GOD BLESS OUR FALLEN HEROES

Donald Howerton III- Iraq

      "There's teddy bears and high school rings... and old photographs that mamas bring... of daddys with the young boy, playing ball. There's combat boots he used to wear when he was sent... over there, and there's 50,000 names carved in the wall. There's cigarettes and cans of beer and notes that say I miss you dear... and children who don't say anything at all. There's purple hearts and packs of gum, fatherless daughters and fatherless sons, and there's 50,000 names carved in the wall. They come from all across this land, in pickup trucks and minivans, searching for a boy from long ago. They scan the wall and find his name. The teardrops fall like pouring rain, and they leave a gift and go. There's stars of David and rosary beads, and crucifixion figurines, and flowers of all colors- large and small, There's a Boy Scout badge and a merit pin, little American flags waving in the wind, and there's 50,000 names carved in the wall."  I love the lyrics to George Jones' song, but not as much as I loved the Viet Nam Memorial itself. I was privileged to see it when I accompanied Sherry on a trip to DC, and it's sacredness left me in awe! There were hundreds of us- coming from all over this land- yes, in pickup trucks and minivans- and there were the names. Just the names. And you could've heard a pin drop. There was silence- holy silence- because we didn't need a preacher to tell us that we were on holy ground!


Gale A Shedenhelm-WW2

      Memorial Day has arrived again... and again, my heart is drawn to those who died for our freedom. Once again, my mind struggles with the dreams that were never fulfilled and with the heartaches that were never healed. Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day because we decorated the graves of those who died in service to America, and I pray that we will honor our fallen heroes in this way forever. Somewhere along the line, we began to remember those men and women who put their lives on the line, knowing that- except for the grace of God and a second here or an inch there- they could easily have been martyred as well... and now, we take time to remember those who served and would've been in harm's way, if called, and also those who sacrificed so that we would have the abundant lives we enjoy today. You can choose where you would draw the line, but I am grateful for all of them, and especially for those who were willing to pick up arms.
      I have mentioned by uncles, Delmer and Lewis Sylvester, previously. They fought in WW2 and I am proud of both of them, as I am of the Agnews, Simmons', and Schalls to whom I am also related.  I researched those who share my surname and discovered that... Lawrence and William E. Schuttenhelm served in WW1; Ralph, Karl, Charles, and Donald Schuttenhelm served in WW2. In addition, George and Clark Sheetenhelm served in WW2. Concerning those who bear the name Shedenhelm, the record shows that Teddy, John, and Gary served in Vietnam, and the following served in WW2- William J., Harley, Kenneth, Laurel, Lutther, Dale, Byron, Russell, Paul, Glen, Robert H., Ray F., and my father, Gale Allen Shedenhelm (pictured).  I praise God for each and every one of them, and for Harry Muffley and those whose names are etched on our own church memorial.


Sean Shedenhelm (L) Iraq
Bill Coulter (TR) Air Forxe

      Let me conclude with words written in the Washington Post, Nov. 12, 1921, concerning the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. "Wrapped in the brooding silences of eternity... the well loved son of the republic sleeps... at last shrouded in his immortality. Hundreds of millions of people have called him "son," and given him a name that for all time... shall be a synonym for loyalty and sacrifice. In honoring him... the mighty country for which he gladly gave his life... touched a new and loftier height of majesty and dignity... The grief that filled each breast and dimmed each eye, the sorrow that bowed each head in tribute of the nameless soldier who died for his flag...unknown, unsung... was tempered by a promise which was exalting and uplifting. A tender beauty marked each passing moment which saw the nation's final tribute to its unknown boy, home from strife and hell of war, back in the arms of those who loved him. The President walked through the silent streets of the hushed city, in the early morning haze, content to be a simple private citizen at the bier of the man who in his haunting mystery, typifies the spirit of the American dead.
   

Harley Shedenhelm- WW2

Can we get an "amen?" Friends, Monday is a day of Remembrance, a day of Gratitude, and day for Humility. It is Decoration Day because there is no greater love than this!

   




Top 10 Signs That You're In a Spirit-filled Church

      The Top 10 things you never hear in church. 10) Hey! It's my turn to sit in the front row; 9) I was so enthralled that I didn't even notice that the sermon lasted 40 minutes; 8) I find evangelizing to be more enjoyable than golf; 7) I've decided to give our church the $500/mo. that I had been sending to TV ministers; 6) I will happily volunteer to be the forever Sunday School teacher for Jr. High kids; 5) Say, let's forget the denomination's minimum salary and pay our pastor top dollar; 4) I love it when we sing songs that we've never sung before; 3) Since most of us are already here, let's start worship service early; 2) Let's send the pastor to a Bible seminar in the Bahamas; and 1) Nothing inspires me more than our annual stewardship drive! The top 10 signs that you are in the wrong church: 10) The church van has a gun rack; 9) The church staff includes Senior Pastor, Associate Pastor, and Socio-Pastor; 8) The pew Bible is the Alfred E. Newman version; 7) There is an ATM in the lobby; 6) New members are required to bring W-2's from the last 10 years; 5) There is a 2-drink minimum at Fellowship events; 4) The karaoke service is the church's most popular worship service; 3) Choir members wear leather robes; 2) Ushers ask attendees if they want to sit in the "smoking or non-smoking" section; 1) the Women's Quartet is married to the pastor.
      I could go on because Top 10 lists are everywhere.  But since this is Pentecost, I would simply like to list The Top 10 signs that you're in a Spirit-filled church, regardless of your denomination or way of worshiping. 10) Spirit-filled churches are bold because God is bold. The gospel is bold- even radical. Transformation is bold, and Spirit-filled churches are in the transformation business; 9) Spirit-filled churches have more dreams than memories because God is not dead; 8) Spirit-filled churches are filled with optimism because they have traded in the mantra, "We've never done in that way before"... for "God can do anything;" 7) Spirit-filled churches are inviting and affirming because their ministries are anchored in John 3:16; 6) Spirit-filled churches are obsessed with God's word because God's word speaks to them. If your church is Spirit-filled, it will offer a variety of Bible Studies and Adult Education classes (which will be well-attended); 5) Spirit-filled churches mention the name of "Jesus" a lot- right out loud, frequently, and in many different forums- because Jesus is their Lord and Savior; 4) Spirit-filled churches are filled with Spirit-filled leaders. Their pastors are men and women of God, their elders see themselves as spiritual leaders; and their deacons truly believe that they are doing Christ's work; 3) Spirit-filled churches have a greater commitment to spiritual growth than they do to numerical or financial growth; 2) Spirit-filled churches embrace both mind and spirit because God has given them both. Even as Paul said, "I pray and sing psalms with the Spirit and also my mind," Spirit-filled churches embrace both order and ardor; 1) Spirit-filled churches worship and serve a BIG God- a God who challenges and reshapes them, even as He affirms their faithful work. Spirit-filled churches live and die for a God whom they will never completely understand.  
      Well, there you have it- a non-denominational Top 10 list. I confess that it's not funny and that it's far short of being complete. But I hope it makes the point that the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost ... so that Christ's church would have the power to be both bold and faithful. Being bold means being more concerned with ministry than religion, and being faithful means that everything we do and say is centered in and connected to Christ. Amen.

      

IS THE CHURCH THE ANSWER (TO HIS PRAYER)?

      There's a time to say hello, and a time to say goodbye. There's a time to teach, and a time to empower. There's a time to lean on the source of our strength, and a time to BE a source of strength. There's a time leading to a moment, a time for the moment itself, and a time to grow from the moment... and the moment I'm talking about is his crucifixion. Before he died at Golgotha, Jesus lived among us, full of grace and truth. He called followers to walk with him, and as they walked, he revealed the wisdom and the power of God to them. He taught God's priorities, and he showed them God's ways through many signs and wonders. He was their good shepherd, but he couldn't stay with them forever... and in the 13th chapter of John, they gathered together for their last supper.
      As it is today, suppertime was a time for fellowship and conversation, for stories and words of wisdom, and after he washed their feet and Judas left to do what he had to do, Jesus began to speak. He spoke of his glorification and of Peter's denial. He told them that he would prepare a place for them in heaven, and he promised to send his Holy Spirit so they would "not be orphaned." He reminded them that real love is obedient, and commanded them- and believers in all times and places- to love one another as he loved them. He reminded them- and us- that they should manifest the relationship that he shared with his Father. The church's job, it seems, is to connect the empowering and forgiving love that it receives from God with the world at large. We are his hands and feet, his ears, his eyes, and his heart here on earth. We are the culmination of his earthly work. Thus, it is important that we grow in faith... and that our love for one another glorifies Christ.
      There's a time to look your neighbor in the eye, and a time to lift your eyes to heaven, and that's exactly what Jesus did as he offered his farewell prayer to his Father. Everyone else is now on the outside, just watching and listening, as Jesus prays to his God.
      Father, he said, the hour has come. I have made your name- that is your character and your ways- known to those whom you gave me. (God is our Father, or as one of my seminary profs said, our Mother if you insist, but never... and impersonal force or a higher power). Father, Jesus went on, protect them. Keep them safe, as I have done while I lived among them. Protect them... so that they will be one... just as you and I are one. Protect them from the evil one. Protect them from the temptations and threats that come from a world that does not know you. Sanctify them by your word, Father (where sanctification means to be nourished as we grow within the work we've been set apart to do). Father, these Spirit-empowered sheep are the culmination of my work, and I will send them to people and places, just as you sent me! I have commanded them to travel lightly- in faith- so protect them as they go. And it's not just for these for whom I pray, but for all believers- including those who congregate in Rock Island. I pray that they may be one, as you and I are one. Righteous Father, I want those whom you give to me to be with me. O, may the love you have for me be in them and may I myself be in them too. Amen!
      Wow! What a moving prayer. A prayer that is filled with love and which is surprisingly direct. In essence, Jesus asked his Father to protect us because 1) we are the only hope that an unbelieving world has of knowing God, and 2) that the love we share will be like the love that the Father and Son share with one another. It seems to me that, when you get right down to it, making God know to a broken and hurting world, is our only job. So, how about it? Have we been an answer... or an obstacle... to our Lord's personal prayer?

PART NEANDERTHAL- PART GERMAN

      Recently, I sent a DNA sample to "23 and Me." I went through the same process with Ancestry.com earlier, but the Y Chromosone research that 23andMe does caught my interest.

      When I received my results back from Ancestry,com, they showed more ancestry from Norway and Sweden than I expected, but still, I am predominantly a child of Europe- if one includes Germany, Poland, France, Spain, and Great Britain. History buffs will know that even the Scandinavian effect can be traced to a) Vikings and b) Sweden's presence in 16-17th century Europe. I was glad to get the results, but they showed no trace of the Jewish heritage I thought I might have had.

      Now, from 23andMe, I learn that I am part of the R1b1b2 haplogroup which originally included populations that were Irish, Basques, British and French. It is a group that includes Malcolm Gladwell, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Stephen Colbert. My maternal line is H6a1, which identifies populations that migrated into western Europe over the last few thousand years, and includes areas like the Urals, Arabia, and Europe. Frankly, 

      I don't understand most of this, and I will most likely go back to my Shedenhelm-Simmons- Sylvester-Hunt genealogical tree. However, I did discover that I am 2.7% Neanderthal! No kidding. I am part Neanderthal... which may explain my "heavy eyebrow ridge; long, low, bigger skull; prominent nose with built-in cold-air protection;" and generally feisty attitude. According to 23andMe, it's uncertain if having too much Neanderthal DNA will make one extra brawny, short, or boorish. 

      I can only apologize to my family and encourage them to get the little ones tested before they procreate. 

I AM RETIRING- FOR REAL THIS TIME- I PROMISE

      Last night I informed our Session (ruling elders) of my intention to retire in September of this year. On the 26th of April I turned 69, so my decision was hardly surprising, and it opens up an exciting new chapter in the lives of the people who attend (and are) this church. By the time I leave, I will have been here nearly 8 years, and that's not bad for a man who was 61 when he arrived.
      More important than time served, however, is what we accomplished during these 8 years, and I can report that God blessed us in many ways! We didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to accomplish, but we accomplished some important things. The church, which had undergone a lengthy period of instability... enjoyed having one "called" pastor for a reasonable period of time. Also, relationships that were frayed and tattered- inside and outside the church- were healed, and a congregation of people who were in some ways "a gathering of strangers" ... began to have fun together and build relationships. Our youth group, which had not taken a Mission Trip in years, has taken several in a row now, and our Children's Ministry is much more vibrant than it was a few years ago! Our choir is sounding much bigger than they are, and we have several new faces in the congregation... and in leadership positions. We have three adult Bible Studies per week and we have two successful small groups, in addition to an active "Dinner Bell" program. We are building new relationships with our neighbors and we purchased a new electronic sign to tell our story.
      I am pleased with the steps we've taken to grow in faith, serve others in Jesus' name, and love one another as He loves us. It's been a blessing, and I love each and every member of this church. However, even as God calls us to a vocation, He calls us to move along. And that time has come for me. Over the years my wife has given up many things for me. She has made my ministry possible, and now it is time for me to make her my number 1 priority! She has a number of health issues and 14 physicians- all of whom we see on a regular basis. It takes a lot of time to be an effective caregiver and Sherry deserves my best effort. Knowing this... and knowing that this church needs a pastor's best effort as well-especially at this time- it was easy for me to let go.
      Besides, it's sort of exciting to open the door for a new pastor, who will lead these wonderful people into the future. Keep South Park Presbyterian Church in your prayers. Pray that they will continue to grow as Christians and that God will bless them for years and years to come. Most likely, Sherry and I will be returning to the Joliet-Plainfield area, and you are invited to pray for us as well. Pray that we will sell our home here and find a community of friends there. Amen.

LOVE THE PEOPLE!

      When I started in my ministry, I had already been blessed with some experiences that I thought would serve me well. I had been a Toastmaster and a college teacher, I had acquired a graduate degree in Organizational Psychology, and I was familiar with several established theories of motivation and leadership. I had achieved some success as an executive in business, and I had a conversion experience that had given me a passionate faith. Moreover, since I had struggled with the things of the world, I considered myself to be something of a "wounded healer." I had a lot to offer and I couldn't wait to bless the church with my many gifts.
      However, no one had informed the church, and I soon discovered that they were far more committed to one another and their shared past... than they were to a minister whom they had hired to serve them for a few years. I learned that the saints in the church world were much more interested in being served... than in being led. In fact, they actually resisted being led, and even those who were positive (which was always most of them) felt that they had hired more of a "partner" than any sort of "shepherd." It soon became clear that I would not be able to move people who had personal relationships that were dearer to them than survival itself! So I sought advice from two of my mentors- pastors Dan and Lu- and here's what I heard them say TO ME:
1.   As a minister, you ARE a servant, Ken, and you must always be a servant... because ministering is NOT about self;
2.   Every person in your church, Ken, has been equipped for ministry. Some of them have been blessed with insight and gifts of leadership. This doesn't mean that they're right, but it does mean that they have a voice and that you must listen;
3.   Ministry does not have an agenda of accomplishing a predetermined result. It may or may not do that... but ministry is an act of love. Simply that and nothing more;
4.   As a minister, your job is to be faithful- to give as much of yourself to as much of God as you understand on any given day. It is your job to prepare yourself, to show up on time, to cheer others on, to play as hard as you can, to run out every ground ball... BUT the results are in God's hands;
5.   Ken, love the people. Love the people. This is what they said when I became concerned about having 100-200-500 "bosses" as a pastor- each one of whom saw himself or herself as a priority, many of whom had differing views on church matters, and none of whom really had to do anything I said in the first place. It was only a matter of time before I would disappoint or upset one or more of them. I was sure of that- so I asked for advice and this is what they said: "Love the people. Just love the people. If you love the people they will overlook many things and they will put up with all of your peculiarities, but if you don't love them... you would be better off to leave now... because what people need more than anything else is to be loved. People need to be loved and accepted. They need to know that God forgives them. That's what it means to be a minister- otherwise you should have gotten an MBA.
      I've always remembered these words and I've taken them to heart. As I reflect on a ministry that is now winding down, I know that I made many mistakes. There were many times when I was not my best self and there are many things that I would change if I could. However, I thank God for giving me the privilege of loving His people for 25 years, and I can honestly say that I have loved them. Some have been easier to like than others. Some have been downright mean-spirited. Some of them have been supportive and some have worked to undermine my ministry. But I have loved them all. Each one. Without exception. And I praise God for it because people don't care what you know until they know that you care. Amen.

The Giver of New Names and 2nd Chances

      When Jeff came into my office for the first time, he didn't know much about the Bible... and  even less about the church. He didn't know Presbyterian polity, or even what the words "Presbyterian" and "polity" meant... but he did know that he needed to be "in Christ" and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life serving our Lord. Jeff said that something big happened to him when he was recovering from surgery. He said he encountered Jesus and there was no denying it. He went into the hospital as one person and left...as an entirely different person. He had been reborn-it was as simple as that- and he was looking for a community where he could grow in and live out his faith. Many years earlier, with an equal ignorance concerning both the Bible and the church, I had a similar experience in Omaha, and while I did not grow as evenly or as quickly as Jeff did, I knew- from the moment I left Eppley Center- that I could never live life as I had lived it before.
      The point I'm trying to make is this: we can't encounter Christ and be the same person again! It's impossible! There are millions of stories like Jeff's and mine, and the Bible makes it clear that men like Zacchaeus, who took all that he could from the people, became generous... when he dined with Jesus; and that desperate men and women, whose sons and daughters were dying, found compassion, power, and life when they encountered Jesus! Some of those who encountered Jesus were restored to family and community, some were healed, some were fed, some called, some challenged, and some became downright angry. But they were all changed. And we are too... when we open our hearts and minds to his word and his presence in our midst. When we encounter Jesus, and here I don't mean joining a church or reading about him, we are forever changed. Some of us are given hope, some of us find a place where we can love and be loved, some of us find a ministry where we can visit the sick, teach the kids, or give to a ministry like Christian Care. Some of us, like Paul, undergo a total rearrangement of our values and beliefs, and some of experience the healing grace of being forgiven and accepted, which is what happened to Peter after he had denied Christ. Forgiveness lies at the very heart of the cross. It is the central reason Christ emptied himself of divinity and came down to us, and it is- whether we know it or not- the one thing that we all need... more than anything else!
      With this in mind, let's join Peter as he encountered the Risen Christ! Everybody knows at least a little about Simon ben Jonah, the fisherman whom Jesus renamed Peter, "Rock," or if you prefer, "Rocky." Peter... was a brash and sometimes impulsive man. No one has ever doubted his heart, but he had a tendency to over-promise and under-perform. When they arrested Jesus at Gethsemane, Peter was the one who drew a sword; when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought he was, Peter was the one who cried, "You are the Christ;" when Jesus began to wash the disciples' feet, Peter was the one who said, there's no way that I will ever let you wash my feet. Peter said a lot of things. Some were wise, some were ill-considered... but his great shame came the night he and a few others were huddled around a fire in Caiaphas' courtyard. After they arrested Jesus, they took him to the High Priest, and Peter followed... at a distance... because he didn't want to be recognized as one of his friends. So, he adopted a low profile and warmed himself by a fire... when one of the men near him accused him of being a follower of Jesus', and Peter denied it. Someone else thought that they had seen him with Jesus, and Peter denied it. Finally, a lowly servant girl confronted him, and Peter said it plainly, "I told you that I don't even know the man"... just as they led Jesus past him... and their eyes met. We can't know what Jesus thought, but we do know that the incident broke Peter's heart... because the Bible says that he went out into the darkness and cried like a baby!
      Have you ever been disappointed in yourself... when you didn't show the courage that you thought you would? Have you ever been disappointed with your own behavior or your words because they were so far below your best self? Have you ever seen yourself as hero, only to discover that you aren't? Have you ever been entangled in a sin that kept you longer and cost you more than you thought it would? Have you ever done a wrong that you couldn't make right? Have you ever hurt the one you loved and betrayed yourself in the process?  If so, you can relate to Peter, who loved Jesus with all of his heart... and had to live with the fact that the last words Jesus ever heard him say were "I don't know the man." Peter, for all of his love, had a stain that nothing could ever erase. So... he went fishing... with John, the Twin, James, Nathanael (from Cana), and two other disciples who didn't get named. They went fishing, and as they still do, they fished with nets at night. Come morning, they hadn't caught a thing until an unrecognized man on the shore told them where to cast. Then they caught fish- 153 of them- and John said, "it's Jesus!"... which prompted Peter to jump into the water and splash his way to shore, where they had a cookout- a breakfast of bread and fish. But Jesus wasn't there to feed them!
      He was there to do business with the fisherman whom he had named Rocky. Simon, son of John, he said (no longer calling him "Peter"), do you love me more than these? Of course I do, Peter replied. Then tend to my lambs, Jesus said, which made sense because Jesus had already noted that those who love him are those who hear AND obey his word. Simon, Jesus asked again, "Do you love me?" Yes Lord, you know that I love you. Then feed my sheep! Feed my sheep, not in the abstract, but in the concrete. In your world. Feed the sheep whom I have placed in your home, your neighborhood, your place of work, your church. Feed them in my name. Feed them in all the ways that people need to be fed, and in this way you will show your love for me. "Simon, do you love me?" He asked again, and Peter was frustrated because this was the third time he had been asked the same question. "Lord, since you know everything, you already know that I love you." Then feed my sheep until they lead you to a cross of your own. "Follow me," Jesus said, which were the words that Peter heard in the beginning, "Follow me." Peter was offered a "do over," a "mulligan." "Follow me." They were healing words. Empowering words. Words that brought tears to his eyes.
      Peter looked at John and asked, "what about him?" John is not your business, Jesus replied. Just follow me, Peter... and he did. He gave up fishing for good, and he gave up his life for Jesus ... because he had been given another chance. Jesus invited him to express his love and to remake his decision to follow him. Jesus allowed him to express his love for him- so that his last words would be "I love you"... and he gave him a new beginning when he said, "Follow me." It was the last call "the Rock" would ever need. How about you? Have you done business with Jesus? Can you believe that we have a God who is so loving that he would take the time to put a man back together before he went to his Father? No matter what you've done or left undone, whether you feel guilty, ashamed, fearful, unloved, unworthy, or incomplete, Jesus is the answer. He is really is. When it comes to renewal and empowerment, to healing and purpose, to forgiveness and acceptance, Jesus is the answer, and he can change your life just like he changed Peter's life, and Paul's life, and Jeff's life. I promise! Amen.