Thinking Out Loud

Duh Daily Scoop: Micro churches offer informal, interactive worship

2009-05-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

Micro Church

The micro church concept is not really new, is it? Almost 90% of the Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations are under 100 members. But that is "small", not micro. And the small church is institutionalized in the image of the large church even though the dynamics are "family." And herein lies the challenge. Many small congregations are all about "family" and like their larger congregational siblings, rarely is discipleship and faith formation at the top of the list of priorities. The financial need to buy a new boiler or install a sound system, are.

The micro church is about discipleship, mentoring, peer learning and accountability, and faith community at a deep level. This movement may be only a temporary swing that fills the void between mega church and small church inauthenticity and in being such it could offer type of leader we have not seen in the church.

The Blog below tells more about a micro group in Arizona...

Duh Daily Scoop: Micro churches offer informal, interactive worship

Peace,
Bob Anderson

2009-04-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Passion Sunday in a Woodland....

I sat this morning before a wintry woodland. The trees stand tall, stark, and naked but for the wisps of burnt orange blossoms crowning the tips. The delicate blooms stand in contrast to the powerful energy pumping from the soil, resurrecting life as winter’s cold prison collapses under the under the solstice sun.

Today, Lent moves to Holy Week. It is Passion Sunday to be accurate. The trees seem a fitting meditation in a silent moment. I plan to paint the woodland scene and I’m sketching the trees, perplexed as to how to capture the gnarly bark. I noticed the shadows that play up and down the limbs on their northern sides. They play then across the trunks in overlays of breeze blown movement of trees playing and dancing with the wind for yet another new season.

The seasonal cycling of Lent and Holy week creates a season set apart. The Lenten journey winds through the lengthening sunlight of the day. Lent, lengthen, the same word. I’m wondering about how my life is stretched, lengthen by Lenten disciplines. I am not easily moved by God’s season of life it seems.

Maybe I am like the leaves on the oak tree outside the window. Seven months ago the leaves turned from a soft, pliant green to yellow, orange and then brown. Amazingly, most of the leaves still cling to the mother branch, delicate shards, shredded banners of a life past. If I were to touch them, the leaf would crumble to dust, humus, “from dust we were created and to dust we will return, were the priest’s words as he marked the cross on my forehead six weeks ago. I wonder if I cling too tightly to the life just past?

Yet these leaves cling through winter’s harshest coldest storms. While others drop, these frail oak leaves hold on. Maybe it’s the tree that clings tightly, or are they caught in some eternal embrace of celebration? Perhaps the leaves are in perennial advent, waiting, expecting, desiring to be midwives birthing new life through their stemmed branches.

As Holy Week parades it’s story through our faith lives today, we remember that we cling to Jesus and he to us as we follow in the shadow of his cross. He is the branch and we are the vine. He will never let us go. And so we are content to cling, shriveled, dry, and brittle awaiting our resurrection.

Bob Anderson

Spin Off a New Presbyterian Church

2009-03-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

It's clear that denominations like the Presbyterian Church (USA) are floundering in the sea change of culture and society. So, I was wondering what it would be like if we spun off a new kind of church. Kind of like General Motors did with Saturn - with limited success but a good idea, nevertheless.

The Saturn Company was an attempt to wrestle with a new way to build a car, one that was not mired in old, costly, and unproductive practices. Religious denominations are mired in the same.

We value the grand experiment of a body of associated

congregations living into the vision of God's dream for all humanity.

That's a vision I covet. Yet we insist on front loading the vision with mechanics that make it our dream rather than God's emerging vision. We want members to freely embrace the vision and create rules that stifle that embrace. We want to share the Gospel with those whom God is calling yet we insist in doing it in ways that we can control, monitor, and shape into our own image. After watching millions of dollars go to new church developments that flounder, disappear to "independent affiliations", or simply never get past "go" I know it is time for a new approach.

My imagination takes over and wonders what would happen if the Presbyterian Church (USA) created an imaginative, missional and purposeful new way to "be church" - one fit for this time and place, not forever, and launched it into the future. I imagine these congregations as missionary communities in a world hungry for Good News. Their connectedness would be organic rather than organizational. Their purpose will be rooted in the call to God's mission discovered through consistent spiritual practices. Their accountability will be to one another through honest and open communication. These will be communities of witness and disciple formation. They would be a grand "experiment" in displaying the colorful textures of a faith community tapestry that is the Body of Christ.

My imagination grinds to a halt thinking, "now the first thing we have to do is create a name, and a 501c3, write a constitution and...."

Just Thinking Out Loud on a dreary afternoon...

Bob

Dancing with Jesus

2009-03-13T05:47:00.000-07:00

I never learned to dance. Dancing was forbidden in my fundamentalist Baptist church and family. Consequently, I shuffle around the dance floor at weddings and social events. Shortly after Christmas last December, I went to my first real dance. I knew no one there but became friends quickly. They helped me dance and it was a great evening. I was even awake at 1am. For those who know me well, that speaks volumes.

Recently, I tried Scottish Country Dancing. The rationale was that my Scots heritage would be in my DNA and help out. Susie, in the picture above (she's the one on the right, silly!), is an excellent dancer and my first teacher. She taught me the basic steps. Her left became my right and so forth. My usual struggle. However, when the music began, she said, "follow what I do, look in my eyes and feel how I move". Then follow. OMG! What an experience. I actually forgot my feet and I danced. Dancing is about the music, the flow, the rhythm. The technical steps follow over time.

This is also true with God. When I keep my eyes on Jesus, look to see him "face to face", I enter the movement, the flow of divine rhythm, I am swept up in the dance of divine love. Most of the time I'm busy counting how long I prayed, or how many people I prayed for as if it is some kind of righteous competition to prove that my faith is efficacious. That's all technical stuff that makes me feel good and holy, but it isn't dancing. Dancing is not all about me.

Dancing is an "us" and so is Christian faith. Christian faith is about community. It is about relationships with the Trinity and with others who relate to me in the divine wholeness of Trinity. I suppose it follows then, that my task is to look you in the eyes and invite you to dance with me. Then, we will both dance the world with Jesus.

Bob Anderson

Coffee, Community and Facebook

2009-03-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I stopped at my local North Shore coffee shop, a non-descript but hospitable escape called Hoi Polloi, on North Ave. at Galveston. Inside was the usual Saturday morning gathering of my neighbors. They are more than neighbors, however. These good folks are becoming my friends.

I sat down with couples, singles, and kids coloring and playing with a "Mr. Potato Head". I watched four year old Annie become entranced by Tony's expertise as he morphed Mr. Potato Head into a variety of spud faces. Software engineers, journalists, physicians, arts educator and two unemployed professionals "between gigs"as one called himself (and me). (including me as of last week).

I easily engaged in the topic of the morning - "social networking". Facebook seemed to be the rage, though Twitter (which I simply don't get - yet) had some following. I quickly became Facebook "friends" with Tony and Sue. Tony asked me if I ever thought about starting a "cyber church" - a cyber network of those who would probably never enter a church door. This caught my ear. And my imagination. When was the last time you saw a church door that was open? Or, for that matter, one that wasn't a solid wooden barrier blocking the "narrow way" to God?

Our little group exhibited no apparent barriers - our diversity and commonality manifested human "community" because we share a commitment to life on the Northside/Northshore of Pittsburgh. We live in the old, restored homes of the neighborhood and create gatherings to enjoy our holidays and events. The sense of "community" exists because of an active social network that arose from common passions and vision for an urban neighborhood.

Hoi Polloi's door may be a non-descript "plain Jane" brown. But it does sport a small window that opens to a world of caring friendships for a disparate collection of neighbors. Different careers, straight, gay, white, African American, jobbed and jobless, we sat around our table telling our stories and laughing our way into the weekend.

I began to feel like I "belonged." I became more whole and complete as this social network wove their lives into mine and mine into theirs. My 35 years of church ministry is only slightly spotted with this experience of acceptance and "belonging." The closed church door is my metaphor for the way we become closed to most of Jesus call to go out to the entire world as Christ's abassadors who lead to open doors of love. Rather than risk exhibiting God's dream for all humanity, we send a message that "church" is about "church", not people.

I wonder if Tony could help me recreate a congregation as creatively as he morphs Mr. Potato Head?

I thank God for Facebook. And my neighbors.

Bob Anderson

Presbyterian Transitional Ministry Leader

Looking for a Job

My MLK Mentors

2009-01-18T05:46:00.001-08:00

A big surprise for me in ministry was the first time I heard people repeating phrases of my sermons. As they encouraged one another or did theological reflection, I overheard comments like, "Rev. Bob said in his sermon..." or, "remember what Rev. Bob always says...." That was scary and eyeopening. Leaders make an impact that is generative and creates new leaders of similar stripe.

My first hit upside my head about the impact of Martin Luther King was in 1955 in quasi segregated Woodbury Heights, NJ. A brave 8 year old "African American "classmate to be" came to school for her first day. Her appearance followed with "whisper down the playground", "who is she? why is she here? She's not allowed at our school, she lives in New Sharon (a nearby community of African American hog farmers descended from the slave community of Southern NJ), will the principal send her home?" I said nothing but questioned the behavior in my mind. I didn't have my "voice" in those days. Partly because my father believed in segregation - and the Bible.

I still hear the playground comments as if it were yesterday. I still see the little girls tear stained face as the principal took her to his office. We never saw her again. As I wrote the last sentence, I am shocked at how we lived then. Indeed, she did live in the bounds of our borough and we had only one school and it was for whites. There were no funds to build a school for one black child whose family managed to buy a house just inside the borough border (read "walls"). Several years later, my father campaigned and voted for George Wallace. That was life in 1955.

Nadine Cato entered my life at Woodbury High School. Nadine went to the all black neighborhood grade school and then our integrated high school. I don't remember exactly how we became "buddies" but we did. Most likely it was her huge contagious smile, plainspoken earthiness, positive outlook and authentic care about my life and the life of the world. Twenty five years later she spotted me in a throng at a farmers market in South Jersey. "Bob, Bob Anderson!", I heard across the din. She recognized me, knew my name, and gave me a huge hug - I was "loved" and remembered across racial divides and active prejudices. Thank you Nadine.

I worked my way through college with the help of ServiceMaster Hospital Corp. They let me work part time in the various hospitals where they managed environmental services ("janitors," back then). They kindly placed me a few blocks from school at Hannemann Hospital in Philadelphia. I worked nights along with Nate, an African American from North Philly. This was Nate's third job of the day. His youngest was going to Temple University and he had bills to pay. Nate became my first real mentor in life. At break time we walked across Broad Street to White Castle and shared meals of hamburger and grease balls in the soot stained, white tiled "Castle".

I compared my life to his, saying my family was poor, too. Racial Injustice 101 for Bob. "Yeah", he said, "maybe". But the issue isn't money. You dad can work at ARCO Refinery and I can't." Naivete's bubble burst as he pulled at the white skin on my arm, "because y'alls got white skin, and white skin is privelege and power regardless of money. I work three jobs instead of one because my skin is black. White skin is powerful, Bob, use it wisely." I ate my burger in stunned silence. We had conversations like that night after night. Nate expanded the world that opened for me when I saw the little pigtailed girl try to go to school in Woodbury Heights.

These days I get my hair cut at Fred's barber shop on Galveston St. around the corner from my house. Fred is a VietNam Vet and has been cutting hair since he was eight years old. He says.
The other barber is Jerry. His long dreadlocks mark him as a different generation. I love them both. Their shop is the local community center for African Americans in my neighborhood. Haircuts are slow paced here because relationships trump time. I sit for a half hour or longer listening to conversation about life in a community that was/is invisible to me (read, Ralph Ellison's classic, The Invisbile Man"). It's like catching brief glimpses of King's dream breaking through (God's reign?). I watch Jerry look a young African American teen straight in the eye and set him straight on drinking. His witness to Jesus is sparking clear and fresh.

Fred is quieter, older and wrapped in love and grace. Love and joy beam from his face. I walked past Fred's shop the other night while walking with a neighbor. I waved and shout "hi" to Fred and Jerry through the window. The waved back but my companion wanted to go in and warm up. Introductions were made and we some talk about the recent fire on the block. When we left, my companion said, "I want to go back there. Love fills that place. It was noted that long held fears began to flake away in the face of love. I can't wait to tell Fred!

I'm far from being a radical social justice leader, and I need to repent for that. Our world is not just. It only seems so from the comfy chair in which I sit. I am grateful for these who, infected with the contagious Christian radical discipleship of Martin Luther King, gave me pause and helped me explore the world in a new way. I have another hero to add to the list and she is Karen Battle of our presbytery staff. She is well tuned to justice and never ceases to gently but clearly refocus my faith on Jesus who spent most of his time with those on the margins of society and culture. Her heart is anchored to the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized. It is the "lens" through which she reads scripture, prays (so beautifully, tears come), and speaks to the long festering racial and justice challenges we face. I told her that my prayer this year is that I begin to think more like she does as a natural response.

I still have to work hard at changing my conversation. That shouldn't be. I can hear the gunshots in Manchester, but the bullets are not hitting my front door. I drive by the drug deals on the corner but it is not on my front stoop. Our Presbytery office sits on the corner that marks the start of the Manchester neighborhood. Our Bidwell Presbyterian Church, with Rev. DeNeice Welch, is creating a major initiative for transforming bullet riddled streets into paths of peace, highways of justice whose crooked ways are made straight. Our Pittsburgh Presbytey office must become a cornerstone for that effort. Thank you little girl, Nadine, Nate, Fred, Jerry, Karen and all those in my life who carried the MLK vision in their own way and time. You allowed me access to your worlds and that changed my life course more than a few degrees.

And today, I hear the call from the mountain of dreams. I hear God asking me to lead our presbytery to be a partner in racial reconciliation and to start with Bidwell's initiative in Manchester.

I know Karen will hold me accountable. But so does Jesus.

With Gratitude to God and my Spiritual Guides,

Bob

Mary's Ponderous Pondering

2008-12-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

This weekend I found my box of Christmas manger figures, unpacked them and set them under my skinny, artificial Christmas tree. As I carefully placed Mary, mother of Jesus, in her spot, I remembered the words of Mary after the visit by the shepherds, "... Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart"(Luke 2:19, KJV).

I wrote a sermon on the text and added "ponder" to my active vocabulary. Ponder is a cool word. It is much more than "to think about". The etymology of the word goes back centuries and has the sense of something heavy, as in "weighty." Mary's message from the angels and shepherds was indeed, "weighty" - we might say that it was a ponderous revelation that she was weighing in prayer and meditation.

The other day I printed out a new years goal sheet I found last year - after the fact. In the next week I am going to ponder, weigh, the heavy (and not so heavy, also) goals for the new year and my life. I'll lose 15 pounds... that will take off what I've gained since moving to Pittsburgh (10) and then 5 more to get me to my goal weight of 165. That's weighty pondering on pondorous pounds.

I want the rest of my career to be about giving back. The church has given me a lot. From a snotty, immature kid, the church community has helped me form into a less snotty, reasonably mature adult. I'm grateful. This is a weighty theme. I intend to work until I'm 70 or 75 (thus the weight issue above).

Here are a few reflection questions I will use for 2008 -
1. What did I learn this year?
2. How am I different now than at the start of the year?
3. What obstacles have I overcome?
4. What accomplishment last year am I most proud of?
5. How did I contribute to others, to the world?

Looking ahead, a few questions I will "ponder"
1. How will I best use my skills?
2. How will I do more excellent work?
3. What are my five most important goals this year?
4. What's my plan for reaching those goals?
5. What kind of person do I want to become this year?
6. How will I contribute to making the world a better place?
7. How is God forming me for the future?

Those are some pondorous ponderings for my Christmas - Ephiphany season... I hope you do some soul searching as well!

Bob

Vulnerability and Community

2008-11-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

The other day I told a personal story in a meeting at work. Now I have to write an apology. The personal story was really not appropriate in that context. The group is grappling with transition in our leadership. Instead of moderating I took "sides". Duh. I told the story for the emotional impact (when all else fails, use a sucker punch). That is manipulative. There is no excuse for me to leave the anchor of my life mission and values that sustain it. The "emotional hook" was baited and I bit. I reacted out of my reptilian brain. Now I have to confess my complicity in the discord of that moment. It would be easier to pretend to be righteous.
All is not lost, however. At the end of the meeting one of my colleagues (and I for the life of me I can't recall who it was) asked me how I handled being that vulnerable before a group of colleagues. I was distracted so I gave some insipid answer. My apologies to you friend. To stop and talk would have been more genuine and I didn't. Another confession. However, his question lingered in my consciousness all week. Perhaps that lingering is a redemptive. Redemptive or not, it drove me to jot some thoughts here.

In my personal "research" about on how we use personal life story narratives, I discovered quite accidentally that ministers are wonderfully skilled listeners. When it comes to sharing life stories, many of us clergy types pull cloak ourselves with the veil we call "Reverend."
Maybe I share too much of myself. And, like the other day, share at the wrong time and out of warped motivation. On the positive side, however, those with whom I am closest are those with whom I am most vulnerable, the most open, and by implication the most open to being hurt and loved. These are my closest friendships, several of these relationships are decades long.

Connecting some spiritual "dots" I began to think that community cannot exist without vulnerability. Maybe that's why I do dumb things like I did last week. It was a kind of backward attempt to draw us into community during a contentious moment (so much for good intentions). I am not a stellar example of being in community, either. I'm better fitted to the hermitage than the village.
That's the point, however. I need to be in community. Our trinitarian God is a community within Godself - perichoresis - a "circle dance" of intertwine relationship and being. The image itself is ancient and now is lifted up by quantum physics as a dance that seems to extend to all of creative order that dances and vibrates in living organic energy. The Father risked vulnerability in Jesus. In that vulnerability I find my completeness. In risking vulnerability with you, "the other," we have the potential for completeness in community. Perhaps this breaking of community is the "original sin" of the Garden of Eden scripture narrative. Redemption and forgiveness create potential for reconciliation - community.

Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together that God "hated visionary dreaming." I know that I tend to see myself as the "visionary dream" of what I think I am and what I think I know about myself . In community I am vulnerable because I learn what you see and what you know about me that I don't know (maybe that's why I prefer the hermitage). In our life story narratives we have an energy, a potential to weave community redemptively in the weaving of our lives. We trust our woundedness with another as a sacred trust making community holy ground.
Quantum physics demonstrates that nothing makes sense in isolation. Relationships are everything. We create sense and meaning through our interaction with others. We tell our life stories to others because in so doing we create meaning that gives us new life. I suppose we could postulate that the church does not make sense in isolation. Yet, we certainly try hard to keep ourselves hunkered down in our protective bunkers sometimes, don't we?

As leaders, we ministers can model vulnerability. I have no formula for that. You'll have to screw up and learn just like I am - even in my "mature" years.

Bob Anderson

Jesus, My Troublemaker

2008-11-21T14:42:00.001-08:00

I think I might be in deep "doo doo." A few weeks ago I unexpectedly had lunch with a colleague. We talked about Christology - a subject our Presbyterian Church (USA) must recover if we are to heed a call to mission in this new century (IMHO - in my humble opinion).

He asked me to try something... try focusing on "Jesus". Not "God", not "Christ", not even (the, The) "Holy Spirit." I was good with the God part for about five minutes and then I slipped into the majestic title, "Christ". "No, no," he smiled, "Christ is a title, think Jesus - the guy with the name." (that's a Bob paraphrase). My experiment was off to a shaky start, to be sure. It is now three weeks later and I'm doing much better. But I may be in "trouble." My world is changing.

The first recognition that something was shifting, was a perception of Jesus. Jesus was not present. My imagination went into overdrive as I considered the possibilities before me. I walked to WalMart today and encountered someone for whom I had an unbidden judgement. Then I suddenly "saw" Jesus beside that person, embracing him, loving him, pointing him to a new way. I know, I know, you've heard that before. You used it in sermons. What I encountered was not the metaphorical Jesus. He was a dead man walking.

Jesus is showing up and I keep bumping into him. Jesus is a person. Resurrected or not, "Historical" or not, thinking about Jesus is dynamic. Jesus is a person with a name, like mine. There is a personal and relational energy using this vantage point of reflection. This is not totally unfamiliar. I was raised with the concept of Christ as my "personal" Savior. But this is different. this is not "personal" as in "mine, belonging to me." The personal I am discovering is global in nature. Part of relational web that snares all humanity its divine design. Jesus is showing up in love through the many friends I have in my social network. They love me no matter what. They remind who I really am. They want the best for me and bring out the best in me. Like Jesus. I didn't see that possibility before. In my experience, Jesus was a seldom mentioned theological construct (seldom mentioned that is in comparison to "God" (most mentioned) and "Christ" (second) or "Holy Spirit" (actually Holy Spirit may come in fourth after Jesus. Not sure.

Jesus is active, alive.. maybe this is what the Resurrection is all about. I have N.T. Wright's, Surprised by Hope as the next book on my reading pile. Maybe I'll get some insight there. My dilemma is sort of the first century dilemma. If Jesus is resurrected then what does that mean? Does it mean religion (as in "organized, institutional") or does it a spiritual event (as in creating meaning for my humanity). I am thinking that one thing I keep bumping into with Jesus is that there are possibilities, miracles even, love being the chief among them.

Another experiment discovery is that I am reading the Gospels differently. Maybe they are reading me differently? My theologian friends, please allow me a moment of wonderment. The Gospels are soooo different than the Epistles. Jesus is so different in the Gospels than the Epistles. Come to think of it, Jesus kind of fades from view. I wonder what that is about?

My doo doo pile is messing up my shoes and I don't know whether to scrape it off or leave so I can see what it becomes (that metaphor is a little smelly, isn't it?). It's earthy though. If Jesus is around and is messin' with my life, then what is church all about? Is our Presbyterian Church (USA) what Jesus came to do? And if Jesus is messin' with the PCUSA, then what do I do?

I know what to do and not to do now. But is Jesus is around today, then I don't know what to do.

For now, I'm going to keep my experiment going. The only thing I can think of "to do" is to follow Jesus around and see what he's up to. I'll let you know. And to my esteemed and respected colleague who made this off the cuff challenge... thanks a lot.

Scraping,

Bob

Sick and Tired

2008-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

Yikes! I haven't blogged in weeks. I have been sick. And tired. Most of October.

A severe head cold hit me during the second week of October. That dragged on for 7 days. Then I pushed myself to the medical realm to tell me that the "cold" was now a sinus infection. Ten days of anti-biotics followed and five of those was waiting for it to "kick in". After that I still had good days and worse days.

An insight during this time was that illness saps not only physical energy but also spiritual, emotional/relational and intellectual. During these weeks I had to fight to keep my practice of praying the hours. My strength is returning and now the practice is frayed. I didn't walk daily because I would get the "chills". I felt scattered and fragmented. Centering took a lot of effort.

What did I learn? Hmm. Not much probably. I was reminded that the world would go on without me. Rats! I also learned that I have to seek medical help a bit earlier. I miss my family doctor in Indianapolis so I am grateful for the CVS Minute Clinic. I learned that one can exist on chicken soup and decongestant tablets for weeks at a time. I learned how difficult it is to pray when your heart and brain are distracted. Self care, spiritual self awareness are both critical to spiritual nurture under stress. I attend Vespers at the Benedictine Monastary on Perryville Road a couple times a week. I didn't go when I was sneezing and coughing but I did attend when I was a bit healtier. This spiritual community outside my normal environs is more of a blessing than I ever imagined. I gained strength from this contemplative community with whom Ishare prayer and occasional meals.

In the end, I learned anew that all parts of my life are connected and interdependent. Just like the Body of Christ. And just like the Body of Christ represented by the PCUSA and Pittsburgh Presbytery. We are a web of spiritual, physical, relational/emotional interdependencies. When I rant and rave about my favorite topic, I risk bringing harm to another part of my body. I have done that because some of you told me. Forgive me. When I allow a hurt to fester by sulking (Bob's personal preference), I risk infection that will spread to the rest of my (my = Body of Christ).

Ahaa.. a "light bulb" just flashed on in my imagination. Until now I was not connecting with Dorothy Bass' insistence that care of the physical body is an important "practice" of faith (Practicing the Faith, www.amazon.com). By honoring my body (health, cleanliness, respect, etc) I, by implication honor the "Body of Christ". That sounds a bit like 1 Corinthians 11 - "judge" the "body" before participating in the Lord's Supper. If you make some connections be sure to share them using the blog features for comments...

Sabbath Blessings,

Bob Anderson

I-HOP to the World

2008-10-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

Duke was my college buddy. He was a South Philly guy and committed to faith despite a lot of "rough edges." Since I was a kind of "compliant, follow the rules kind of guy," Duke served well as an alter-ego. He was adventurous, risked, rules were there to warn you to stay safe while breaking them. He taught be to drink "shots." Ok, I wrote it in public - I was a kid, once!

Our college Christian fellowship group had gone to a church event on a Sunday night. On the way back to Center City Philly, our three car loads of students stopped at the I-HOP Pancake House to get something to eat. There were fourteen of us and we filled the place. I think we reveled in the attention of the other diners. In the spirit of college years shananigans, one of us asked, "hey, who is going to say grace for us?"

When we heard the call for prayer we all pretended we didn't hear the question and pretended like we weren't there. Except for Duke. For Duke, that comment was a dare! Duke grabbed his chair and hauled his lanky, 6'4" frame up on the seat, and standing above the entire restaurant, raised his arms to heaven and intoned a long drawn out prayer for us and the other patrons! This is totally true.

Part joke and part deep sincerity, Duke wasn't afraid to be different. Today he is a chaplain in some of New Jersey's toughest prisons. We knew we wanted to keep custom with a grace before a meal. After all, we were the Christian Fellowship group on campus. We wanted the custom as long as it didn't make us different or distinct. Duke called our bluff by testifying to our faith in a very public manner.

I believe one of the keys to the renewal of our churches is going to be found in the renewal of our willingness to be different, to stand out in bold relief as God's people. I spoke with a minister once who came to serve American congregations after a life time of missionary work in Africa. He was suffering "church culture shock." He said, "in American churches, one can't tell the difference between a Christian disciple and any person on the street. In Africa, the Christians stand out, the live under threat of death, yet live a prophetic life. Counter-cultural?

To live a prophetic life is to speak volumes against the "pharoahs" of our worlds who seek to imprison us against the threat of God's reign breaking through. We don't speak of it often, but I've had my share of drunken Clerks of Session calling me in the middle of the night to "tell me off." I've confronted well known Elders in the midst of marital affairs. I sought to bringing healing to the congregation whose treasurer traveled the world on the money he skimmed off the books for 10 years. Confroning the pastor who was sexually abusing church members was emotional travail.

The big problem for me is that in many of these cases I would hear, "oh, these things happen, don't make a big deal of it". They are human, after all. We are human. And that's why God calls us to be unique and distinct, shining as lights in the darkness as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians.

In one of my interim congregations, we completed most of our church mission study in preparation for a new pastor search process. These were all people in their 30s. One of them, reflecting on our description of the congregation's mission, declared, "our church sounds like a description of my Rotary Club! What makes us unique as Christians?"

Duke stood out in the crowd by standing up. How do we stand out? What do people think of when they hear the word, Presbyterian (other than, "how do you spell that?). Are we simply a Faith based Rotary or Lion's Club? Next time you go to I-HOP, here's what you can do.....

Bob Anderson
www.phgpresbytery.org

God's Vote

2008-09-20T05:21:00.000-07:00

I await my campain button in the mail. Maybe it will have a message from God on the back. Kind of like a Snapple cap. Don't we wish spiritual discernment was that clear when it comes to electing our officials?

Sister Joan Chittister of Erie, PA helped me out last week in her email newsletter: I think there is a criterion we can use to make our personal political decisions with moral confidence. I bet God’s own criteria still holds. I bet God is still listening, as in Yahweh’s message to Moses at the burning bush: “I have heard the cry of the poor…and I mean to deliver them.” (http://www.benetvision.org/)

God's vote for Moses was a vote for deliverance of the enslaved and oppressed. That theme echoes through out scripture. Choose any three Psalms at random and my guess is that you will here the message resound.

We have plenty of people crying for deliverance in our world. In America, kids go without meals in the summer because the school lunch program is closed. Health care goes wanting because we can't share our abundance of health care options. Mortgage foreclosures put families at risk because of greed. Of course compared to the rest of the world, even our poor are rich (http://www.richlist.com/). Travel the globe in your imagination and you will find poverty crying out in every nation. God hears the cries of the oppressed amid greed, pollution, affluenza, and warfare of all sorts.

My burning bush moment with God is going to take place in the voting booth up the street. It will be holy ground for a holy call for me to be the change God wants to see in the world. Like Moses, I may have to go barefoot in that holy space.

I wonder if I'll be asked to leave because of no shoes?

Bob Anderson

churchdoc@gmail.com

Bob Anderson

Bonehead Blame Game

2008-09-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Cubbies are all the rage in Chicago as the team plays toward a playoff berth - if the can stop the current losing streak. The Cubs haven't won a World Series for 90 years. And they almost lost that one.

Most people blame a 19 year old New York Giants rookie named Fred Merkel. The Cubs were playing the Giants and a win that day would put them in the World Series. Merkel singled and drove a team mate to third. The next hit brought in the winning run for the Giants. Nearly10,000 Giants fans streamed onto the field and Merkel, instead of tagging second, headed for the safety of the dugout as the fans overran him. In the middle of the chaos a blame game got underway. The Cubs convinced the umpires to call Merkel "out". They declared the game a tie. They played again, the Cubs won and went on to a World Series win.

I heard this story on NPR today and the commentator reported a week of blaming, hearings, and more blaming of Merkel. Poor Fred became known as Bonehead for life. The blame syndrome caught my attention. Mostly because I've been a "designated blamee" most of my life. The role began with three younger sister (I was the oldest) and it seemed (at the time) that I was always being blamed for something. The experience stood me in good stead when I was ordained. Pastors are often designated blamees. Denominational govening body leadership is a natural "lightning rod" role. I'm wondering if I should order the phrase for my tombstone? Here lies...

Well, anyway, I pondered blame on the way home. Traffic was slow and I blamed the rain. I can't control the rain, so why not? Blame is a great way to feel in control when you are not. Peter Senge calls blame, "shifting the burden." When we want to escape the anxiety of a situation we blame another or some event (like rain) and it bleeds off the anxiety. Sort of.

In this case blaming is a way of avoiding my responsibility in some anxious encounter. Who, me? We all know that blame is deserved. If it wasn't the legal profession would be out of business, right? Someone is always to blame for something so it is important to name that person. This is the way of our world, today, it seems.

A friend of mine is a pastor in another state. We got together for a visit because his church Session had turnd against him and wanted to "fire" him. He told me how all the "old guard" was being replaced with new business and professional types who were moving into the formerly rural area. He blamed them because they weren't from Presbyterian backgrounds. I askd him what he did for Elder (officer) orientation and education. He stumbled on his words and said he hadn't done anything like that for ten years. We talked. He finally admitted complicity in his own demise.

Liberals blame conservatives, Presbyterian conservatives blame the new progressive crowd. Members blame the seminary professors. New Wineskin folks blame Cliff Kirkpatrick or General Assembly staffers for rigging General Assembly meetings to get their own liberal way. General Assembly blames lack of idenitity, and new Council leadership. Presbytery commissioners blame the presbytery staff. Or the way meetings are run. Or, the lack of vision. You can add anything here that you'd like. The sessions blame the presbytery thinking that they are General Assembly and in the end, I am the one who gets the phone calls. Or blamed by The Layman for locking down a poor country church (which I never did or would do). So I'm wondering what burden we are shifting. I wonder what complicity we deny when we point fingers across the pews?

There are days I want to skip second base and head for the safety of the dugout like Bonehead Merkel. Because if I don't, I have to ask the tough question, "what's my role in causing this mess?"

So far, I've come up with one answer - "I stopped acting in love when the blame hit me." Step aside, Fred Merkel. Bonehead Bob now joins you!

Bob Anderson

Interim Pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery

churchdoc@gmail.com

Testosterone Church

2008-08-08T03:37:00.000-07:00

Is Manliness Next to Godliness?

A recent study by the Pew Foundation surveyed how many men attend church as compared to women. The historic stream of churches (mainline) didn't do too badly. Males comprise 46% of our membership and 31% of them claim to attend church weekly. In the mainline churches 37% of women say they attend church at least once a week.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-07-23-males-church_N.htm

Those numbers seem to jive with my observations over time. But some churches are asking, "where are all the men?" Apparently there is a movement to make churches more masculine in order to attract men to worship. I've been out of touch, I guess. I even had to go to the dictionary to learn how to spell testosterone. In fact, Sandy's kids told her not to marry me because they questioned my sexual orientation. According to them, I cleaned my nails, touched my hair with my hands to put it back "in place" and did not practice audible flattulence.

Go figure.

The USA Today reported that . . . many pastors say they need to power up on reaching men if the next generation of believers, the children, will find the way to faith. So hundreds of churches are going for a "guy church" vibe, programming for a stereotypical man's man. "I hear about it everywhere I go," says Brandon O'Brien, who detailed the evolution of the chest-thumping evangelism trend this spring in Christianity Today." Listen to an audio interview with the author at http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/ .

According to the USA Today report, one church in Texas (of course) was designed "designed with dudes in mind, from the worship center's stone floor, hunter-green and amber decor and rustic-beam ceilings to woodsy scenes on the church website."

Now that I think about this, some church buildings are large enough to have a high ropes course climbing walls and maybe even skeet shooting. Or maybe just the Wii version. Bally's and Bible?

I jest. Sort of. Ingniting passion for God in all people is critically important. But it is so easy to lose our focus. Presbyterians believe that God is already actively at work in calling people to salvation. I don't think the Spirit has a gender quota but what I do know is that is that when we are passionate about God's mission in the world, God's people flouish - men and women.

When I was brash young adult, I was a Boston radio air personality. Don't get excited. We barely showed up on the ratings chart. I gained three Nielson points in one day because I asked my in-laws to listen during sweeps week :) Actually, what happened was that the station General Manager came in during my air shift with a sheaf of print outs. He said, "this is really strange and I wanted to tell you." My first thought was that no one listened to my ramblings and I was gonna be outa there. Not. The GM said, "during you show we increased the number of male listeners. I've seen the female listeners increase often, but never the men." Then he sent me out to sell ads for golf clubs and advertising spots during the Notre Dame football game (remember, this was Irish Catholic Boston).

I've tried to figure out if I did anything particular that connected with men. All I could come up with was authenticity.

Go figure.

Entering Hope

2008-07-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

I received this mail about my thoughts... I'll give my response at the end...

Nows are interesting moments aren't they? So full of feelings and power and the new. Thens are old and worn and rather lackluster in comparison. Take the fire and leave the ash! But - consider this - wasn't the then once a now. And didn't the receivers of that revelation sense the rush of a defining moment and a clarifying vision? What are the anchors of the "then" and "now?": word to mankind and mankind's word. When the church weds the culture, it becomes a widower.

Loved your blog, but feeling some fallout from the culture wars, as I try to build trust on these mean streets for our beloved denomination.

Stymied in Swissvale

Dear Stymied,

The "nows" of life are certainly a challenge. But then, they always are, as you point out. The now that we have is flowing from the "now" that once was. I am trying to live in the "now" that I'm given. To dig deep in it. Examine it. Prayerfully reflect upon it with out prejudgment. If God is eternal, then our "now" is a speck of eternity. There is a tomorrow that God already dreamed up "yesterday." If I empty myself and look for God today, then I believe that God's tomorrow will emerge in full wonder and glory.

Now that I wrote that, I'm not sure it makes sense. But I'll let it be.

Our church is Christ's church. Jesus is still Lord. Our attempts to create the church after our own image will always fall short. My trust in the church is always a trust in Jesus, the Lord of the church. If I try to separate the weeds from the wheat, I risk ruining the whole. I ruined an entire season of carrots once because I thought those delicate, filmy shoots were weeds.

If I begin to give up hope in the church, then I need to reinforce my hope in Christ, for Christ is the center, the life, the breath of the church. And that is my soapbox sermon - Presbyterians, we have a wonderful identity in our heritage, let us claim it. Let's proclaim it so the world knows who we are and who Christ is as a result. I truly believe that the church is a living demonstration of God's will for all humanity and that is my compelling vision for tomorrow. And I believe that God is doing a great work in us because the world needs us. Desperately.

Hopeful Bob on the Northside

Of Oprah, Phil Gramm, and Whining Prayer

2008-07-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

The Post-Gazette this morning was filled with references to Senator Phil Gramm's statement that America is in a mental economic recession. In short, there is nothing wrong with our economy, Gramm implied. Americans are just "whiny" and have negative attitude. Apparently, a vibrant economy needs the positive attitude of Oprah and those who talk to their flowers and vegetable plants. The famous statement of the early 90's, "it's the economy, stupid," is turned upside down: "it's me, not the economy." I'm still waiting for someone to rent my house in Indianapolis, so I may join the whiny throngs soon if I don't fine one with a decent credit history (oops, I think I just "whined").

We all know whiners. Present company excepted of course. Apparently there were no whiners before 1530 when the word first appears in language, according to "Etymology.com." The word evolved from "hwinsian 'to whine' (of dogs). The dictionary states that "whining" can also mean a high shrill nasal sound. Are you old enough to remember the SNL skit, "The Whiners"? The Whiner Family parodied American complaining with high nasal pitched "whines". Kids do it. Adults don't, of course.

I whined in a sermon once. Once. I kept a soapbox in the pulpit for my pet peeve topics - after all, I was 32 years old and knew everything. I climbed on my soap box one Sunday morning and railed about the sin of divorce. I whined. Then I saw my Uncle in the congregation. It was the first time he had been to church in decades. He came because he respected me. Loved me. Uncle Dick was a university professor of mathematics, bright, brainy, liberal, an agnostic with his words, and a Christian in his heart (I believed, though my mom feared for his soul). I saw his face. Calm, non-judgmental, thoughtful. Everything I wasn't. I stopped whining in the pulpit from that day on. I realized that I was dumping on God's people my own gunny sack of personal denial about my own difficult and painful stage of married life. I figured that if everyone "just kept the rules" in the Bible, all would be well. I discovered that "rules" aren't the easy answer I thought. I needed the wonder of grace.

My grace was the discovery of Job, psalms of lament, Jeremiah and others who railed and whined at God in prayer. Somehow whining to God in prayer puts "whining" in perspective. Instead of acting like neighbor's baying dog, my whines get lost in eternity's Spirit wind. My whines bounce off God's faithful promises and abundance returning to me as sharp arrows reminding me that I am but a "flower that droops under the afternoon sun".

So, maybe Senator Gramm and Oprah are both right. Maybe I need to "whine" a bit more in lamenting prayers to God about our world economy, poverty, consumerism, racism, pollution, my wanting more "stuff". Maybe we need to whine to God about what we don't like about the church and in so doing discover the "logs" in our own eyes. Maybe if I whine to God about the recalcitrant, difficult leader in my congregation, I'll discover my own complicity.

Whining is my way of expressing that I want to be God, to recreate my world, spouse, child, pastor, the PCUSA, my neighbor, in my image so I can be comfortable. Hmmm.. so maybe "lamentful" whining is a form of confession of sin, forgiveness, and the dawning of new hope?

In Everlasting Hope,

Bob Anderson

Mission Worker Watershed?

2008-07-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

This next year could be a watershed moment in the life of the Presbyterian Church (USA) as members all over the nation meet to pray for God to provide the needed support to deploy new mission workers across our globe. After years of reducing our missionary personnel, we are on the threshold of a shift. Please read the press release below. Join me and others in this exciting moment in our lives as Presbyterians.

Day of Prayer at New Wilmington Mission Conference
July 19, 9 AM – 4 PM
Witherspoon Room, McKelvey Center
Westminster College

You are invited to join in the New Wilmington Mission Conference Day of Prayer on July 19, 9 AM – 4 PM. The Day of Prayer has been a long-standing tradition for the staff at NWMC. It is a standard part of our preparation for the week. This year we are expanding the Day of Prayer by expanding our invitation to everyone and by focusing our prayers more on the world.

This expanded Day of Prayer is in response to a new spark of mission fervor and commitment in the PC(USA). At a World Mission Consultation in Dallas in January an “Invitation to Expanding Partnership in God’s Mission” was signed by all 64 mission leaders attending. In conjunction with this, the PC(USA) World Mission unit has retooled to be more responsive to grass roots mission efforts - http://www.pcusa.org/worldmission/. The plan is to increase the number of full-time missionaries from 196 to 215 in 2009.

The mission initiators at the Dallas meeting committed to help move the PC(USA) forward to greater mission involvement. The shared commitments in this statement begin "As we move forward together in God’s mission, we commit ourselves to calling the church to ongoing intercessory prayer for God’s mission..." This Day of Prayer is one of the efforts that NWMC has made as part of our commitment.

Moderator (former) Joan Gray has committed to help lead this Day of Prayer. Director Don Dawson and Rev. Linda Ruby will join her. The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 11 AM.

Prayer is the most important thing we do in our service to God. Prayer prepares us to be used by God and opens the blessings of God upon all we do. Again and again NWMC leaders have seen the power of prayer and can testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of individuals and the influence and vitality of the conference.

We hope you will join us this year to seek the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the conference and in all the world. We need your prayers joined with the NWMC staff to seek after a new day in Presbyterian mission involvement. Even if you will not be present, pray with us during this time for God’s work in the world.

Any questions may be directed to Rev. Dr. Donald Dawson, Director of the New Wilmington Mission Conference – ddawson@pts.edu or 412-362-5610, x2149.)

Monday Musings

2008-06-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

The Presbyterian Church of Mt. Washington...

On Monday mornings (sometimes Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday!) I take some time to reflect on my observations of life in the presbytery. I try to find a way to "put a face" on our "organization" so that it begins to live.

After returning home from General Assembly this weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church "good bye" celebration for Rev. Bebb Wheeler Stone. I wound my way up Mt. Washington with my GPS insistently commanding me to turn into one way streets the wrong way. After numerous "re-calculations", my disembodied satellite friend and I arrived at the church just as the lighting and rain emptied from the clouds. Despite this, the view from the "urban mountain" was breathtaking.

The view from the pew was breathtaking as well. Well, not exactly a pew, we were gathered for a wonderful meal. My only regret is that arrived too late to join the little kids for hot dogs. I love hot dogs (everyone is entitled to a few weirdo habits, right?). Kids were running around, Uncle Sam came in, bigger than life - he was on stilts, and a juggler entertained the children while the congregation and community gave grateful thanks for Beth's, oops, Bebb's ministry.

Bebb was in one of our interim education groups at Pittsburgh Seminary a few years back, so my visit was to say goodbye to a colleague friend. I never expected to hear the "resurrection" story of this church on the mountain. The story began with the small congregation investing their all in calling a full time pastor. Bebb honored their risky commitment with her usual edgy, expansive vision. The stories I heard were about a faithful minister, but they were almost more about a community that began to blossom with her nurture. The life of this mountain top community found the voice and with Bebb's energetic vision, began to plan, work together, help families and children, save green space, and partner with the city and the local Community Development Corporation to plan pro-actively for a vital future. And all of this is with the goal of creating new life for children now and into the future.

The investment in children is funded by The "Urban Mountain Gathering Place." www.pcomw.org/UrbanMountainGatheringPlace.dsp This retreat and conference facility sits astride Mt. Washington and inspires the vision of the scores of city groups that have met there. All income is invested in the children of the community.

What I heard was about a people. What I saw was the Gospel in action. One faith community was captured by an irresistible vision and it spread to the Methodists, the two local Roman Catholic parishes, and others. Christian community began to be lived out in the local community.
I know that if I wander the streets of Mt. Washington and say the word, "Presbyterian", people are going to respond, "oh, those are the people who care about children."

When Christ is our center, our witness will reflect the same values that Jesus had. For, to quote Bebb, "our church belongs to Jesus, not us."

That makes me rejoice in being Presbyterian!

Bob Anderson
Interim Pastor to Presbytery

What If?

2008-06-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

What if? What if I were "king of the world?" What if I were God? What if GA had approved a different overture? What if our church was.....?

We love to day dream "what ifs." It is a way to bleed off excess anxiety. In the last couple years God has been moving more to being "present in the now." This is a spiritual discipline for me because my mind and imagination tend to wander to the "what ifs." Becoming more fully present to the "now" is to become more aware, however.

General Assembly didn't go the way I wanted. As I prayed through the possible scenarios during the week, I found myself realizing that certain amendments would mean more or less "work" for me and our staff. Realizing that, I began to pray through the alternatives and realized that we are a church full of potential opportunities. The future began to emerge in the present. The "it is what it is" may be a reality check. But to enter the "is what it is" is a journey into tomorrow. Since that statement may not compute on the "logic" screen, let me tell you something that happened last night toward the end of General Assembly.

One of our Executive Presbyter colleagues sent a note to all the middle governing body attendees inviting them to our tiny "lounge" for prayer. Yep. Over sixty men and women crammed into a tiny room and prayed over our presbyteries, our members, and ourselves as we go home to interpret the proposed changes in our constitution (www.pcusa.org/ga218). Yet in the midst of the conversation was a sense of peace, not complaint. Over and over my colleagues expressed faith that God is with us, we are still God's church, that God is doing something new that we don't yet see, that our task is to be faithful in ministry and leadership. These affirmations were in our conversation and then in our prayers. It is a gift to be included in these Godly men and women, our Pittsburgh staff among them.

In the "now" moment of a sucker punch of a vote that we didn't see coming, God was there to hold us and comfort us - and to show us a future, that like Abraham, we can't yet see. I love the description of Abraham's journey into God's call written in Hebrews, "Abraham set out to the new land not knowing where he was going" (my paraphrase). But Abraham, like us, entered the "now" of the call to faithfulness and found God's footsteps in the desert sands in front of him. We will too.

God has called us as a presbytery to be fully present in the "now." Now we are God's called people. Now we are the Body of Christ. Now we are God's provisional demonstration of God's desire for all humanity. Now we are loved. Now we are still bound as Presbyterians to one another as we enter the deep waters of Jordan's stormy crossing. In that "now," is the parting of the waters. Now.

Bob Anderson
Interim Pastor to the Presbytery of Pittsburgh

2008-06-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dear Presbytery Colleagues,

After some time of debate, consideration, and prayer, the 218th General Assembly voted to approve the recommendation to strike the text of the current G-60106b and insert new text. The vote was 380 for and 325 opposed. The text to be deleted and the proposed new text is printed below. This substitute paragraph is an overture that needs the approval of a majority of our 173 presbyteries.

I know that this direction will bring pain to some and gladness to others. Please remember that this conversation is continues. Let's stay faithfully engaged as a church. I have already begun plans for how we will gather around our Pittsburgh “table of communion” to worship, pray, study, and dialogue.

Whether in concurrence with this proposal or not, we remain God’s people. God is our shepherd and is faithful. This is our time to stop, be still and wait to see what God is doing in our church right now. As we wait, let us be prayerful, thoughtful, and peaceful.

Our staff will begin to develop opportunity for listening and interpreting this vote upon our return to Pittsburgh this weekend. May you and your congregation know the peace and love of God as you gather for worship this weekend.

Yours in Christ’s Love,

Bob Anderson
Interim Pastor to Presbytery
412-926-1506

RECOMMENDATION
The Presbytery of Boston respectfully overtures the 218th General Assembly (2008) to do the following:1. Direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:a. Strike the current text of G-6.0106b and insert new text to read as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown in red font, text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

b. To be deleted: Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.

To be added: Those who are called to ordained service in the church, by their assent to the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow where he leads through the witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures through the instruction of the Confessions. In so doing, they declare their fidelity to the standards of the Church. Each governing body charged with examination for ordination and/or installation (G-14.0240 and G-14.0450) establishes the candidate’s sincere efforts to adhere to these standards.

Joyful Trust

2008-06-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 27, 2008

One of the great joys of General Assembly is to see our church in microcosm. Commissioners of all ages and theological "stripes" working together in joyful and prayerful ways. These are the "people of the pews" so to speak. They are at work for us. This years group seems particularly mindful of the issues of trust that are spreading cobweb like cracks through our church. Some of the trust issues are very real, others are perceptions that are mostly unfounded. An observation I've heard from our Pittsburgh Commissioners and those from my former presbytery, Whitewater Valley is the sense of committed community that has been present from the start. We are God's called people. Let's trust God.

The big news yesterday was that the affirmation for the new Form of Government proposals. It was voted to study that with presbyteries and sessions for the next two years in order to test and refine. The new proposals will streamline processes and move us in a more mission centered manner.

Today, Stated Clerk, Cliff Kirkpatrick begins to head toward retirement. The election for a new GA Stated Clerk will be held this morning. You can follow live at www.pcusa.org/ga218. There is a link on the top right corner of this blog page. The Church Orders Committee will report on the many overtures sent by presbyteries to address concerns following the 217th General Assembly Report on Peace, Unity and Purity. There will be a major recommendation to delete G-6.0106b.

I encourage you to follow the proceedings from the web site today. Stay with the conversation until it is over. There will be a multitude of amendments and substitutes - I've learned a lot about parliamentary procedure this week! The entire issue of ordination "standards" are coming back where they have been historically in our church - the presbytery. The ordination of gay and lesbian Elders, Deacons, and Ministers of Word and Sacrament is at the core. Please remember that if G.6.0106b (the requirement for chastity in singleness and fidelity in marriage) is deleted it is not automatically mean that gays and lesbians will be ordained. It means that we in the presbytery body must prayerfully and carefully make that decision.

This is an opportunity also. If, in fact, the clause is deleted, and depending on the final version, we will now be able to more openly help nurture the faith and discipleship of those whose sexual orientation has kept them from the faith community. And Christian faith is such that it is meant to flourish in the context of Christian community. As I make that kind of statement, I recognize that I am asking for a pile of trust from you on my 12th day on the job!

So, today's proposal is not a reality until the motion is perfected and the votes are cast. Please stay with your commissioners in prayer. They need your spiritual and prayerful presence. I've been learning that when we as a faith community are unsettled and in turmoil it is because God is unusually active and busy turning things upside down so that we can see the new thing that God is doing. I've also learned that rarely is God's new thing something that I could have ever imagined. I invite you to join me in the opportunity to live humbly and joyfully today as we trust God with the church that belongs to God, not us. Joyfully trust our ever faithful and surprising God.

Yours in the Peace of Christ,

Bob Anderson

Interim Pastor to Presbytery

Missionary Speed Bumps at G.A.

2008-06-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last night's GA business session gave me a "missionary moment". The vote was one everyone agreed to, in principle - we Presbyterians want to and need to be in dialogues for understanding with Islamic leaders. The motion bogged with the theological weight of our different perceptions of God, if we indeed have them. We do. But try to put it in writing in a way that doesn't close the door to further conversation. That's a "bump in the road" for sure.

I'm thinking that it will be valuable for our presbytery to build on teaching and conversations already begun. I need to know more about my Muslim neighbors, a Hindu academic whose business leadership books I read, and others. My mental frames seemed to first formed by hear-say, mis-information, and sometimes simple visceral reactions to a foreign culture. These mental bumps in the road will inevitably throw me off balance as I learned one day when I rode my bicycle onto a speed bump at 25 mph! I'll bet we have some very competent instructors in world religions who can give us helpful new ways of thinking and relating that will help our presbytery lead the way for a stronger multi cultural community in Allegheny County.

On another important front for Pittsburgh Presbytery, the Assembly approved a recommendation to create a "Strategy for African American Church Growth within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)." The report asks the General Assembly Council to partner with the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, presbyteries, and synods so that the strategies for African American Church Growth become a reality in the church at large. These strategies were approved at the 39th Annual Convention of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NBPC), held in Society Hill, Philadelphia, on July 11-15, 2007. Our Presbytery has talented leadership in our African American congregations. Partnering with other large metropolitan presbyteries in the nation might create some synergy for advancing this important ministry in our cities and beyond.

Another bump in the road will be a recommendation to remove G.6.0106b ("fidelity and chastity" statement). Recently upheld by the GA Permanent Judicial Commission, approval of this recommendation would mean that each presbytery will have to prayerfully consider the life, witness, and character equally on all standards (and not primarily G.6.0106b) for each candidate for the office of Elder, Deacon, and Minister of Word and sacrament. Yes, you will hear a variety of un-nerving news reports. Doug Portz and I, along with the Commissioners, will do our best to keep you up to date with facts from our seats in the hall. Keep our Commissioners in your prayers.

Pittsburgh Presbytery Commissioner, Bob Wright, witnessed to his profound experience in meeting and working with, commissioners of our church. We have a deeply dedicated and spiritually vibrant representation at our General Assembly.

Thanks be to God!

Bob Anderson

Interim Pastor to the Presbytery

Encountering Myself in Worship

2008-06-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

I usually expect to encounter God when I join in worship. Hundreds gathered on Tuesday's Assembly worship to pray, sing, confess, hear scripture, and a sermon. The latter was brought by the Rev. Jin S. Kim, pastor of the Church of all Nations in Minneapolis. Kim is a Korean-American. The church is a new church development with the intent of having a membership of those from "all nations". It does. Euro-Americans is one of the smaller components with Korean, Latino, African, African American, Pacific Islanders making up the rest. No one ethnic group is more than 34% of the congregation.

The sermon was prophetic. Kim reminded the Euro-Americans that we will soon be a minority in America. Our church may stick out like a "sore thumb" on the religious demographic pages of the future when that happens.

As I listened to Jin Kim speak about the humility of living in the realities of our prejudices and racism, I encountered myself. Again. I recalled my early mentor, Nate.

I worked my way through college and seminary with the help of part time jobs in hospitals with ServiceMaster Hospital Corporation. I worked nights at the old Hanemann Hospital in Philadelphia. Nate was an African American co-worker. We took breaks together and at our 9 pm "dinner", we usually went across Broad Street to White Castle for hamburgers. Nate taught me about being black in America. He also taught me about being white in America. He told me that I was wealthy and priveleged. I responded that my family was poor, my father was "only" a mechanic in an oil refinery, and that I was paying my own way through school. He replied, "but you father has a job. You are in college. You have a job. How did you get this job, anyway?" I had to reply, "Because the president of the company is a family friend." (that he was a multi-millionaire went without saying). I was busted. In subsequent conversations that I still recall, Nate taught me that simply because I had white skin, I had access to power that he would never have. It took me years, but I learned that Nate was right.

Jin Kim pierced my heart anew. I must live humbly with such "power", sharing it with those who are on the margins of life. That's what Jesus did. And that's also the call to Jesus followers.

Thanks be to God.

Bob Anderson
Interim Pastor to Presbytery

Does Jesus Save on Rodeo Drive?

2008-06-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 23, 2008

Today our GA Commissioners are hard at work in committee sessions. Many have open hearings where interested parties can ask to speak (for 2 minutes, anyway). I spoke at the hearing on funding and per capita issues this morning. The short version is that I think it would not be helpful to do away with per capita assessments at this point in our church life. It was fun to be part of that group. Hearing some of my colleague friends speak and disagree with me helped me stretch a bit.

You will often hear me talk about our church connectional life as "holding hands" - see the picture above. In a turbulent world we need one another. In a chance conversation with a Presbyterian Elder from a church on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, holding hands took on new imagery. I don't think Rodeo Drive shops, the elite of the elite, ever have "sales" but today I learned that Jesus saves, if I can't.

Apparently an Iranian medical student was able to get to America to study. Her young adult heart was searching however and in desperation for answers for her life she stopped on Rodeo Drive when she saw the Presbyterian Church. "Maybe I can go in and try to pray," she thought. She quietly found an open back door entered the church, sat down and prayed for an answer.

In the course of this, the pastor showed up and one thing led to another. She visited the church and landed in a Bible Study group led by the Elder telling me the story. In time she became a follower of Jesus. She was baptized publicly - a daring act for a former Muslim. Jesus did get hold of her life and she continues her medical training. I can't afford to shop on Rodeo Drive, but apparently Jesus spends time there. And saves. Thanks be to God.

Bob Anderson

Interim Pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery.

Random Thoughts from Jan Jose

2008-06-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

This morning dawned California sunny. The fresh air feels almost delicate as I brush against the morning breeze. Delicate. Maybe that's a word describe the General Assembly this week.

Delicate when it comes to positions on marriage, sexuality, gay marriage, ordination, Palestinean-Israeli relations and the American presence in Iraq. I use the word delicate because the issues themselves have emotional content that can divide us from the tough work of prayerful reflection through the lens of the Gospel.

Over twenty proposals on these issues await debate this week at our General Assembly. For some of us the issue may be a "no-brainer." For others of us we wonder if we should even be talking about such issues. That gap is "delicate" because it exists between sisters and brothers in the same Body of Christ.

As your Interim Pastor to the Presbytery of Pittsburgh, I ask you to be in prayer. This is not about politics -though at times it may sound and feel like it. General Assembly is about mission and witness. I am proud of our church because, despite any delicacy, we have the grand opportunity to witness to the Gospel in the midst of difficult cultural and societal shifts.

I also ask you to be patient. Discernment is not a quick "that's a no-brainer" response. Prayerful discernment is not about what I want. It is about stepping back from preference and acculturation to dive into the motley gray seas of interpretation and opinion. To do so means I have to step back from my personal preference and be prepared for the surprises of diverse conversations, all steeped in prayer, study, and love.

Be in community with your GA Commissioner. The local San Jose newspaper this morning quoted someone as saying that many of the proposals that will be debated do not reflect the "people in the pew." Not his pew, I suppose. We must remember that these overtures came from elders and ministers in presbyteries like ours. Indeed, we have submitted some of our own. They will be debated by 500 plus elders and ministers who have given up significant portions of their lives to take on the burden of discernment with those of us who sent the overtures. With prayerful patience we can celebrate our Presbyterian heritage that allows all the church to be represented in decision making rather than one strong person or group.

In the midst of this week's news coverage that will unsettle me, at least, let us celebrate the work of God in our Presbyterian Church (USA):

Last night I rode the light rail with a pastor from Florida. He led a 60 member downtown church that once boasted a membership of over 2,000. Eight years of sweat equity and prayer have created a congregation of 600 and growing.
The new Moderator, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow gave personal witness to the mission of the Presbyterian Church in his own commitment to Jesus Christ.
The General Assembly Council is seeking to add 35 new mission workers this year. Immigrant ministries are expanding with new fellowships and congregations.
New Church developments are expanding with the use of "coaches" trained by the church.
Our PCUSA special offerings last year exceeded the budget expectation by nearly a 1/2 million dollars.
The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program has led the way in disaster relief. Whitewater Valley Presbytery in Indianapolis received a $10,000 grant just days after floods wiped out the homes of residents near their churches this month.

Delicate issues abound. But we are a church resiliant and courageous enough to engage our world as leaders. I am not always comfortable with the direction the journey takes, but I also know that the big change points in my life came because someone challenged my personal parochialism. I may get nervous at the challenge, but I do not fear. In my conversations with commissioners and colleagues this week, I experience women and men for whom God is not some dry theological abstraction, or a divine social action agent. The witness I hear is of a God who is changing lives. And changing our world. I am priveleged to be part of a church that loves God, follows Christ Jesus into the world, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Good News abounds. Thanks be to God!

Yours in Christ,

Bob Anderson

Interim Pastor to the Presbytery of Pittsburgh