Ask Me Anything Questions

Greetings Friends! If have come to worship at Rinn Church recently, you’ve probably heard of the Ask Me Anything (AMA) box. To give you some quick background, AMA is a segment done by the website www.reddit.com. In it, the public is invited to ask powerful people (politicians, movie stars, inventors, etc.) questions in an interview forum. It’s surprisingly effective and produces some candid answers. Thus, I thought I would bring a version of it to Rinn to help you get to know me as your new pastor. My plan is to answer in future newsletter articles, blog posts, sermons and face-to-face conversations. So please feel free to fire away with your musings! With that out of the way, here are two recent submissions:

 • When you get free time, what do you like to do? –Sharon Thompson

 Good question! I am actually an introvert. So when I get free time, I usually take a moment to zone out in front of the TV or with a good book. It’s hard existing in a hustling, bustling world. Therefore, it helps me to recoup energy before I do anything overtly fun. After this happens, I enjoy activities like cycling and playing various sports. I used to do much more than I do now, but I haven’t been as active since I blew out my knee playing softball a couple years ago. Otherwise, I also love to study history, play various video games and participate in the “geek” culture that is so popular in America., That’s right, I am an avid fan of things like Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galatica, And whenever I see a trailer for a new Marvel Comics superhero movie, I squeal with joy and watch it several hundred times before joining online discussions about it. Back in high school, this sort of behavior got me teased. Yet nowadays, it is amazingly fashionable. The times, they are a changing!

 • Are you liberal or conservative? Ha ha, just kidding. - Anonymous

 This query may have been made out of jest, but it touches on an important issue. My old barber used to joke that religion and politics were two things he would never talk about in his shop. They were always in conflict, so he felt it better not to bring them up (especially when he had sharp scissors in his hand!). That being said, I believe there has to be some interaction between faith and politics. It must be done carefully, however. One must never come to fully define the other, as stated so well in the First Amendment. This is my one concrete political belief. Other than this, I hold to perspectives from both major political parties and I regularly vote for the person I believe will best carry them out. As far as existing with those who believe differently, I feel Methodism’s Founder, John Wesley, said it best when he wrote:

 “I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them: 1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy. 2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against. 3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”

Essentially, I am an independent who tries to love everyone as God loves me, while letting that belief guide who I vote for. I know that’s a real brief explanation, so please feel to follow up with me in person if you are interested. I think that’s a great start to this AMA experiment. If you’d like to participate, the box will be outside the sanctuary for the next month or so. Or feel free to email me your queries at rinnpastor@gmail.com. Keep writing friends, and I look forward continuing the awesome start I’ve had with you! Until next time.

In Christ,
Bryson

A New Place for Old Memories

I recently moved to serve a new congregation, Rinn United Methodist Church in Frederick, Colorado. It should come as no surprise if you've read the undercurrent of my previous posts. Things weren't going well in Wellington, or at Fort Collins for me. So a new start was desperately needed. It has been great so far. Rinn Church is so different, with so much possibility. So I pray that God will bring forth the growth and vitality that was so illusive in my previous setting. Thoughts on the past are heavy on my mind as I write this note. How can I not be nostalgic? This is my first time back to the ol' blog in some time. So much has happened, making this place and time a natural location to sit back and reflect.

Additionally, I finished setting up my new office today. It now holds all my books, as well as the many knickknacks I've picked up over my 7 years of ministry. Many of these items hold a great deal of significance. There is the battered handle of a hammer, broken off by a well meaning lug of a kid who didn't realize his own strength during a mission project. I will always remember the look on his face when he realized what had happened. The hammer had gone up, but not come down having broken off mid swing. The there is the mini trophy given to me at FUMC Independence's Youth Group End of the Year award party. It was a gag award ceremony, and my particular trophy surely is that. It recalls how I nearly destroyed the church van's emergency break, while driving around with it on without realizing it. I can still smell the smoke that built up in the passenger compartment, letting me know something was amiss. And I will always remember the hooting laughter of the kids when they remembered how frustrated I got. There are many more items. My bobble head John Wesley from Annual Conference. A container of rice and a piece of brick from a latrine made by a Fort Collins mission team in Cambodia. The Green Lantern doll I won during a night out with the family of a close colleague. . . and so much more.

 Each item is yoked to a memory, all speaking of the man I have been. And yet in this place new life is dawning. What I was, all the previous instances of God working in my life through my ministry will feed into what I become, all because of grace. I am grateful for this, friends. And you should be too. So take a look at your own knickknack shelf tonight. What experiences do the items there represent? And how has God made you through them? How is the Divine Life continuing to transform you using the foundation the memories give? I hope you can recognize this in your lives this week, friends. May you see the way the Potter is molding the clay.

In Christ,
Bryson

Thoughts on the Neutral Zone

My Friends,

As you know, we have been enduring a difficult time in the life of our Fellowship. So much is happening so fast. We've made decisions to let go of who we once were by trying to sell our building and bring in new pastoral leadership. There are so many other changes too, all of which are propelling us towards becoming a new entity. And yet, nothing is emerging in front of us. It's like we are trapeze artists caught between swings. . . there is nothing to hold onto right now! So we feel like we are struggling in midair with a huge potential drop below us.

Thankfully, we are not alone here. We have each other and some very wise people around us. One such person me pointed to a valuable resource today. It's a book called Managing Transitions by a business expert named William Bridges. In it, Bridges mentions that all organizations naturally go through a "neutral zone" after deciding to make a big change. One section in particular caught my attention, as the author used a Biblical story to explain how the Neutral zone operates as space between what was and what will be. Or as Bridges writes:

"The neutral zone is like the wilderness through which Moses led his people. That took 40 years, you remember- not because they were lost but because the generation that had known Egypt had to die off before the Israelites could enter the promised land. Taken literally, that's a pretty discouraging idea: that things won't really change until a whole generation of workers dies. But on a less literal level, the message of Moses' long journey through the wilderness is both less daunting and more applicable to your situation: the outlook, attitudes, values, self-images, and ways of thinking that were functional in the past have to "die" before people can be ready for life in the present.  Moses took care of the transition phase when he let his people out of Egypt, but it was the 40 years in the neutral zone wilderness that got Egypt out of his people. It won't take you 40 years, but you aren't going to be able to do it in a few weeks either.

[In this], the neural zone is not a wasted time of meaningless waiting and confusion that it sometimes it seems to be. It is a time when reorientation and redefinition must take place, and people need to understand that. It is the winter during which the spring's new growth is taking shape under the earth.

People need to recognize that is it natural to feel somewhat frightened and confused at such a time. As the old patterns disappear from people's minds and the new ones begin to replace them, people can be full of self-doubts and misgivings about their leaders. As their ambivalence increases, so does their longing for answers. This is why people in the neutral zone are so tempted to follow anyone who seems to know where he or she is going - including, unfortunately, troublemakers and people who are heading for the exits. No wonder the neutral zone is a time when turnover increased (Moses even had that problem himself, although in his day it was called worshipping strange gods.)"

Sound familiar? Because it's almost exactly what the Fellowship is going through right now. I don't know about you, but I feel much better about things after reading it. For it tells us that what we are experiencing is normal. It's difficult, painful and demanding, yes, but ordinary all the same. So our task now it to last it out like the Israelites of old, and stay hopeful knowing that a new thing is emerging in front of us.

We still aren't sure what exactly our future will be yet. However, as I write this, I am seeing a flurry of emails between our Superintendent and a team in Wyoming who are interested in serving our congregation. This opportunity may come to fruition any time now, or it could be something else entirely. Whatever it is, new life is guaranteed to come forth, friends! No matter what path we take, even if its towards apparent demise, God's grace and love will still meet us. It's so reassuring remember this fact. So can we stay in the neutral zone for a while longer, enduring the trial but knowing that God is indeed at work? My prayer is that we can; that we can continue to endure and embrace God's new life as it comes.

It is coming, so stay strong people. God is far from finished with us. And as always, I am so proud to the pastor of such a resolute group. Blessings on you all in this Lenten Season.

-Bryson

A Theology of Dog Ownership pt. II

(Note: A shout out goes to Don Bird, Senior Pastor of Hope United Methodist Church in Greenwood Village, CO. His theological reflections on Facebook provided the basis for this particular post).

Hildegard, our Chihuahua/Terrier mix, is the undisputed queen of my house.

I have written on her in the past and reflected on the Divinely inspired connection represented by the leash I use during our walks. Like grace, it never breaks. No matter what she does and where she goes, the connection remains.  That doesn't stop her from getting into trouble though, or from eating anything she finds that is not nailed down. I am sure it is her past as a stray coming through, but we just can't rid her of it!

I can't even begin to list the things Hildy has eaten: Cotton balls, clothing, sandwich wrappers, unattended scraps , pens, whole chapstick rolls, etc. Sadly, this doesn't even include the things she nabs on our walks. I know it makes me sound like a bad owner, but it is not uncommon for me to look up and see her munching on something in the grass, which ends up being part of a dead bird, rabbit droppings or God knows what. I always yank her back when this happens. Or I yell at her and chase her around the house, trying to get her to spit out the offending object . However, most of the time it is too late. Hildy is an efficient eating machine, so I tend to find she has swallowed whatever it was and is eager to find the next bit of trash to consume.

I absolutely hate this habit of hers,  because all too often it leads us right to the vet's office. Unfortunately, Hildegard has a very fickle digestive tract, meaning that the junk she consumes tends to make her very sick. It is morbidly amusing in a way though, because the second we drive into the vet's parking lot, a profound change comes over her. Gone is the diva who is used to being Queen Bee and challenging the Great Dane down the street for control of the neighborhood. Instead, she morphs into a shaking, whimpering mess who tries to escape at all cost. This is no more apparent than in the consultation room itself when she squeezes in behind me on the bench to hide. I guess in her mind, if the vet cannot see her, she cannot get the shot, have her teeth cleaning or deal with whatever unpleasant things her actions have brought on.

 

I know it is common for pets to hate the vet, but they are far from the only creatures who fear a healing entity of great power. Humans have that problem too. Genesis chapter 3 tells us as much when it recounts the actions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Despite God telling them not to do so, the first couple chose to eat from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the center of the garden. Their action subsequently made them sick so to speak. They realized they had done something profoundly wrong and were suffering from disharmony with the Divine. As a result, when the "Vet" comes round "they hid from the Lord God among the trees," (Gen 3:8 NLT).

 

I realize this is a rather evangelical interpretation of what Christians term as sin. They view it as a disease spread to all humanity after Adam and Eve's rebellion and fall. I do not necessarily adhere it this viewpoint, but it does somewhat explain what creatures ranging from Hildegard to humans feel when their actions land them in the "Vet's office." It's ironic really. All creatures freely chow down on unhealthy garbage (like junk food, gossip or reality TV in humanity's case).  Then they pick fights with others or freely chose to do other things that endangers their wellbeing. It is just in our nature. But when we come to someone, a greater power, who can actually heal us and make us better, we fear them. We turn away and do anything we can not to go through the pain and misery our actions require to be made right.

 

I am not sure Hildegard will ever realize this or learn her lesson. But we certainly can. We humans can comprehend the crappy things we do, which cause our brokenness and with God's help, halt them. We can then tackle the issues of larger life changes, which, if done successfully with God's guidance, will keep us from having too many bad "veterinary visits" in the future. Instead, it will allow the Vet to help us with the easier, routine things that keep us healthy and happy. In this, I hope you can see God in a true light. The Divine Life is sot a s a vengeful entity punishing us for our acts, but a Great Physician seeking to heal and guide us on to better ways of life.

 

I pray we will all one day see this and about our garbage-monging ways. Especially Hildegard, because her habit is really starting to add up!

 

Hope you are having a good day, friends.  

 



Autumn Arrives!

 Friends,

We passed a milestone in my house this week. As I went outside to walk the dog yesterday morning, I got so chilly that I had to run inside to get a sweatshirt. Strolling around the block, it set in that fall is here in force. The clouds were grey and ominous over me, the wind cutting past my face. Yep, the warm days of summer were gone, quickly becoming a thing of the past. I don’t mean to sound bleak, because many people I know welcome the cool, crisp air. My wife is one of these fall fanatics. She relishes this time of year and you can bet that our house now contains all manner of pumpkin spice themed products.

This time is so different that what we usually get around Colorado. We are known for our long days, perfect for hiking, biking, camping and such. Those are now increasingly gone, and our inclination is steadily changing. As it grows cooler and darker, it is easier to stay inside. Our preference shifts from exercise to getting comfy under a blanket, lighting a fire and spending some time with our families or a good book. Essentially, fall is a time to be still and enjoy the quiet comfort of home.

As our potential for physical activity drops with the temperature, an opportunity for spiritual growth arises. Our inaction allows for rest, to take time away from a world where so little is sacred. In turn, we can reconnect with God and restore the holiness we lose during the week. We can remember that we have value outside of the daily grind. Everyone needs this; a haven were where we find rest, take time to let our souls just be, and, if nothing else, let our tensions be at ease.

Fall is a time where we can make such investments and find new, holy spaces. I’d like to think that our church is such a place for you all. It can be a place of life giving connection to the Divine at any time if you need it to be. But if it doesn’t quite fit the bill for you, I urge you to seek out a new sanctuary in the fall months ahead. I’m not necessarily talking a building or structure. It can be anywhere where you feel connected with God. So where could it be for you? Wherever it may be, find it! As one devotion I read the other day stated so aptly “We all need places where we can encounter the holy presence of heaven; we need community and we need solace. So whatever it takes for you to allow your soul to be at rest, find your holy place.”

And I hope your holy place has a good heat source, because I think it’s going to be a frosty winter!


Stay warm everyone!

Even this is Beautiful

Here's a low down on how my day (8/14) has gone so far. This morning I met with a woman who's husband beat her black and blue. Now she's on the run trying to start a new life in Northern Colorado. Then I took a call from another lady who has been going through a lot of pain in her abdomen. She has a doctor's appointment today and she is terrified what they will find. After this, a round of hospital visits, complete with a parishioner who has been told they will likely need to enter hospice in the next day or so. Finally, a return to the church where the lady who went to the doctor earlier is waiting for me distraught because she will need a procedure.

Good God Almighty, did anyone get the license plate number of the truck that hit me today and then kept backing over me for good measure?

Thankfully, most days as a pastor are not like this. On the contrary, they are mostly filled with great things: scripture studies, visioning for the future, talking with people about their passions in life and such. But when I encounter a day like today, it's like running head first into a wall, so all I can do to recover afterwards is haul myself into the sanctuary to spend some time in silent prayer. Thankfully, First UMC, Fort Collins has a the perfect space to engage in reflection. Our sanctuary stands quiet and empty during the week. It's large size reminds me of the vastness of the Divine, while the stained glass windows bathe the room in soft rays of multi colored light, reflecting off the organ pipes in small dancing rainbows.  The hue gives everything a soft purple/blue tint, kind of like the twilight of an summer evening where you sit out on your porch with a good beer and ponder the day that has been.

And ponder this day, I did.

It had been tough. Very tough, actually. One of my pastoral care mentors in seminary described it aptly as "getting in the dirt" with people. Literally, as their pastor, you get to go through whatever cruddy, dirty, nasty life situations they are experiencing, much like Job's friends from Job 2. It's all you can do sometimes to just sit there next to the person, lending your support while they wallow in the mud. However, as I am learning, it's not possible to do this without getting some dirt on you, or get dragged fully into the mud as the events of today proved possible.

It is so hard, and I couldn't help but wonder, why do we subject ourselves to it? Isn't there an easier way? I was reflecting on this, feeling tired and beat down, when I heard a small voice come up unbidden, saying

"Even this is beautiful."

God speaks to me in this way. Little emotional prods or sometime an internal voice that comes out of nowhere. Yet,I had no idea what this statement meant. How could something so hard and difficult be beautiful as the same time? Then it hit me. Being with people in the dirt is sacred because it is as Christlike an act as there can ever be, short of giving your life for someone else, I suppose. Jesus never had it easy and in days like today it becomes possible to understand Him more; to comprehend why he got frustrated when He encountered  some many problems due to people's lack of faith. Jesus knew a greater reality existed. The Kingdom of God was only breath away. All people had to do was conscientiously decide to follow it and it would come roaring into reality. But since that was hard for people to do in their current state. So out of pity and mercy, the Christ decided to get into the mud to save them.

As believers, we all have inherited this mantle and I pray that those who are trying to help others who struggling remember the purpose behind their headlong dive into the dirt. We are here to help others in the hardest of times. It may be hard, but it  is always a beautiful thing when we help others find the hand of Christ waiting to lift us up just out side the mudpit.

Look for it, my friends, it is there.

Bryson

10 Things I Learned in My First Year of Solo Ministry.

I recently read a blog from a colleague who reflected on his first year in ministry. It resonated with me as I have also just completed my first year in solo ministry. My time was a bit different though since I serve two settings and have already been active as a pastor. First, I’ve been an Associate at a large church (First UMC, Fort Collins, CO) and now have two years of service under my belt there. However, my main setting is a new church ministry at Wellington Fellowship, a five year old new church replant. It is a vastly different place than First Church and I have learned much in these first 12 months (complete with many lumps to prove it!). So, I thought I would reflect here and share the 10 things I discovered as a young clergy operating in the crazy world of church planting for the last year:


1) New Church Ministry is amazing. . . .

Honestly, I cannot imagine a more freeing and invigorating place to serve than a new church plant. My other ministry setting is a 150 year old, 1700 member church, which I absolutely love. Yet, there are so many traditions, expectations and social barriers to traverse when doing ministry there that it often becomes frustrating. This is not the case in the new church. Working up here in Wellington, it’s like I have been given a clean slate and free rein to design this ministry with my people. I remember coming in during Easter time last year and asking my leaders, “What traditions does this congregation have? What services do you all do?” They looked at me and said, “uh, we haven’t done anything regular around but Easter so far, what do you think we can do?.” Do you know how exciting it was to hear that? To know I had the chance to help this church build Holy Week traditions from the ground up? It was tremendous! So yes, it is so nice having flexibility to determine the structure of your church instead of amending an old model. But still. . .

2) . . . . it is also a double edged sword.

New church ministry is at the same time the hardest thing I have ever done. Some of that is due to the nature of Wellington , which has had six pastors in its first six years (it’s a long story, trust me). It was a beatdown at times dealing with the conflicts around here while also getting my people reanimated for ministry after all they have been through. In addition, since we are in the Rocky Mountain West we are on the front lines of the great culture change that is sweeping through the United States. There is simply not a church going attitude here in Colorado. Most of my people can only make it to church 1-2 times a month because their schedules are so crazy! Add in the difficulty of evangelizing the young millennials in or town and difficulty retaining leaders, you see the pickle we are in. I do recognize that almost all churches are experiencing this shift. We just see it more clearly here at Wellington since we are so new in the game. 

3) It is hard serving two radically different Church settings!

I love and am so blessed to serve two amazing churches, but overcoming the cultural divide between them is very draining. As I mentioned earlier, First Church is a large congregation, which presents its own dynamics. Yet, it also sits right next to Colorado State University, so almost everyone has a connection to the school. It is very much the “University Church” in this way and I am often the least educated person in the room despite my Master of Divinity degree. As such, the FC congregation thrives on the academic theology. They love having name theologians come to lecture or do complex studies on social issues. It's just the way the Spirit reaches them. The church at Wellington couldn’t be more different than this, as my people there are farmers/ranchers, young families or people who have recently retired to the area. Spiritually, they thrive on tangible action aimed at improving their community. When I have done Bible studies, they end up being lightly attended, but when we do a school supply or food drive for the community, donations pile up everywhere! We even got 100lbs of food donated in 20 minutes before. Lastly , my pastoral role differs in each church. So making the abrupt switch from being the man-in-charge to 4th Banana on staff is taxing. I like doing it, but a lot gets lost in translation particularly at First Church since my focus is always to the north.

4) New Church people are made of solid steel.

You have to be crazy to exist in a world of uncertainty where you don’t know what time worship is going to be, where it is going to be and who is going to be leading it. It is so hard to continue being a church when the world seems like it is always coming down on your shoulders. Yet, that is what my people at Wellington have done over the last 6 years. They are the most determined group of people I have ever met, and have survived occurrences that would have closed lesser congregations. This is a huge strength, so if God can encourage them to take risks again and put themselves out there once more, look out world because God we are going to end up in an awesome place.

5) Church Administration is draining

I am not a numbers person. Not at all. I got a C- in my “Math for Liberal Arts Majors” in College to give you an idea of how bad I am. And yet here I am, trying to help balance a church budget and dole out resources where they will do the most good. My most common thought during all this is that it would have been far better to get an MBA instead of an MDiv. I am also in the spotlight at most meetings; a role I am not used to playing. As an introvert it’s so very tiring, especially when the outcomes don’t go as I would like. Slowly but surely, I am getting better though. Maybe by the time I retire I will know how to handle a P/L statement.

6) It is so rewarding trying to find your Community’s heartbeat

A new church is all about vision; about finding ways to hear the heartbeat of your community and connect what your church is to what you context needs. Discovering this takes a lot of questioning and getting outside of yourself to converse with community officials, local business owners and such. It’s long, hard work, but it is validated the second someone tells you a bit of town news that you already know. At that point, you are tuned in, so you can start figuring out how to relate to what the real issues are for your community.

7) It’s all about Rhythm

Upon being assigned to Wellington, I went from preaching 4-5 times a year to 48+. This required a lot of reorganizing and adapting myself to doing a sermon on top of all the other meetings and activities I do every week. I sacrificed a lot at first, particularly my Sabbath as I was always struggling to finish that week’s message. This angered my wife and strained our relationship somewhat. There was a lot going on with our personal lives too, so at some points I questioned if I could keep this up. What saved me was creating a rhythm of doing certain things in the office at certain times and dedicating an entire day to sermon writing. It has made life so much easier, even though it occasionally gets thrown off by the odd funeral or wedding. 

8) It is so easy to become the Lone Soldier

In the new church, every one of my leaders wears multiple hats. They do so much for our congregation already so it’s hard to ask them to take on more. Plus, it is hard to get younger people into ministry since their lives are so full already! So I tend to take a lot upon myself and soldier through a lot of difficulties. Many of you (especially my clergy colleagues) are probably shaking your heads reading this. It is the classic formula for burnout. When you doing everything and do not giving yourself a break, where else can you go but down in flames? And boy did it almost end up that way. I was so tired by the end of Christmas that it was all I could do to come back to work in 2014. My mentor pastors were not happy with me at all, so they insisted I find time to rest and empower people to help me by telling them what I need. I have been fairly successful for the most part, but I still have trouble getting volunteers. I imagine this is the norm around the denomination, so at least I am on the right track.

9) Experience is the best teacher

Over the last year I have had so many situations pop up at Wellington. Many stem from the church’s chaotic past, so they were well outside anything I had dealt with before. For example, how do you deal with a parishioner who is so mad that she wants to contact your District Superintendent or Bishop? What about that long buried time bomb you discover that has hampered a ministry for years? How do you mediate between mindsets that are diametrically opposed to one another? I have dealt with all of these and learned a lot about myself in the process. Its good, practical knowledge too, but I am ready for a nice period of calm is that’s possible.

10) Amidst the Difficulty, Hope Always Abounds!

This is the main message I have trumpeted to my people time and again. No matter how bad the past has been, with God, there is always hope for the future. Even if everything was lost, if the world itself blew up into a million tiny little pieces, there would still be hope because of God. This means so much to us, because it tells us that the Divine Life has not given up on us and is dreaming up a beautiful future for our church as we speak. All we need to do is discern what that path is and do our best to live into it, knowing that God will serve as our strength, companion and trailblazer on the way. I am committed to this and it is going to work friends, I know it. Moreover, I look forward to the next year and the new lessons it will bring.
Thanks for walking with me.
Bryson