THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAIRNESS

Recently, my grandson, Archer (age 5) asked his mom if other children were blessed with parents who loved them as much as his mom and dad loved him.. and she answered... "no." Many, many children are blessed with loving and attentive parents. They're tucked in at night and they are heard during the day. They have boundaries, but their boundaries are part of the love they have come to trust. There are also many children who receive all the love they need from single parents and parents who have adopted them... BUT there are countless numbers of children... who hear more sobs than laughter... and who live with deep needs and an haunting emptiness... day after day after day. "No, Archer," she said, "There are all sorts of children who do NOT receive as much love and comfort as you receive"... and Archer broke down and cried! That's not fair, he said. it's not fair!

To which I can only say, "Amen. Nothing in life is fair, Archer. Nothing at all." Some kids are born into families... who want for nothing, and other kids are born into families...who have nothing. Some people are pretty, and other people are not. Some kids are affirmed and encouraged, and others are criticized and broken. Some kids are born in America, but some are born in Somalia. Some kids follow a family tradition of attending an Ivy League school, while other kids follow a family tradition of going to prison. Most kids grow up to be healthy men or women... but more than a few...die in tragic accidents... and from rare diseases... and fairness has nothing to do with it! In fact, thinking that things ought to be "fair" is one of the primary causes of discontent in our society.

As an ordained minister, I've read the Bible several times... and I've never seen the word "fair" (as we use it) a single time. I've encountered "love," "grace," "justice," "mercy," "forgiveness," "surrender," "righteousness," "peace," "contentment," "courage," even "punishment,"... but I've never encountered "fairness," as a theological theme. Like Job, we complain when things don't seem "fair," and like the prophets of old, we wonder why the "good die young"...which is why we need courage, perseverance,
and God's amazing grace. Archer, there's nothing "fair" under the sun. Give up on it. Instead, be content with what you have. Rejoice in the grace you've received. Be grateful for the love you've been blessed to give and receive... and give as much love to others... as God has given to you! Don't worry about fairness, Archer, because it doesn't exist. But never quit opening doors for others and lifting them up. This, itself, is not fair, but it sure is loving and just. Amen.

WITHOUT FAITH, LIFE IS A B......

Tuesday, I conducted a funeral service for a good man. He wasn't famous... or wealthy...or the life of the party. He wasn't notorious... or particularly witty... but he was a good man. He was committed to his wife; he was committed to the scouts, rearing all four of his sons to become eagle scouts; and he was a committed to his country, serving in the Navy during WWII.  He was also a man with a strong faith, and we played "The Old Rugged Cross," during his service. During his eulogy, we focused on his life and faith, and offered a story or two about his war experience... but there was one moment that I found particularly poignant. When everyone else had left the room, Fred's four sons stood in front of their father's coffin. They just stood there for what seemed to be the longest time. They didn't speak to one another. They simply stood together, one and then another wiping away a tear, and occasionally, reaching out to touch their dad. I've seen this moment before...but when I watched these men, now on the brink of being old themselves, struggle to say goodbye, I was struck by their vulnerability. The pain of losing a loved one, it seems, never lessens, no matter how old we may be.

On Thursday I visited one of our seniors in his hospital room, which I've done several times before... because he's been in and out of the hospital for a couple of years now. He's recovering from another surgery and doing well, I think, but his bigger struggle... is with God, who either "allowed" or just "stood by and watched" as his only daughter passed away last year. She was a lovely "girl"- a great mother- a doting daughter- engaging, intelligent, beautiful...in every way... and now she's gone... and my friend can't get over it.  His emotional pain is much deeper than his physical pain, and while I pray that he'll find the faith to embrace God's Easter promise, I suspect that his life here on earth... will never be as bright or as full as it used to be.

On Friday, I received a phone call from a young woman who is a good friend of mine. She said that her husband's cancer had "grown and spread" while he was fighting another life-threatening infection. These results were not surprising... but still disappointing... and we will continue to walk with both of them... as my friend continues his journey of courage and grace. Perhaps I'm too personally involved with this couple... but I find myself feeling a good measure of the fear, hope, and anxiety that they must be feeling. I feel good that they've developed a strong faith in recent years, but I feel bad... knowing that they're going to need it.

What does it all mean? What does it add up to? Simply this: without faith, life is very, very difficult!

An Attitude of Gratitude-My Head is Filled with Dirt

Gratefulness, someone said, is the fullest expression of the human heart... but I often take my blessings for granted. Another person once told me that my life would be better if I took the time to write a gratitude list every morning. He said that this would center me and lift my spirits as well, but I forget to do it, and even when I do remember, I'm too busy... so I plod along, wandering why I don't receive as many blessings that others seem to have. This way of thinking is wrong of course. In the 12 Step world, they would call it "stinking thinking." It's self-defeating and counter-productive... so today... as another Thanksgiving nears... I will write my Gratitude List. Today, I am grateful for...

Christ, Golgotha, and the Easter Promise...
      my wife, my family, and others who have actually loved me for better or worse...
            friends who have gone out of their way to overlook my faults and shortcomings...

Today, I am grateful for...
      the joy of laughter when it's vulnerable and the depth of honest tears...
            my vocation, adult baptisms, surrender, and second chances...
                  unexpected generosity... and people who dance with life.

Today, I am grateful for...
      the oldies station, praise music, classic country, and old-time gospel music...
            for the thread of hope that runs through Christian funerals...
                  and people who die with grace.

Today, I am grateful for...
      good coffee, bad coffee, cold coffee, and reheated coffee...
            mulligans, do-overs, and 2nd, 3rd, 10th chances... and forgiveness.

Today, I am grateful for
      an oncology nurse named Maria and a preacher named Lu...
            friends like Edna Baker, Bill Maule, Bus Iglehart, and Kelly Arduser, and
                  of course, being saved in and through Christ Jesus.

I've read that the Masai people say, "My head is filled with dirt," when they are grateful. Rather than saying "thank you," they say, "My head is filled dirt"... because, when they are grateful, they fall on their knees and actually put their foreheads in the dirt. This is much too vulnerable for most of us, but when you've been saved by grace and showered with unmerited blessings... what else can you do...
but fall to your knees and say, "My Lord and my God, my head is filled with dirt"!

GOD'S NEW THING

In 1921, a new warden showed up at New York's infamous Sing-Sing prison. His name was Lewis Lawes and many believe that he turned this prison around... but today, I want to talk about his wife, Catherine... because she's the one who introduced scores of violent inmates... to the new thing that God is doing in our midst.  Never afraid, she frequently attended events and activities with the inmates... believing that God would keep her safe, and she had a personal interest in each prisoner. She met with each one and knew them by name. Once, when she found out that one of the prisoners was blind, she learned Braille herself... and then taught it to the man... so that his life would be richer. On another occasion, she learned sign language to enrich the life of a prisoner who was deaf. In short, Catherine Lawes was a disciple who worked steadfastly to bring light where there was darkness, hope where there was despair, and empowerment, even to those behind bars... but one day, she was killed in a car accident... and the next day, the prisoners knew that something had gone terribly wrong. Well, it had... and the men grieved as arrangements were being made for her visitation. They implored the Assistant Warden to let them pay their respects to this woman who loved them unconditionally... and he relented. "Go ahead," he said, "But make sure and check in tonight." So, they did. Without supervision, they walked the better part of a mile to pay their respects... and they returned to Sing-Sing prison- every single one of them- because they had experienced God's abiding grace, His empowering love, His healing touch. They were still prisoners, but never again were they quite the same, because in Catherine's presence, they were somebody worth knowing and loving!

New beginnings. Renewed hope. Liberty, empowerment, purpose, peace, unity, love. These are the signs of God's new thing, whether we're talking about the Jews who had returned home after years in exile in Isaiah's world, the Jews who lived under the weight of the law and Roman rule in Jesus' day, or the Christians who call South Park Presbyterian Church home today. Of course, we live in an age where new things are a way of life. Change has become our new constant, but change alone is NOT God's new thing. Scientifically (for example)... things are changing at a staggering rate... and although there are unforeseen consequences to the introduction of any new thing... I suspect that these changes are mostly for the better. In 2013 alone, scientists...discovered a gene linked to longevity... and the cause of human allergies to cats, cured blindness in mice; introduced a bionic hand that can perform the most delicate of tasks and an "intelligent surgery knife" that can differentiate cancer cells from others; developed a 3-D printer that produces clusters of living stem cells, the first mind-controlled prosthetic leg, a camera that produces 3-D images, a way of converting sugar into fuel, and a blood test for babies that predicts their health and rate of ageing later on; sequenced the Neanderthal genome, cloned human embryonic stem cells, and witnessed the first hamburger made entirely in the lab! All of this, and more, in a single year! Yes, when it comes to science, we're doing a new thing and while God may well be pleased with many of these breakthroughs, they are not the new thing that Isaiahwas talking about... because they don't give us the joy of knowing that God wants us to be all that we can be in Him, and the purpose we find when we serve others in His name.

Culturally... things are also changing at a staggering rate... and these changes are bringing both the good and the bad. Any of us can access any subject on Google... simply by speaking into the screen. Say "Colonial America family life," and a library of information will be provided. Say "Baseball Records," and you'll have access to every record ever set. That's good... but... the same person can type or say, "pornography," or "ways to make a bomb," and that's bad.  We see young people texting one another (sometimes when they're in the same room), or gazing at little screens in their hands (instead of looking at the people with whom they've gathered to eat. So, their ability to communicate with greater numbers of people is enhanced, but their ability to communicate in depth is down... and this is not a good thing. In the last few years alone, we've been introduced to internet addiction, cyber-bullying, cash machines that ask if we want "English" or "Spanish," an avalanche of politically correct words and phrases, and terrorism.

Yes indeed, with any doubt, change is everywhere. It's certainly no longer my father's world, and in some ways, it's no longer quite my world... but despite all of the changes that are spinning around us... our need for God's new thing is at least as strong today as it has ever been! We're busier than our ancestors were, but not more fulfilled. We're freer to do our own thing, but more enslaved to the things others are doing. We hide behind an ever-growing number of devices, but we're increasingly afraid of being naked. While our ancestors were victims of circumstance, we're often victims by choice, and we're no more happier, no more secure, no more confident, no more aware of who we are, no clearer on where we're going... than they were! We are as least as lost as our ancestors were... which is not to say that they weren't lost... for despite the nostalgia that many of us have for yesteryear, the record shows that spousal abuse abounded in colonial America, that the primary function of parents was too "break the will of the child," and that, by the middle of the eighteenth century, 40% of brides were already pregnant when they married, It was simply tough to eke out a living, let alone achieving a purpose or living a dream. Surely, returning to the past... cannot be God's new thing, any more than rushing into a future without strong anchors and faith can be His new thing.

Friends, our God is not in the memory business, but He's not in the chaos business either. He's in the invitation and enrichment business... and that's His new thing! Our God wants us to be all that we can be in Him... and He wants us to enjoy the fruits of living for Him. These fruits include peace, love for self and others, laughter instead of tears, and a transforming connectedness with all that God has created. God wants us to be blessed, not judged, whole, not broken... and it is this promise and invitation that IS God's new thing. Consider the words of Isaiah in the 65th chapter of the book that bears his name, and listen as if you were there. Our exile is over. We are home, but what will our lives be like? Will we continue to be a people without hope, purpose, or promise? Will we still be in the hands of an angry God? Will we continue to wander our own way, or be tempted beyond our ability to cope? Will our lives always be filled with suffering and pain? No, no, no! For God has done a new thing. From this moment on- you will be God's people and He will be your God. You will never wander or be exiled again, and here's the good news- you won't even want to wander away from God

You are in God's hands, people of God, and you are free. What is more, your lives will be blessed in ways you never imagined, and you will be a blessing to others... which brings me back to Catherine Lawes, the good Samaritan, and the widow who shared her last meal with Elijah, and to each one of you... who takes the time to know and love others, to listen to them and build them up... who goes to the effort of setting a stage... where others can forget their scars and their long held opinion that they are not worthy. You are not Christ, but you know what He said- so tell them that Christ came to the world to save it. Tell them that God doesn't want anyone to be lost. Tell them that Christ said, "Father, forgive them," and "Today, you will be with me in Paradise," even as He hung on the cross. Tell them this. Show them this in what you say and do... and I can assure you that, for most of them, it will be a new thing. Tell them that, since the flood, God makes new things by working with what is and not by destroying everything in sight, Tell them that God is not only offering them a new beginning, but that they are part of God's new world. Tell them these things, show them God's love, learn their names, help them get stronger. Do this and you will be a disciple like Catherine Dawes. Do this... and we will be one step closer to the time when the wolf will lie down with the lamb!

PLEASE! THE CHURCH IS NOT A BUSINESS!

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a hundred time- the church is just like a business. Whenever "church" is discussed, someone is likely to say- often with the words, "I hate to say it but," as an introduction, "The church is just another business."  Well, it's not, and never can be because Jesus Christ is the acknowledged head of the church. 

I spent many years as an executive in the business world and I've taught management, leadership, and business classes for a number of colleges. I know business and I know church, and I can assure you that neither one would be very comfortable in the other's shoes. I suspect that some of those who say that the church is just a business... are trying to say that the church is an organization... and there is no doubt about that. In the churches that I am familiar with, there are rules and procedures to follow, employees and bills to be paid, orderly ways of recognizing achievement and welcoming guests, and a slew of committee meetings besides. In the churches that I know, there are also budgets, clear lines of authority (in most cases), and the need to discuss things like FSA, ADA, and EEO. Yes, your church is very much an organization, and more than that, if it's faithful, it's committed to growth and transformation- just like any other organization. But... your church is not and never can be like a business... because Christ is its Lord!

When I was in the supermarket business, Mr. Monasee was our President, and when I was in the Department store business, Mr Gordman was our CEO... but now.... Christ Jesus is my boss (period).  Of course, I work with a leadership board and they expect a lot from me.  Moreover, I'm accountable to everyone of our members. I'm expected to attend certain meetings, show up at our community events, and keep office hours. In short, I have all sorts of obligations and responsibilities, and that's the way it should be... BUT Jesus Christ... is my director and my Lord... and this makes all the difference in the world in the way I lead, interact with others, and measure success. In the world's view, winning the race is all that matters- in the church "finishing the race" is more important. In the business world, it's every person for him/herself- in the church, we are called to love one another. In the corporate world, "perception is everything"- in the church, perception (as a standard) is nothing at all. In the business arena, competitiveness is the norm, but the church is based on cooperation. In the businesses I've known, getting (bonuses, perks) is far more important than giving, but in the church, it is better to give than receive. Who has ever seen a Performance Review that rates humility, gentleness, patience, or even honesty? But these lie at the core of what it means to be a Christian. The goal in business is to make profits- the goal in church is to serve Christ, Businesses seek to get bigger- churches seek to be more faithful. Businesses seek to the reward their high performers- churches seek to strengthen those who are in danger of getting lost.

I could go on and one. I could list many more differences, but the point is clear: the church is not (and can never be) a business... because Jesus Christ is the CEO. The entire way of seeing and measuring success, the interactions among people, and the values that are taught and expected- all of these (and more) are totally at odds between churches and businesses. Clearly, churches and businesses share the ability to provide community, fellowship, and purpose, and both of them give more to the poor and needy... but only one of them calls Jesus Lord. Only one of them is in the soul business. Only one even considers forgiving 70 times 7, and there's not a business leader in the world who would hang on a cross for any of us.  Amen.

A GRATEFUL PASTOR

There's a time for every season- a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to be born, and a time to die. There's a time to say "yes," a time to say "no," a time to hang on... a time to let go. There's a time for everything under the sun... and now is the time for me to say "thank you" to the members of my church family... who surprised me with a Pastor Appreciation Potluck (we're big on potlucks) last evening.  They blessed Sherry and me with their generosity and their thoughtfulness, and we are very grateful! We enjoyed food and fellowship, and we left with our arms full of cards and gifts. The gifts were thoughtful, and I received enough cash to buy a golf pass next spring... but it was the appreciation and love that really touched my heart.

Seth wrote, "Thank you for being my pastor, teaching me about God, and being funny and nice," and Olivia added, "Pastor Kenn, I love you so much." Seth and Olivia are two of my favorite kids, and their words are like treasure to me. One of our members called me his friend, and another couple thanked me for "making this church a 'family' again." Actually, a number of people commented about the changes that have occurred in the church, and I thank them for their affirmation. Maverick (another one of my favorite kids) said I was the "best pastor ever," and several people were kind enough to affirm my sermons. There were many other words that touched both Sherry and me, but I will finish by letting you know how much I valued the cards that affirmed me for "being real" because "being real" is very important to me. When I started my ministry in Joliet, I encountered a woman who was cautious around pastors because she thought they were more likely to "talk the talk" than "walk the walk." She was resistant to pastoral care, but one day my persistence paid off, and she told me that I was the "real deal." The real deal. The real deal. That's really all that I have ever wanted to be, and I pray that my words and deeds will always bear witness to innermost self.

Christ saved me from a living hell. He really did. No one else did... because no one else could. I never even tried to save myself, but Christ saved me anyway. I know this to be true because I was there when it happened. I have many, many shortcomings. I still have too much pride, I tend to be impulsive. I'm impatient, and I should think before (rather than after) I speak. I know all of this and more about myself... but I also know that I am "in Christ," and nothing could ever be more real to me than that! Being talented is a good thing, but it's worthless unless you're real, and being real, on the other hand, is more than enough to get someone's attention, When I was at bottom in my life, Pastor Lu told me that God had forgiven me on Calvary's cross, and that, if I put my trust in Christ, my life would be filled with purpose and joy in this world...and in the next. Now, everyday, I feel an obligation to share the Good News with someone I love... and one of you noted that I had helped a loved one of yours...face death with peace and hope. Thanks for sharing that story with me. It made my day!

It's been five years since I arrived on the river, and I who must offer words of appreciation... to the people of "my" congregation for their support and love. Sherry and I are blessed to be here, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Several of you mentioned transformation in one way or another, and I thank you for that. "Stirring things up," and adding numbers has always been important to me. At one time in my ministry, it was Most Important... but then I came to believe that spiritual growth (growing in Christ) is a greater priority. Inviting others into our church family, helping them grow in their faith- they are both important- but neither is worth much unless we love one another as Jesus loved us. Loving people as we find them, and helping them become their best selves in Christ... is my new priority. Therefore, as I said at the potluck, I see myself more and more as a servant, and less and less as a commander, with each passing day.

YOU have helped me grow as a pastor and as a person, and I thank you for that! As I look through our church directory, I can sincerely say that I love and value each face that I see. For the first time in my journey, I feel the love of God's people. For the first time, I don't even care if the grass is greener somewhere else. I get paid for loving others and being loved in Christ's name! What sort of a fool would turn away from that?

WHY MEMORIES MATTER

When your memories outweigh your dreams, you are old (at any age), and when “what-used-to-be” gives you more joy than “what-might-be,” you’ve reached a place… where you don’t even try to build or envision. The measure of our youthfulness lies in our anticipation of what is yet to come, and not in the number of our days. If we’re 102… and still invest in high tech stocks, or plant saplings to beautify our property, we are young… because we’ve set our faces toward the future. I’ve always believed this, and as a shepherd, I continue to embrace the most of it… but over the course of time, I’ve come to see how much we are “one” with the events and people who wrote much of our own personal stories… and with one another, through our shared stories-as a church, as a nation, and as a people. Over time, I’ve grown old enough, or spiritually mature enough, to see that I’m part of a whole- unique within it- but affected by all of it, and that I’m neither self-made nor all alone.

In recent years, I’ve come to believe that I am spiritually and deeply connected with those who lived before me. I feel a deep connection with the boys who died at Gettysburg, and I feel the same connection with those who died in the winter of 1620-21 at Jamestown. A handful of my direct ancestors died there, but beyond that, I feel “connected” with the Pilgrims and the bold entrepreneurs, with their journeys, their sacrifices, their dreams, their quest for religious and political freedom, and their (yes, old-fashion) work ethic. Many of my ancestors were Pilgrims, many were Quakers, several were preachers, and a couple of them were tried as witches in Salem, and I can… feel… their resolve and their tears. In recent years, I’ve become more and more impressed with our Founding fathers and mothers, and more and more certain of the faith in which they were grounded. I am connected to all of this, and you are too! The past is not dead, but lives within us today, even as we are molding a way of life for, and passing on genes to those who will live in the future.

My father was a pilot in WWII, and he saw a lot of action. He didn’t have anything good to say about Franklin Roosevelt- ever- but he didn’t put his life on the line for him. I doubt if he voted at all…but he knew that there were far worse things than dying. This, I pray, is part of my legacy, as are the soup lines of the depression and the freedom marches of the sixties. I am connected to all of this, and much, much more. You are too, and who among us can walk through the Viet Nam Memorial or the graves on Arsenal Island… without feeling connected with something powerful and sacred. Maybe I’m getting wiser, maybe I’m growing old, but I’m in touch with a debt that I owe to people I never met, and even more, to the men and women…who shaped my life. Just last week, as I was driving home from an unusually good round of golf, I felt a tinge of excitement when I thought about sharing my joy with my brother… but Larry’s been in heaven for some time now.

Friends, people whom we love- or who have just left an imprint on us- they never, ever die. Thus, as we live out our own lives, we owe a debt to those who’ve gone before us… and we have an obligation to those who are on their way. We are not a nothing in a nowhere, but part of God’s ongoing creative work… and therefore, we must honor those who have left their marks on us, even as we invest in those who will make up… the future. Like the Roman god, Janus (for whom January is named), we’re called to face both the past and the future, as we live in the present. As Joshua (ch. 4) knew so very long ago, it is very, very important to remember… officially… and with ceremony… because memorials and ceremonial rituals… give people a chance to connect. They give our kids a forum for questions- who gave these stained glass windows, who was Mr. Schroder- and who are George Shumaker, Bob Coatney, Jim and Helen Peak, Craig King, Max and Rachel Fisher, Don Sale, Addy Heitzman, Thomas Cheney- and why are their names on our patio, our benches, or in front of the trees that make our grounds beautiful? They give us a chance to answer these questions, and our ceremonies give adults the affirmation that we need to keep on going. Our memories serve to etch our identities deeper and deeper. Yes, I am an America… a pilgrim… a warrior. I am a Christian, and I am related to martyrs in all times and place. I’m a Midwestern boy, and the land means a lot to us. I’m a Presbyterian, even though I know nothing about John Calvin or John Knox. I look around and I see the pulpit and the communion table, and I know that I’m connected to James Reid and William Oglevee. I see the liturgist, the ushers, and the ladies in the back… and I know that I’m connected with all of them, and that they have- or will- affect my life and my sense of self.

 

Thus, it is very important to remember, and on this All Saints Sunday, we will officially honor those who’ve died within the past year, and also remember those who passed on… before then. In the Protestant church, we’re all saints “in Christ,” and thus, as Christians, we’re connected with the men and women we will mention in a moment… in deep ways. This is also a Communion Sunday, and we believe that in a powerful (yet mysterious) way, when we come to the table, we come with Christians in all times and place (period). Finally, when we’ve completed our liturgy of Remembrance, I encourage you to thank God for those who touched your lives and made you who you are today. Please open the insert entitled, “Remembrance of the Deceased.”