Shepherd's Pie

3-31-2014

I have been silent for a while, sorry about that.  So here's a long post to make up for lost time.

I preached on Psalm 23 at Millbrook yesterday, and took a slightly different approach.  Several people have asked me to post the sermon, so here ya go.  Back to short and simple next week!

Shepherd’s Pie

A Sermon for Millbrook Baptist Church

3-30-2014

Psalm 23

Shepherd’s Pie is a mystery.  I have no clue what’s in it – Supposedly, there is always meat of some kind; it could be ground beef, or leftover pot roast, or lamb (that’s where we get the shepherd’s name), and I am pretty sure mash potatoes are used as the main filling – After that, it’s anyone’s guess.  Perhaps there are some peas, and some carrots, and then you just fill in the dots with whatever’s left in your kitchen – put it all in the pot before it spoils: celery, beets, the onion on top of your refrigerator that is growing brothers and sisters,  spare automobile parts, Skittles, even the kitchen sink if it’s not attached.  Stir it all together with a secret concoction of spices;  add butter, lots of butter (at least I am pretty sure that’s what Paula Deen would tell us to do); Cover with a mound of cheddar cheese, and bake in the oven on 400 degrees, and let the Holy Spirit get to work.  No need to set a timer, you’ll know when it’s ready. Shepherd’s Pie is a mystery.  

Shepherd’s Pie is also a certainty. Here’s what I know about Shepherd’s Pie.  The finished product is pretty good.  A pan-full provides infinite scoops – you could feed a family, an army, an entire village.  Everyone has plenty to eat, their bellies swell with delight, and there are always leftovers.  Shepherd’s Pie is community in a crust.  Shepherd’s pie is a certainty.

Shepherd’s Pie, this mysterious certainty, has its origins in Scotland and Ireland in the late eighteenth century.  Creative, but frugal-minded housewives were searching for ways to stretch their household resources: last night’s meat; a never-ending supply of potatoes; and a need to prevent food from being wasted – Presto, a tradition is born.  

Spoiler alert – Shepherd’s Pie is going to be used as a metaphor this morning, and I see that some of you are giving me a look that says, “Preacher, this is North Carolina, and we don’t eat a lot of Shepherd’s Pie around here.”  I was prepared for that.  So I want to remind you that Shepherd’s Pie helped spawn some our other favorite foods: Some of you may eat Brunswick Stew – the Okra and Green beans can do wonders for squirrel and possum meat; Others of you like chili – isn’t it amazing how beans and tomatoes can enhance whatever meat those cowboys muster up on the range?  Some of you enjoy banana bread – the savior of soft brown bananas; and all of us know that Ketchup can transform even the mildest meatloaf.  So friends, if Shepherd’s Pie does not do the trick for you this morning, please feel free to substitute the culinary creation that best resonates with your taste buds. 

This morning, the Lord is in Millbrook’s kitchen, and Chef YHWH is making Shepherd’s Pie.  We shall not want.  No friends, we have all we need.

The Jewish Study Bible translates the first part of our beloved Psalm:

The Lord is my Shepherd.  I lack nothing.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me to water in places of repose.

He renews my life; He guides me in right paths as befits His name.

Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for you are with me;

Your rod and Your staff – they comfort me.

Chef YHWH has come into our house.  Our cooks and helpers are surprised.  They scurry around.  “We did not know that you were coming,” they say, half frantic, half relieved.  God says, “Do not worry.  You lack nothing – We have everything we need to make our meal – Our cupboard is not bare.  Methinks we shall have Shepherd’s Pie.”

And all at once, YHWH gets to work.  A widow stands in the kitchen. “Would you like to help?” YHWH asks.  “I am not whole” she responds.  “A part of me is missing, my grief, some days it makes me only feel a quarter or a half.” YHWH smiles.  “Madam, you are more than enough when you live in my presence.” “Okay,” she says, and she dons an apron and begins to chop some carrots. 

YHWH invites a few more souls to join in preparation – All of them feel broken in some way – A retiree, a veteran, a divorcee, a man with a checkered past, a woman who is shy, a teenager who feels invisible – “No, no, no,” YHWH says, “In this kitchen, each of you are children of God. And you are my cooks! ” 

Pretty soon this broken chorus begins to sound more whole – the kitchen hums with the chop, chop, chopping of knives hitting cutting boards, and the plop, plop, plopping of vegetables falling into bowls.  And there is laughter in this place.   Our kitchen is a symphony.

The prep-work is complete.  A lush pile of vegetables, the full harvest of our green pastures, is poured into the crisp, clean, still waters of the pot.

“Set the caldron to a boil!” YHWH says.

In a few moments, the still waters become violent – the temperature is a little too high, and the soup begins to boil over – each splash hisses on the stove.  A helper yells, “YHWH, YHWH, what have I done!  I am scared, I need your help.  I fear I’ve ruined our meal for sure!!!”

“No worries, friend!” says, YHWH, calming the pot, stirring the soupy mix with ease – its violent waters recede – they still simmer, but only slightly, like a tranquil lake rippled by a skipping stone. The soup chef smiles – “I like cooking with YHWH!!!”

The Vegetables are softened, the potatoes have become a creamy filling.  “To the oven!  Let’s bake this pie!” YHWH says.  With care, the assembled cooks fill their mold, and place it in the sweltering heat of the oven.  What will this mess of miscellaneous become?

A few minutes pass.  The baker is a little bit on edge.  She peers into the oven – “YHWH, YHWH come quickly,” she says, “I am afraid. I see a dark valley – our little river of cheese is burning up!  What shall we do?”

 “Fear not!” says YHWH, “I don’t know about you, but I like it when the cheesy top becomes chewy and gooey and even a little crunchy.  Yes, a spot or two is burnt and blackened, but that just gives it character!!! The scars on our crust are just part of our story!  Come away from that window, and join me for a moment.”

YHWH’s college of helpers sits around the table.  “You know what I like best about Shepherd’s Pie, YHWH says. “Each time you make it, it’s a journey.  We never know how it will turn out.  We take our best parts, our spare parts, even parts we don’t imagine have any value, and we blend them together.  All the while, it is incumbent upon the pie’s chef to react and respond to the ingredients – to let them thrive when they are thriving, or to offer a gentle nudge when they need help – a dash of this, a drop of that, a stir here and there.  But never does the chef abandon his or her post – instead they live with their creation.”

“Ding.”

YHWH is interrupted by the oven’s timer.  “Our creation is ready,” YHWH says.  YHWH pulls the massive pan out from the oven’s door and sets it on the counter for the college of cooks to observe.  “You see that crust? That’s part of the secret!  It wraps this miscellaneous mess in its arms, molding it, seasoning it, locking in its flavor and goodness.”

Like any good cook, YHWH, grabs a spoon to sample the first fruits of this creation.  YHWH, blows a cooling breath upon the spoon, and gobbles down its contents. “MMM-MMMM-UHHHH,” YHWH says. “Delicious!!! Perfection!!!  You never know what each batch will taste like, it’s always good, but I think this is the best batch I’ve ever made!  That’s another thing I like about making Shepherd’s Pie – it is the satisfaction and the delight and the surprise found at the end of the journey!”

“But good friends, I have not told you my favorite part of Shepherd’s Pie!  Each pie is served at Banquet!!! And you are invited!!!”

I spread a table before you in full view of your enemies

I anoint your head with oil

Your cup runneth over (and so will your bowl-full of Shepherd’s Pie)

Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue you all the days of your life

And you will dwell in my house, for many years long

YHWH gazes upon this college of helpers.  “My friends, today, you have helped me make Shepherd’s Pie.  And tonight, we will share it together in banquet.  And what a party it will be!!!”

“But,” YHWH says, “I have not cooked Shepherd’s Pie to simply feed you.  I have cooked Shepherd’s Pie to help show each one of you that you are my special creation.

Sometimes your life will simmer and boil over; sometimes your crust will be golden brown; sometimes you’ll bubble with love and goodness; sometimes you’ll smoke with anger; sometimes you’ll shake with fear.  But I will be there to guide you, to mold you, to help shape you, to pick you up, to set you down, to give you space, to hold you tight. 

And I will revel in you – I will take delight in the new possibilities you bring to creation.  And I will share you with others at the banquet – For the banquet is simply the Smorgasbord of my beloved.

Millbrook Baptist Church – Each one of you is a Shepherd’s Pie in-the-making.  God is at work in you.  Your possibilities, your potential, your full story are all still a divine mystery.

But this much is certain – However your batch turns out, God will take delight and revel in you.  And God will bring you to a banquet, adding you to that growing table of dishes too good to pass up at the Potluck. 

God’s banquet table is plenty long.  And the plates God gives us have plenty of room to serve up ample portions of one other. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll jump in line.  I sure hope you’ll join me.  Amen. 

Taking a Break From the Olympics

2-7-2014

You'll have to excuse me.  I've already climbed up on my soapbox, and well, since I'm here...

Is there any chance I can hit fast forward on my DVR and just cruise right on past the Winter Olympics, and well, all the ones hereafter, regardless of country or season?  I've had my fill.  And it's not just because it means my favorite February TV shows will be postponed for several weeks. (Though admittedly, that plays a big role!)

Anyway, I don't think I have any desire to tune in this year.

I'm just over all of the excess.  Sochi, like so many cities before it, will be transformed into an Olympic Marvel (though from the headlines it may not happen by the opening ceremony).  Glitzy new stadiums and hotels and other infrastructure will replace washed out and neglected patches of the city.  Billions upon billions of dollars will be spent on logistics -- How do we transport thousands of athletes, supplies, fans, etc into one compact place for two weeks?  And then, how do we send them home, and clean up once the party is over?  The planning effort is so massive, it takes years, and it requires the brightest minds there are to offer.  In fact, one of the qualifications for Mitt Romney's presidential run was that he'd helped to oversee the Salt Lake City Olympics.  The Olympics are a really, really big deal. And they are really, really complex. And they requires massive amounts of collaboration and innovation.

So here's my rub.  If the world can invest so much time and interest and talent into a two-week sporting/diplomatic/political extravaganza, why can't we invest it into other things too? Can you imagine if we had an Olympic-style approach to curing cancer or AIDS, or to creating sustainable transportation, healthcare and food distribution in under-developed countries? Global cooperation that didn't require an athletic component or a Coca-Cola commercial... Wow, now that would be worth tuning in for.

Here's an example. It is estimated that the total cost for the last four Olympic Games (including Sochi) was/will be in excess of $100 billion. (Thanks Wikipedia!)  The Borgen Project claims that it would cost less than one third of this total ($30 billion) to end global hunger.  I love the Olympics and all, but I'd trade four Olympic Games at 66% of the bells and whistles for a billion full stomachs any day.  

In a few weeks, all of the goodwill created from the winter games will be old news.  Isn't it time we channel that goodwill into projects with lasting implications?  Think about that when you read the USA's medal count each morning.  Is that total more intriguing than sustained-global-cooperation and the creation of a better world?

Okay, I'm jumping back down from my soapbox. Unfortunately, it won't be an Olympic sport for a few more years. Plenty of time to practice I suppose.

Disclaimer: To be fair to the Olympics, there are plenty of other events that are wasteful: Super Bowls, Political Conventions, World Cup Tournaments, Royal Coronations, and on and on. Not to mention the fact that the United States allocates $600-700 billion a year to defense spending -- I'm sure there's 30 billion in there that could be shaved off for hunger or AIDS research and called "Indirect Defense."  But, and this is a big but, the Super Bowl, World Cup, nor any of the other events mentioned are happening this week. Honestly, if I would have written this last post week, perhaps the NFL would have caught my ire.  Sorry Olympics, just bad timing. 

Does Our Empathy Extend Beyond a Winter Storm and Facebook?

1-30-2014 

My facebook newsfeed has been abuzz for two days about Atlanta's snowpocalypse.  It seems that Good Samaritans have popped up all throughout the I-75, I-85 and I-20 corridors.  Thousands were stuck in a snowy, icy gridlock.  Good neighbors opened their homes to stranded travelers and gave rides to complete strangers.  Prayers reverberated throughout the Southeast.  Even Chipper Jones got in on the action -- he rescued his pal Freddie Freeman via snow mobile. Way to go 1-0!!!  

It's good to know Southern hospitality still exists.  Let's hope it lasts.  The good deeds of so many people in the last two days should be commended.  Thousands of people, through no fault of their own, were left vulnerable, helpless, and scared.  And with great empathy, Atlantans responded with acts of kindness.  

Will this be a stopping point or a jumping-off-point?  It seems that no thought was given to zip code or race or creed or sexuality or any other distinguishing factor when people offered safety to their neighbors.  Snow and ice were social equalizers.  Will Atlantans (and the rest of us too) show the same kindness and empathy for future storms?  Long after the ice of this storm has melted, thousands of people will still be trapped daily in storms of hunger, homelessness, illness, depression, addiction, and chronic poverty.  And for the great majority of these victims, the storm will sneak up on them, leaving them vulnerable, unprepared, helpless and afraid. 

In the days ahead, we can choose to live with an ongoing sense of empathy, the kind that calls us to be full-time Good Samaritans.  Martin Luther King reminds us of a key truth of the famous parable.  The Good Samaritan responded to needs of his neighbor by asking a question: "What will happen to my neighbor if I don't help him?" 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, thousands of good people asked the same question.  May their example inspire us to ask the same question today, and the next day, and the next.  

Accessible Prayer

1-29-2014

Uncomfortable.  Awkward.  Daunting. Creepy.  Serious.  Disjointed.  Regulated.  Intimidating.

All of these words describe feelings people associate with prayer.  Too often, prayer is a barrier to communion with the divine.

Let's begin with a different starting point.  Prayer should be an avenue, not a barrier to God. What if we thought of prayer as a simple conversation between us and God?  Now to be fair, we've all had conversations that were uncomfortable, awkward, daunting, creepy, serious, disjointed, regulated, or intimidating.  We may even have several of those today!!!  But we've also had conversations that were comfortable, meaningful, encouraging, easy, fun, joyous, free-flowing, and casual.

What would happen if we engaged God in conversation in the same manner as we engage colleagues at the office water cooler, neighbors in our driveway, friends at a party, or relatives on a long-distance call? Would an impromptu conversation create a deeper relationship with God? Would a five-minute chat give us that boost to get through a tough day?  Would God just simply hear something we needed to be heard?  Would we learn something new about ourselves?  Would God too?

This is not a blog post meant to discourage any of you who pray with hands clenched and eyes shut tight.  If that works for you, wonderful, keep doing it.  This is a blog post meant to remind everyone that God longs to hear from us, regardless of format. So go and find your format!


Two Quick Prayer Tools: 

For when you don't know what to say:
1) Tell God something you are thankful for
2) Tell God something that makes you feel anxious
3) Simply ask for help

Focused Prayer: 
Post-It Notes are great.  Write down one thing (something you are thankful for;  something you are anxious about; a friend in need;  or a community issue like homelessness or hunger) and place that note somewhere you'll see it each day (dashboard, alarm clock, medicine cabinet, etc).  Each time you see the note, verbalize your request to God, or just keep it in your thoughts.

Prayer for the Week of 1/19

As promised, here is a copy of the prayer I read from this Sunday's service at Millbrook. 

Morning Prayer

1-19-2014

The Psalmist proclaims, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon the rock, making my steps secure.  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” (Psalm 40:1-3, NRSV) 

Friends, let us also sing a song of praise to God.  Would you pray with me please?

God of goodness,

We know that you hear us, even on a cold, January morning.  And we know that wherever we go, we cannot escape your presence and your mercy and your love.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

And this morning, God, we place our trust in you, because now, more than ever, we need your help – we need secure footing.  For some reason, God, it all seems harder this month; 28 days would seem so much easier than 31. Gone are the pomp and circumstance of Christmas, and the warm breezes of summer.  Some of us feel a sense of melancholy – tasks to do, and homework again, and bills to pay, no sunshine on the drive home from work, no favorite team to watch this afternoon, and in a few weeks, no team to watch at all.   Some of us are lonely – the company of the holidays spoiled us.  There’s grief too – memories of loved ones who made past Januaries sparkle despite the winter darkness.  And a little despair among some of us – the N&O’s headlines remind us of so much brokenness in our community: homelessness, hunger, a drought of integrity, and so on and so on.  It is the winter of our discontent, and God, we ask this morning for the constant reminder that Spring awaits.

Fill us with that Easter hope, and with the steadfast resolve to bring about your kingdom, right here, right now.  Help us to sing a new song, your song, the song that says, “God’s light shines, even in darkness of winter.  It shines among God’s beloved.  It shines into this community!!!” And may we sing that song in the light of the one who loved so well, Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray, “Our Father…”

Words of Assurance:

Martin Luther King once wrote: “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

Hear this. God loves you this day and every day.  And from that starting point, the truth and love of God that King mentions, these things, are an ever-present reality! Thanks be to God!!!  

A Few of My Favorite Prayers from 2013

Here are a few of my favorite prayers from 2013.  At some point, I hope to put together a more formal collection.  I hope you enjoy them. 

World Communion Sunday
On World Communion Sunday, we arranged a variety of breads on our communion table. Andrea and I stood at opposite podiums and alternated breads.  We encouraged everyone to pray with their eyes open and focused on the table.  We thought it was pretty cool! 

Morning Prayer

10-6-2013

This morning, we want to encourage you to pray with your eyes open.  Concentrate on the table in front of you.  Take a peek at all these bread products.

God, this morning we offer thanks for the many cultures that dot our planet, and for the joy we find in fellowship with one another. Around the world, people celebrate the risen Christ in the simple act of baking and breaking bread.  We join with them today.

We give thanks for Naan, a thick flatbread found in South Asian cuisines and prepared in a tandoor.  As we think about this bread, we remember with gratitude, those families from India whose children add life and vitality to our preschool.  We also think of neighbors in Afghanistan – may they one day find a bread that offers enduring peace.

We give thanks for Pita, a slightly leavened wheat bread found in Mediterranean, Balkan and Middle Eastern Cuisines.  With this pita, we remember the origin of our faith – the Galilee, where Christ walked and dined and ministered.  And we remember the unrest in Syria – may all of its citizens be invited to a banquet of cooperation and hope, where bread fills hungry stomachs, and brings about dialogue and lasting solutions.

We give thanks for Baguettes, or French bread, that are made from lean dough, and are generally long and crispy.  May we always remember that even the most common meal, a grill cheese or a PBJ, is a gift of sustenance and life

.

People have been eating bananas a long time – Records indicate that Alexander the Great enjoyed them in India in the 4^th Century BCE.  In the twentieth century, bananas became more common with easier means of transportation and refrigeration.  And then came banana bread, popularized in the Great Depression as a way to get the most out of our food.  Empower us to use our food resources with wisdom and generosity.

Native Americans have been using corn maize to create bread products for thousands of years.  Europeans learned how to make recipes from Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and other peoples across North and South America.  May this cornbread remind us of the inherent value of every culture, and of the deep goodness of your creation.  And may it remind us to treat others with respect and dignity.

Empower us God, to visualize communion as a global activity, and to make known with gusto our prayers for this world.  We pray, along with brothers and sisters around the globe, the prayer of Jesus the Christ, "Our Father..."

Words of Assurance:

No matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what you are, no matter when you are, no matter what kind of bread you fancy: God loves you.  This day and every day.  Thanks be to God!!! 

Morning Prayer

7-28-2013

Gracious and loving God,

We come to you this morning with grateful hearts – And we say, “Thank you!!!”  And God, that thank you has at least three or four exclamation points attached to it.  And this morning God, we intend to add a little extra umph to our Amens, a little more energy to our songs, another inch to our wide grins…For it is in you God, that we find our joy, our life, our ever-present sense of thanksgiving.  Like the Psalmist, God, we long to hear your voice because we know that yours is a voice of peace and righteousness.

But God we are anxious – we’re anxious because despite our wide grins, there are still far too many within this community bearing the frowns of discontent.  Overdue bills, bodies weakened from illness, and hearts broken by loss prevent neighbors from feeling whole.  Still others struggle with the anxieties brought on by depression, divorce, stress, alienation, homelessness, abuse, unemployment and addiction.  And still others struggle to cope with issues that seem too hard to reveal. With the same confidence as the Psalmist, we ask that you would make the peace of your presence known to all those who need it most – May you give what is good, and may they live in land that yields its increase.  Use us as your instruments, so that all of our neighbors might better know your love and your peace.  And empower us, God, to live with the same sense of compassion modeled for us by Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray, “Our Father…”

Words of Assurance

This summer, the Fruits of the Spirit Bible Study has been working to think of God in as many ways as possible.  Nothing is out of bounds. And so this week I asked the class, “What flavor of ice cream do you think is God’s favorite?” 

To my surprise, they all said peach!!! And that’s hard to argue! 

But as we thought about that question a little more, we decided that God probably has a diverse palate – a palate that not only likes, but delights in every flavor of ice cream.

I think God feels the same about each and every one of us.  No matter our packaging, no matter traditional or original, even if we’re sooooo cold sometimes we give God a brain freeze, God loves us, and better still, God delights in us.  This day and every day!!!  Thanks be to God!!! 

Men's Meals
We've got a men's group at "Meal"brook that meets for meals a few times a month.  Here's an honorary blessing I wrote for them: 

A Carolina Blessing

Whether standing in the Mountains of the Blue Ridge or on the coastal plains,

May the road rise up to meet you,

May your barbecue always be a noun,

May your beverage always be cold, and have plenty of froth (if you so choose),

As you sit back to enjoy your deep-fried variety, be it chicken from a farm, or fish from the sea,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

And in between all of your debates about vinegar and geography and Big-Four-Greatness

May you be filled with the joy and laughter that friendship brings

When conversations turn to brotherhood and fatherhood and all things in between

For in such fellowship we are reminded that we are held in the palm of God’s hand 

And we say, “Thank you, God!” with fervent hopes that we may gather soon and say the same again.

Amen. 

Morning Prayer

11-24-2013

Good Morning, Gracious God, and Thank You – You have given us another day to celebrate your goodness and your mercy and all the splendor of your creation – This morning, as we sit at your table, your presence and warmth and love spill out onto our plates, as if poured from a gravy-boat – We are full, and we are happy, and we say, Thank you.

 

But as we approach this Advent season, God, we ask for strength and for courage – For it is easy to offer you Thanksgiving on a national holiday, or throughout the Christmas season – there are bells, and whistles, direct mail pieces, Christmas parties, visual stimulants – all sorts of catalysts and enzymes to spur our generosity and our joy…But in a few months, the music will be less frequent, the bright lights will be replaced with bare branches and cold winds, the new toys will have lost their luster -- Many of us will call it the winter of our discontent – No need to give thanks, or join in community, or to live in love – we only do that twice a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas – well maybe three if Mom cooks a ham on Easter.   Empower us God, to be intentional in our Thanksgiving all year long – Remind us God, that simple acts of empathy and compassion are the true markers of gratitude for your grace – So God, we ask you to help us dream of turkey dinners in July, Easter hope in February, clothing drives in May, and harvest jubilees in March – And may our dreaming become more than words, but rather actions – actions that bring love and hope and peace and joy to all in our community, and remind them that they are your beloved, as Christ Jesus reminded us when he lived and dwelled among us, and taught us to pray, “Our Father…”

Words of Assurance:

In this morning’s Covenant Class we talked about pet peeves – texty drivers, casual-users of turn-signals, and folks who lack simple cell-phone courtesies.  And we also talked about forgiveness – the deep, enduring forgiveness we find each and every day in God’s lasting grace.  So take heart friends, even if you are too busy texting to notice, or occupied waiting for the next important call from a friend, God loves you this day and every day.  God may even you send you this short text:  You are loved.  You are forgiven. Be at peace.  Thanks be to God!!! 

Morning Prayer

12-1-2013

God in whom we hope,

Good morning and thank you for another wonderful day – for the breath in our lungs, for music that fills us with your spirit, for greenery and lights that brighten our sanctuary, for the-needed pause of Thanksgiving weekend, for the fullness in our lives – fullness in every sense, and most especially, God, for elastic waistbands; for all of these things we say, “Thank you.” You, God, are good to us. 

And this morning God, we ask you to challenge us.  Too often, our hope is mixed with apathy – Our assurance in things to come, causes us to ignore the present world, and the great need that fills it.  Give us an urgent hope – A hope that a better world can begin in this very moment.  Make us confident in our gifts, empowered with the knowledge that you have given us brains to think, hands to work, and legs to run to those in need. Give us the strength to use our gifts with confidence. Remind us of Walter Rauschenbusch’s poignant words, “Your kingdom is always, but coming.”  As we steer toward the days when the prophet Isaiah’s vision of Jerusalem comes true: that day when Jerusalem shall be raised above the highest hills and all the people shall stream to it; that day when all of us will walk in the light of Lord; as we steer toward that vision, God, make us resilient.  Make us agents of justice and reconciliation – Remind us God, that hope is not just in what we think, not just in what we believe – hope is in how we act, how we love, and how we live out your calling for us.  Remind us God, that hope is following the example of the one who hoped so well, Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray a realization of your hope in the here and the now,  “Our Father…”

Words of Assurance:

We are entering a season of wonder – a season where everything sparkles and glitters – there are little patches of Christmas magic everywhere you look.  But there’s one sense of wonder that outshines even Clark Grizwald’s holiday display – God loves you in every season  -- And God will offer you the bright light of grace, long after this season is over, even long after Belk’s tells you it’s time to start celebrating Valentine’s Day.  God loves you this day and every day.  Thanks be to God!!! 

Morning Prayer 

12-8-2013

Before we pray, I want to acknowledge two items that were not printed on your prayer list.  This week marked the 72^nd anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and also the death of Nelson Mandela.  As you pray this week, I encourage you to thank God for people who have worked ardently for peace in this word, all in their own unique ways, and to ask God to help you do the same.

God in whom we find a sense a peace,

Thank you, for all that you provide – Even on a cold and rainy day, we have reason to sing your praises – you are our light, our warmth, our very source.  Your comfort wraps us like a fleece blanket, and cushions our steps like bedroom slippers – you, God, are our sustenance.

But this morning, God, too many neighbors are restless and anxious.  A second candle reminds us of the coming peace of the Christ-child, and yet we are uneasy.  Our globe is tormented by violence: civil unrest rages in the Central African Republic; domestic abuse creeps up in every corner of every community – women are beaten and abused, and then, even worse, told to be silent, or to cope, or to toughen up; Football scores become reasons to kill; And assault weapons keep showing up in the backpacks of middle-schoolers.

For those who elude such violence, unrest appears in other ways: grief grips families coping with loss; depression becomes quicksand; older adults become anxious over which medications to take or how they’ll cope with easy activities becoming difficult; students agonize over the perfect word to include in their final paper or which lecture to study for tomorrow’s exam; still others struggle with long waits: medical results; a callback from a job interview; or just a call from a friend or loved one to tell them that they matter. 

Our prayer this morning God, is for peace, lasting peace.  Not just a peace that stops conflict, but one that stops angst, and worry, and hopelessness and loneliness.  We pray for the peace that we know can only be found in your presence.  And we pray, God that you would make us instruments of your peace in this community and throughout the world.  We pray this in the name of Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray: “Our Father…”

Words of Assurance:

It’s the holiday season – and we are stressed out!!!  Parking lots are a little more aggravating than usual; our calendars and honey-do-lists are filling up fast; and tiny little light bulbs keep giving us trouble, and the trouble is we don’t know which one is broken…why won’t they stay lit?!?  Argh!!! 

Relax.  Take a deep breath.  Roll back those shoulders.  And drink in these peaceful words:  God made you.  And God loves you.  Always, Always, Always!!!  Thanks be to God!!!

The Beginning

It's the beginning...again.  After a hiatus from blogging, and several gmail account changes that erased past blogs forever, I decided to do some writing again.  And why not?  2014 is a big year -- I am happily preparing for a wedding in August, and I am solidly into year number two as associate pastor at Millbrook Baptist Church. Life is good, and so too is my hope for the year ahead. Fingers to keyboard, and off we go.

So what will this blog be about? All sorts of things.

Each week, I am privileged to be able to offer the morning prayer in Millbrook's Sunday worship service. Several of my friends have asked me to post these prayers, so I'll include a few of my favorites in this blog. I've also been busy with a weekly Bible study and various Sunday School classes -- I'll write about issues that we've discussed in these groups. I'm still (even more so after 18 good months at Millbrook) a strong believer in the local church as a place of transformation, hope, and realized-potential. I want to write about ways we can make the church even more dynamic and even more responsive to the needs of people right here and right now.  And I still love good food and interesting places and sports teams that really make their fans endure the full range of human emotions (I'm talking about you Braves, Panthers, Bobcats, Deacs and Pack!).  Every once in a while I'll share a good recipe, or a new greasy spoon, or tell you how my favorite team can finally make it over the hump.  I hope you'll read, and respond, and help make this blog a community.