The World's Okayest Pastor

I want to begin this post by saying that I greatly respect both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, their programming, their structures, their leadership, and goals and values. Those things are not up for debate to me, because I and my family have benefited from both systems. I’m a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts with 25 years in the organization,  both as a girl and now as an adult volunteer in multiple capacities across two councils. My twin brother was a Cub Scout and then a Boy Scout, my father helped in all levels from den meetings all the way up to pack meetings and trips, and both of my parents helped lead Explorer Scouts, now Venture Scouts.  Even as girls, my sister and I both participated in several Ventur Scout activities.  I have seen many changes in both organizations over the last 25+ years and believe both programs have a lot to offer.  This past week, the board of Boy Scouts of America voted to allow girls to join their program at all age levels, not...

In this heated season (political, race relations, environmental issues, women's rights and the list goes on for way too long), I feel the need to proclaim that I'm a minister and I'm not an oxymoron. I do not preach my political views from the pulpit - you will never hear me say you should or should not vote for a certain candidate and I refuse all of the "helpful pamphlets" that will help my congregation decide who to vote for - it is also not hard for people to figure out that I am more aligned with one of the major political party than another. Living in a small town, people recognized my car at my designated caucusing site, and once that hit the town's gossip circuit everyone knew my business. And once everyone knew my political affiliation the comments began - "you can't possible be a minister and be a (political party) member." Not only is this no one's business and I have the right to vote as I choose, no it is not impossible to be a...

I have a confession: I will disappoint people as a pastor. This is a reality I live almost daily. I see it when I'm introduced by my last name and watch as a person's face falls when they realize I'm female. I see it in some folks who see my tattoos and shake their head in disapproval that I'd mark my body. I will disappoint people as a pastor because I will make a mistake and/or forget something. Yes I try to remember what I'm told on the fly, but my brain is not as good as it once was. Sunday mornings before and after worship are not always the best time to tell me things because my brain wrestles with many things. (Note - help your pastor out and write stuff down for us. We thank you in advance.) I will disappoint people by my choice to schedule time off when they feel that I should be present with them. While I personally, and many of my colleagues do the same, will attend to true crisis during our off time, others have different values, priorities and expec...

It's that time of year where every weekend, as you go out, you will hear the phrase "would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?" Girl Scout cookie season, loved by those of us who need our yearly "fix" and yet it is also one of the most despised times of the year by some Christian groups who want to protest the sales of Girl Scout cookies. Here's are two reasons for protesting Girl Scout cookies: Girl Scouts, along with many other non profit organizations, receive grant money from the United Way. Planned Parenthood also happens to receive money from United Way. Because of the this, groups who are anti-abortion believe that by buying Girl Scout cookies, it is money going to support Planned Parenthood. Second arguement is that we have lost our "Christian way" and we need to come back to being more faith based. So as a lifetime member of Girl Scouts (I'm celebrating 25 years of girl and adult membership - gee I'm old now), active leade...

  In the aftermath of the events of Paris and San Bernadino, California, there has been quite the backlash against all Muslims. We now have political candidates stating that we need to "register" Muslims and block Muslims from entering the country. The fear and hate speech is out of control and based on ignorance, not the facts. A country that once said that we welcomed people is now saying we welcome only those who look, act, and believe like those in control.   So as a pastor, let me tell you why I love my Muslim brothers and sisters. First off they are not out to wage a violent, blood "holy way = jihad" against anyone. Jihad is the struggle each Muslim has, within themselves, to lead the most holy and right life. It is not about bloodshed and "killing the infidel." Any Muslim who claims to believe in a holy killing war is misguided and has been denounced by the majority of the world's Muslims. As I write this post, the Western Christian world is in...

  The “war on Christmas” has begun. Or at least that’s what some Christians want us to think. Because  Starbucks , a company that has never claimed to be Christian, chose to have red cups without snowflakes, Santa or reindeer on them (just a reminder that none of those are Christian symbols), there is a "war on Christmas."   Once the “cup controversy” hit the news, old articles and videos came back about how using the abbreviation “Xmas” was anti Christmas and Christian. To address the "Xmas controversy," let’s learn a little Greek. X or “Chi” is the first Greek letter used in spelling “Christ” and is a common Christian symbol representing Jesus Christ. Therefore Xmas is Christian and appropriate for Christmas.   But regardless of what we choose to learn and teach about what’s Christian or not, I’d like to pose two bigger questions: why does the color of a coffee cup mean a person’s faith is being questioned and why do Christians feel that just because...

  This past week has been interesting to watch with the drama going on at the Rowan County courthouse in Kentucky. After SCOTUS' decision that bans on gay marrages were unconsitutional, Kim Davis, County Cleark - an elected offical, refused to issue any one a marriage license so not to discriminate because she believes that gay marriage is against her Christian beliefs.   After filing appeals and losing, Kim was sent to jail for contempt of court after still refusing to issue any marriage licenses. Couples could drive to a surrounding county courthouses to get a marriage license but a lawsuit was filed against Kim Davis and her office for refusing to comply with the law, orders from the govenor and the state attorney. Kim has spent several days in jail and she is still making the news, along with political candidates.   While I agree with Kim being sent to jail for failure to comply with the law and that she should either fulfill her duties she is paid to do by taxpayer...

  A pastor is first and foremost human. We generally love to walk with people on their journeys; births, relationships, baptisms, illnesses, deaths. But just as these events happen in non-church situations they happen in the life of your pastor. They may happen directly to us, it may be to "our people" - friends, family, those who support/love/care for us.     Church members/parishioners try to be there for us. Some of them are really good about being there for their pastors. Sometimes they really get things and know when we need a break/to cry/to laugh/to go home/etc. But at the end of the day, the reality is that pastors rarely can be that vulnerable with their church members. Sometimes its considered a boundaries violation to share their personal life with their church members. Other times a pastor has to be concerned about if sharing any personal information will come back later to be used against them. I know this sounds bad and it's not something I believe that ch...

Scripture Readings are Acts 3: 1-21 and  1 John 3:1-7           We’re in week 2 of hearing the voices of 2 different early groups within the Christian tradition. Acts is trying really hard to make the case that the work Peter and John are doing is in the line of the prophets and Jesus. The writer tells us of a miracle of healing a lame man and gee this story is pretty familiar. Jesus healed a lame man, Bartimaeus, who was carried into the temple on a mat as we read in Mark 10 starting with verse 46. Jesus healed him in the same way by telling the man to get up and walk. Peter and John want to carry on the legacy of Jesus’ work here on earth and this miracle helps to cement the case that these people are the real deal. They do what Jesus did.           Then we take a look at 1 John. And while there’s not a great miracle performed here, the author is asking are people doing what Jesus did? Do people believ...

Congratulations Class of 2015 and also to your families.  You've  made it to the finish line of high school. Next week you will receive your diplomas and will be officially adults by all standards. You’ll get the speeches that include hearing “The Giving Tree” and other stories to inspire you as you go about what the future holds for you. And while I could use this time to read you one of those inspirational stories, I’m not.           Instead I’m going to boil it all down for you. Our hopes, dreams and prayers for you all are really this; that you all will be decent human beings in all that you say, do and be. That  doesn't  seem to be that big of a task. But when we look back at scripture, the accounts of people trying to live a life that is faithful and aligns with God’s purpose for creating us, we see that it’s harder then we think. Ecclesiastes reminds us that there are times for everything. You will be c...

Scripture readings are Acts 4:32-35 and  1 John 1: 1-2:2           So what do you hear or think about when we look at these scripture readings? Usually with the Acts reading, people think of Communism, not the China/North Korea version of it. But true, real communism, where everyone is taken care of and has what they need. Most folks don’t react very well with this concept today, especially in Western society because we've all earned what we have and if you don’t have what you need then you’re not trying hard enough. Let’s face it we've all had those thoughts running through our heads when we see someone asking for change or when you get in a line behind someone who’s using WIC to buy milk, juice, formula and other basic items and the cashier has no idea how to ring it up in the computer system so you have to wait a few minutes longer. Isn't it interesting how fast we jump to assume that these people have...

            I am convinced that there are not many new ideas coming out. For the most part, folks take what already exists and put it in new packaging or reword a phrase or two and then say it’s new. Think about your cell phones. We’re bombarded with constant ads that we need new ones that are better somehow. Really it’s the same thing, just coming out of a new box.             At times, when we follow the Church year it feels like there’s nothing new. We move from one thing to the next because, as the Church, it’s what we do. The Church  doesn't  really think of time like we do in our everyday lives. Generally, we think of time in a linear fashion; there’s a beginning, middle and end. So it’s already a shift in thinking when the Church year, although it technically does have a beginning (first Sunday of Advent) and end (Christ the King Sunday), is a circle. With a perfect circle ...

Every week, I join pastors around the world, in thinking about the words that will come out of my mouth Sunday morning from the pulpit. I take preaching seriously because, in theory, I stand in a position of authority as pastor. I'm suppose to have learned about this stuff and have spent the week studying, praying and reflecting on scripture and the events of the world. I'm called to challenge, to teach, to encourage, to even scold at times. Here's the thing; when I get up to preach in most of the settings I've been in, I can see what people are doing in the pews. Generally I'm higher up then the people in the pews. I can see the kids who are being kids and drawing pictures on the bulletins or taking a nap because let's face it being 3 is hard work. I can see who has their phone out and is not reading an e-bible because I can see (and occasionally you forget to turn your sound off and/or you forget where you are and you get excited) that you're either usin...

Below is my contribution to the annual devotional booklet for Light a Candle for Children Prayer Vigil. Clearly I'm way behind in posting this but here it is. Friday, October 10, 2014 Seeing More than Stumbling Blocks Jeremiah 6:21 There are days I struggle to get tasks completed because I don’t understand them. It’s a blessing when one of the church children come up and magically move things or hit a button and things just work. Children see more than stumbling blocks and make a difference because they believe that they can do anything. They haven’t heard society tell them what/who they are or are not yet. Children have a unique way of seeing a different perspective. Jeremiah addressed God’s people, who often refused to change their hearts and see differently. It’s not the most loving thing to put a stumbling block in our way. But sometimes blocks help us to slow down and re-evaluate the situation. The Church has the blessing of children to let us see things in ne...

CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) held its annual Forum in Washington DC February 2-5. Every year coalitions from all 50 states and several US territories come together to share their ideas, stories, petition Congress for continued support and to learn about the changing trends on the topics of substance abuse. I was very fortunate that I was able to attend this year. My focus was on prescription and OTC (over-the-counter) drug abuse, especially with youth. I attended many workshops on the issue and all of the attendees heard from the current and past drug czars. While illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use are still very much an issue, prescription and OTC drug use is on the rise. Why? Because the ease of availability. Think about your own home for a moment - where do you keep your bottle of pain reliever? Do you have cold/cough/flu medications in your home? Where do you keep your medications? Are they locked up? I know the answer in my home and many others i...

Ferguson, MO is a hot bed of conversation right now. Last week, a youth was shot by police. The investigation into the situation is currently underway. Society is now polarized as being for the youth or for the police. Here is what I know - an investigation is still underway. Society and the media don't know every thing that happened. Patience and non-violence need to be demonstrated as we look for the truth and try to understand this situation before judgement is waged. My heart breaks for this situation. But I have to believe that we can look at the bigger picture. The fact is that the police in this community have a long history of being excessive in their force in dealing with the community. Many folks in this community have felt that the are lesser than others in the community. The fact is that police are trained to shoot at a critical mass (chest and head) area when forced to shoot at a suspect. Other countries train their police to shot when they feel their lives are endan...

Next week is the yearly main fundraiser where I work. It's a yearly event that's been going on for a couple of years. At the beginning of the month the group in charge of planning met again to go over details. Plans were made, volunteers gathers and things were agreed upon. This past Sunday, 2 people (1 who was at this meeting and 1 who wasn't) decided to undo everything that was agreed upon. When I remind these folks that things were already decided upon by a group and people had a plan, they pretty much decided that they didn't care and were going ahead with their plans. This has become a fundraiser that has cost more than it's brought in because of these types of issues. They run off people, they're not welcoming and they can't make a commitment to follow a plan and micro-manage everything. I just have to believe that things don't need to be this complicated. I believe so often folks feel the need to try to gain some sense of control and power, that...

Yesterday Flight MH 17 was shot down over Ukraine. I am saddened and heart sick that this is the level the world needs to go to in order to gain some fleeting feeling of control. I have, am and will continue to pray for those who died and are affected by this tragic event. But what makes me concerned is that from the moment that word hit "the wire" that there was a plane crash, the media was "breaking into" programs to broadcast images and tweets from Twitter about what may or may not have happened. It's not that I'm worried about the news bulletin that the crash happened. I'm most concerned that before any one knew what had happened speculation was being flung around as news. I'm concerned that we had to spend hours looking at the broadcast of black smoke. Folks died, people are mourning - how is this honoring those lives? How is this responsible reporting? A popular response to these concerns is "well turn off the TV." Guess what, I d...

Today I sat with a family who's matriarch died in hospice care. As the family was gathered, I asked some questions about the matriarch's and the family's wishes about the memorial service. As I sat and attempted to work with this family I started to come up with a list of helpful things I think folks should consider before they get to this stage. I offer these as suggestions and not requirements. But having been a hospital chaplain and now a congregational pastor I'd recommend folks to look at these things. Grief touches people in different ways. It can bring out and the best and the worst - and I've literally seen fist fights break out. Although no amount of preparation takes away grief, it can help folks in the grieving process and make grief lessen. 1) Advance Directives/Living Wills/Medical Decisions. I have one, have for several years. These are legal documents you can have made that allow you to make decisions about how you wanted to be treated by medical pr...

I feel like a broken record when in church. I feel like my sermons, liturgy and prayers are basically the same thing over and over. I've tried journaling about it. I've tried writing out my sermon, I've tried using notes/outline. I've watched new movies and shows, went and met and talked with new people. I've prayed/meditated on this and I still feel like I'm repeating myself. So I'm going over past bulletins and prayers trying to see if I'm really repeating myself as much as I like I am. Themes that I've seen: love, unity, growth, inclusion, forgiveness, generosity, mission, welcome/welcoming, struggle. I've only been with this current congregation for about 3 full months now. No one has said anything to me and when asked no one says I'm repeating (makes me wonder who really is listening). I do get the standard "nice sermon pastor" so I don't think anyone is unhappy and I would have heard the rumor mill by now if anyone was (...