is, taking stock of all the idols he once believed to be important: power, greed, money, and maybe the worst of all, needing to be right. After Paul’s transformation, he understands the freedom in walking the way of Jesus is that we don’t have to be right. Why?  Because Jesus is our righteousness…not us.

We mortals, you and I, can never get God right all the time. In fact, we can’t get anything right, all the time. Oh but we try, don’t we?? If I’m honest with myself, I think my biggest struggle is that I LOVE BEING RIGHT. (I’m sure my husband would say, “Oh no, that’s not true, darling. You never want to be right! That doesn’t happen every single day; nope, not in our house!) Just yesterday, a bird with a black head and orange body landed in our maple tree, I’d never seen one like that, and when AJ quickly suggested it could be an Oriol, I thought, “nah, that can’t be right- I’ll look it up and I’ll be the one that’s right!” After a bit of googling, I concluded that AJ…might just have been right after all. It was probably an oriol. Dang it, why does needing to be “right” tempt us so often! Maybe it has something to do with proving our sense of worth in the world.

You know who also struggles with needing to be right? Anyone who engages in fiery comments on social media. Especially now, this historical moment, a pandemic of epic proportion, is the perfect storm in which all our self-righteousness comes to fruition. You’ve seen it too, I imagine? You’re dumb if you wear a mask! You’re dumb if you don’t! Self-agency is the right approach to controlling the spread! No, community standards are more effective.  Boost the economy, quick! Wait, don’t you care about our elders? I can’t believe so and so went to a restaurant! It’s crazy that so and so doesn’t leave the house!

Get it? Yeah, we all want to be right about how this pandemic is addressed. The problem is, of course, that in all this controversy, we’re forgetting that Jesus doesn’t ask us to be right. Jesus asks us to love God and love our neighbors. Jesus wants relationships tended, maybe even mended, more than anything.

So here’s what I need to ask myself, maybe you do too. Does the need to be right ever get in the way of your relationships? Does it ever become an idol that you worship with your time and energy and attention? If so, Paul offers us a remedy in one word: worship. How will worship help? Worship takes us out from the center of the story- and replaces our need to be right with the truth that God alone is our righteousness.

Paul ends his thoughts to the Greeks with an interesting explanation of ignorance and repentance. He says, “While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now God commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a person whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

Huh, so what Paul says frees us from needing to be right- is admitting that we make mistakes. That’s repentance, and it’s powerful because it changes us from within. Only when we turn away from our own self-righteousness do we begin to see that we really don’t need it after all. Our worth has never come from what we do- it’s always been a gift based in who we are: God’s offspring.

That’s the change of heart Paul knows well. And he knows we don’t need idols (like power or being right), because true worship always has and always will lead us back to the ONE who can make all things right again: Jesus.

Do I know that we’re making all the right calls in tending to our community’s many needs during a difficult time? Of course I don’t. But I rest in the assurance that I don’t need to be right, I just need to love God and love my neighbor, and trust that in doing so, the one who is right: Jesus, will show up and show us the way. Amen!