I feared elevators as a child. In an attempt to lessen my fears, my parents described them as “moving rooms that close on one floor and open on another.” In time, I learned to appreciate these mechanical marvels. One of my early fascinations was hearing the crackly sounds of the waltz or bossa nova tune that played from a tiny speaker in the elevator’s cabin. Originally thought to calm the hearts of timid riders like me, this Muzak (as one brand named the recorded background sounds) acted as a distraction for trips that seemed to take forever once those doors closed. I should have the equivalent of SkyMiles for the many elevator rides I’ve taken over the past three years. Along with the many ups and downs of the ordination process came clinical pastoral education. I chose to do my unit at, arguably, the busiest hospital and trauma center in the Southeast. Elevators were the primary means of transportation through this massive 1000-bed complex. I was assigned to the emergency … [Read more...]
A sign of God’s mercy (30 years ago)
30 years ago — February 19, 1990 A few days before the remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth, the state of Virginia, the former capital of the Confederates States, inaugurated its first elected black governor. “The grandson of a slave now holds the highest elective office in a commonwealth where, only 32 years ago, on the same platform which Gov. Wilder spoke his inaugural words, Gov. Lindsay Almond proclaimed a doctrine of ‘massive resistance’ to federally sponsored integration.” Nonviolent advocacy coupled with the political process brought change. “In 1963, when I was a student at Union Seminary in Virginia, I recall attending a” conference led by King and Adam Clayton Powell. Seminary professor E.T. Thompson, “who was for many years associated with the Outlook,” was on stage welcoming the speakers. “Twenty years later, I sat in Thompson’s living room with a confirmation class” and asked if he remembered that night. “He asked if I remembered the title of King’s sermon. … [Read more...]
Do we mean what we sing?
Much of my earliest faith formation came from singing in children’s choirs. Before learning the words and music of our anthems, we always went through a series of vocalizing exercises: singing “lu lu lu lu lu” on a descending scale, or “ma meh mi mo mu” on a single pitch, working to purify vowel sounds (a definite challenge for some of us Southerners). I think about such exercises occasionally now that I am part of the congregational choir that sits in the nave of the church rather than the choir loft. The nonsense syllables come to mind when I realize with some measure of chagrin that I have just sung through an entire hymn, resumed my seat and not registered a single word of what I have intoned. I might just as well have been vocalizing on “lu.” While I doubt I am the only person to have had this experience, I am all the more sheepish about admitting to it, because I should surely know better. After all, I am a professional hymn text writer with a decades-long commitment to … [Read more...]
Who is God, really? — Feb. 24, 2020
Who is God, really? This issue is the first of four that explore basic theological questions from a Reformed perspective. We begin with this question of God’s identity and character. Next we will ask: Who are we, honestly? Followed by: What does God have to do with us? And finally: What do we have to do with each other? Each issue will include a section with discussion questions in the hope that you will continue these conversations in your congregation. We welcome hearing how you wrestle with these important tenets of our faith. Click here to read the issue in the Uberflip reader. God is a (somewhat) knowable mystery The mystery, as it turns out, is not that “who God is, really” lies beyond our comprehension; the mystery is that we can know the God who is always greater than our best understandings. God is triune Three in one, One in three. The church has maintained since the third century that that Trinity is who God is, really. God is the Incarnate God, in Christ, not … [Read more...]
Call It Grace: Finding Meaning in a Fractured World
Serene Jones Viking, 336 pages Reviewed by Matt Bussell Throughout her books, articles and essays, Serene Jones makes the point that life and theology are impossible to separate. In much of her work, Jones uses life experiences to illuminate her understanding of doctrine. However, in “Call It Grace,” Jones changes the focus to telling her story and that of her family. As a masterful storyteller, Jones draws the reader into the story, inviting us to share in her joys and sorrows, fears and reliefs. As she powerfully shares her stories, she unpacks the roles they have played in the formation of her theology. Her grandfather was a judge who experienced God as a judge who dispassionately dispenses punishment for sin. Her grandmother experienced the grace of God in the touch of a cool water jug in the hot Oklahoma summer. Jones’ struggle with forgiveness comes to light amid her messy divorce and her hatred of Timothy McVeigh before his execution. Her views of sin, grace and forgiveness … [Read more...]
Every body can sing
First things first: You can sing. You are sound. You are song. You are meant to sing with others. Others are hungry to sing with you. You are naturally musical. Your ears are perfect. You are a feeling-based instrument. Your body is an instrument. You are meant to feel good. You are built to feel. Your voice is beautiful. You sound great. Your heart beats. You have rhythm. You are rhythm. You are sound. You can sing. You are song. You are these things. If you’re in acceptance of your naturally musical, beautiful self, you may beam a little brighter reading these words. If you’re experiencing some disconnect in relating to your body as an instrument, you may feel your brow furrow and lips tense. Maybe you’ve nurtured your naturally musical self. Or maybe you could use a little nurturing. Most of us fall somewhere in between, and many of us are desperately hungry for musical nourishment from the inside out. In my work as a leader of a voice teaching community, … [Read more...]
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