Introduction

The Space Between: A place of conversation to discuss God, life, and all the things in between.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

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