Thoughts Along the Way . . .

As many of you know I post a thought everyday that begins “Today I am grateful for...” I don’t do this because my life is always and forever sweetness and fluff. In fact, the practice has its roots in the experiences surrounding the death of my late wife. My daily gratitude practice helps me build and maintain a foundation that keeps me grounded and connected to Spirit when life is not going well. We don’t always get to choose what life hands us. But we can always choose how we respond. I know there are some folks in the congregation for whom life is going very well indeed right now. And I know that there are others for whom life is challenging and painful. Regardless of where your life is along that spectrum, I invite you to remember that you are not alone. Whatever circumstance we find ourselves facing we can draw on the resource of God’s Spirit and the support of our community of family and friends. If life is going well for you right now please remember to reach out to those who are challenged. And if you are struggling right now please remember to stay open to the care that comes your way from others. Together we can experience life more fully, deeply and richly than we could ever manage on our own. Today I am grateful for the privilege of being a part of this amazing faith community.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

A Strong & Vital Congregation

One of the things I have appreciated about this congregation is the fact that you have not stopped being the church just because you find yourselves in a time a change and transition. You didn’t say, “Well, we’ll just wait and see what happens next.” You have continued to be the Church in our community and in our world. Our Sunday morning worship experiences have remained vital and well attended. Our outreach programs have expanded. Our giving has increased. Our enthusiasm has remained strong. I see all of this as a powerful illustration of your health as a congregation. In the weeks and months ahead, as the Pastoral Search Committee engages in the process of interviewing potential candidates to become your next Settled Pastor, they will be in the wonderful position of seeking the right person to work with you to enhance your strengths rather than “save” you from your weaknesses. I invite you to recognize the many ways in which you are a strong, healthy, vital congregation actively engaged in important ministry on God’s behalf. Your future is bright.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

There are so many ways in which this congregation shines. Just in the past few weeks I have watched you . . .

• reach out with compassion and care to homeless folks who find their way to our breezeway;
• increase your financial support for the congregation and approve an ambitious budget which supports a variety of ministry opportunities in our community and our world;
• surround people with love and care and support as they face challenging and painful circumstances in their lives;
• celebrate the Supreme Court decision regarding marriage equality;
• mourn the senseless violence and loss of life in the church shooting in South Carolina;
• and countless other examples too numerous to list.

You are a congregation who takes seriously the challenge of allowing your faith to shape your living in ways that seek to share God’s love with the world around you. Thank you.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

On Sunday I preached about Radical Hospitality. On Tuesday morning I arrived at the church and found two people sleeping in the breezeway. They were in pretty rough shape. Everything they owned fit in a couple of backpacks, along with the threadbare blankets they were laying on. They are on the road, trying to get somewhere besides here. I was able to give them some food and water, thanks to BOOM’s sack lunch ministry. I printed off directions to the food bank. And I was kind to them. We cannot do everything for everyone, but we can do something for the needs that show up (sometimes literally) at our front door. I am grateful to be a part of a congregation that approaches ministry with heart and passion. This week I had the privilege of representing you in this one small way. Thank you.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

As you are reading this I am enjoying a week in Montana on Flathead Lake at Wilderness Dances of Universal Peace Camp. I don’t really know what heaven is like, but I hope it is something like this. I am with about 100 of the most open-hearted people I know and together we are singing and dancing and praying and playing barefoot on grass under a beautiful open air tent decorated with Tibetan prayer flags. Around the center support pole are guitars and drums and flutes. And flowing in and around and through the entire experience is the tangible presence of Spirit. I am grateful beyond words for opportunities such as this.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

We live in a time of transition. This is true for this congregation right now as the Pastoral Search Committee starts considering candidates. This is true for me as I start contemplating what comes next for my journey. The wind of God’s Spirit is blowing and there is change in the air. And this is always true. It is, perhaps, more obvious when we find ourselves in circumstances such as an active Search process. But it is always true. This Sunday is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, as our journey around the sun moves us into yet another seasonal transition. To live is to experience transition. What was is no more. What will be is not yet. Each moment is new. And such change can be uncomfortable because it reminds us that we are not ultimately in control. Life happens. I invite you to remember that in the midst of the change we are not alone. We are never alone. God’s ever-present Spirit abides with us and journeys through the transitions with us. And because of this reality I have the utmost of confidence that we are headed into a bright and glorious future. May we enjoy the ride.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Our Budget as Faith Statement

On Sunday, June 28th we will gather after worship for the congregation’s annual meeting to approve the budget for the coming fiscal year. The centerpiece of the discussion will be a multi-page document filled with columns of numbers. As you read through all those numbers I invite you to remember that it is so much more than a financial spreadsheet. Each of the numbers represents the hopes, aspirations and priorities of this congregation as together we plan for the ministry opportunities we will engage in during the coming year. It is easy to get bogged down in the details, especially when we are talking about money. And it is really important for us to keep the bigger picture before us. Our budget is a faith statement which spells out the ways in which we believe God is calling and empowering us to impact the world around us. It might look like a page full of numbers, but if you look closer you will begin to recognize it as a prayer of hope and gratitude. May we continue to be God’s faithful people who are alive and at work in the world.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)