Archives for November 2016

“Sleepers, Wake!”

November 29, 2016 by Ken Henry

No one has ever described me as a “morning person”—just ask Heather. For being a high energy kind of guy, it may come as a surprise to you to learn that I start my mornings slow: wiping the sleep from my eyes, putting on an old sweatshirt, wondering where I put my glasses the night before, and starting the kettle for my morning cup of coffee. My mornings also include stretching out and glancing at my NPR news app. At the break of dawn, it takes me awhile to find my bearings. A few years back, Heather and I attended a conference in Maine where we were invited every morning to begin our day by sitting in silence for 15-20 minutes. Leaders lit a candle, read to us a brief prayer or poem and then, with the sound of a bell, we sat quietly, breathing in and out and placing our day in God’s hands.

Here in Charlottesville, Heather and I have begun this spiritual practice. It doesn’t take a class or a special curriculum. Trust me. Starting off your day grounded and calm in mind and spirit changes the way you interact with others and how others interact with you.

After my silent meditation and a second cup of coffee, I start to feel ready—in soul, mind, and body. I’m ready to face the coming day. And when I pull into Westminster Presbyterian Church and I get out of my car, I say one more prayer: “O Lord, let me rise to the challenges of this day.” My day begins.

Many of us have our morning rituals and routines. We have our own unique way of summoning up the right attitude so we can be more fully engaged in our everyday relationships. Indeed, we all need some time to wake up. One of our Advent hymns (#17) begins this way: “Sleepers awake!” A voice astounds us . . . .” For me, Johann Sebastian Bach’s classic tune calls us to wakefulness. Like many of our Advent hymns, we sing of the joyous news of preparing for Christ’s coming. “Awake, Jerusalem, arise!” this hymn calls and beckons. In essence, the hymn cries out, “Wake Up! Wipe the sleep from your eyes! Put on an old sweatshirt! Stretch out! Meditate in the light of Christ. Get ready!”

“For unto us a child is born, a son is given and authority will rest upon his shoulders; and he will be named, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6)

So, sleepers, wake! For Advent is here!

Rev. Ken

A Charge to the Congregation

November 23, 2016 by Ken Henry

On November 20th, in light of Ken being installed as the new pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Dick Redding gave the following charge to the congregation.

On behalf of the pastoral nominating committee and the congregation, thanks be to God for Ken answering our call to be our senior pastor. So, what is our responsibility, as a congregation in this partnership with our new pastor? It is a partnership, right? Together, we can be a very powerful force for Christ, as we discern what the Holy Spirit has in mind for Westminster Presbyterian Church today and beyond.

The Book of Order describes Christ’s ministry and this relationship in the following way: pastors and people share in the ministry/mission of the church together complementing/completing one another under the one and same mandate of Christ. Ministry is not just for ministers.

First, a few dos and don’ts for us the congregation. Ken is a faithful Shepherd to this flock, but it is a large flock, with a lot of personalities. Do be patient with him and don’t be offended if he doesn’t return a phone call or email right away. Trust me and remember, that he cares deeply for each of us. Do be direct and clear in your communication with others and particularly when there are differences, speak your truth, leading with love. Do be mindful of Ken’s priorities beyond this congregation. His first allegiance is to God. His second allegiance is to Heather and his family in Oregon. Do respect the time that he sets aside for family. Remember, Ken’s day off is Monday. Do honor his time to recharge and be with family. Refrain from reaching out to Ken on Mondays.

Do allow Ken the flexibility to take us out of our comfort zone. That may create the best place for a growth opportunity in stretching our faith. Do be open to change.

I challenge myself, and all of you to willfully and joyfully share your gifts with this church and community in our ministry together. Do revisit your calling as disciples. Take a step towards serving others in the name of Christ, not only in this place on Sunday, but out in the world during the week as well. Do listen for the Holy Spirit to move you into action.

Several years ago, I was the overnight congregation representative for PACEM. One of our guests that evening, a fellow the men referred to as Doc, had a medical emergency. The rescue squad was called, but they were unsuccessful in reviving him. A few days later, the pastor called me to be sure I was OK. I said yes, “I’m fine, but it would have been nice if a minister had come over that night to pray with the men.” In looking back, I realized I had missed an opportunity to do more to serve and comfort that evening. I should’ve been the one empowered to lead the men in prayer. Ministry is not just for ministers. Why not me Lord?

To illustrate my point further, I know many of you have seen Ken juggle. For those of you who haven’t, trust me, he’s a really good juggler. Imagine that each ball that he juggles with represent one of his spiritual gifts of ministry. So, close your eyes for a minute, as we explore this thought. Now, let’s imagine that the back of the sanctuary is glassed in and completely transparent. Next envision Ken juggling away here behind the pulpit. Imagine people walking or driving down Rugby Road by the glassed in sanctuary. A passerby might peek in and say “man that guys a good juggler, but he seems all alone in what he is doing among that big crowd, and they don’t seem to be reacting to it, maybe it’s not that big of a deal.” Now think about your God given gifts being represented by a ball in your hand. Imagine that you start flipping your sphere in the air, along with the rest of the congregation. Those walking by take another look, and Ken is juggling away, joined by you folks in the pews, tossing your balls in the air as well. It’s a sea of motion and energy as the balls go round and round. Now the people on the street exclaim, “wow, that looks amazing, let’s go in there and see what this is all about!

So, do take the ball, your gifts, out of your pocket, and share it with the world joyfully and toss it together with Ken. The Spirit is there to encourage us. With all our oars in the water at once, we can be a powerful force for Christ. And let’s be sure we keep our ball out of our pockets and visible when we leave here today.

Come ye faithful people, come. Do pray for Ken and our other pastors, Lynne and Tracy. Do pray for this new partnership of ministry with Ken and go forth with confidence that the Holy Spirit is guiding us in our ministry together in a way that is pleasing to God.

Intervene, Introduce, Invite

November 17, 2016 by Tracy Wispelwey

I concluded my children’s sermon on Sunday with these steps, “intervene, introduce, and invite.” The encouragement I had to share from Standing Rock was how powerful it was to stand together, and in the wake of rising hate speech and threats of violent, how important it is to do so. If you see someone being bullied, intervene, don’t walk by. You don’t have to engage the bully to change the situation, you can simply introduce yourself to the one being targeted and invite them with you, away from the situation.

A few of you spoke with me afterwards about how we can do this proactively too. We don’t have to wait until we see an active bully or bigot at work. Indeed we can work to make our community resilient to the hate speech in the first place.

I have been serving as the President of United Ministries this year, the interfaith consortium of ministers serving students at the university of Virginia. I have become friends with two of my Muslim colleagues this year and they hosted our last meeting at the mosque, taking the time to show us around and even into the prayer room. We shared with each other the anxiety and fear we are reading in all of our students and we too are considering how together, we can introduce ourselves to more people and invite one another into our communities so that we make friends out of neighbors.

May it be so. Christlove and Light!

Tracy

Changing Light

November 10, 2016 by Lynne Clements

golden-light Have you noticed that the light is changing? That its creamy gold covers the trees and roadways like warm caramel? As I travel both to and from work, winding alongside the mountains, I see how the brightness of summer’s sun has mellowed and has become deeper and richer.

How I love this light!

I chase it when I run and love it even when it blocks my forward vision.

I marvel how it dapples the ground beneath the trees and plays tag with the shadows.

I bask in it, closing my eyes and stretching toward it, my own version of a sun-salutation.

But it doesn’t last long, this golden hour. Before I can drink my fill, it seems to sink out of sight – leaving me a little chilly and standing in the shadows. All too quickly, I forget that the sun was just shining upon me and that it will return again tomorrow. All too quickly, I turn to the darkness and let it settle upon me.

Friends, our lives cannot always be lived in the golden hour. Difficult and dark times assail us. Even so we must hold the light in our hearts all the while the darkness deepens, remembering that the sun will rise again.

So to our faith cannot only be vibrant when the light is shining. Evil and the powers of darkness will sometimes appear to be strong, even invincible. Even so,we must hold the Light for ourselves and for others, proclaiming for ourselves and others that the Son will rise again.

I know that today this might be hard to believe, so I share this, a lovely and moving portion of “The Servant Song” – to you, my beloved friend, “I will hold the Christ-light for you in the nighttime of your fear/ I will hold my hand out to you/say the words you long to hear.”

How about we promise to hold the light for each other? Together we won’t be afraid.

Presidential Election Reflections: Be Still and Know That I Am God.

November 10, 2016 by Ken Henry

This morning, November 9th, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. only to learn that the person I never imagined winning the presidential election had won. After that, it was a long day. Throughout my busy morning and afternoon, I met with people who felt the same way I did. Some cried. Many were experiencing anxiety over an unknown future. Others felt empty inside. I prayed with folks and hugged others. At Westminster-Canterbury, we read Psalm 23 and shared communion together. Our girls in California and Oregon texted Heather and me, hoping their parents would soothe their fears and take the sting out of the election. We were not sure what to say. We simply texted back to say how much we loved them. My mother called to tell me the last time she felt like this, President Kennedy had been shot. It has been a long, strange day and I’m sure there will be many more days like this to come. But two personal reflections have helped me end this day unlike I started it.

Years ago, after the earthquake in Santa Cruz, CA in 1989, after the US invaded Iraq, after an arsonist burned one of my churches– after all these experiences– I turned to Psalm 46 for perspective and strength:

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
³though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God!

Psalm 46 reminds me that other people in the past have endured similar days of despair and change. The Old Testament prophets certainly warned the Hebrew people about this kind of thing happening, and the people refused to listen. With the results of this election, perhaps this will be an era of more prophetic preaching and teaching. Indeed, the ground may shift beneath our feet, the roaring waters may shake our confidence, and there may be no healing salve to take away the raw pain we feel, but the psalmist’s words echo in the chambers of our hearts: “Be Still.” Psalm 46 reminds us that we believe in a wisdom that confounds the world’s wisdom. God whispers in times like these, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

The second reflection I’ve had today, is my own complicity in not reaching out to those who hold such different views from my own. I confess I have not been patient enough or mindful enough to really understand a point of view so foreign to my own. It’s difficult to see how a person reaches such a different conclusion on the direction of this country, but then, that person and I stand on the same soil and travel the same crowded highways. And so, I am praying for patience and calm as the days unfold. O God, though I may disagree with those around me, help me to listen more carefully before jumping to conclusions or letting anger cloud my thinking. And when I find myself disagreeing with another person, help me to be still.

Archives for November 2016

“Sleepers, Wake!”

A Charge to the Congregation

Intervene, Introduce, Invite

Changing Light

Presidential Election Reflections: Be Still and Know That I Am God.

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