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On returning to our places of worship

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“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.” Oddly, perhaps, in the church of my youth I heard those words from Psalm 137 more often than any other Scripture. More than John 3:16, more than the Beatitudes, more than the Great Commission. We were Associate Reformed Presbyterians, a southern splinter of the Presbyterian family, stubbornly Scottish in heritage and resolutely psalm-singers in worship. Our craggy Calvinist forebears had insisted that God wanted us to sing only from the Psalter, the Bible’s own songbook, so, while other Presbyterians embraced hymns and spiritual songs, we ARPs clung to exclusive psalmody until the middle of the 20th century. We sang all 150 psalms, but our cherished favorite was a melancholy choral arrangement of Psalm 137, a psalm of the Babylonian captivity. As the choir intoned dolefully, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” our best soprano would raise her voice in a beautiful and at once … [Read more...]

Tagged With: COVID19

A view from a pandemic sabbatical

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After 28 years of ministry (including 20 in my current context), I asked for and received permission from the session to take sabbatical during the summer of 2020.  My wife and I planned a trip to Scotland that included a retreat to Iona, playing a round of golf at St. Andrews and visiting my ancestral homeland.  But COVID-19 changed all of that.  Instead, I spent my two months at home in South Carolina. Taking sabbatical during the first summer of this pandemic allowed me to do a lot of research and listening.  I listened to podcasts, watched webinars, read books and talked to colleagues about next steps in ministry.  I attended worship outside at several churches and watched others online. I discovered that my colleagues are, for the most part, tired and frustrated due to the challenges from the pandemic and the desire to confront racial injustice.  One pastor said he has “decision overload,” while all pastors I talked to shared their stress of listening to the opposing … [Read more...]

Tagged With: COVID19 • sabbatical

COVID-19 and the Latinx church

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A CNN report in May pointed out a significant but sad statistic: “In California, Latinos represent 70% of all coronavirus related deaths within the demographic of those 18 to 49-years-old, despite making up just 43% of the population, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. In New York City, Hispanics are dying at rates more than 50% higher than their white counterparts, and more than twice the rate of Asians, according to the New York City Health Department.’’ Given these dynamics, the Office of Hispanic/Latino-a Intercultural Congregational Support of the Presbyterian Mission Agency sent an informal questionnaire to pastors and leaders of Hispanic/Latinx congregations throughout the nation and Puerto Rico, and asked them to share stories of how the pandemic is affecting their congregations and communities. Isabel S. Rivera-Velez, pastor of a Latinx Presbyterian Church in Houston, wrote: “The church I serve is largely an immigrant community and of … [Read more...]

Tagged With: COVID19 • Hispanic ministries

Mandela greets U.S. faith community (30 years ago)

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30 years ago — July 16-30, 1990 Religious “leaders from the United States gathered in the chapel of Riverside Church in New York City to greet and to be greeted by Nelson Mandela.” Sponsored by the National Council of Churches, this gathering brought together Christians from across the denominational spectrum as well as Jewish and other faith leaders. In Mandela’s address, he thanked U.S. religious communities for their support against apartheid in South Africa. After his address they proceeded to the sanctuary for worship. “The air was festive as four choirs and African drummers led the gathering in joyous praise. … Soloist Patricia Ann Barnes moved many to tears with her strong and soulful rendition of ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’ and Gardner Taylor, renowned preacher and pastor, … brought the crowd to its feet with his humorous and passionate introduction of Mandela. ... Using familiar words from the prophet Isaiah, Mandela expressed the hope of his people saying: ‘We have … [Read more...]

A vital congregation —  A system centered on Christ

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Pastors typically experience tensions between what they see as their biblical role and the role imposed on them as leader of a church organization. Biblical notions of church often appear to be in conflict with institutional conceptions. This apparent conflict comes to the fore in considering how to foster what has come to be called in our circles the “marks of a vital congregation”: lifelong discipleship formation, intentional authentic evangelism and outward incarnational-focused living. While there may appear to be a tension between seeking these biblically-rooted and spirit-inspired ideals and promoting them in an institutional church, authentic understanding of the nature of the real dynamics within organizations will greatly diminish this tension. These dynamics within an organization are understood here in the language of systems, but a possible source of confusion in using this language needs to be addressed upfront. The word systems, as used here to describe organizations … [Read more...]

not/me

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I. Two by two they walked       from the ends of the earth strung together like beads destined for the same necklace. Male and Female,       twoness of one. Inseparable.       Di            vided. The journey long, the destination uncertain, the only map       traced in the gaps between them at those fleeting points of union that stubbornly defy their uncompromisable disunion. Like me.  But not like me. Carrying the burdens and the blessing       of nations,       of ancestors,       of self, of a newness not mine. The Promise       false promises; but hope. Always Hope. II. Adaptation. Naturalization. Acculturo-indoctrination. When hatred of the other       becomes hatred of my Other, Then,       I am successfully assimilated. Twoness tentatively mended. Agnostic of my                              Self. Why have you forsaken me? You, who know this pain of an ever-tilting … [Read more...]

Tagged With: poetry

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