Congregational Vitality

Last week Gus Byrom and I participated in a retreat which focused on the theme of congregational vitality. It was a lively and inspiring experience which included pastors and church members from several UCC congregations around Montana. Our guest leader was Rev. Courtney Stange-Tregear, Minister for Church Vitality with the Pacific Northwest Conference UCC. She introduced us to a model for developing vital congregations which is based on Micah 6:8. “God has told you, O people, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The basic idea behind the model is that “vitality” is not something that can be developed directly. Instead, it is one of the natural by-products which occurs when the elements of Micah 6:8 (doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God) are consistently and intentionally practiced within the life of the congregation. I found it to be a simple model with profound possibilities, and I believe it holds the potential to be transformational for our congregation. In the coming weeks and months I will be working with the Church Council to find ways of making use of it in our life together at Plymouth.

- Pastor Roger 

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

The Journey of Faith - The Season of Lent

Lent begins in a couple of weeks. It is the season of the Church year which is comprised of the forty days prior to Easter, not including Sundays. And since the date of Easter is defined by a rather archaic formula (the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox), the beginning of Lent varies from year to year. This year it begins on Valentine's Day and ends on April Fool's Day - an interesting quirk of the calendar that makes a bold statement about what it means to be a follower of Christ. We begin the journey in love, and the path we trod will frequently seem foolish when measured by the standards of our culture. But along the way, if we remember to stay open to Sacred Presence and seek to be faithful to the guidance of Spirit, we will discover a life filled with meaning and purpose and joy.

So, in this Lenten season which is about to open before us, I invite you to pay attention to where God might be leading you. Who is God calling you to become? What new ministry might you be called to take on? What new adventure might be awaiting you? What habits and practices might be getting in your way? What opportunities for growth might you begin to notice? Together may we walk this path with faith, hope, and trust. Together may we become ever more fully the people God is calling us to be.

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

The Foolishness of Following Stars

This is my latest contribution to the Pastor's Column in our local paper (the Helena Independent Record). It will appear in the paper on Saturday, January 6, 2018.

- - - - -

Today is Epiphany, a holy day in the Christian calendar. It is the twelfth day of Christmas, and is traditionally celebrated as the commemoration of the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child, as told in the Gospel of Matthew. Luke gave us the shepherds - simple, down-to-earth, easy to identify with. They are our kind of folk. Matthew gave us the magi - exotic, mysterious, difficult to understand. We aren’t quite sure what to make of them. We don’t really know if they ever even existed, or were a plot device created by Matthew to dramatically illustrate the gift of God’s Light coming into the world for all to see and follow. And I’m not sure it really matters. Because either way we still need to ask the important theological question - “So what?” What do the magi have to teach us? What do they tell us about what it means to follow God’s Light?

They’ve been called wise men, but much of their story doesn’t seem very “wise” (at least in terms of how the world usually understands that term). They had a passion for seeking after meaning in life. The path they chose was in the stars - watching for patterns and portends. It was an occupation which required careful attention, a keen intellect, and lots of patience. And so they watched and waited. But then one day something happened - something that would change their lives forever - something that wouldn’t have seemed very “wise” at all. They saw something that caught their attention - a star which seemed to proclaim something powerfully new coming into the world. But they did more than just watch it. They did more than simply study it. They did more than merely discuss it among themselves. They decided to follow it. They packed their bags. They collected gifts. They said goodbye to family and friends. And they set off to follow a star. They had no idea where their path would lead them, or how long it would take. They only knew that something important was happening, and they needed to be a part of it. Their passion for seeking after meaning suddenly became very real and very personal.

Welcome to a new year!

In one sense it is all a bit arbitrary. The calendar tells us that 2017 has ended and 2018 has begun. And so we mark the occasion as  a time of transition and change. The reality is that not much changed between 11:59pm on December 31st and 12:01am on January 1st. Except, of course, everything changed. Not because we turned a page on the calendar, but because everything is always changing. Everything is always new, in every moment. There is an old saying that you can’t step twice in the same river. Each moment of our life offers us the opportunity to be refreshed and renewed. We need not wait for New Year’s Eve. We can begin right here and right now. But it can be difficult to remember that sort of thing all the time, so we take advantage of occasions such as New Year’s to remind ourselves. We make resolutions. We seek to pay attention to our dreams and aspirations. We open ourselves to fresh new possibilities in our lives and in our world. And God is always there waiting to guide and inspire and empower us to live more fully and completely into our potential – 365 days a year. I look forward to walking with you through this new year as together we experience all the opportunities and wonders which will unfold before us.

- Roger Lynn
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Making Space for the Sacred

The season of Advent is upon us once again. It is the time in the church’s liturgical calendar which includes the four Sunday’s preceding Christmas. Traditionally it includes themes of  watching, waiting, and preparing. Advent offers us the opportunity to slow down and be intentional about making space in our lives for the Sacred to take up residence. It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this time of year. Every retailer on the planet is screaming at you to come buy their products. The calendar quickly fills up with extra parties and other festive activities. Finding opportunities to seek even a few moments of inner stillness can be quite the challenge. I invite you to take advantage of the traditions which we practice in the church (such as lighting candles, hanging decorations, singing special songs, etc.) to help you prepare your heart. And I invite you to find other traditions in your own life (such as the use of an “Advent Calendar”, or volunteering in the community, or spending special time with your family and friends, etc.) to help set the tone for the season. Come walk with me through this special season. Together may we prepare a place in our hearts and our lives for the Christ to be born.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Remembering to Celebrate and Give Thanks

It is my turn to provide the Pastor's Column for our local newspaper (the Helena Independent Record). 

- - - - - -

We get busy. We get distracted. We get overwhelmed. And we forget to celebrate the blessings of life. The blessings don't stop coming just because we forget. Indeed, it is my firm conviction that we live abundant lives in an abundant world. The bounteous gifts of God are beyond measure or comprehension. But all too often we forget to notice. And in so doing our experience of life is diminished. Our experience of God is diminished. It's a bit like starving in a room full of gourmet food because we were too busy or too distracted to look around and notice that the feast was there. Remembering to celebrate keeps us in touch with the fullness of life and helps us integrate the blessings into our living. 

Confession from a Recovering Grump

There is smoke in the air and I'm grumpy about it. It is clear that I am in serious need of an attitude adjustment. And then I pause long enough to remember some of the many ways in which my life is blessed beyond measure. I have family and friends who love me, meaningful work to do with a whole congregation of faithful and caring people, a beautiful place to live, the resources to travel and do what I want to do, a lovely home in which to live, and on and on the list could go. I suppose that getting grumpy from time to time is a normal part of the human experience, but I find that it doesn't serve me well to let it become my normal response. It keeps me from living into my calling as a loving, caring, compassionate human being. My favorite singer/songwriter, Carrie Newcomer, posted a reflection on her Facebook page the other day. I found it to be a powerful and eloquent reminder that I can always make a difference. But I have to be intentional, and it helps if I'm not grumpy.

- Pastor Roger  

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

- - - - - - - - - -

Somewhere someone needs help. 

If you can't get there yourself,

Take a deep breath.

Breathe in. 

Hold that someone in your heart.

Lighten the weight of their troubles.

Breathe out.

Open your heart.

Release what you cannot change.

Send calm and courage 

And human connection.

For the nights can be filled with shadows,

And sometimes the waters rise.

Someone Somewhere needs help. 

Send love.

It matters.

~ Carrie Newcomer