Reflections

 

I took this is picture the other morning and it has spoken to me on several levels. It is a visual reminder to me of the time I have to spend during Covid-19 in a reflective mood. There is so much to think about, so much to get angry about, so much to be grateful for and so many thoughts in between. The colors in the photo remind me of the many aspects of God and the infinite possibilities of my own thinking.
I ran across a quote recently that is currently inspiring me. It is a saying by a Hindu yogi – Yogaswami Vedanta:

“If you try to stop the mind, it will only become more active.  It is not necessary to stop it.  You must ask it where it is going.”

I am finding this a useful tool. When my mind gets active with negative things, I try to pause to “see” where I’m going with that thought. Am I living the life Jesus commanded me to? Am I keeping my blood pressure up by being angry? Am I solving the problem by being frustrated? Or can I find creative solutions to combat the negative feelings?

Whichever way I choose will have an effect on me and how I move through the world. My choice may also have a ripple effect on those around me. So the insight for me is to pause, reflect, pray, and look inside to try to discern where God wants me to go. With help from God, I can change the way I think, the way I act, the way I choose to be. All that is required is an open heart, an open mind, and the willingness to “see” where God wants me to go, how God wants me to be, and how I can reflect the love of God in the world around me.

May a time of reflection help us to find Peace, to focus on Gratitude, to find ways be Joyful, to develop Patience, and to share the Love of Jesus in all that we say and do. 

And may it be so……. 

- Jan Barber

Waiting

I've been thinking about waiting. It seems like everyone is waiting for things to go back to normal, waiting for the time when we can return to our regular lives and routines. We're waiting to return to worship and committee meetings and Wednesday night dinners. We're waiting to return to restaurants and movies and concerts. We're waiting for the time when the band can once again march into Neyland Stadium as we sing Rocky Top. We're waiting to visit grandparents and grandchildren and to take that trip that we had been planning that has now been put off. And we're waiting for a vaccine that will help bring all this about.

Waiting is nothing new - we wait all the time. We can wait for things, like a package to arrive, an Uber to pick us up, or the sun to rise. We can wait for people to come to our party, to keep their appointment, to be ready to leave for church. We can wait for events like the concert we have tickets for, the big game on Saturday, for Christmas morning, or for the election.

Sometimes the object of our waiting changes. My wife and I spent a very long time waiting for children, waiting to be parents, waiting to be a family. Now we can't wait for the children to leave and it be just the two of us! (Not really, but kinda really.)

We wait in groups, we wait in lines, we wait in cars, we wait in airports, we wait at restaurants. Wealthy, important people usually don't have to wait as often or as much as other people. They get to go to the front of the line at airport security, get to board and de-board the plane first. In restaurants their table is usually waiting for them, rather than the other way 'round.

Waiting implies that we are at the mercy of someone else. At the grocery store we are at the mercy of the people in line in front of us, especially if they decide to write a check. At banks we are at the mercy of the tellers or loan officers; at Starbucks to baristas; in medical offices and hospitals to doctors and nurses; at the DMV we are at the mercy of bureaucracy itself, but at least they give us a number so we know just how long the wait is going to be.

Sometimes waiting is a good thing. If we wait until we have enough cash to buy the flat screen TV we won't pay the interest that comes with putting it on the card. If we wait for the ball instead of swinging too early we are more likely to make it to base. We should wait until marriage to have sex, and we should wait to get married. (I'm hoping my kids read this blog!)

Sometimes we get to wait in a very special place known as a waiting room. It's a whole separate room where we can be with other people who are waiting just like us. While there, we can play the Waiting Game, which consists of trying to guess which one of us will get to end their wait next!

Sometimes waiting is hard, especially if you have nothing to do while waiting. I am convinced that this is the best thing about smart phones. Now we can read or watch TV or play silly little games crushing candies and finding words to pass the time while we wait.

Waiting is more difficult for some than it is for others. Children find it difficult to wait for summer vacation, for adults to finish their conversation, for Christmas morning, and for birthdays, the most important ones being 10, 13, 16, 18 and 21. After that we stop waiting for birthdays.

Paul Tillich said that waiting was a metaphor for faith because waiting is always linked to hope. Sometimes, however, we wait when there seems to be no hope. We wait for world peace. We wait for everyone to be kind. We wait for justice and equal opportunity for all. We wait for the day when our college loans or credit cards are paid off. We wait for our wives to get ready. (I'm hoping my wife doesn't read this blog!)

Some people are so good at waiting that they become professional waiters. The really good ones can make quite a bit of money. Some professions require more waiting than others. Artists have to wait for the paint to dry or the clay to be ready. Scientists must wait for the test results. Writers must wait for inspiration. Farmers probably wait the most. They have to wait for the seeds to sprout and the harvest to ripen. But they usually find something to do while waiting.

Preachers are like farmers. We sow seeds and wait. And wait. And wait. We prepare the soil, water the soil, nourish the soil, and wait for the seeds to sprout. We wait for signs of growth, for signs that fruit is being borne. Sometimes when the fruit is finally borne, however, we aren't there to see it. It can be frustrating, but we learn the art of the deep breath and the cleansing sigh and how to wait upon the Lord.

Waiting is hard work and humble work because waiting is the work of self-denial. It is the admission that we are not the center of the universe, that the world does not revolve around us. The one who waits is the one who has been put in his or her place.

Clearly, waiting is a skill that God urges us to develop:

• Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
• The Lord is good to those who wait for him. (Lamentations 3:25; see also Psalm 37:9; Psalm 130 5-6; Psalm 37:7-9)
• Those who wait on the Lord will find their strength renewed in the Lord. (Isaiah 40:31)

We have even built periods into the liturgical year that focus on waiting. Advent and Lent are the periods before the two major Christian festivals when we are to look inward, confess our own selfishness, be patient, think of others, and ask ourselves what God wants us to learn as we wait for his coming (Christmas) or for his sacrifice (Easter).

So perhaps we should approach this time that we are in, this period of waiting, more like we do those times. Perhaps we should look at this season as a gift from God to discover something important and essential about what it means to be human. Perhaps we should be a little more patient, a little more introspective, a little less self-centered, a little more focused on others, and seek to discover what God wants us to learn. 

Perhaps we need to wait some more, even though we may be weary. Even though it may be difficult. Perhaps if we simply seek to pass through all of this in hasty expectation of a return to normal, we are missing the fundamental point of the whole ordeal. 

This doesn't mean there is no hope. Hope is what keeps us waiting. 

How do we do what we are called to do?

 It's been a while since I've written anything for the blog because, you know, Covid. So it's good to be back. I hope you have found these blog posts to be helpful. Sarah and I plan to continue them, just not quite as often as before. Like, instead of several times a week, we may only post once a week. We will continue doing them, however. Which brings me to what I want to write about today.

From everything I've read online and seen on the news, it appears that there may be a vaccine for the coronavirus by the end of this year or early next year. It also appears that it will require two doses over two months and that the population will be split into four groups who will receive the vaccine in four phases over many, many months. So it appears that for those who want it, broad distribution of a vaccine will not take place until the middle of next year. And it also appears there are many people who do not want to be vaccinated, either because they are against vaccines in general (which I don't understand) or because they don't want to take a vaccine that has been rushed to market without being rigorously and properly tested (which I totally understand). Finally, it appears that even after everyone who wants to be vaccinated has been, there will be some amount of time before the virus begins to dissipate enough that we can begin thinking of it more like the flu.

The upshot of all of this? The coronavirus is going to be with us for quite a while. For the foreseeable future we will still need to wear masks, sanitize and wash our hands regularly, maintain physical distance from others, take extra cleaning precautions, and be careful of gathering in large crowds.

So what does this mean for ministry? Well, obviously things are going to look different for a while. So I think we need to switch our mindset. It seems that in most congregations and for most people, everyone is just sort of waiting around for when things can "get back to normal." Our focus is on all the things we can't do: We can't have in-person worship, we can't have Wednesday night dinners, we can't have Bible study, we can't do FISH, we can't have youth group, etc.

Rather than thinking about what we can't do, I think it's time to start thinking about what we CAN do! How can we do the mission and ministry of the Church, the mission and ministry Christ calls us to, within the parameters of a global pandemic? I mean - it's going to be a while before things get back to normal. What about in the meanwhile? Ministry still needs to be done. People still need to be fed, loved, served, cared for, lifted up, nourished, nurtured, and feel the love of God in Christ Jesus. How do we do that within the framework of not touching, physically distancing, and not gathering indoors in large groups?

Just so you know - I don't have the answer. However, I believe YOU DO!!! I believe that God puts his answer in his people. This is the time for us to get creative - to find ways to minister to one another and serve others. This is the time for us to find new ways to show the love of Christ. This is the time for us to find new ways of being God's people, new ways of being the church in and for the world.

I challenge you to stop thinking about what we can't do and to start thinking about what we can do! How do we do what we are called to do right now? YOU have the answer! I look forward to seeing what it is!

The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John

I participated in a virtual Bible study this week, put on by Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center. During this week each summer, they hold the Bible and Church Music Conference, which brings in preachers and church musicians from all over to worship and share their wisdom with participants. This year, they were obviously not able to hold the conference in person, and so invited one of their preachers, Karoline Lewis, to hold a virtual Bible study for anyone to attend. 

Her study was entitled, Knowing a Christian When You See One, and focused on the role of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John and what that role has to teach us about what it means to be a Christian today. 

In John 14:15-31, Jesus promises the disciples “another Advocate,” that will abide with them once he has ascended to the Father. In her study, Lewis pointed out that there are 5 key attributes that this “advocate” portrays. Those attributes are: accompaniment, attentiveness, authenticity, abundance, and advocacy. Each of these, she says, are also attributes that should be lived out in the Christian life. They are also, she says, attributes that we see embodied by the women in John’s gospel.

Accompaniment in John 2:1-12 (The mother of Jesus)

Attentiveness in John 4:1-42 (The Woman at the Well)

Authenticity in John 11:1-45 (Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus)

Abundance in John 12:1-12 (Mary)

Advocacy in John 20:11-18 (Mary Magdalene)

Now, I won’t pretend that I can boil everything discussed in a 2-hour Bible study down into a blog post, but I invite you to consider these attributes and the ways that you see them play out (or not) in the Christian life, as I will continue to do over the next few days and beyond. 

How do you see these things show up in your own life of faith, and how do you see them show up in the life of the Church as a whole? 

[If you have two hours and are interested in watching the whole Bible study, you can find Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.]

Holy Ground

The high school youth and I began our Montreat@Home journey the Sunday before last. Since Montreat, our usual summer youth conference site, was unable to host guests this summer, the leadership for the six weeks of high school youth conferences that they hold each summer came together to create a great resource for re-creating a Montreat experience at home. Now, it certainly doesn’t hold a candle to the real thing – being in the mountains of North Carolina, hearing wonderful keynote speakers and preachers, doing energizers with a thousand high school students, meeting up after small group for ice cream at The Huck, meeting new people, or concluding the week with a candlelight worship service around Lake Susan; but it is a great option when none of those things is possible. (Check out the pictures below for the vast difference between this year and last.)

2019 Montreat Youth Conference

2020 Montreat Youth Conference

The theme for this year’s conference was slated to be, “We Are”. In keeping with that theme, our first session was entitled, “We Are Here.” No, we are not “here” at Montreat, but we are “here”. We are gathered virtually all over the country to worship God as we would if we were all able to gather in one space. The speaker for this session, Rev. CeCe Armstrong, reminded us that wherever we are – here or there, Montreat or at home – God is there also. Wherever we are able to gather, whether it was physically distanced in a fellowship hall or via zoom, God was there. She reminded us that the same is true even as we go about our daily lives, whatever that may look like in these strange times. If we are sitting in our houses day in and day out, God is there. If we are masking up to run some errands, God is there. If we are continuing our daily routine as “essential workers,” God is there. Wherever we are, God is there also.

As part of this session, the group was issued a “photo challenge.” Our challenge was the spend some time outside in the coming week, to take our shoes off and take a picture. We are then supposed to post these pictures on social media with the hashtag #holyground. For where we are, God is also; and the place on which we are standing is holy ground.

We invite you to join us in this photo challenge. As you spend some time outside in the next few days, take off your shoes and soak up God’s presence. Take a picture, and e-mail it to me. I’ll compile all of our #holyground pictures and post them on the church’s social media.

A Message from Pastor Tim & The Session

As you are most likely aware, there has been a dramatic rise in active Knox County Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, including an increase in both hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, two of the five benchmarks for reopening are red, two are green, and one is yellow. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and in an effort to do our part in not contributing to the further spread of the novel coronavirus, the Session has taken the following actions:

Worship

We will no longer resume in-person worship on August 2^nd and will continue to worship solely via streaming until further notice. We hope to resume in-person worship after Labor Day, but will reevaluate at the August 18^th Stated Session meeting.

Committees/Groups

Effective immediately all group meetings in the church building will be cancelled for the remainder of July and the month of August. Groups and committees of the church may continue to meet via technology or in small groups away from the church building, but the church building itself will be closed to all groups except the Preschool through the end of August. We will reevaluate at the August 18^th Stated Session meeting.

 

Church Office

The church staff will continue to work their normal hours at the church building in order to coordinate and facilitate the ministry of the congregation. The church office, however, will be closed except for deliveries, contractors, and other necessary business.

 

We appreciate that this may cause frustration for some while alleviating anxiety for others. We do not take this action lightly but we do feel this is the best way to safeguard the health of our members, our staff, and the community of Knoxville. Please stay home if you do not have to go out and please remember the Five Core Principles for health: practice [physical distancing; wear face coverings when in public and physical distancing cannot be achieved; wash hand properly and often; clean surfaces regularly; stay home when sick.

 

• The Session of Second Presbyterian Church

The Eyes are a Window...

More people are wearing face coverings these days, which is good. However, I've noticed something. No, not about politics or distancing or age groups that are wearing them versus age groups who aren't or anything else like that. I've noticed something about myself. Well, two somethings actually.

First, I've realized that prior to this I rarely looked people in the eyes. Now that the eyes are pretty much the only thing to look at, it occurs to me that in the past I have usually directed my gaze somewhere else when speaking with someone. I think I usually look at a person's mouth because I've also discovered that I have a hard time hearing people speaking through a face covering. So I think that maybe all those years of playing loud music and being on stage have finally caught up with me and I think maybe I have been watching peoples' mouths as a crutch in my listening and hearing and understanding them. Maybe. 

Whether or not that is the case, I know that I don't normally look people in the eyes when I talk to them because now that I can only look people in the eyes when I talk to them I have discovered that I am uncomfortable looking people in the eyes when I talk to them. It's so personal and...intimate. I feel like I am intruding in some sort of personal space to which I'm not sure I've been invited. Yes, I was taught like everyone else, "When you meet someone, shake their hand and look them in the eyes." And I have done that...when meeting them. But I think I haven't done that for the rest of the conversation. And now that the whole shaking hands things is gone the eyes are all we have and it makes me uncomfortable to look people in the eyes but I don't want to not look people in the eyes because there really is nowhere else to look. And I wonder what that says about me and my openness to others.

Second, as there is no place else to look, I have noticed that most people...in fact, almost ALL people...have beautiful eyes. Really. I have been astonished at how beautiful peoples' eyes truly are. There is such a variety of shapes, colors, expressiveness, and light in peoples' eyes. I've always heard the old saying that the eyes are the window to the soul, but being someone that rarely looked people in the eyes, I hadn't really thought about the truth of that statement much at all. In fact, I think I've really only ever truly looked into the eyes of people I'm really close with. Which, obviously, says more about me than anything. But still.

I think one of the things I am grateful for in this time of physical-but-not-social distancing is face coverings. Not just because they indicate that someone cares about me enough to protect me from any potential infection they might have, though that is part of it. Mostly, it's because face coverings have forced me to move outside my comfort zone and actually look people in the eye and connect with them, human to human. And that has made me a better human.

Grace and peace...

PT