"Some Churches"

I ran across this annonymous piece below entitled "some churches" in the journal, Homiletics. As we prayerfully head into 2007, I am so glad to be part of an authentic faith community that is alive and active despite the many imperfections and warts of her members. "Some Churches" require very little effort on the part of its people and fail miserably in creating, guarding and maintaining biblical community. Perhaps you have a friend or family member in a church like this. I know what that's like, it's a tough place to be. Pray for them and pray for their church to be healthy, alive and vibrant. Christ followers cannot afford to be critical of sister churches. We must bear with one another in love, pray for one another and encourage one another. We need each other if we are going to reach the culture for Christ in 2007. At Mosaic we regularly pray for churches in our area to have full parking lots, full seats/pews, overflowing offering plates and baptistries that are never empty. May it be so for our brothers and sisters who worship at any number of churches in our area! We pray God's best for you.

• Some churches have parking problems, some other churches don’t.
• Some churches have kids running around making a lot of noise, some other churches tend to be very quiet.
• Some churches usually have more expenses than money, some other churches don’t need to spend much money because not much is going on.
• Some churches are growing so fast you don’t always know everybody’s name, in some other churches everybody has known everybody’s name for years.
• Some churches enthusiastically and generously support missions, some other churches keep it all at home.
• Some churches are filled with tithers, some other churches are filled with tippers.
• Some churches evangelize, some other churches fossilize.
• Some churches are always planning for the future, some other churches live in the past.
• Some churches seek new ministries and new methods, some other churches don’t want to.

If you are active in some church, why don’t you take a moment and pray for it today.

• Some people pray for their church, and some others never quite get around to it.

—Source unknown.

Don't be a Scrooge!

(A Christmas Carol Photo from The Nebraska Theatre Caravan)

Many, many years ago I played the Ghost of Christmas Past in the musical version of Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol". You remember the story. The old miserly, crabby Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits/ghosts on Christmas Eve as foretold by the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. The rude, tight, critical and mean-spirited Scrooge was known for his trademark rebuke of Christmas, "Bah! Humbug!"

I remember the director stressing to me the importance of my character being jolly, festive, gregarious, and joyful as he led the frightened Scrooge through the joys of Christmas' long past. The mission of the first ghost was to wake up the cold-hearted Scrooge by showing him glimpses of his early years when he knew pure joy.

It was a hoot playing such a joyous character. You can imagine the fun I had despite my poor excuse for a British accent. My costume was colorful and everything about the character reeked of fun and celebration. As I draw on this 28-year old memory, I think we need this character's Christmas attitude now more than ever. People are so busy, the holiday pace is so hectic, the crowds, shopping and traffic are so stressful that we need some levity.

We need to be reminded that the intent and motive behind this season is the Good News of joy that brings peace to everyone. I love holding doors open, giving up prized front row parking spaces at the mall and smiling to sales clerks and those in the hospitality industry who are inundated this time of year with cranky, stressed-out customers. The reaction to sheer joy and cheer is mixed, but so rewarding. Some folks are just downright suspicious of why anyone could be so jolly, or courteous during the annual rat race leading up to Christmas Day. Now that's funny when you stop and think why most of them are out in the chaos----to secure a gift that will bring joy to someone they love! Who knew that the mission of bringing others joy would be so lacking in joy itself!

I know it's getting late and we're running out of days to purchase and wrap gifts. But let's not let the pursuit of joy deprive all of us of the very joy we seek. Let's remember the shepherd's who when they encountered the heavenly joy of the angels pronouncement responded in pure worship, putting the Christ-child first and leaving their fields. If we seek to put the Christ-child first in all we do in these closing days of Advent, we will indeed enjoy one of the best Christmas' ever. I hope you do! I'm going to try and lighten up the modern-day Scrooge's I encounter, one smile or gesture at a time.

Remember the Children of the Fallen

I saw a report today on NBC News about the number of American children who have lost a military parent serving in Iraq. Over 1,300 children will spend this Christmas without their fallen mother or father!

What do we say to these children? I don't think there are any appropriate words to say. "Thank-you", seems lacking and so far off the mark to say to a five or six-year old girl holding the U.S. flag from her mother's coffin. Sometimes words ring hollow no matter how sincere.

The picture above (from the Associated Press published in the San Diego Union-Tribune) was taken nearly three years ago (March 2004) at the funeral of 23-year old, Army Spc., Lori Piestwa, the first American service woman killed in Iraq. Her five-year old son, Brandon, and her four-year old daughter, Carla, carried flags at the beginning of her funeral procession. This will be their third Christmas without their mother.

Put your political views aside for a moment and just think what these 1,300+ kids have sacrificed. Whether you agree with the war or not, you cannot look them in the eye without wiping tears from your own. Every child ought to experience the love of a parent, especially at Christmas. Sadly, that's not the case for thousands of orphaned, abandoned, or abused children around the world. And it's not the case for these 1,300+ American children.

While words of sympathy for these children seem somewhat empty, there is something we can do for all of them. As you gather with the children in your family this Christmas, whether they are your grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or your own kids, hold hands and say a prayer for these children who have sacrificed so much. Pray that the same Spirit who filled, guided and protected Mary, the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ, will also comfort, protect and guide these children. Pray for the safety and protection of soldiers everywhere. Pray that children everywhere who have lost parents to violence, from the Sudan to Iraq, will actually know the "peace" declared by the angel to the shepherds: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."

Perhaps the greatest gift we can give to children around the world is the most expensive and difficult to achieve in a world of differences: real and lasting peace! They deserve it, we must strive for it!

One Sweet Bell Ringer

As I was headed into one of those large "box" stores this week, a woman was at her post ringing that familiar bell with the red kettle. She was a hoot! She sang, greeted every single person, even the Scrooge-like, no nonsense personalities who tried to get by her without being noticed. She was full of joy and the absolute spirit of Christmas that says, "I'm less concerned with what you think of me and how I'm acting than I am with making sure everyone knows the joy of the season."

I know the Salvation Army relies on volunteer bell ringers (our church has staffed the kettle several times), but they should hired this woman with the incredible smile and infectious spirit to train inexperienced bell-ringers. Her winsome spirit made my day.

Two types of people pass by the red kettles at Christmas. Those who give and those who don't. Regardless of excuses it boils down to giving at the moment or not. I usually don't carry much cash, but during Advent, I do my best to have some with me while I'm out so I can give to those kettles. No, I'm not trying to make a show of my gifts and I usually try to do it quietly without notice. Our largest giving is spent on our Angel Tree children and our church Christmas offering, but those kettles need our gifts as well.

Cash contributions both great and small help insure that the Salvation Army can continue to offer a variety of worthwhile, year-round ministries. And their administrative overhead is one of the lowest among non-profit, charitable organizations. So for the rest of December, why not get a roll or two of quarters and put them in the car? As you enter or leave a store be sure to put something into the ol' red kettles. You never know who your gifts might clothe, feed, house or help!

Since I didn't have any change when I entered or left the store, I made a point to get some change out when I returned to my car and pulled up in front of the all-star bell ringer. She was still shouting, singing and greeting folks when I got out and headed toward her kettle. Her response was priceless: "Bless you baby and thanks for coming back. God bless you young man and merry Christmas." Ha! I can't remember the last time someone called me young. As I walked to the car I thanked God for the spirit and attitude of a very large, infectiously joyous woman who reminded me what Christmas is all about. I'm going to do my best to emulate her attitude and joy toward others in my travels this Christmas. It's downright contagious. Don't forget to feed the kettles!