The Vine - News Blog

A Word from the Pastor: "The Kingdom of God Is Like…"

 
By Ben Disney
 
Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! --Dr. Seuss
 
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. --Antoine de Saint Exupery
 
The Kingdom of God is where our best dreams come from and our truest prayers. We glimpse it at those moments when we find ourselves being better than we are and wiser than we know. We catch sight of it when at some moment of crisis a strength seems to come to us that is greater than our own strength. The Kingdom of God is where we belong. It is home, and whether we realize it or not, I think we are all of us homesick for it. --Frederick Buechner
 
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like…” --Mark 4:26
 
Jesus didn’t draw pictures when describing something new; instead he reached deep into his toolbox and used the words. But the words he used painted a picture far beyond anything that could ever be produced on canvas. Whenever you hear Jesus saying “The kingdom of God is like…”, it would be wise to listen carefully. He’s giving you a rare glimpse into the world God envisions for all of us; the way it ought to be, or could be.
 

This Sunday we’ll embark on a journey to dig deeper into the stories Jesus tells to describe what the kingdom of God looks like. We call them parables.
 
One theologian refers to them as literary Trojan horses. Instead of a simple tale that even a child could understand, the parables of Jesus are more like a Trojan horse that finds its way inside of you innocently enough, but then explodes the way you normally think about life, faith, and God.
 
Come and join us this coming Sunday as we begin a new series “The Kingdom of God is Like…” -- Imagining What Could Be.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Hope, Believe, Love / June 28, 2013

 
By Ben Disney
 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
 
I had my annual physical this morning. Yes it’s the responsible thing to do. No, it’s not up there on my list of top ten things to do. You know what’s coming. Check cholesterol numbers, monitor blood sugar levels, order additional lab tests, and the always helpful suggestion from the doctor that this might be a good time to shed a few more pounds. If we really are fearfully and wonderfully made, we also have to admit there are days when we look in a mirror and sense more fear than wonder.
 
The wonder of it all is how incredibly well the body actually works on most days. On an average day we breathe 21,600 times, blink our eyes 16,800 times, while our hearts quietly go about beating 103,680 times in a 24-hour period - all of that happening with incredible efficiency - and we never once have to stop and tell our hearts to beat, our eyes to blink, or our lungs to breathe.
 

Pretty amazing when you think about it; it’s all embedded deeply in our DNA, and it’s such a natural part of who we are we rarely even think about it. We just take it for granted that every day, every night our bodies will simply do what they were designed to do.
 
So if God is the one who designed us, and if we really believe we’re fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image, why do we still think we have to wake up every day and decide if we’re going to hope, or believe, or love? If we don’t have to tell our eyes to blink, or our lungs to breathe, or our hearts to beat, what makes us think we have to instruct our minds to believe, or our souls to hope, or our hearts to love?
 
Maybe it’s already there inside of us and we just never realized it. The ability to hope, believe, and love coming from deep inside of us and as natural as the breaths we take every day.
 
Sometimes it takes a skilled physician to show you what’s really going on inside of you. A good doctor will point out all the bad stuff and tell you to watch it. God, on the other hand, will tell you about all the good inside of you and tell you to trust it.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Trust large enough

 
By Bryan Bellamy
 
A number of psychologists argue that trust is the first developmental task every person must achieve in infancy in order to develop a healthy sense of personhood and to develop healthy relationships. Every time an infant cries out and gets a response, each time the child is held in a loving embrace, each and every diaper that is changed builds trust. It’s a monumental task - overwhelming at times -and yet when you gaze into the eyes of this helpless being who is completely dependent on you, how can you not respond?
 
Each time I hold my son I’m made keenly aware of the responsibility I have toward him. Many have said that a child’s understanding of God is informed by his relationship with his parents. In just these first few weeks we are building a sense of trust that will influence his relationships with others and with God. As he looks at me with those grayish blue eyes I know he needs me and I cherish those moments because I know they won’t last.
 
Already he is struggling to lift his head, to roll over, to make his body submit to his will; but for the time being he is unable to do any of this. It obviously frustrates him. He seems to have inherited my need for independence, yet he lacks the strength to accomplish it. He needs me to support him, to move him, to carry him. He trusts me. He has to. But the day will come when he will be able to do things for himself. He’ll decide he doesn’t need me – has no use for me. Hopefully, our relationship will be strong enough – the trust established will be large enough – that he will come back and our relationship might continue to grow.
 
I wonder if this is how God feels about us.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: "The Best Day of My Life"

 
By Ben Disney
 
Earnestine Reeves died on May 23. She was an extraordinary woman, a loving mother, a devoted wife, a wonderful grandmother, a dear friend, and a faithful member of Arborlawn. If you want to know how Earnestine Reeves became all those things, here in part is the blueprint she used for her life. Every morning Earnestine rose to read this daily devotional along with passages from the Bible and other books. If you ever wanted to be someone like an Earnestine Reeves, here’s a good place to start:
 
Earnestine's Daily Devotional: "The Best Day of My Life” by Gregory M. Lousignont
 
Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!
 
Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.
 
I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.
 
Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.
 
Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.
 
Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me.
 
I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.
 
And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.
 
As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Carving out holy places

 
By Ben Disney
 
The dedication of the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel this Sunday represents another significant step forward for our congregation. It’s a remarkable gift to the congregation and community given by Jud Cramer and family.
 
As part of the dedication ceremony, the chapel will be consecrated and set apart for worship, service, and ministry. In short, we’re creating yet another holy space and creating a place where people experience God’s love and grace in critical moments of their lives. Imagine the couple who will stand before God and family at the altar of the chapel promising their love for one another in the covenant of marriage. Consider a family grieving the loss of their loved one, finding peace and comfort in the shelter of God’s love, in the midst of God’s house.
 
Among the weddings and events scheduled for the chapel, we’ve added two special services for the youth of Arborlawn. The Elizabeth Cramer Chapel will serve as the site for our Confirmation service and Senior Graduation recognition on Sunday evening, May 19 at 6:30 p.m.
 
So take it one step further. The work of the church is centered upon carving out and creating holy spaces and sacred places where God’s love abounds. Sometimes that means constructing a sanctuary or building a chapel; a physical space carved out for a holy purpose. But it also means carving out a sacred space in the lives of children, youth, and graduating seniors. One involves laying a concrete foundation. The other is about building a lifelong foundation.
 

We know something about constructing buildings around here, having gone through multiple phases and additions to the campus over the last few years. Lest we ever forget, the purpose of all that construction was to give us the tools to carve out holy places in the lives of those we serve. In those sacred spaces deep in the hearts and souls of people, we believe God is at work.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: WWJND?

 
By Ben Disney
 
The basic premise of religion – that if you live a good life, things will go well for you – is wrong. Jesus was the most morally upright person who ever lived, yet He had a life filled with the experience of poverty, rejection, injustice, and even torture.  Timothy Keller
 
My goal was to say to the world, “This is not Christianity, this is not Christianity, this is a fraud.” I think the world knows that, but they don’t hear Christians say that. They wouldn’t expect Christians to say that. They think we’re in collusion with each other. If you just put it all together, people in America would think that Christians are people who are in this wacky prosperity. And that’s how they would define us. There’s nothing about the cross of Christ, the resurrection of Christ and the glorious gospel of grace, and there’s nothing about humility and sacrifice and unselfishness.”  John MacArthur
 
Years ago I attended a heavily promoted church growth seminar in Southern California hosted by a famous televangelist. People from all over the country came hoping to discover the secret to building a dynamic, thriving mega church. Hundreds of clergy and church leaders packed the auditorium, hanging on every word, listening to a larger than life prophet of prosperity talking about how to grow a church. After the opening session, the televangelist opened the floor for questions from the audience. One attendee stepped to the microphone and asked, “What’s the single most important thing we can do help our church grow?” The televangelist thought for a moment, smiled, then replied, “Make sure you have enough parking.”
 
The audience laughed and applauded. To this day I don’t know if he was serious or not. I do know that he was lying to all of us.
 
What we believe matters. What we refuse to believe also matters. You remember the popular plastic wrist band people wore bearing the letters WWJD? It stood for “What would Jesus do?” Meaning think about what Jesus would have done in your situation and do the same. Being on the other side of it and seeing how some of us have become very good at wrapping our own personal agenda around a banner of self-promotion and self-righteousness, maybe another way of asking the question is this: “What would Jesus not do?”
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Forgive and... remember

 
By Ben Disney
 
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.  Ephesians 4:31-32
 
Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future.  Lewis B. Smedes
 
It’s a disturbing picture: an unfortunate encounter between a turtle and a discarded piece of plastic. Given the distorted shape of the shell, it probably happened years ago when the turtle was small and its outer shell still soft and still in its formative stage. Now, forever bound in garbage and unable to extricate itself, the turtle nevertheless finds a way to survive and grow. The cost is obvious, though; it eventually becomes a grotesque distortion of its original self.
 

In less obvious ways, most of us have experienced the binding and constrictive pain of past hurts and disappointments. The truth is we all manage to survive. But the deeper question is at what cost? If the goal is to just survive, most of us can do that on our own. The problem comes when anger, bitterness, jealousy, and resentment begin to permeate our hearts and minds. The real danger is that it slowly and gradually begins to distort our souls and twists us into something we were never intended to be.
 
Surviving a painful chapter in your life is a good start, and for some it may be the best you can do at this point. But for all of us who believe in a greater hope, survival is not the goal. We are made in the image of God. Anything that threatens to distort our true nature or reshape us into something we were never intended or created to be is in direct conflict with God’s will and desire for us. And if you’re still constricted by the pain of a past disappointment and unable to extricate yourself from the garbage that binds you, here’s something to consider:  So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."  Jeremiah 18:3-6
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Avoiding fake wood siding

 
By Ben Disney
 
It was Seth Godin who first introduced me to the word “skeuomorph.” Yes, it’s an actual word, and it’s been around since 1890. Definition: “A skeuomorph is a physical ornament or design on an object made to resemble another material or technique.”
 
Think woodies - those infamous cars popular in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s - that had simulated wood-grain siding as part of the design. It was a vinyl overlay made to look like wood; but, of course, there was no actual wood used in the design. That’s a skeuomorph. The term is now commonly used to describe computer interfaces. It’s a design element taken from an old thing and added to a new one; like putting a knob or a button on a virtual computer screen. You don’t actually push it or turn it, but it looks familiar and feels comfortable; which is why it’s there.
 

It occurs to me that we wrestle with a similar idea in the ongoing work of the church. Balancing the old and the new; holding onto the familiar while venturing into the unknown; maintaining the essential traditions of the church while staying open to wherever God is moving in this world; staying true to the core values and beliefs and yet being willing to let go of the clutter that detracts us from our primary mission to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus said you can’t put new wine into old wineskins; or, as Eugene Peterson translates, “you don’t put wine in old, cracked bottles; you get strong, clean bottles for your fresh vintage wine.” So the next time you notice something in the church that may look and feel wonderfully familiar and comfortable to you but in reality doesn’t serve a purpose, you may be looking at a skeuomorph. Vinyl siding that looks like wood paneling on a car is nice to have, but it has nothing to do with the function or purpose of the car itself.
 
If you’re still wondering what a religious skeuomorph is, let me put it another way. If we’re constantly focused on the one familiar thing that makes us feel comfortable in church, perhaps we’re missing the bigger picture.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: A better perspective

 
By Ben Disney
 
KANSAS CITY, MO (AP) February 25, 2013 - Billy Ray Harris is homeless. He frequently panhandles on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, and most nights you’ll find him sleeping under a bridge. Sarah Darling is a resident of Kansas City and proudly wears an engagement ring given to her by her fiancé. She rarely takes the ring off, but for some reason she slipped it off for a moment and placed it in her coin purse. On Saturday, Sarah Darling walked through downtown Kansas City and saw Harris asking for help. Without thinking, she dumped spare change from her coin purse, along with her engagement ring, into his cup.
 
Darling was horrorstruck when she realized the next day what she had done. She went back to Harris, squatted beside him and told him that she might have given him something valuable.
 
"Was it a ring?" he recalled asking her. "And she says,'Yeah.' And I said 'Well, I have it.'"
 
Sarah Darling expressed her relief and gratitude, then gave Harris all the cash she had in her wallet at the time.
 
"It seemed like a miracle," Darling said. "I thought for sure there was no way I would get it back."
 
"I think in our world we often jump to like the worst conclusion, and it just makes you realize that there are good people out there," said Sarah Darling, whose fiancé set up a website seeking donations for Billy Ray Harris, the man who found the ring. By Monday, more than 6,000 people had donated more than $145,000 to the fund.
 
In explaining why he didn't keep the ring, Harris said he had a religious upbringing. "My grandfather was a reverend," Harris said. "He raised me from the time I was 6 months old and thank the good Lord - it's a blessing - but I do still have some character."
 
So what’s the point of the story and why would I use it for an article in a church email? Because chances are you’re like most of us. Most weeks we find ourselves besieged by an avalanche of bad news and surrounded by stark reminders of all that’s wrong with this world. Then we come across a story like this. It reminds us of how much good there still is in this world, and it gives us hope. I’m guessing some of you have heard all the bad news you care to hear for a while. So for just a moment, take a break and hear some much needed good news. Maybe it will help you put things in a better perspective.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Blessed are those who are broken

 
By Ben Disney
 
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”  Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
 
It’s a remarkable gift given to the people of our congregation and community. The construction of the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel is scheduled to be finished in mid-May. The new chapel is a gift from Jud Cramer and family. It’s also a testament of Jud’s enduring love of Elizabeth and his gratitude to God for the life they shared.
 

The completion date is now only weeks away. The final work now being done is significant in many ways. The beautiful Nativity window from the former Westcliff campus is being carefully dismantled piece by piece. Once removed, it will be brought over, reassembled, and then carefully installed in its new home in the Elizabeth Cramer Chapel. The grand window will serve as the backdrop to the chancel area; a visually beautiful and sacred reminder of God’s Holy presence in this space. It’s an important part of our history. The window was originally given to Westcliff by Bob and Helen Broyles in honor of Bob’s mother and father.
 
I was intrigued by the mechanics of moving the stained glass windows to their new location. Each piece was taken down and carefully attached to a flat 3x3 wood panel in its exact original pattern. The wooden panels were delivered to the new chapel, and the task of reassembling the window in the new chapel in its original form has begun. Imagine thousands of pieces of stained glass and every single one of them has a particular role and destination waiting for them. The same pieces of glass randomly placed and out of order yield an entirely different result. Put them in their right place and order and you’ve created a breathtakingly beautiful window that has the power to inspire the hearts and raise the spirits of those who sense the sacredness of its sheer beauty.
 
I know very little about the art of stained glass windows. I do know something about people. Maybe the metaphor is not hard to see. In the hands of someone who knows about such things, the brokenness of our own lives can be rearranged, put in the right place and the right order to create something stunningly beautiful and sacred. The one who knows about such things is, of course, God. I’ve seen it happen many times. The reason it doesn’t happen more is because God can’t fix what we refuse to admit is broken. God does his best work with the broken pieces of our lives. We refuse to believe we’re really broken. And that’s the problem. The irony of course is that there will be a lot more beauty in this world if we finally turn the broken pieces over to God to see what God can do with them. Blessed are those who are broken; for they will see the beauty of what God can do.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: A good place to start

 
By Ben Disney
 
He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.  John 13:5
 
A strange thing happened a number of years ago in Dallas. It took place at the ordination service of the North Texas Conference. If you’ve attended an ordination service you know it’s a high, holy moment in which those who’ve been called to representative ministry are ordained and set apart for mission and service. Families, friends, members of home churches, and current appointments all gather in a crowded sanctuary to celebrate a meaningful and powerful service. The culmination of the ordination service ends with the Bishop laying hands on the candidates and offering the memorable words of affirmation: "Take authority as an elder in the Church to preach the Word of God and to administer the Holy Sacraments..."
 
At this particular ordination service, the late Bishop Rhymes Moncure did something no one expected. As he came to the line of candidates he took them one by one and led them to a chair. As they were seated he then knelt down and removed their shoes. He then took a towel and basin of water and without saying a single word, gently began to wash their feet. The congregation let out an audible gasp as they witnessed something they had never seen before in the context of an ordination service. In a world that often uses sheer power to control, oppress, defeat, or destroy, the image of someone on his knees washing the feet of another individual is both breathtaking and liberating. It’s also contradictory to everything most people know and believe about how life really works in this world. No wonder they crucified Jesus. It’s dangerous. If you see something like that, it might just start making sense if you’re not careful. And if that happens, God help us, the whole world might start to look different.
 
We’re on the final leg of the journey that began in the wilderness and now leads us straight into Jerusalem. There are numerous ways to get to Jerusalem; meaning you can fly, take a bus, or walk - depending on where you are and how much distance separates you from your destination. I know I’ve done all three. Of course I was interested in learning more about Jerusalem, but I really wanted to know more about the One who headed straight into the city knowing full well there was only one way out.
 
So, if Jerusalem is only a symbol, then the real destination for the pilgrimage we’ve embarked upon must be Jesus. And how best do we get to Jesus? On our knees would be a good place to start.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: You will see each other again

 
By Ben Disney
 
“Let the children come to me, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 19:14
 
Anderson Maxwell Graham, son of Aaron Graham and Rev. DeAndrea Dare died this week. The loss of any human being is difficult, but the death of a child is altogether different. There is no deeper pain or more excruciating grief. We hold DeAndrea, Aaron and their family in our deepest prayers. They are part of our family. Their loss is also our loss. Their pain and grief is also ours to bear as well. These are the moments when a church becomes the body of Christ.
 
My sadness comes in knowing they will have to walk a different path from this moment on. Nothing we can say or do can change what has happened. But in the midst of the deepest pain, we know God’s love is even deeper. No simple answers, no easy clichés, no little sermonettes designed to fill the emptiness with shallow words; no, this is a moment to be honest about the pain we feel and the doubts we have. It’s also the moment when we once again walk by faith into a mystery we do not understand searching for answers we do not have. What we need more than simple answers is a presence and a promise of God’s enduring love. If we believe anything about God, then we know it was God’s heart that broke first when Anderson died. And the God we love knows something about the pain of losing a son.
 
So, Anderson Maxwell Graham, here’s what we want you to know. For 28 weeks you had the best parents any child could ever ask for. They loved you more deeply and completely than you may ever know. You were born in prayer and you left this world surrounded by the love and prayers of your mother and father. The reason it hurts so much is because they loved you so much. Your death didn’t end any of that. They will always be in you and you will always be in them. This we believe: you will see each other again. Anderson Maxwell Graham, for seven months you had the best parents any child could ever ask for; now you are with the Father in heaven who will hold you in his arms until your parents welcome you back into theirs.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Sequester

 
By Ben Disney
 
Sequester - v. - 1. put somebody into isolation: to put somebody in an isolated or lonely place away from other people, the pressures of everyday life, or possible disturbances
 
The ongoing and often frustrating debate over the possibility of mandated cuts in federal spending has given rise to a new understanding of an old word: “sequester.” Given the culture of Washington, it’s not surprising that it now means something different than what most of us originally thought. So politics aside, let’s go back to the original definition.
 
The decision to isolate someone is either good or bad depending on the reasoning behind it. It might be either a form of punishment or a means of protection. It could mean banishment from others or a much needed sanctuary and refuge. Did Jesus go to the wilderness voluntarily? Well, yes and no. He was driven - says the story - but you also get the sense that he is supposed to be there. Alone and isolated, Jesus rejects the temptation to be less than what God is calling him to be. The foundation of his life, his purpose, and his calling is now set. He finds himself; more importantly, he finds God in the wilderness.
 
Sooner or later we’ll find ourselves sequestered in the wilderness, alone and isolated. Is it a punishment or a moment of grace? Is it a prison or a refuge? Is it a barren place or a place of blessing? Is it a place of silence or one of the few places left where we can actually hear God’s voice?
 
I don’t know. But here are a few hard earned truths most of us discover on the way: 1) More often than not, you have to be lost before you can be found. 2) You have to be blind before you can see. 3) Something in you has to die before a better part of you can begin to live.
 
The wilderness, depending on what it is, can either kill you or save you. The answer ultimately depends on how you answer this question: “Is God in the wilderness with me or not?”
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Much more than we know

 
By Ben Disney
 
While Pope Benedict XVI has announced his retirement, the search for the next Pope is underway. Given the world we live in, it comes as no surprise that Las Vegas has established a betting pool setting the odds of various candidates who might be elected Pope. One group reportedly created a bracket much like the March Madness seeding of teams during the annual NCAA basketball tournament. That of course explains why instead of the “Sweet Sixteen” bracket, there is a “Sweet Sistene” category. It makes me laugh.
 
On a more serious note, Pope Benedict XVI made an interesting and thought provoking statement. In reference to the impending transition, he said, “The new Pope is already among you,” which of course is true. The next Pope is already present; they just don’t know it yet.
 
It’s a profound truth. We’re elected, drafted, sometimes forced, other times happy to be chosen to a calling we never expected or anticipated. What we need, what we will become is already here; we just don’t know it. Meaning if there is a Pope among us, surely there are saints all around us; even if we don’t know who they are yet. And the last piece of that truth has to do with us. Someday, some moment, we’ll be called on to do something we never anticipated. We’ll assume a role for which we feel completely unprepared and unqualified. Yet we’ll rise to the occasion because - according to God - we are so much more than we know.
 
“The new Pope is already among you,” which means there’s a lot of us who are about to be revealed as instruments of God’s peace; we just don’t know it yet.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: An avalanche of blessings

 
By Ben Disney
 
Richard Heizer deserves the credit. He asked a simple question that no one had asked in eight years at the church. The question was: “Why do we have two trash dumpsters sitting side by side near the SAM Building?” No one, it seems, had a clear answer. So, Richard set out to find one. He discovered that when the two congregations merged together eight years ago, both congregations had two separate contracts with the waste management companies; so both dumpsters came with the merger. And that explains why two trash dumpsters have been sitting side by side for the past eight years.
 

Problem identified, solution found. Soon there will be only one trash dumpster, and the church will benefit from the lower costs. The story made me laugh and also made me think. Ironically, both congregations brought their garbage containers with them when we chose to come together. All that just proves that no matter how good we are or how careful we might be, we always seem to bring some of the garbage of our past to a new relationship. Truth be told, in the ensuing eight years there’s been very little garbage. Instead there’s been an avalanche of blessings and a ton of good memories of what God has done and continues to do in this place.
 
And one last thought. I asked Richard Heizer if both trash dumpsters were full on an average week, because I was concerned what might happen if we suddenly eliminated one; would we have enough space for the church’s garbage given that we reduced the capacity by half? That’s when he told me the two trash dumpsters remained full each week not because the church produced that much garbage on a weekly basis but because so much of the trash that filled both units was dumped by people in our neighborhood who were just looking for a place to get rid of their excess garbage.
 
So let me get this straight. Some of our neighbors have so much garbage in their lives that they’re forced to come to a church like ours just to try and get rid of it. There’s a sermon in there somewhere.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Say a prayer and go there

 
By Ben Disney
 
“When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, 'Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.'” Luke 5:4
 
Go deep. Venture out. Take a risk. Just when we think we have Jesus figured out, he surprises us. We want him to draw us close and keep us safe; he keeps pushing us out further. We want him to protect us; he sends us to places and people we’d rather not go. We ask for peace; he makes our hearts restless. We don’t want to go. But Jesus says, “Yes, it’s scary there, uncertain there, even uncomfortable there. But it’s also good there, holy there, and life changing there. On top of that, I’m there. So, take a deep breath, say a prayer and go there. Trust me, it’s worth it.”
 
Disturb Us, Lord
By Sir Francis Drake
 
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, / When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, / When we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.
 
Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess / We have lost our thirst for the waters of life; / Having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity / And in our efforts to build a new earth, / We have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.
 
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas / Where storms will show your mastery; / Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
 
We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes; / And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Our choices

 
By Ben Disney
 
An excerpt from a recent news article reported by NBC News:
 
Nine newly cast bells are to be installed at Notre Dame, the historic Paris cathedral whose towers were made famous by the fictional hunchbacked bell-ringer Quasimodo.
 
The giant bronze bells, commissioned as part of the cathedral’s 850th birthday celebrations, will replace the current bells, whose chimes are notoriously discordant.
 
After the French Revolution began in 1789, nine of the 10 original bells were snatched, melted down and turned into cannons.
 
Of the replacements, four were recast in the 19th century, and the original sound was lost. “Historically the idea of this project is to recreate the old bells of Notre Dame in terms of tune so there will be 10 bells ringing as there used to be in the Middle Ages,” said Paul Bergamo, president of the Cornille-Havard foundry in Normandy.
 
They will be on display inside the cathedral for three weeks, then hung in the cathedral towers. They will be rung for the first time on March 23, the day before Palm Sunday.
 
One line in particular stood out for me: “After the French Revolution began in 1789, nine of the 10 original bells were snatched, melted down and turned into cannons.” The same bells that once called people to worship were also used to make weapons of war. It’s a familiar theme. The same technology that can enhance and enrich our lives can also be used to destroy life. The same medical advances that can bring healing can also be manipulated by those whose goal is to cause pain and suffering.
 
Of course that’s how it is with most things. Take the simple things we use every day. Words can build up or they can tear down. Money can be used to help lift one person out of poverty, but money can also be a way of keeping another person imprisoned in financial bondage forever. Depending on who’s interpreting it, the Bible can be used as a tool for judgment or an instrument of grace.
 
It’s been like that as long as anyone can remember. It will be like that as long as we’re human. Swords turned into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks, or bells into cannons; in the end it’s not just about the things we have at our disposal. It’s about our choices. Either we change the stuff or the stuff changes us. We already have the stuff. It’s really about what we choose to do with it and ultimately what we decide to make of it.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Stumbling across a moment

 
By Ben Disney
 
When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. Acts 2:1-4
 
They took up a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and by your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation." Revelation 5:9
 
Whenever I come across something that stays with me for a while, it’s usually an indication that God is trying to get my attention. Eric Whitacre, an accomplished composer and musician, stumbled upon an idea that is both stunningly beautiful and theologically breathtaking. It began as a simple idea, using the power of music with the advancement of technology to bring people together to form a virtual choir. Individuals from all over the world were invited to participate. From different locations, singers submitted video recordings of their particular parts of the musical composition. One hundred eighty-five voices from twelve countries - people who had never met one another - were joined together to create a virtual choir. The result is some of the most beautiful music you will ever hear. Here’s a link to the site where you can hear the music and discover more about the background to the story: On.TED.com/Whitacre
 
If you think it’s just about creating beautiful music, you might miss the deeper truth. In a world separated by ethnic, cultural, political, and economic barriers, few things hold the power to break down the walls that divide us. Few things are that transcendent and transformational. Music, worship, the simple act of helping another human being, or the ability to join our voices and spirits together to create something new; whenever you’re fortunate enough to stumble across a moment like that, stop whatever you’re doing and pay close attention. There’s a good chance God is trying to show you something. And if it stays with you for a while, you’ll know where it comes from and what you’re supposed to do with it.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Being clear

 
By Ben Disney
 
Seth Godin is a consultant, entrepreneur, and gifted communicator. One of our members sent me a recent blog. If you read between the lines, it has a broader message for the church. Here’s a small excerpt:
 
If, seventy years ago, you asked Henry Luce, "What is TIME magazine for?" he'd probably talk about setting society's agenda, capturing the attention of the educated and powerful, and most of all, delivering the best weekly news package he could.
 
Today, the answer is clear. The purpose of the magazine is to make as much money as possible. Everything else is in service of that goal. It used to be that the profit enabled the magazine to reach its goals. Today, the goal is to reach the profit.
 
If you ask a typical food service manager at a typical high school what school lunch is for, the answer is probably not "to educate kids about healthy food and help them to make nutritious choices for a lifetime." No, the answer is probably "to feed as many kids as fast and as cheaply as we can; given the limited resources we have."
 
FedEx used to believe that they were in the customer service business and that speed and reliability were the driving factor behind everything they did. Now, it seems, they are in the profit business; that the purpose of all of those people and all of those trucks and planes is to maximize profit. The rest is merely a means to that end.
 
Being clear about what we're doing and why is the first step in doing it better.
 
Godin is not advocating against businesses making a profit. He’s saying if making a profit is your singular goal, then you will structure your organization and efforts around that one goal and purpose. So, what does that mean for a church? The key line for me is this: “Being clear about what we're doing and why is the first step in doing it better.” All that is to say if you don’t know or understand what kind of business you’re in, eventually economics will become the primary driving force and focus of the organization.
 
So what’s the lesson? Being clear about what we do also means understanding what we don’t do. In this place and in our line of work, we don’t make numbers the single primary focus and goal of our efforts. Numbers are important, but they can’t be the only thing that matters; otherwise we’ll begin to shift our efforts and resources toward reaching the wrong goal. Listen to the conversations. If what you’re hearing is primarily about numbers, then there’s a good chance we’ve lost our focus. Every once in a while we need to step back, take a deep breath, and remind ourselves of the deeper truth of what we do and why we do it.
 
Just in case we forget, here’s our primary task as a church: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.”
 
Being clear about what we're doing and why is the first step in doing it better. And here’s the good news for those fixated on numbers: When we’re focused on the right goal and doing the right things, the numbers will then follow in the right way, for all the right reasons. They always have. They always will.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: God's led; we've listened

 
By Ben Disney
 
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  Larry Elder
 
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”  Yogi Berra
 
“It’s a funny thing, how much time we spend planning our lives. We so convince ourselves of what we want to do, that sometimes we don’t see what we’re meant to do.”  Susan Gregg Gilmore
 
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”  Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  Matthew 6:33
 
For some reason ministers tend to get a lot of mail. I receive a brochure almost every week inviting me to attend some seminar led by a panel of highly successful and well known pastors and consultants, most of whom seem at this stage of my life to be well under 40 years old. The pitch is familiar: “Come to the seminar and you’ll learn the tools to more effectively lead your congregation to unprecedented growth.” I’ve been to more than my share of seminars over the years; some were very helpful and informative, others not so much.
 
All that is to say every church needs the tools to effectively plan and grow the various ministries of the church. But anyone who has ever been a part of a church knows the most difficult piece of the planning process is struggling to discern where God is leading the congregation. It’s an inexact science at best. We feel our way, pray our way, and follow the way we believe God is guiding us based on our willingness to serve and our ability to stay closely connected to God. Planning is easy; discernment is hard, difficult work. Of course, someone could make up a plan and just announce that it’s God’s will. A lot of people in fact have. But that’s ultimately shortsighted and irresponsible. In the end, to be a church is not simply to do what we want, but to fully become what God desires.
 
This coming Sunday you will hear the first part of an ongoing conversation taking place between God and the leadership of our congregation. At 9:45 a.m. we’ll gather in the Family Life Center to lay out the direction we feel God is leading the church at this stage of our journey. It’s an important gathering. If we choose to move in this direction, it will have longterm implications about how we carry out our mission and ministry as a church. I hope you’ll join us.
 
We’ve come this far as a congregation primarily because God has led and we’ve listened. If God can do so many remarkable things with such imperfect people, why would we change now?
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org