Prayer for Iran

The CRC office of social justice has put a prayer out for the people and country of Iran. I encourage all to read this article and to keep the people and country of Iran in our prayers as they forge ahead as a nation. Below is a link to the prayer and more information.

http://www.crcna.org/news.cfm?newsid=1406

grace and peace

pulpit

It stands solitary, front and center. To a new preacher it can be the single most intimidating construct they have ever seen. And, to veteran preachers it can be like an old friend. The same is true for the people on the other side of the stationary object to which their eyes are drawn every Lord's day. For those who are new to their expression of God and their search for faith it can seem foreign and scary. For those who have grown up in the same church or in church universal, it can seem like a family member who you love but also one whom you can take for granted.

The pulpit is one of the most fascinating things in church construction. It has intrinsic value that is tied to both the symbolism and to the actual practice of preaching. This, like most things in church construction, can look differently depending on the architecture of the church building. The pulpit can be a large wooden construct that rests central to all church furniture. It can be built right into the raised alter. In other churches this can be a lectern, music stand, or anything that holds notes, bible or glass of water. In all cases the pulpit represents something bigger than just itself. It's a pointer to something larger than itself. The pulpit points to the gathering of God's people to hear the word that has been prepared for that day, or the word that is spontaneously lead in people to be spoken. And, even if a particular preacher doesn't ever use the pulpit for preaching (I include myself here), the symbolism is the same. Preachers or teachers that don't have a pulpit are taught to preacher from an anchor position--a place where people can locate the speaker. A security blanket for speaker and for hearer.

The point of pulpit, or to be specific, the location of pulpit doesn't mean that the word of the Lord may only be spoken from a particular place in a particular building but, it is a place where people may gather to listen--to hear. It is a place where we can come in from the brokenness and the hurt of life and hear that God is still good. It is a place where we may gather and be encouraged and encourage one another. And, no matter how much fear or misunderstanding surrounds the pulpit, I can't help but appreciate larger truths to which it points us.

Grace and Peace

CRC Synod Passes Belhar Resolution

Last night the Christian Reformed Church passed the Belhar onto the Synod in 2012 to be voted on as our fourth reformed confession. They followed closely the Reformed Church in America who approved the Confession a few weeks ago. Check the link out below from the CRC website for more information.

http://www.crcna.org/news.cfm?newsid=1391

Grace and Peace

Font

To many people baptism is a mysterious thing. To even more people the font that holds the water is even more mysterious and an often troubling thing. Every church building runs into this in their own way based on their architecture. Some churches have the font at the doorway which is great because it serves as a reminder of baptism right when you walk in the doorway. You instantly remember who you are. Yet, it can also be like walking into a club with a secret handshake and, if you walk by the font and don't do the right move people know instantly that you are not in the club. Other churches deal with the font by hiding it. They place the font, or pool in this case, behind a window or under the floor. This is great because when it is time for a baptism, everyone is well aware that something is different about this service and buzz goes through the air. People are excited about this service. Yet, it can feel like these churches are ashamed of their baptism. They only break out the font when someone chooses to do something for their part, and then they put it away until someone else decides that it's time for them to do something for their part. And then there are those churches that place the font by the table. They have the font setup near the front of the sanctuary but it is usually small and portable and can be moved around. This is great because the proximity to the table reminds everyone how truly connected the sacraments are and how God speaks to us through baptism and also when we gather at the table. Yet, it can also seem like this font is decoration and when someone is born we take the cover off and pour or sprinkle some water on the child and then put the cover back on. It's like these churches are saying this week we remember we have grace and a promise in Jesus but next week, we are going to cover the font so we don't...



If you have ever been to Rolling Acres CRC you would know that the font sits right by the table. It rests, embedded in the woodwork as you ascend the steps to the table. This is a wonderful picture of the connection between font and table described above but do we ever find ourselves falling into the pitfalls of church architecture? Or, no matter how hard we try, do all churches find themselves struggling with the idea of baptism and the mysterious vessel that is the font? How does the Church come to grips with a part of our worship that is so simple in design yet, so complicated in meaning?

Maybe the hope here is that baptism does have a meaning outside of what we do with it. Maybe the hope is, no matter where we hide the font or no matter how it fits into our church structure, God is speaking through time and space when we gather around the font. God is reaching through the junk in our lives to call us home--to mark us as belonging to God. Maybe how we solve the problem of architecture is simply by remembering who is moving and active in baptism. Maybe if we do that, the excitement of baptism will never go away; even when we are not in close proximity to the font.

Grace and Peace

Bread

Earlier, I spent some time reflecting on the cup and the significance of that seemingly insignificant vessel. Now, I feel it is important to take the next logical step and speak about Bread.



It is simple enough. This combination of flour, water and dashes and pinches of other make up a large part of our diet. We marvel at the flavor and the necessity of it all and, we realize that there is power in bread. We toast it, we butter it, we peanut butter and jelly it, and we consume it bite after bite and, when we don't have it we notice that hunger too. Bread always seems to be on the grocery list as well. It is one of those elemental ingredients...milk, eggs, bread. Yet, when we take a walk down the isle in our stores we see that bread is not exactly bread. 12 grain, Cinnamon raisin, white, rye, pumpernickel. Hot dog buns, Hamburger buns, flat bread, dinner rolls. Bread fills in the gaps. A meal may not feel like a meal unless bread is on the table. Consider the phrase which goes back to our holy scripture, "breaking bread together." There is something elemental to who we are not just to the make-up of our menus. For, when we gather together walls are broken down by bread. Enemies are made into friends with bread. Rich and poor are equalized with bread. When bread is broken between people all that has been wronged has the possibility of being made right. When bread is shared freely, it suddenly doesn't matter whose bread it was in the first place. And, if we as followers of the risen Jesus gave bread to those who need it, there would be untold richness in experience that would follow. Bread is meant to be shared. Bread is meant to be broken. Bread is meant to be taken in with those we love and those we don't. Maybe that is why Jesus spoke about himself as bread. He gave himself up to live into God's plan of redemption for this world. He gave himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross so that we might share the wonderful effects of that sacrifice with the rest of the world. Maybe we as the church could learn to be bread and take bread and give bread and eat bread and share bread and bake bread and break bread. Maybe the next time we celebrate the Eucharist we could experience the realness of the risen Jesus in bread so that we may be bread.



Grace and Peace

Cups

After I run there is nothing better than a cold glass of water. There is no greater refreshment than the simple elements of cup and water. I recently went out for a run on a rather warm day and returned to my office, cup in hand. As I moved through the doorway I took notice of the sun reflecting off the chalice I have sitting on the coffee table. I use this chalice and plate on the Sundays when we as a church celebrate the Eucharist. Next to that chalice sits a set of beautiful silver glasses that are designed for travel and serving communion in the hospital. On top of those are old, thimble size glass communion cups. Both those and the silver cups were given to me by my wife's grandmother, to whom I am deeply indebted.



I paused as the accidental still-life scene painted itself in my view. The cup of water that was currently refreshing my body suddenly took on a life much greater, and deeper than before I traversed into my office. The idea of cup, a simple device that has been around for untold millenia, stuck me as so profound. Something so simple that takes on so many forms and shapes and colors, often holds the very necessities of life. For the life of those whom profess Jesus this takes on an additional dimension. For, when we celebrate the Eucharist, we are given the cup in which holds the blood of Christ Jesus. The cup, whether it is passed down the pew, held by a priest or pastor, or placed into your hands only so you can be quenched and pass it on to another, holds something which refreshes us. Along with the bread, the cup moves us into a greater reality, a deeper union with our God. A union which empowers us to be the real presence of Christ in the world. A vessel as simple as a cup.