Don't Get Overwhelmed by the Season

Advent/Christmas might be my favorite season of the year. There is so much to appreciate, including parties, festive music, cards and gifts, holiday traditions and activities, and the growing sense of anticipation and excitement that fills the air. The themes of hope and peace and joy and love which we explore in worship are so rich and evocative, inviting us to expand the horizons of our faith as we prepare once again to celebrate the gift of God coming to be among us. And yet, there is also the risk of becoming overwhelmed. There is so much going on that if we are not careful it all just becomes a blur of activity which depletes us rather than enlivens us. So, I invite you to be intentional about how you participate in the offerings of this season. There is no law requiring you to do everything. Be selective. Ask yourself if this particular activity will enrich your life. Will it bring you joy? And remember to make opportunities to slow down and pay attention to the stillness and the quiet which is also available during this time of year. Take care of yourself. May the blessings of the season nourish your soul and enhance your living. May you discover the presence of God shining through every moment as you make your way towards Christmas.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)  

Thankful for My Time at Plymouth

As we enter the month of November I find myself in a thankful mood. I have now been your pastor for four years, and I am so grateful for the experience. My time at Plymouth has blessed and shaped my life in such a variety of ways. You have encouraged me and supported me. You have expressed appreciation for the gifts I have tried to share with you. You have allowed me into your lives in times of joy and times of grief. You have listened to me preach almost 200 sermons and shared in communion with me 50 times. On your behalf I have had the privilege to engage in the work of the broader church by serving on the Conference Board, the Conference Faith Formation Committee, and as a Chaplain at Church Camp. It has been a joy to participate with you in reaching out beyond ourselves to share God’s love with the world. Together we have touched the lives of a wide variety of people in our community and beyond. Thank you for the many ways you have welcomed me into your congregation and your lives. It continues to be an honor and a privilege to be your pastor.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

In the Face of Overwhelming Challenges

It is once again my turn to contribute an article for the “Faith & Values” column in our local newspaper (the Helena Independent Record). This is what I wrote. It will appear in the paper on Saturday, October 19, 2019.

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These are challenging days in which to be a person of faith. And by “person of faith” I mean anyone who seeks to bring their life into alignment with the presence and character of God. We might disagree about the specific nature of God. We might even disagree about what language to use when we talk about “God.” Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-Step programs speak of “a Power greater than ourselves” and “the God of our understanding.” So we might disagree about many of the details, but I suspect that beyond our disagreements many of us are striving to bring our lives into alignment with a positive, life-affirming, life-transforming reality which is greater than ourselves. And as we do so we find ourselves confronted by a whole host of situations in the world that we find confusing, distressing, and even abhorrent. In these days in which we are living we are faced with so many crises that we can barely even name them and keep track of them, let alone adequately address them. There is the climate crisis, the refugee crisis, the gun-violence crisis, the opioid crisis, and on and on the list seems to go. What is a person of faith to do? How are we to respond in the face of such overwhelming challenges? Fortunately, for us and for the world, we need not attempt to tackle all of the challenges in the world alone. Indeed, we cannot. It is beyond our capacity. But we are not alone. All over the world there are people of faith and good will who share our concerns and our desire to heal the brokenness which seems so ever-present. We have partners who are already walking with us on this journey, even when we have not yet become aware enough to notice. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once offered this helpful reminder. “Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.” But even when we recognize that we are not alone and not on our own, the challenge of what to do and how to do it remains daunting. In the face of such diverse and seemingly overwhelming circumstances in the world, how do we go about figuring out where to begin? Author and theologian Frederick Buechner offers one possible template to consider as we discern our calling. “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” It is easy to feel pulled in so many directions, which can leave us feeling completely inadequate to the task. It can be helpful to remember that we will be most useful and make the most difference when we bring our best selves to the task. If we are doing something purely out of guilt or because someone else expects us to, then we are far less likely to be in a position to give it our best. Remembering that we are not alone in addressing the needs of the world offers us the perspective that no one of us is responsible to do everything. We need only do our best in responding to what we feel called to do with the gifts we have been given. The Talmud put it this way, “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now. Love mercy now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” So, may we remember that in the face of “the enormity of the world’s grief” we are not powerless to respond. Each of us has gifts which can be brought to bear. And perhaps the greatest gift of all is the gift of community. We are not alone. In community we have not only our gifts, but also the gifts of everyone else as well. Your gifts will enable and empower you to respond to some of the crises we face, while my gifts will enable and empower me to respond to other crises. Together we are far more than the sum of our parts. Together, as each of us seeks to bring our lives into alignment with the God of our understanding, we have the power to transform the world. How is God calling you to respond today?

How I Respond Is Always A Choice

As I write these words it is the end of September, the autumnal equinox occurred just a week ago, and there is snow covering the ground. Life is full of surprises and each new moment offers a fresh opportunity for us to choose how we will respond to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I can choose to grumble because I’m not ready for winter to arrive, or I can notice how truly beautiful the snow is. Either way the snow will still be here, but one choice leaves me feeling bad and one choice lifts my spirits. And I get to make that sort of choice in every moment. I am constantly confronted with situations and circumstances which are beyond my control. What is within my control is how I respond. It’s not always easy to make the helpful choices. It takes practice. I often forget that I even have a choice. But the more I practice paying attention and being intentional about exercising my choices, the easier it becomes. And I am further empowered when I remember that I am not alone in my choosing. I always have the sacred presence of God waiting to support and encourage me. All that is required is that I open myself to this source of support. So, I invite you to join me in practicing this approach to faithful living. May we, with God’s help, learn to respond rather than react. It really does make all the difference.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Love, Loss, and the Presence of God

Abundant and grace-filled life has been on full display for me in recent days. In the span of a week at the end of August I was in the Puget Sound area twice – once for a family funeral and once for a family wedding. At opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, both occasions were filled with family, love, and the powerfully tangible presence of God. Loss and celebration are both part of what it means to be human, and what allows us to experience those realities fully, deeply, and richly is the loving connection we share with those around us. We are not in this life alone. One of the remarkable ways in which we feel the touch of Sacred Presence is through the touch of human companions. I watched my cousin and his family face an unimaginable loss because they were surrounded by a loving community of family and friends. I watched my daughter shine with joy as she stepped into a new level of love and commitment with her beloved while they were surrounded by a loving community of family and friends. In both cases the presence of Spirit was palpable. Something extraordinary was happening right before our eyes. And the truth is that while it can be more obvious in the midst of special occasions like weddings and funerals, it really is possible to experience the touch of God’s presence in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary moments of our lives. It just requires that we practice paying attention. Maybe it’s something as simple as the smile of friend, or even a stranger. Maybe it happens in the midst of a moment of pain – a skinned knee or a skinned heart. Maybe it takes the form of a memory that brightens our day or troubles our sleep. In good times and in challenging times, we have the opportunity to avail ourselves of the presence of God and the loving support of family and friends. How will God show up in your life today?

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

No Sense Arguing With Reality

As many of you are by now aware, while I was at Church Camp in July I broke my arm. It was not how I thought I would be spending the rest of the summer. It’s not what I would have chosen to do. But it is what happened. And, as my lovely and brilliant partner, Susan, frequently reminds me, there’s no point in arguing with reality. So I am concentrating on making the best of the situation. I am looking for the blessings, and finding them to be abundant. In whatever direction I look, I am experiencing God’s ongoing and active presence in my life. I am surrounded by people who love me and care about me and are praying for my healing and speedy recovery. I have access to quality medical care. It appears that I will not need surgery. And I am profoundly aware of so many ways in which my life is filled with blessings. The fact that I can write this article by simply speaking into my phone is but one example. So I invite you to join me in being on the lookout for the many ways in which God is actively present in your life. I am confident that what you will find is far more than you could ever have imagined. God is good and life is a blessing.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Summer Is Upon Us

As we move into the summer season things around the church tend to slow down. There’s lots to do during this beautiful time of year, and sometimes that keeps folks away from church. Sacred Presence can be experienced in nature as well as in the sanctuary, so go enjoy. But I would invite you to not forget about us completely. We slow down but we don’t shut down. If you are in town on Sundays please join us for worship. Remember to continue your financial support, because the bills still need to be paid. And there are some important things happening in our UCC Conference that you might consider participating in. See articles elsewhere in this edition of the Waymarks about upcoming meetings related to Camp Mimanagish in June and July, and the Conference Annual Meeting in August. Enjoy your summer, and please remember that whether I see you or not I will continue to hold you in prayer.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Expanding Our Awareness of a Really Big God (article for Helena Independent Record)

This is my latest contribution to the “Pastor’s Column” on the Religion Page in our local newspaper (the Helena Independent Record). It will appear on May 4th.

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In the movie “Men in Black” there is a secret government agency responsible for monitoring and regulating all of the extraterrestrial life-forms living on Earth. One of the agents has just revealed this secret to a potential recruit. In helping him reflect on the enormity of this new information, Agent K says, “1,500 years ago everyone knew the Earth was the center of the Universe. 500 years ago everyone knew the Earth was flat. 15 minutes ago you knew people were alone on this planet. Imagine what you will know tomorrow.” That is something like the ways we human beings experience God. We catch a glimpse of the edge of God’s big toe, and we think we have an understanding of who God is. We “know” that God must be like this. Then we have an insight with a little more perspective, and again we think we’ve got it all figured out. In each moment we are doing the best we can with the information and experience we have available to us. Usually the problem is not that we get it wrong. We simply mistake partial understanding for complete knowledge. When we are at our best, we recognize that faith is always a matter of exploration and growing awareness. 

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is saying goodbye to his disciples. What he offers them is a brighter, bolder, bigger faith when he is gone. He promises them that his physical presence will be replaced with God’s Sacred Presence that will be with them always and forever. In essence he tells them, “I need to get out of the way now, so you can begin to experience God in bigger, more comprehensive ways. As long as I’m with you, all you will see is as much of God as can be revealed in one person’s flesh and blood life. But when I’m gone, you will be able to broaden your perspective and begin to experience the God whom I have been trying to show you, the God who is always as close to you as your breathing.” And then he goes on to say, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” It is when we are open to the ongoing presence of God in our lives that we begin to discover this peace which is always waiting for us. This is God’s peace - shalom, healing, wholeness. It is not the peace we hear about on the news - the peace that means the absence of any major fighting in that particular moment. God’s peace is not about the absence of something, but about ongoing Sacred Presence. In that awareness we begin to find wholeness and fulfillment, not only for ourselves, but for the world.

This radically inclusive Presence is all around us all of the time. And when we begin to open the eyes of our hearts to see it, that presence lights up the world. Near the end of the book of Revelation there is a dramatic vision of what this new light-filled reality can look like. No corner is deep enough for shadows to hide. No darkness remains to frighten or distress. Only light. Only life. The gates of the city are opened wide. The invitations have been extended. All the lights have been turned on. There is water enough for everyone, flowing down the middle of the street. And food in both abundance and variety. Even the leaves of the trees contain a soothing ointment which can be used to heal the brokenness of the world. This is what it means to live fully in the embrace of God’s love. It is all around us all of the time. We have only to accept the gift and begin to unwrap it in our living. 

But how do we do that? How do we keep from getting trapped in our small and limited images of God? How do we keep from becoming so frightened of life and the world that we simply close our eyes and hide in a dark corner someplace? How do we truly open ourselves to God’s loving embrace? We begin by remembering that God is always bigger than what we can perceive at any given moment. No matter how full our understanding, no matter how well-thought out our theology, no matter how rich our faith, there is always more of God waiting to be experienced. And once we begin to live into the reality of a really big God, we can also begin living into the awareness that God can be trusted. The little glimpses we catch of God’s love, the small awarenesses we gain of God’s healing, the fleeting insights we experience of God’s presence, are not isolated and random. They reveal the larger pattern of God’s brilliant light shining in our lives and our world. When we begin to watch for it we discover that it is everywhere - in the smile of a friend, in the song filled with wonder and joy, in the unexpected encounter with a stranger. What we begin to recognize, if only slowly and falteringly, is that we are never outside of God’s embrace. Indeed, we cannot be. We can only be outside of an awareness of that embrace. And when we open our eyes and our hearts and our lives to this reality, when we really begin to live in that embrace, then there are no limits to what is possible.

It Takes A Village . . .

“It takes a village to raise a child.” This bit of folk wisdom speaks to us of the value and, indeed, the essential necessity, of living life in community. The same sentiment is true when applied to Church. It is not a solitary endeavor. None of us can do it alone. For the Church to accomplish its mission requires the active participation of each of us and all of us, working together for the common good and the benefit of the whole world. This plays out in a whole variety of ways both large and small. On Sunday mornings I watch the official ushers and greeters welcoming people as they come in for worship, and I also observe the countless other people who are not on “official” greeter duty that morning also helping to make people feel welcome. When we have fellowship events such as the after-worship gatherings in the Fireside Room and the occasional potluck meals, there are lots of folks who sign up to bring food and take care of the various details required to make things run smoothly, and there are also others who just pitch in to get things done without being asked. During worship we collect an offering which enables us to keep the doors open and to reach out beyond ourselves to touch the world with God’s love and grace and compassion. None of us on our own could make all of that happen, but when all of us join together, each contributing our own unique gifts, the results are truly remarkable. “It takes a village . . .” Plymouth is such a village. Thank you.

– Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Now and Not Yet!

Springtime in the Rockies is most definitely a transitional “now and not yet” sort of experience. The piles of snow are melting, but not yet gone. The temperatures are increasing, but the snow is still falling. The sun is shining, except when it is overcast. And the truth is that “now and not yet” is also a pretty good description of what it is like to be a person of faith. Our awareness of God’s presence provides us with experiences of love and grace and connection, except when we forget to notice. We have learned to reach out beyond ourselves and touch the lives of others in our community and our world, but sometimes we get overwhelmed and pull inside ourselves out of weariness or fear. The light of God’s unconditional love shines through our lives like a beacon on a hill, except when we get distracted by the mundane, everyday challenges which fool us into believing we don’t have anything valuable to contribute. Faithful living is not all sublime sunshine and spring flowers. It is also difficult and painful and ordinary. In each moment we have the opportunity to once again remember who we really are, way down deep in the core of our being, and then let that awareness inspire and empower us to take one more step into the light. “Now and not yet” is the paradox we are invited to embrace. What is “now” is the presence of God. What is “not yet” is our awareness and embrace of that presence. And all of it, every single bit of it, is a part of what it means to be a person of faith living in this world. May we remember to keep taking one more step into the Light!

- Pastor Roger   

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Lent: A Season for Journeying with the Spirit

The liturgical season of Lent begins in a few days. It is the time in the church’s calendar that leads us to Easter. Forty days (not including Sundays) stretching from Ash Wednesday (March 6^th) until Easter (April 21^st), it provides us with an extended opportunity to pay attention to the presence of Spirit in our lives. I particularly appreciate that it begins with Ash Wednesday, when we are reminded that whatever spiritual practices we engage in, we do so as flesh-and-blood human beings. During this liturgical season some people choose to give up something (chocolate, lattes, etc), while others choose to take on something (a service project, a new prayer practice, etc). However you decide to engage with Spirit during these 40 days, it is my prayer that you will find the experience meaningful and transformative. 

- Pastor Roger  

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Gratitude - A Spiritual Practice

As many of you know, gratitude is one of the central themes in my life. I strive to practice it on a daily basis. And when I do it transforms the ways in which I experience the world. It is my firm conviction that we are surrounded by abundance and support and the ongoing presence of God in every moment, and my practice of gratitude doesn't change any of that. What it does change is my awareness of the reality that is always present. It opens me up to perceive and appreciate and be transformed by that reality. 

I first became aware of the power of gratitude when I was looking back through the journal entries I had made during the period immediately before and after my late wife's death. It was the most challenging and painful experience of my life. I was sharing my journal posts with a community of family and friends as a way of processing the experience and staying connected with my support system. What I did not recognize at the time, and only came to appreciate as I revisited my journal posts several years later, was how pervasively the thread of gratitude had been woven through the entire experience. Over and over again, in the midst of those darkest of days, I had managed to find and express some reason to be grateful. It didn't change the outward circumstances. My wife was still dead and I was still filled with grief. But it did change how I experienced those outward circumstances. I remain convinced that, at least in part, it was this gratitude that helped me navigate my journey through grief. 

It should be noted that none of this was by intentional design. I did not make a conscious decision to engage in such a practice. The only way I have ever been able to account for it is to say that is was a gift straight from the heart of God. But once I became aware of its power I began to be intentional about making it an ongoing part of my life. Today it is one of my most important spiritual practices. And, as with most spiritual practices, the more I engage in it the easier it becomes. Sometimes “Thank you, God!” is passing through my thoughts and slipping past my lips almost before I am even aware of it. And it really has transformed how I experience the world and how I live my life. I invite you to give it a try. Set an intention to find one thing (or three things, or a dozen things) every day for which you can be grateful. Write them down, or say them out loud, or simply hold them in your awareness for a moment. Do it for a month and see how it feels. I believe it is an experiment worth trying.

And if you would like to see one of the ways I engage in this practice you can check out my “Daily Gratitudes” Facebook page - www.facebook.com/mydailygratitudes/

- Pastor Roger  

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

New Year's - a Time for Pondering & Dreaming

It is that time of year again! New Year's! It's a funny sort of time. In one sense it is a bit random and arbitrary. There's nothing particularly meaningful, or magical, or even natural about the changing of the calendar from one year to the next. It's not tied to the solar or lunar seasons. Once upon a time someone somewhere decided that this is the system we would used to mark the passage of time. There have been and continue to be other people who used different systems which result in their “new year” beginning at some other time. And yet, in another sense, it offers us the opportunity to experience something powerful and significant in our lives. It provides us with a reminder to pause and reflect upon our lives and the meaning to be found there. We look back and ponder the experiences which have led us to this moment - some of them joyful, some of them painful, some of them absolutely life-changing. We look ahead and dream of what might be coming in the days and weeks and months which stretch out ahead of us. We allow ourselves to hope and we make plans that might help us to bring those hopes and dreams to fruition. 

We could, of course, engage in this sort of remembering and dreaming at any time along the way. There is nothing that says such things can only occur at the ending of the old year and the beginning of the new year. But in reality it is helpful to have particular occasions to remind us, because otherwise we get busy and we forget. And so, at the beginning of this new year, I invite you to spend a bit of time looking back and looking ahead. What are you grateful for and what do you regret?  What do you want to continue and what would you like to let go of? Where have you experienced God's presence and where might God be calling you to venture in the year ahead? 

For me, I am grateful for the opportunities during this past year to learn and grow and share life with you as your pastor. I am grateful for the privilege of watching you step up and become the church in ways which were both familiar to you and new to you. And I look forward to the year ahead in which I am confident that God will continue to move among us - inviting and inspiring and challenging and empowering us to share God's love and compassion with each other, with our community, and with the world. I do not yet know all of the forms which that will take, and I am certain that together, with God's help, it will be an amazing journey.

Thank you for the privilege of being your Pastor in 2018. I look forward to what comes next.

- Pastor Roger  

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)