Finding Your Joy in the Most Unlikely Place (AKA the RUMC Stewardship Introduction and Pastoral Reflection from October 27)

Greetings Rinn Nation!

I hope this fine fall day finds you well and enjoying the ever decreasing period before the Holiday Season. Thanksgiving is a month away, and Christmas soon after, can you believe it?

We are also entering a special season of sorts here at Rinn Church. So for the first part of this note, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to join us.  Starting this Sunday, we unveil our annual Stewardship Campaign . . . wait, wait! Don’t close this message just yet. Hear me out! I handle stewardship much differently than other pastors. For me, it’s not a time to guilt people into giving ,as much as it’s an opportunity to talk about the good ministry we are doing and the future God is dreaming up for us. And for the first time, we think we know what that future will be! Curious what I mean by that?  How about I drop you a hint? One of our campaign promotional posters is below:

 

      
What does it all mean? Join us Sunday to find out! Or if you are unable to make it, keep an eye on your email inbox. Additional information will be out soon.

I’d like to finish now with a brief pastoral observation about the times we live in. I think one of our Prelude Prayer team said it best at our last meeting. We were reflecting on another crazy week of natural disasters, political discord and so on. And this lady said, “Goodness! This is the exact same thing we prayed over last time. Doesn’t it feel like a broken record?”

It certainly does.

We can’t seem to escape instances of tragedy or controversy, can we? Every time I think it’s calmed down, a Las Vegas shooting occurs, or another breaking news story takes up the airwaves. It’s exhausting, and I know I’m not the only one feeling down. Talking with you all, I see the same hollow look in your eyes. I hear the same frustration when you talk about current events. When is it going to stop?

All these problems feel like a giant magnet. It sucks up our attention. But folks, this is where a major problem strikes. If we are not careful, we can get too caught up in the junk and miss the good things God is doing. It becomes all about the negative while grace takes a backseat.

I was reminded of this during my recent visit to a junkyard in Denver. As many of you know, I totaled my Subaru wagon in early October. There’s never a good time for a car wreck to happen, but this felt worse than usual with everything else going on. It was a major setback. Sarah and I had to dip into savings, and go through the stress of insurance representatives and car shopping. On top of that, I had to travel to Denver to clean out my car before it was sent to the crusher. It was a bad week, plain and simple.

So there I was in the junkyard. It was raining, grey and miserable. The weather perfectly reflected my mood. I was berating myself for getting in the accident in the first place. Cursing my luck with every arm full of stuff from my dead Subaru’s back seat. There was so much junk too! Baby clothes, books, toys and trash. It felt like my life, too cluttered, too full, too inoperable. All of a sudden a small, unopened wrapped gift fell out of some of the clothes I was carrying. To my horror, I saw it was a Christmas gift from one of you all.  I had left it in my car for almost a whole year without knowing it! Am I a great pastor or what? (I’ve since apologized profusely to the congregant in question. Thankfully, they thought the whole thing was immensely funny).

Opening it, I saw it was a cross with a very unmistakable message.



It humbled me. Suddenly, I became aware that, although my car was totaled, it wasn’t one of the twisted metal hulks that were all around me.  Some of those wrecks had undoubtedly caused injury, even death. And looking at myself in this light, I was in pretty darn good shape all things considered. I still had transportation and a family that could support me through the hard time. Yes indeed, there was certainly joy to be had in this situation, and oddly enough, it was hiding in the pile of junk all along.

So let this be a reminder to all of us. There is joy somewhere in all the tragedy and controversy we’re experiencing.  It may not feel like it. There may be no trace of it until you unexpectedly jostle it loose. So what could it be for you? Where could it be present? Maybe you are like me and you can become thankful for the rock solid people you have around you. The love that you get from your family, church and God. They can get you through whatever situation you face. And isn’t that reason enough to be joyful? It is indeed, Rinn nation, it is indeed.

So find the joy around you and live into it when it appears. It’s the key to getting through this frantic time. Here’s a hint for those searching, there will be some on display this Sunday when we start the Stewardship Campaign. So make sure you are here for that! Otherwise, blessings to you, nation! Take care.

              In Christ,
              Pastor Bryson
 

Thoughts on Sutherland Springs Shooting

Dear Rinn Church Family (and anyone else who stumbles across this on the great wide web),

              Like many of you, I was greatly alarmed and grieved by the events in Sutherland Springs, Texas last Sunday. The fallout from it has plunged our church and greater community into an anxious period. People are worried, angry, and feeling extremely vulnerable after what happened. And in hearing from many of you, I wanted to write and assure everyone that Rinn Church is dedicated to keeping people safe during worship, education, and fellowship activities. To this end, our leadership team is currently discussing possible security measures, and we have reached out to the Frederick Police Department for additional input. So please know your church is diligently and proactively working on the problem, and I will be sure to notify you of any developments.

Otherwise, know I also join you in feeling disheartened. I’m sure I’ve been wondering the  same question you are. “If a church isn’t a safe space, what is?” My fear is causing some temptation. It has me looking around and asking, “Should I curtail the time I spend around the office just in case?” or “Should I shorten worship to make sure we limit the window people are in the building?” They are disquieting thoughts, and after each one, I have to verbally tell myself “NO!” Because if I don’t, if I give into the fear, the fear wins, and that is definitely not what is needed now.

 What is needed is now is this: a reminder of the Gospel message. That God in Jesus Christ tells us that evil never has the last word. Death gets swallowed up by life no matter what.

It may not feel like it, but that’s the truth, folks. And to help people see it, to help you better feel it, I challenge you to remember Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion, which states, “for every action there [MUST] be an equal and opposite reaction”

We must respond to Sutherland Springs, Puerto Rico, and all other disasters, because the church is the one organization capable of perfectly reacting. Only the Holy Spirit working through the hearts and minds of dedicated believers will inspire the sort of change that addresses human brokenness. But, if we refuse to shine forth. How will grace spread to all the places it needs to go?

So what I’m asking for, as hard as it may be, is for you to keep the faith. Keep coming to worship, keep sharing your beliefs, and keep living the gospel for all to see. It’s what our nation needs in the current darkness. “Don’t quench the fire of the Holy Spirit,” as the Apostle Paul says in First Thessalonians 5:19 ISV. Instead, reflect the light. Let it grow in you and how you live so others see Christ! 

Start with prayer. Pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ in Sutherland Springs and for all those hurting everywhere. But don’t stop there. For prayer to be fully realized, you must act. What you do depends upon the Spirit, and your context. For me, I’m feeling called to support groups that advocate for responsible gun ownership and laws. I know there is a way to balance the need for protection with the demand for regulation. So by associating with an organization that believes in this, or by telling our elected officials about it, I know I will be acting on what God is putting into my heart.

So what will you do? I’ve heard church members tell me that this tragedy is due to a mental health breakdown. So could you support additional laws and funding for organizations in that line of work? Others want to know how we can provide care to people grieving from the violence. I have tons of resources on this topic. We could easily train a team of people who specialize in helping people those who are hurting.

This is how the tide of shadows is turned back, folks, by people channeling the Spirit’s light. So what is your reaction? How can you act. Don’t just pray folks. Follow what God tells you in the prayer, because we have a dark nation to illuminate with the joy of Christ.

I’m with you in all of this, folks. If you ever need someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on, I’m here. It’s like I always tell you. I buy a mean cup of coffee. Grace is coming out of this situation. Count on it. Now, let’s align with it and spread it far and wide, shall we? Blessings to you dear friends.  

In Christ,

Pastor Bryson

RUMC Ask me Anything Response 1

I asked the people of Rinn Church to ask me anything they wanted. Here is my response to one of their questions.  B-

Are there multiple gods?  (See Psalm 82 and John 10:34)

-from Dan Smith

Great question, Dan. Let’s start off with the scriptures references so we can all get on the same page:

Psalm 82

God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
² “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
³ Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
    maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
⁴ Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

⁵ They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
    they walk around in darkness;
    all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶ I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
⁷ nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
    and fall like any prince.”^[a]

⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
    for all the nations belong to you

John 10:31b-38

[Then] the Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ³⁵ If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 

My Thoughts

So what’s the deal here? Is God really the leader of multiple deities? And are we gods like Jesus says?

There are several ways to interpret this passage. The first thing to consider, as with any scripture we read, is what it meant to its original audience. What dynamics and messages would ancient Jews see that elude our modern eyes? The scholarly term for this approach is exegesis, if you ever want a $10 word to impress people at dinner parties. But I digress. . .

Turning this perspective on Psalm 82, we find it is likely aimed at Jews/Hebrews living around the mid-10^th Century BCE. Their kingdom was surrounded by the giant empires of Assyria and Egypt as well as local powers like the Philistines, Hittites, Amalekites and several other varieties of ‘ite’ tribes. Each of these cultures had their own set of gods who ruled over every aspect of life, ranging from weather, agriculture, love, war, etc. Above them was a chief god, a fierce ruler who served as a chairperson for all divine activity on earth.  This god’s name differed from culture to culture, but there is a good chance you’ve heard of a few. Zeus, Marduk, and Ra, for example.

Since the Jews/Hebrews were small potatoes, they came under the influence of these more dominant cultures. This caused them to slowly form their own pantheon of gods as they conquered Canaan under Joshua. Specifically, they usurped the gods of their conquered foes, even going as far as to use the Canaanite chairperson god’s name, El, to refer to their God. These names still exist today, enshrined in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament as Elohim (God of Gods), Ēl Shaddāi,(God of Heaven) and Ēl ‘Elyôn (God Most High) among others.

Interesting, huh? We like to think of the Hebrews/Jews as solely dedicated to one God. But it seems the movement to a pure form of monotheism was a slow one.

They revered God above all, for sure. Yet, they were very easily distracted by God’s “conquered Canaanite minions” like Ba’al and Asherah (remember them from Sunday School?) This distraction is what our Psalmist is speaking against. He’s writing a hymn to remind people of the primacy of the One God over the others crowding the scene. He doesn’t even refer to the other heavenly beings by name, that’s how much awe the writer has for his Creator. The other gods aren’t worth anyone’s time since they are unable help. Instead, God unequivocally judges them for their shortcomings, and casts them down to death. Psalm 82 speaks to us this way as well. It shows us that our God is the one true source of justice who will outlast any other higher power we believe in!

              Ok, that sounds great, so why does Jesus reference this verse? Are we really gods since Jesus said it?           This requires a bit more interpretation:

              The Old Testament as we know it was compiled while the Jews were in Babylonian exile. During this time, religious scholars took time to purge or explain away the Jews polytheistic past. After all, not relying on the one God had gotten everyone into this exilic mess in the first place! So it was a form of repentance, more or less. A way for Jews to return to God by backdating their scripture to show what God had wanted them to do and be in the past.

              When it came to Psalm 82, the Rabbis had some work to do. What could it mean for them to be gods in their updated context? Eventually they decided the Psalmist was referring to the past rulers of Israel, who God had favorably blessed with power and authority, elevating them to a semi-divine status. Some Jewish kings may have even claimed to be the son of God as an honorific, symbolic element in their royal title (see Psalm 2, it may have been used as a hymn to enthrone rulers from David’s line before Jesus eventually fulfilled it). Obviously, these kings had fallen short. They had not benefitted the poor and oppressed, rendering them in need of Divine judgement. God had done this, and in turn led Jews to their current predicament. It all fit, and became the standard interpretation until Jesus time, when the reference of “gods” came to be associated with all Jews. They had faithfully received God’s word, thus they were elevated from the rest of humanity.

So this sets the scene for John 10, where Jesus uses Psalm 82 to show it being fulfilled on both a human and Divine level. Through his work on behalf of the marginalized, he shows himself to be a human ruler worthy to take up the old title “son of God.” While also being the God who is able to cast all other powers down through justice.

An answer to the question? What should we learn?

So are there multiple Gods? Are we gods?

My response: No and sort of.

The first Jewish readers of Psalm 82 might have thought there were many gods, which was proven wrong when they went into exile. As the Old Testament says time and time again, the Jews trusted in other deities and themselves more than God, and look where they ended up? Only when they were conquered did they realize God was the only God and interpret this section differently.

As for whether we are “gods” in the vein Psalm 82 says we are, I’d say we resemble the interpretation of the later Jews. God’s word does bring us up and sets us apart (remember, the Greek word for church in the Bible literally means “those called out”). Moreover, we believe by living into God’s word, God lives more fully into us through the Holy Spirit. The process is called incarnation, which is also the word theologians use to describes how God existed in Jesus. So in a way, having access to that same Spirit in a lesser capacity can make a sort of “god.” Although I hate thinking of myself in this way, don’t you? We are Spirit filled people, let’s leave it at that, shall we?

In this way, these verses are a reminder that we are imbued by God and called to live justly by “Rescuing the weak and the needy.” But we are not the God. One day, we will meet that God and see how the Divine judges those who didn’t live the way they should.   

          

            So this verses tell us one thing above all: be the ones live differently. Show the weak and oppressed what God filled “gods” can do. Now, let’s live it out!

            

  Thanks for reading folks, and thanks for the question Dan!

Preparing for Fall!

Howdy Rinn Nation

Well, Summer was fun while it lasted, wasn’t it?

Where did the time go? It feels like we just had Memorial Day Weekend, but in looking at the calendar, Labor Day is dead ahead! I guess the old adage is true, “time flies when you are having fun.”

And we did have fun, didn’t we? The Pig Roast was absolutely smashing, raising almost $9,000 in funds. The Fourth at Firestone was good too, and thankfully our booth wasn’t smooshed by falling debris during the freak windstorm that afternoon. And, of course, who could forget the Cross Consecration service in July? We had 130 people here, wonderful music from the Anderson Clan and a Fellowship Hall so packed for the potluck that we had to sit people in the hallways. Great times indeed, Nation!

It was a blessing to experience them all with you. But now we turn our attention to the fall and our Kickoff Sunday on 8/20. It’s the ceremonial restart for all of our ministries. Soon, all of your favorites will be back and active. Choir, Kids Hope, Wednesday Bible Study (which really needs a witty name now that I think about it), Prelude Prayers and others are all roaring back to life in the next few weeks!

It’s hard to look at this revving up in our church and personal lives and not feel a bit daunted. Inertia, as you science geeks out there know well, is hard barrier to conquer! So may I suggest something? The tendency in the Church (not just us, but every congregation) is to look back, to want to relive the good times repeatedly, saying things like, “Gosh, the summer pig roast was excellent. The consecration was stunning. Wasn’t it great? Didn’t it feel amazing?” It certainly did. But the trap is getting stuck in this way of thinking, and letting our affection of the past detract from where we are now. I heard someone unintentionally do it on one of the Sundays after the consecration. They looked out out at the crowd, which was our normal 70 people or so and said, “if only we could have the Consecration Crowd again.”

I’m not demonizing this person, because it was me! Even pastors fall into this supreme appreciation for what has been.

So do me a favor, Nation. Let’s hold each other accountable as this new school year starts, shall we? Instead of getting retrospective, let’s look ahead! Let’s use the great things that have happened as a foundation, a stepping stone to what God is going to do through us next. Say things like “What will God do with the people who have gathered here today?” or “How will the Spirit work through this ministry experiment?” Honor the past for what it is, and let it energize us for a bright and awesome tomorrow, that’s what I’m asking!

Can we do that? I know you can, so thanks in advance for all your contributions. It’s going to be a great fall, Nation. We have our Leadership Team gathering to do our final leg of vision work. We’ve got some good ideas for ministry ideas that will be unveiled soon, and [gulp] Christmas will be here before you know it. I have an excellent sermon series already developed, very traditional as opposed to the modern approaches I sometimes take. Yes, Nation. It’s going to be amazing. So come join us as we use the wonderful summer we are coming off of as the starting blocks to spring into the fall.

              Blessings to you, my Friends, as the next segment of 2017 begins.

       

In Christ,

Pastor Bryson

Post Easter Greetings

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. Then they remembered his words.”

-Luke 24:5-8 NIV

Greetings, 

Blessings to you in this sacred time after to Easter. My hope is that your Lenten journey has been formative, and as you’ve searched and reflected on your life, you realized your brokenness and appealed to God. In return, I hope the Holy Spirit reached back to you during Easter and you felt the thrill of new life!

We pastor’s love to write grand pronouncements like this, don’t we? I do it all the time, especially around Christmas and Easter. The words are so formal, so grandiose, but have you ever wondered what they actually mean? As you’ve read in the verses from Luke above, Christians stress Jesus coming back the dead as a part of this season of Easter, which gives us so much hope for the end of our lives. But what does resurrection have to do with what we do here and now?

Good question! I’m glad you asked. In response I would tell you that resurrection is not solely an end of life event. That’s when it’s most notable and complete, yes, but resurrections really happen every day. There are so many examples out there. A resurrection is when a critically ill patient finds meaning in what they are going through. It’s happens when an addict decides enough is enough and seeks to make a move towards sobriety. It’s when a person going about their normal day has their eyes opened to a need and subsequently dedicates themselves to it. Any time a person is able to welcome and alter their existence through God’s presence, newness and novelty, resurrection occurs!

So how is it occurring for you so far after Easter? I hope your lives are blooming like the buds I see on the tree outside my window. Life is returning, and if we welcome it in new ways, resurrection is at hand!

Count on it, my friends. Even though Easter Sunday has passed, new life is always a breath away when you seek the Spirit.  We will be seeking it here as a church over the next few months. On tap are a new approach to Vacation Bible School, more visioning work with our leadership and (dun, dun, DUNNNNNN) the Pig Roast.  Get geared up for it, friends. That’s the one thing about God’s new life you can always count on. The Spirit is going to ask you to live it out in service and dedication to our community! I am excited for it all and I hope you are as well. May the grand words I started with bless you wherever you are! And may the Risen Christ show you all the possibilities and opportunities that are available now and in every season. Oops, that was another grand pronouncement, wasn’t it?  How about I end it this way . . . God bless you, Nation. Much love to you all, dear friends and a happy continuing Easter.

              -Pastor Bryson

Survey Results

Greetings, Rinn Nation!

A very happy February to you all! The year has barely started and it’s already flying by, isn’t it?

There are two reasons for this note. First, I wanted to extend an invitation to worship on Sunday. We are starting a new sermon series that is worlds away (literally!) from the World Religions we studied in January. It will run for three weeks, and have much lighter fare, and much more practical content. I am calling it Relationship Status: How to Maintain Connections in the Digital Age, and I am hopeful it will help us better understand and reach out to our community.

Young people dominate the Carbon Valley area, and they rely on technology to interact. It's created a world where we are more connected to each other than we've ever been, and yet more relationally distant than ever before! Why is this? And how can we keep our connections strong when the world is pulling us apart? Join us in the series to find out! We will be looking at how to keep our relationship with God, parents/children and spouses/close friends strong, and maybe even find we can use technology to our advantage.  I also plan to have this series personally involve you. Starting Sunday, I will be asking for your input in the form of some simple questions. They say that personal experience is the best teacher, so I hope what you give me will help educate the rest of the congregation! I will talk more about this Sunday, so stay tuned!

The other item of note I have for you is my thoughts on the worship survey that just concluded.  We had around 17 respondents, and their feedback was remarkably helpful. Thank you so much for everyone who participated. Here were some of the common themes that came out of their comments:

• People are generally happy with our worship style and content. No major changes were suggested. Instead, only small tweaks and alterations were recommended by respondents.

• You love our music ministry. It got high marks all around, and many positive comments. Well done choir members, musicians and Hannah Joy! We are so thankful for your gifts! In fact, people want to hear more. A common refrain from the surveys is that we want more music, and more variation in style. I would love to see this as well. So I will definitely visit with Hannah Joy to see if/when we can make it happen.

• There were three common suggestions in sections concerning my sermons. As you may have heard me say already, you all want more Bible, more practical application and less politics in my messages. I am happy to oblige. This new series on relationships should be very practical. Then when Lent begins in March, I will be doing a 7-week series on the parable of the Prodigal Son. It will be the longest series I’ve ever done on a single story from the Bible. So you will definitely be getting some very deep content and application, whichI hope it satisfies the desires you expressed. Rest assured I will keep these three focus areas in mind  for future series. If you keep communicating, I will continually be able to address the needs!

Thanks again for all the comments and participation. And remember, you never need a survey to come share your thoughts with me. I buy a mean cup of coffee, and I have one with your name on it if you would like!

I’ll end now with a quick word on there being too many political mentions in worship. I agree wholeheartedly.   My sincerest wish is that I would not have to bring it up at all, and we could spend time focusing on issues that unite! However, a big reason people come to church is to be equipped to live faith in the world; to hear what the Bible says to what is going on around them. Unfortunately, too much of what is going on right now is politics. I know I am only 33 years old, but I've never felt people so divided about their government and neighbors. When I interact with them, it’s always the first issue to come up! So while I want to focus elsewhere, politics keeps forcing its way in.  

Yet, I do hear the earnest requests to provide some respite from it in worship. And again, I agree. Worship should be a haven to hear comforting words of hope.  So I will make sure to provide this for you by keeping political mentions to a minimum.  But Nation, I can’t stop bringing politics up entirely, as some would like. That would be a disservice to you. As your pastor, I must keep equipping you to live your faith. Moreover, Rinn Church cannot hide from the issues if we are to reach out to the non and nominally religious in our community. So know if a big political issue pops up, which the Word of God speaks to, I will acknowledge it. It may not be in worship. I may write more notes like this one when politics strikes.  But if something big enough happens, like a Supreme Court decision, another executive order, etc. I will mention it. Rest assured though, if it’s in worship, I will make sure God’s hope shines through it.  This is my solemn promise to you. Grace wins out! Somehow, someday, God pulls a victory out of our mess!

I think that's a good place to conclude this note.  Thanks one last time to all the survey respondents, and I hope to see everyone Sunday. And join me in prayer for our nation. Our leaders need it! 

It’s an honor to serve you and our Carbon Valley/ Easter Longmont Community. Be well, friends.

In Christ,
Pastor Bryson