Guilty when gone
I’m Presbyterian. I do guilt well, maybe too well. So boy do I feel guilty when I’m out of town and away from my local pastoral responsibilities. I can be gone for different reasons — vacation, continuing education, larger church service, even a mission trip — but I always manage to feel uncomfortable and, well guilty, for being away.
This does not make much sense, I grant you, since being away actually makes me a better pastor. But, I’m willing to bet, I’m not the only pastor who feels torn when making arrangements to be away.
Next week, for instance, I’m gone for a mission trip. I’m taking two youth from our congregation to Philadelphia to meet up with some other youth at one of the absolute top mission experiences in my denomination. It’s awesome that youth from our congregation are getting to go, and I’m very happy to lead them. But, somehow, strangely, even though I’ll be working 24 hours-a-day for 7 days, I still think of all the pastor-type things I could be doing were I not going.
Maybe the guilt is helpful somehow, since it points to the fact that were I in town, there are relationships I’d foster, visits I’d complete, local ministry I’d accomplish. I definitely feel like there’s plenty for me to do when I’m around town.
I also wonder how the guilt might dissipate were I not in a solo pastor position, or even if there were other mainline pastors in town who could easily cover me while away. Certainly there are benefits to multiple pastors on staff, and sister churches nearby with pastor positions filled.
Sure, I remind myself of all that which I know to be true: I’d be a crappy pastor if I didn’t take breaks, broader service to the denomination is an essential part of my call, I’m totally replaceable, we always manage fine when I’m gone and it’s not about me in the first place. This helps a bit, but not completely.
As it is, I think realizing I have a problem is a helpful first step. So l live into the tension of needing to be away because it’s what best for all parties and knowing that, when away, there’s just some things that don’t get done. I mean, I’m Presbyterian after all. Guilt is good, right?
image by rolve
Sacred the Body
I wrote this post for my good friend, Kate Giguere Morris, and her blog Thighs and Offerings, where she embraces questions relating to spirituality, the body, eating disorders, and culture.
Sacred the Body
Sacred the body God has created,
temple of Spirit that dwells deep inside.
Cherish each person; nurture creation.
Treat flesh as holy, that love may abide.Bodies are varied, made in all sizes,
pale, full of color, both fragile and strong.
Holy the difference, gift of the Maker,
so let us honor each story and song.Love respects person, bodies, and boundries.
Love does not batter, neglect or abuse.
Love touches gently, never coercing.
Love leaves the other with power to choose.Holy of holies, God ever loving,
make us your temples; indwell all we do.
May we be careful, tender, and caring,
so may our bodies give honor to you.-Ruth Duck
I love this hymn text, but it also troubles me. Then again, maybe the tension is why I love it.
First, my initial reaction to speaking of one’s body as a temple is the negative way I’ve seen the phrase used. Mostly, in my experience, it’s usually male pastors who use the phrase to coax female teens not to have sex. Somehow, the message doesn’t get communicated to the boys as clearly, and really, the “just say no to sex” message is a huge pigeon-holing of Paul’s letter (and bad sex ed, but that’s another matter). … Continue Reading
Blethering anew
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re enjoying my new blog design from Press75.com. This design would not have been possible without the help of my buddy, Adam Walker Cleaveland at Pomomusings.com, who rescued me from the muck and mire of a badly orchestrated switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. Suffice it to say: I screwed things up pretty royally and Adam, in the manner of a superfast emailing web-designing Superman, saved my blog from oblivion. So, a huge web thanks goes out to Adam Walker Cleaveland. He’s a gem.A few things about the new A Wee Blether:
- Note the super-cool new button up top for “Sermons”
- Let me know what you think, but I’m leaning towards having only 5-6 of the most recent posts on the main page. Featured popular posts will appear on the right sidebar. Also, I’m planning on having fewer full post on the main page, and more “continue reading….” links halfway through articles. If this bothers you, I’d be interested to know.
- If you follow the blog in a RSS Reader, it’d be good to double-check the feed is correct. It should be: http://adamjcopeland.com (or really, http://adamjcopeland.com/feed)
Sermon: Praying as Jesus Taught
Last Sunday I mentioned a scene in Marilynne Robinson’s book, Home — the scene involving Robert Boughton, and old patriarch and a main character in the novel. One day his children ruined a neighbor’s alfalfa field by playing baseball in it. When Robert Boughton heard of the damage he immediately told his kids, “Of course you will have to apologize…well, you’d had better get it over with.” And he sent them off to apologize.
The beautiful of thing about Robert Boughton’s character is that he’s really complex, not always so wise and winsome. For instance, Robert has the annoying habit — he’s a retired minister, by the way — now in his old age, of asking other people to pray before meals at his house. … Continue Reading
In Defense of Twitter
Let’s call it “Twitterphobia.” Several times a week, in my usual perusal of weekly magazines, op-ed pieces, and current event commentary I run into a well-respected and well-researched writer bemoaning Twitter. “Twitter is dumbing down our teenagers,” they say. “Twitter is besieging our English majors.” “Twitter is poisoning our minds and starving us of the few intellectual merits we still have.”
Nice try, but Twitter ain’t the issue folks. In fact, I think Twitter and its 140-character messages is causing a flippin’ amazing surge in creative thinking. Let me explain.
- Though some say 140 characters is a too short to say much of anything, I say the 140 character limit Twitter employs actually pushes us to write with precision, creativity, and pizzazz. Who knows, maybe its just the the fact that there’s a limit at all causes anyone with tenure to freak out over a perceived threat to intellectual freedom. Mark Twain once apologized to an editor when sending in a new essay, “I’m sorry I didn’t have time to make this shorter.” Brevity is not the enemy. Sometimes the attacks feel like a group of poets worrying long form poetry is at risk, but instead of writing good long form poetry they lash out against haikus. I say simply: brevity is beautiful.
- Sure, Twitter isn’t a platform for drawn-out arguments laced with careful caveats, but it’s not trying to be. What Twitter can do – really well, in fact – is point people in the direction of just that sort of work. Every day, I click on Internet links recommended by those I follow on Twitter and arrive at fantastic articles, sometimes very long, which I often then recommend to my followers on Twitter as well. In fact, the New York Times and Slate recently reported that some of their most-read articles over the past few years have been their longest. Twitter isn’t killing long-form journalism, rather, it might be resuscitating it after all. … Continue Reading
One Hundred Sermons
A few weeks ago, thankfully without any fanfare, I preached my 100th sermon. I know this number not because I carefully keep track, but because there are 100 files in my computer’s “Sermon” folder. Many of you more seasoned pastors might scoff at a piddly number like 100, but I’m guessing that, of those who graduated from Columbia Seminary with me in 2009, I’m one of the fastest to reach 100. Many others, even most, won’t get there for years. Why?
Many of my seminary classmates are serving as associate pastors at larger churches. In such a position one gains valuable experience by learning from the other pastors on staff. But another perk — or problem, depending on your perspective — is that many associate pastors preach rather seldom. I have friends who preach once a month, others preach once every six weeks, and even a few preach only once every few months. As it would happen, several of the classmates I consider the most skilled pastors in my class, preach only ten or so times a year. I think that’s a crying shame, but their supervisors didn’t ask me.
As I studied for my M.Div. I took a yearlong internship in Scotland, where I preached a bunch. I’m now a solo pastor and preach pretty much every Sunday.
That sais, here’s the top ten things I learned after preaching 100 sermons (pretend the numbering is backwards from 10 to 1,even though it isn’t due to formatting oddities) :
- Context. Context. Context.
- I really like preaching from the Old Testament.
- I really dislike preaching from both the Old Testament and New Testament in one sermon (or, really, any two texts).
- I wish I used my Biblical language skills more, but I don’t.
- 1500-1800 words is usually about right.
- I preach much better with a manuscript than with an outline (though, yes, many people are the opposite).
- I’ve fallen into using about three sermon forms fairly regularly. For this congregation, I think my lack of creativity actually helps many hear the word.
- Pretty much every manuscript, at some point has a line like, “looking deeper, there’s a more complex and challenging interpretation.” (Though I often cut it out of the draft.)
- The size of the space in which I’m preaching, and number of people attending worship, really affects the rhetoric I use.
- Context. Context. Context.
Ok, preachers out there. What have you learned or been struck by in your last 100 sermons?
image by Simon Cataudo
Sermon: Uncomfortable Amos
First Presbyterian Church Hallock, Minn.
July 18, 2010
Uncomfortable Amos
Amos 8:1-12
I recently commiserated with a friend over a challenging experience we shared from our childhoods. I don’t remember quite how it came up, but somehow this friend and I got to talking about holidays, and specifically holiday meals. Maybe it was July 4th that brought it to mind, but when we started sharing about the big holidays growing up — Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter — we both said we looked forward to the tasty meals and good company. (But, that’s nothing special.) What did stick out, for both of us, was an experience of not quite being sure about a certain dinner guest. … Continue Reading
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