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