When I was preparing for ordination in 1993, someone asked me, "Where do you see yourself in ministry in 10 years?" I answered, "I have no idea. I've spent a lot of time telling God what I was willing to do for him, and somehow I am always led in a direction I didn't imagine, so I'm going to go where God sends me and try to be a blessing."
It's been 18 years since that conversation, and certainly my life has been different from most of my clergy friends. Some of them tell me I'm taking itinerancy much too seriously, as we are preparing for our 10th military move in 16 years. I've been very blessed. I have served 3 appointments in the last 15 years, while at the same time trying to be a blessing to my military family. And in the times when I haven't been appointed to pastor churches or other ministries, I have had the opportunity to share my gifts with people at local churches and military chapels. Every place we have lived, God has opened up ministry to me.
Today I am especially grateful to my friend, Amy Alletzhauser, senior minister at Calvary UMC in Middletown, RI. She has shared her church with me on many levels, allowing me the privilege to preach, teach and provide other leadership in the congregation. It's always kind of amazing to me that she does not see me as competition, but as a partner in ministry. Her generosity is a model to the congregation as she shows people how to love and be vulnerable with someone who may not be around for too long. We have found that ever though we went to different seminaries, we have friends in common. Our appointment experiences are different, but the love we share for Christ and the church draw us together as sisters in Christ and in ministry to the United Methodist Church.
It's hard for people and churches to welcome and enfold families and individuals who may not be around too long. Military families certainly fall into this category, but so do many other kinds of careers. After a while, many these folks sort of give up looking for a place of acceptance outside of the military community if they haven't found it after a few tries. But it doesn't have to be that way.
If you are part of a stable community that has a semi-transient population, think about how you can welcome people, even if they are only there for a short time. Encourage them to participate, share, and be in ministry with you. Listen to their ideas - many of them have been a lot of places and had many good experiences that could make your ministry more fruitful. Help them to feel loved. More likely than not, they will tell their friends, "Hey, you should come check out my church," and that can be a blessing for all.
If you are one of those folks that is moving on a frequent schedule, don't give up. Keep looking for that place where God is calling you to love, be loved and serve. Our faith is often crystallized in the struggle, and we come out on the end stronger in our faith. I know from personal experience that it's hard to put yourself out there, but you and others will be blessed for your efforts.
I have been doing this "moving thing" for long enough to know that God will provide... friends, community, and fellowship in Christ. It doesn't mean that moving times are not filled with anxiety, but it helps to know that there is calm at the end of the storm. Jesus' resurrection is not just a one-time event. Resurrection is occurring around us all the time... we just have to practice seeing it from the middle of the storm.
As many military and clergy families are preparing to move to new jobs and communities, let's all remember, "Sharing is a blessing." If we are all willing to share together in the life to which Christ calls us, then we will truly know what it means to be blessed. Indeed.
Peace in Christ, Deb
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Things people have taught me
"Knives are sharp... be careful."
"Don't plant outside before Good Friday, you will always be disappointed."
"Faith isn't about a moment in time... it's about a lifetime of moments."
I think these statements run the gamut on what wise people have taught me over the years. They go from the grossly obvious to "really?" and then on to "ah ha." I think that that one of the reasons that I've been thinking about them lately is because they are things I needed to be reminded of, even in the last week.
My first year of ministry, I talked with a college student at my church who was selling knives on consignment with a nationally known company. He asked if he could come by and show me the knives. I didn't need to buy anything for him to get credit for seeing me, so I agreed. By the end of his visit I was the proud owner of a new set of four kitchen knives, four steak knives and a wooden block thrown in for good measure. One of the things I like about the knives were that they were really sharp, and they made the process of preparing a meal so much easier. But within the first two weeks I cut myself four or five times. I forgot what I was supposed to know.... that knives are sharp. Over the years, I have gotten more knives from this same company, and there's not a single one of them that I would give back. But every time I get a new knife or have them sharpened, more likely than not, I cut myself. Again and again I have to learn the hard lesson that everyone knows... "knives are sharp - be careful."
Spring is slow to come to New England this year. We had snow last week and it's still only in the low 50's, which probably sounds good to some of you, but I've been sleeping on flannel sheets for almost 6 months and I still have to wear a jacket in the house so that we can keep our thermostat below 65F, thus being able to afford both heating oil and food. But that doesn't mean I'm not itching to plant something outside. In my head it's time for geraniums and begonias and tomatoes. But my grandfather, who was a farmer in North Carolina, always said, "Don't plant outside before Good Friday... you will always be disappointed." And no matter where we have lived, I have found his words to be true. Sometimes wisdom comes from others' experiences. But mostly we have to test them ourselves before we really learn the lesson. I've replaced a lot of geraniums in my life, just because I was too intent on making things happen on my time schedule and not waiting for things to happen just as they would.
I come from a religious tradition that tries to find a balance between a personal experience of God and the living out of faith. It's a "call and response" relationship. The way I try to live my life is a response to the love that I have experienced through Christ. It would be so convenient to be able to have the living of faith compartmentalized, but I haven't found that to be very practical or effective. For me, faith is lived one day, one hour, one step at a time, and hopefully I am better able to reflect God's love and grace today than I was yesterday or last year or when I first committed myself to this Christian life. That's why this statement is so helpful to me... "Faith isn't about a moment in time... it's about a lifetime of moments." You can judge me on how well I am doing... but it is my prayer that in my life there will be more faithful moments than not.
We are more than halfway through the Lenten season... we can see Easter just around the corner. May we continue to hear the call of God to live and love and serve others every way.
Peace, Deb
"Don't plant outside before Good Friday, you will always be disappointed."
"Faith isn't about a moment in time... it's about a lifetime of moments."
I think these statements run the gamut on what wise people have taught me over the years. They go from the grossly obvious to "really?" and then on to "ah ha." I think that that one of the reasons that I've been thinking about them lately is because they are things I needed to be reminded of, even in the last week.
My first year of ministry, I talked with a college student at my church who was selling knives on consignment with a nationally known company. He asked if he could come by and show me the knives. I didn't need to buy anything for him to get credit for seeing me, so I agreed. By the end of his visit I was the proud owner of a new set of four kitchen knives, four steak knives and a wooden block thrown in for good measure. One of the things I like about the knives were that they were really sharp, and they made the process of preparing a meal so much easier. But within the first two weeks I cut myself four or five times. I forgot what I was supposed to know.... that knives are sharp. Over the years, I have gotten more knives from this same company, and there's not a single one of them that I would give back. But every time I get a new knife or have them sharpened, more likely than not, I cut myself. Again and again I have to learn the hard lesson that everyone knows... "knives are sharp - be careful."
Spring is slow to come to New England this year. We had snow last week and it's still only in the low 50's, which probably sounds good to some of you, but I've been sleeping on flannel sheets for almost 6 months and I still have to wear a jacket in the house so that we can keep our thermostat below 65F, thus being able to afford both heating oil and food. But that doesn't mean I'm not itching to plant something outside. In my head it's time for geraniums and begonias and tomatoes. But my grandfather, who was a farmer in North Carolina, always said, "Don't plant outside before Good Friday... you will always be disappointed." And no matter where we have lived, I have found his words to be true. Sometimes wisdom comes from others' experiences. But mostly we have to test them ourselves before we really learn the lesson. I've replaced a lot of geraniums in my life, just because I was too intent on making things happen on my time schedule and not waiting for things to happen just as they would.
I come from a religious tradition that tries to find a balance between a personal experience of God and the living out of faith. It's a "call and response" relationship. The way I try to live my life is a response to the love that I have experienced through Christ. It would be so convenient to be able to have the living of faith compartmentalized, but I haven't found that to be very practical or effective. For me, faith is lived one day, one hour, one step at a time, and hopefully I am better able to reflect God's love and grace today than I was yesterday or last year or when I first committed myself to this Christian life. That's why this statement is so helpful to me... "Faith isn't about a moment in time... it's about a lifetime of moments." You can judge me on how well I am doing... but it is my prayer that in my life there will be more faithful moments than not.
We are more than halfway through the Lenten season... we can see Easter just around the corner. May we continue to hear the call of God to live and love and serve others every way.
Peace, Deb
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