In Memoriam II

"Later of course we realized that such a day-brightener as Alex wouldn't want to be held close by grief. Now I see him best when I grieve him least."

William Sloane Coffin in Letters to a Young Doubter

My dear Garrett,

I can't believe it has been two years. In some ways the memories of that day are still so raw, maybe even permanently chiseled in my soul. Yet in other ways much has happened in the last two years. We have celebrated the arrival of your brother Nate, baptized him, and are now amazed to see how much he has grown. Avery has become a great baseball player and we celebrate that legacy, your legacy in his life.

And then there was my move to a new church. Although excited there was some sadness that we would not be close to your parents and to our circle of friends. In the last year since the move we have realized time and time again that the bond we share is one that is stronger than miles in between and paralleled lives. Your leaving in some ways cemented what we knew was there long before.

I am not where Coffin is . . . I am trying to grieve you less. I am trying to honor you in my work each day. Then Sunday after Sunday I get on my knees and see little hands outstretched, little hands begging for a little bread. Little hands eager, open, ready, to hear the words "every time you eat this bread remember you are a beloved child of God." And there you are, part of the great communion of saints that interceded for us and who gathers with us in the braking of the bread. So I am trying to let go and to celebrate your "day-brightedness" by grieving you less.

And then there are those that you have given life! Those understand Coffin well. Thanks to your gift of self others have found life when death was so near. So on this 2nd anniversary of your leaving us I celebrate life! I invite all those who want to make a difference to consider the giving of themselves in organ donation. I invite them to read your story and talk to their loved ones about this important issue.

Your mother sent us a text recently reminding us that in some ways we were all your godparents. What an awesome and honored place in your life! So I am thankful that I had the opportunity to remind you of the love of God for you, in a small way I did my duty as a godparent without even knowing it.

Thank you again for your constant presence, for the constant reminder that I am doing God's work, for me, each day. I'll see you soon!

Peace & much Love, Juan+

The Gospel of "We"

It happens everyday! I get this need to get out of the office and make my way to the corner grocery. (Here in our part of the world this small "convenience" store is about as close to a communal gathering place as we are going to get) I always get the same thing, a tall 32 oz. cup of Dr. Pepper. It has become part of my daily ritual in my small rural community. They know me by now and it never fails that when I come in conversations about God or the church begin, or continue depending on who you ask.

I make it a point to listen more than I talk. Sometimes there are times of confession other times joys are shared. There is always something though, a bad day, a long day, a struggle with the kids, a bad costumer. Then there is me, the local young pastor, who happens to drop in always at the right time.

Today it was no different. A conversation ensued about the use of the word "Jesus" as a substitute for other kinds of curse words. I as the resident "preacher" was soon in the middle of the conversation, having a wonderful time listening as the people coming in and out expressed their opinion on this important matter.

Soon they all seemed to turn towards me wondering what I thought, what was my take?

I proceeded to say: "We all use God/Jesus' name in vain at times . . ."

One of the workers stopped me on my tracks and remarked "you too do that . . ." to which another one of the workers said "that's one of the things I enjoy about Br. Juan is always "we" when he talks"

It's always "we!" I have not been able to shake this up, I've been thinking about it all day. It is always we in my mind. I connect with the struggles that we all have in our attempt to live our lives. I too understand how difficult it is to live the way the way of Jesus in the world, especially in the everyday of life.

I think there is more here . . . it is only in the "we" that we can truly walk the way Jesus. We cannot do it alone, we cannot push everyone away and pretend that somehow it is better, holier. In fact the "we" is harder, more complicated, and messier. Yet Christ calls us to this "we," "we are one body" Paul tells us, "We are to make disciples," says Jesus.

We also fail,
mess it up,
make it impossible,
difficult,
full of trials.

In spite of its difficulties, I am thankful for the "we." I am also thankful that I am part of a community that invites this young pastor into their lives and allows me to be part of the "we" in my community.

Peace, Juan+

6 Questions for the UMC

Sometimes we get so busy talking that we do not listen carefully. We talk, critique, whine, and complain and none of that helps us at solving any problems.

As a young pastor in The United Methodist Church I have joined in a time of prayer for the church. We have called for God's presence upon us, we have asked for forgiveness for the ways in which we are a hindrance to the work of the spirit in our church, we have received forgiveness, direction, and strength.

Now we continue the journey by asking questions. These questions will help us discern our next step, and along the way will help us grow as a community. I will ask them with the spirit of my 5 year old who is always wondering, always curious, and always wanting to know more!

"Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'"
(Matthew 16:13-15, NRSV)

Asking questions helps us refocus as we become agents of renewal, restoration, and reformation in the church, for the transformation of the world.

Join us in asking "6 Questions for the United Methodist Church"--or 6qUMC--today. You can find more information at http://www.umcyoungclergy.com/6qumc and we hope that you will help renew the church from the margins.

Let's journey together!

Peace, Juan+

Following Money or Following Jesus?

"We are more interested in making money than following Jesus" Chad Myers

We are constantly bombarded with our need for stuff. From the moment we wake up in the to the time we go to bed there is the constant buzz that tells us that we need, we need, we need! Cars, jewelry, gadgets, the latest this or that . . . we need these things to be human, to be successful, to be part of the "american dream."

Often in the church we are no different. We want stuff that will help us, make us comfortable, and will make us feel better. All of this wanting (turn to needing to make us feel better) causes us to loose focus and blinds us to the real needs in us and in our world.

Then comes the teaching of Jesus . . . the last shall be first, the poor will inherit the kingdom, the powerful will be brought down and the lowly will be lifted up, those who are in darkness will be given light, those who are proud will be humbled.

Jesus shows us (directs us towards) our real need! Our need for community, our need for connectedness, our need for something larger than ourselves.

Jesus turns us from a constant concern over ourselves, our needs, our wants, our desires, our consumption. To a concern over the needs of the world, their hurts, their illness, their need for new life.

Jesus transforms us from consumers to producers, from takers, to givers, from needy, to fulfilled, from broken to whole.

All of this means that this gospel is needed in the world. We need to support and work towards a sustainable economy, a just economy, an economy that is centered on the management of God given resources for the life and redemption of the world.

As we do this, as we become this, we become witnesses (agents, catalyst) of the ministry of Jesus in the world.

Peace, Juan+

P.S. Coming soon "Catholicity & Locality: The Church as Many Gifts but One Spirit"

Pour Upon . . . the Holy Spirit

"Words, stories, sacraments, images, gestures: pastors have really nothing else."

Gordon Lathrop in The Pastor A Spirituality

So it is my first year anniversary as an ordained elder in the church. It seems like a wonderful time to reflect on my last year of ministry and on my first year as an ordained person. Much conversation has been going on around me about the meaning, purpose, and need of/for the ordained life. I'll have to admit that after four years of ministry and one year of ministry as an ordained person I am more convinced than ever of the importance of ordained ministry in the church.

It might surprise you that my conclusion has little to do with job security (guaranteed appointment), position (are pastors that highly regarded anymore?), or titles (what you call me means little to me). It does have something to do with baptism, for it binds us and makes us one people: people who need to remember their identity and that in the most difficult times of their life need one who reminds, calls, and invokes . . . one who can stand in those liminal places (threshold places, transition places, difficult places, changing places) and represent the body of Christ.

And so I've spent the last year playing with words, stories, sacraments, images, and gestures. After these early years of ministry I wholeheartedly agree that I have nothing else. This is humbling and scary at the same time. I do not have fame, fortune, position, power, control . . . all I have is these things that have been given to me and that have been activated in me by the laying on of hands. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to have more and then the Spirit has reminded me that I have what I need, that I have been given what I need.

So it seems like the Spirit that was invoked on me last year is still working at it, not yet finished, making sure that all of me is covered, all of me is saturated, all of me is drowning. Poured out, once more, poured out like at my baptism long ago, poured out so that I can let it drip from me, pour from me . . . for the life of the world.

Thanks be to God!

Peace, Juan+

Why We Need Jesus

Urgency is at the core of evangelism. We evangelize because we believe that, as the song says, people need the Lord! The deeper that our relationship is with our creator the more convince we become of this important fact. The more we minister to people and become attentive to their needs the more aware we become of their need for God.

Christianity in some circles has become so obsessed with belief that it hase painted itself in a corner. We have separated ourselves from "others" who are sinful, wrong, evil. We have become modern day pharisees. Many in contemporary society view Christians as out of touch, hypocritical, and prejudiced. In response to these concerns some churches have gone to the extreme of removing all semblance of church in their building and in their message hoping that this way people might reconnect with God (a Christianized "bait and switch" technique). Other churches have gone the other extreme, they have strengthened their "positions" and have declared themselves the faithful remnant, those that do not agree with their positions are just sinful, evil people, especially if they claimed to be Christian. No wonder so many unbelievers are so confused! We continue to fight amongst ourselves instead of reaching out to others.

In light of all of this why do we need Jesus? In the early chapters of Genesis we receive the answer: we need Jesus because left to our own devices we are not going to love others, creation, or really ourselves (that's what we call sin). Left to our own devices we are easily deceived into thinking that the fruit before us is better than the fruit of relationship to God and other people (here is sin again). Left to our own devices we are unable to satisfy the longing for something larger than ourselves (this longing is what Wesley called previnient grace).

Jesus is the one that bridges the gap between sinful (broken, sick) humanity and a holy God (creator, sustainer). Since God in Jesus took our form, remained sinless (while eating and drinking with sinners), and finally was able to conquer sin (through resurrection) then humanity is able to be restored to what God intended, restored to being God's image in the world.

Here is the urgent message: You too can be restored! You too can find life! You too can find community!

See you on Wednesday . . .

Peace, Juan+

The "E" Word

This week we begin an unusual Lenten study series. Normally during Lenten season the church studies and practices prayer, fasting, & alms giving. These are the basic practices of Christianity and because of that we give them closer attention during the Lenten season. Those that practice these important disciplines will grow in their faith and will want to share with others the reason for their transformed life. This conversation, the sharing, is evangelism.

I have had difficulties with evangelism. I've felt manipulated, harrased, and judged by people who claimed to be doing evangelism. I am sure that you could share similar stories of times when you had a difficult encounter with those doing evangelism. Because of this reason many mainline churches have not placed much emphasis on this important spiritual practice.

I grew up in a tradition where evangelism was pivotal. Part of the reason for its importance was a concern that if it was not done then people would go to hell. That explained the passion in this tradition for the practice of evangelism.

What drives our tradition? What is the place of evangelism in the UMC? What is the place of evangelism at Squyres UMC?

These are some of the questions that we will be asking as we study together. Join us in the journey!

Peace, Juan+