Scandalous

Notes from the Pastor...

When I was a senior in High School I broke my left shoulder.  It was nothing too major; the only prescription was Tylenol and restricted movement for eight weeks.  I healed completely, but for a slight restriction when trying to pull weight from behind in a butterfly motion.  While the injury is not chronic, every once in a while it bothers me.  In the same way, John 4  – “The woman at the well,” has bothered me for years!

One of the more shocking elements to this story is the seemingly unqualified acceptance of Jesus.  Jesus challenges the woman to recognize who he is by illustrating his vast knowledge of her life choices without a hint of condemnation or required repentance.  In John 4:26, Jesus does  not say,
“I am the Messiah, now go get your life right – quit living in sin.”
These would be the words that you and I would use.  Contrary to such statements, Jesus’ work with the woman is cut short by the disciples’ interruption.  When the disciples returned to the scene “they were astonished that Jesus was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or ‘Why are you speaking with her?’”  We would suspect the disciples’ intrusion to be their entrance into the dialogue, but it seems that they stand silently bewildered.
Regardless of why the interruption takes place, the woman leaves without Jesus commanding repentance; moreover, she begins to work as a missionary – inviting her entire city to come and see the Messiah.

All of this leaves me to question some common “Christian” behaviors:
º   Is our acceptance of the “sinner” qualified by their willingness to repent?
º   Are we more worried about “right living” than recognizing who Jesus is?
º   Do we interrupt Jesus’ working in an outcast’s life because of our overt astonishment?

The first time Jesus reveals himself as the “I am” in the Gospel of John is to an outcast Samaritan woman; not to the disciples, not to the religious authority, but to an outsider.  It does not seem that followers of Jesus have a monopoly on the revelation of Christ.
May we not act with the egocentrism that would say otherwise.
May we join Christ’s work among the outsider and encourage the work of Christ in all of creation!

Grace,  Pastor Ryan

"As you continue to travel through Lent"

Notes from the Pastor...

Lent is a season of preparation; a time of intentional interruption to focus on God.  At the commencement of this season, on Ash Wednesday, we are told,

“Remember your sins and repent.”

If you are like me, Lent is both refreshing and depressing.  I try to break old habits and start new spirit yielding exercises, but then one day I sleep in too late, and I skip my morning Scripture meditation.  It is then that I am reminded of the other Ash Wednesday proclamation,
“You are dust…”
and dust is all I feel.
The goodness of guilt evades my conscience and the full weight of my humanness blows upon me like gypsum-choking wind.

In this state of dejected remorse I am reminded of the words of Father Zosima, the Elder, in The Brothers Karamazov:

"There is no sin, and there 

can be no sin on all the earth, 

which the Lord will not forgive the 

truly repentant! …Believe that God 

loves you as you cannot conceive; 

that He loves you with your sin, in 

your sin.  …Love is such a priceless 

treasure that you can redeem the 

whole world by it, and expiate not 

only your own sins but the sins of others."

As you continue to travel through Lent, may forgiveness supersede your acknowledged guilt, and may you find the peace of God’s great love!

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

I highly recommend...

... this book.

I was given this book for Christmas in 2007 by a dear friend and mentor. It's beautiful. There are two prayers - morning and evening - for each day of the month and a special morning and evening prayer for Sunday. This past November, I began an attempt to read at least one of the daily prayers and each day that I actually do, I am that much more blessed. John Baillie's gift of words attune my soul to the presence of God. Often, I remember one short phrase from the prayer for that day and repeat it throughout the day. What a blessing. I highly recommend this book of prayers and leave you with the phrase I will carry with me today:

"In loving let me believe and in believing let me love; and in loving and in believing let me hope for a more perfect love and a more unwavering faith, through Jesus Christ my Lord."

"Diet coke is poison"

The following article is from a Jewish holistic health website and is really not all that surprising. I admit I was hoping that the aspartame scare would prove not to be true since it is in so many of today's products, but this will definitely make me think twice about eating anything with the "a word" in the list of ingredients. (Enlarged print in the following article is my personal added emphasis in order to draw attention to particularly shocking facts.)

DIET COKE AND ASPARTAME

The photo of a crumpled can of Diet Coke told the story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Coke's hometown paper. Fitting, poetic, just, but tragic for the company once rated "The Most Admired Business in the World". Today Coke wouldn't even make the list. Sales are down, profits collapsing, and 6,000 employees soon will be gone. To make room for 6,000 defense attorneys? The tragedy is stupendously larger than 6,000 jobs; it affects hundreds of millions of unwarned, innocent, afflicted consumers across the broad face of planet earth.

This crisis can't be solved by belt tightening, greater efficiency, more advertising, etc. It's so bad Coke can't say the word; to pronounce it will bring instant cataclysm. That word is aspartame, and their only recourse is denial, denial, denial, though every ad and commercial builds higher the scaffold upon which Coke shall surely hang.

Reality is in that twisted Diet coke can. It's poison. It's killing the unborn, raining tumors and seizures on the population, destroying children, incapacitating workers, mimicking MS, erasing memory and blinding. Inexorably Diet Coke visits a plague of 92 symptoms listed by our FDA on a secret report they'll never show which names diet soda as the first source of aspartame disease. And yes, Death was one of the 92.

Diet Coke is poison. And it's addictive, some victims drink several liters a day and keep it on their nightstands. If Coke changes the formula to remove aspartame the world will heal and the surge of hatred and vengeance by the disabled and bereaved shall certainly destroy Coca Cola.

The poison in Diet Coke is aspartame.

As a member of the National Soft Drink Association Coke opposed FDA approval of aspartame for beverages. their objections, running to several pages published in the


Congressional Record of 5/7/85, said aspartame is uniquely and inherently unstable and breaks down in the can. It decomposes into formaldehyde, methyl alcohol, formic acid, diketopiperazine and other toxins. In a study on 7 monkeys 5 had grand mal seizures and one died, a casualty rate of 86%.

Coke knew; and knowing, broke their good faith contract with customers, a breach exhibited by the recent plot to program vending machines to raise the price with the temperature. Dissatisfied with selling flavored sugar water plus phosphoric acid, they switched to pushing an addictive formula called "Diet". Addictive substances multiply markets, so Diet Coke soared off the sales charts, spreading obesity in its flight.


We're fatter because aspartame suppresses seratonin and makes us crave carbohydrates.

So why is aspartame/NutraSweet/Equal/Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi/etc on the market and in thousands of foods? Can you say CORRUPTION? One FDA Commissioner and one acting Commissioner have changed sides to work in the NutraSweet industry, plus 6 underlings and two federal attorneys assigned to prosecute NutraSweet for submitting fraudulent tests to get it approved. "It's like a script for Abbott & Costello." lamented an honest FDA scientist writing to Senator Metzenbaum. It works like this: "Approve our poison, and when you stop being a bureaucrat we'll make you a plutocrat! After its licensed we'll pay off the American Dietetics, the American Diabetes Association, the AMA and anyone we need who's for sale."

The jig's up! Worldwide consumer action has exposed aspartame, and millions have kicked the habit. Coke's profits are down 37% and for a year Monsanto's been trying to sell The NutraSweet Company. Finally they sold NSC, producer of the phenylalanine in NutraSweet for $125 million. Now Monsanto faces a $71 million lawsuit for exaggerating profits. Monsanto stock is in the toilet, but they may have found a buyer in the Swiss firm Pharmacia-Upjohn. P.U. for short! The deal won't finalize for a year. the plans are to ditch the Monsanto name as its stench is unendurable. CEO Bob Shapiro may soon be history, like Doug Ivester of Coke who just resigned. Will the last one out please turn out the lights!

http://www.lightparty.com/Health/DietCokeAspartame.html

Sacred Companions: Part IV

Spiritual Direction


I first heard this term in college when a mentor referred to having an appointment with their spiritual director. I was mystified. I had never heard of such an appointment, much less such a person. This chapter is incredibly helpful if you have never heard of spiritual direction, or if you just want to know more about what it is. On the first page of the chapter, David Benner refers to spiritual direction saying, "it is highly relevant to every Christian who takes the spiritual journey seriously." 


If this strikes you as hard as it did me, I suggest reading this book to learn more about spiritual direction (which does not necessarily have to be with a professional).

Chapter 4: Demystifying Spiritual Direction

"When Jesus promises that where two or more people are gathered in his name he is present with them, that means the conversation of two is actually a conversation of three." (p. 94)


"Attunement to God's presence is the core of prayer and the royal route to a deeper relationship with him." (p. 95)


"Self-absorbtion is the great enemy of attunement to God." (p. 96)


"... surrender to God's love is surrender to his will. Apart from a surrender to his love, obedience will remain an act of duty, never an expression of devotion." (p. 96)


"As creatures of a Creator God, we stand in relationship to him whether we ignore him, protest his unreality or surrender to his loving will and Spirit." (p. 105)


Other portions of this chapter are completely unquotable because the reader must see the stories in context. This chapter has given me a much more inclusive understanding of spiritual direction as well as real examples and ideas from people who are on the same journey that I myself seek.


*If you have ever read this book, please feel free to leave your favorite quotes as comments! I would love to see what spoke to you in each of the chapters.

Some thoughts on "Why?"

I very seldom post my own writing; however, this week's Newsletter article for First Christian Church, Ruidoso, cannot wait for Kristyn to post... so here it is:

It is spring and we who are blessed to live in paradise are beginning to utilize our decks and close-by hiking trails. However, our excitement is tempered by the devastation displayed on our televisions and circumstances close to home distract our days and haunt our nights.

Often life experience teaches us to join in the voice of lament saying, “For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me…” (Lamentations 1:16); “How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?” (Psalm 13:2)

Why? “Why?” is the question that most often comes to mind. Why did God not stop the Japanese earthquake and tsunami? Why is cancer killing my friend? Why does a loving God not stop a deranged man from killing a pastor?

Sadly, there are no easy answers to these questions. However, by faith, I have come to the following conclusions:

1. God suffers with. God is not the clockmaker who wound up the world and left it alone to its own devises; nor is God some distant great white wizard who is aloof and uncaring; rather, God is described in scripture as one who is weeping and mourning with those who suffer.
2. The cross is the central way Christ images God. As Theologian Greg Boyd says, “When our picture of God is centered on Christ [and the cross event], we are able to avoid the conclusion that God is mysteriously behind all the suffering and evil in the world.”
3. We are to mirror Christ’s compassion. When we pray, “May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”, we are pledging our participation in bringing about God’s will – which is best described in the life and words of Jesus.

In this way we are like travelers on a trail that continuously crosses the stream of calamity. When we are on the stream bank of circumstance, mourning, and pain, we call out in confidence that God hears and cares, but when our travels take us across the stream, and we stand on the banks of peace and serenity, we live with the compulsion of compassion toward our brothers and sisters suffering on the other side.

Don't hurt my Daddy!

An age 8 or 9 year old memory stands out to me as we enter the season of Lent.

Cypress Creek Baptist Church (my church since age 3) had a lot of talented people and it was normal for a play to happen at least once a year. This year, I was in the Easter play. I was one of the children Peter tried to shoo away, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

But that is not the vivid memory I keep recalling. It was the voice of another child. Our Jesus actor was carrying his cross down the center aisle of the church. Above the sound of the fake whipping, above the sound of the fake shouting of accusations, above the sound of the soloist, was the daughter of our Jesus actor. Her 4-year-old voice pierced the sanctuary that day changing the hearts of every audience member and actor.

“Don’t hurt my Daddy!”

Her frantic voice and tears left everyone in the room weeping. She was lovingly carried outside by her mother, but her significance remained.

This memory brings tears to my eyes even today. How I love people is how I love God. Therefore, when I hurt people, I hurt God.

How often do we choose hurt over love?

I heard of Lent for the first time in 6^th grade from my Catholic English teacher. I practiced Lent for the first time in college. I didn’t know until then that I was "allowed to".

Lent is not bound by religion or even by denomination. The purpose of Lent is to prepare our souls for Christ’s resurrection. The practice of Lent is to spend the period of time between Ash Wednesday (today) and Good Friday by removing an element of your usual life or by adding an element to your usual life. For example, many people refrain from eating meat during Lent. Some people add something to their normalcy such as a new daily Bible study. Lent is not about obligation, it is about devotion, awareness, reflection, preparation, and perhaps even growth. By adding or taking away something in our routine, we are constantly reminded of Jesus.

A friend recently stated, “I want to be more heavenly minded.”

Lent is a beautiful time for exactly that. 

May we daily choose Love over Hurt. 

I encourage you to practice Lent in whatever way you feel would draw your soul, mind, and strength heavenward.

"...with our Bibles and minds open"

Notes from the Pastor...

During Lent, some of you may, and I hope many will, consider taking up or reclaiming the discipline of Bible study.  I believe the study of sacred scripture is both an individual and communal event.
In 1809, Alexander Campbell taught the Christian Church that no one was to interfere “directly or indirectly with the private judgment of any individual,” as long as the private judgment did not contradict an “express declaration” or an “approved precedent” of scripture.
And so it is that you and I in personal relationship with Jesus, and through the leading of the Holy Spirit, find scripture as informative to life and personally interpret commands and ethics due in large part to our own experience. Held in tension to individual interpretation is community.  Since all individual interpretation leads to individual inference, there is a danger that our inferences may be misinformed or just plain incorrect.  Therefore, we must come together in mutual respect; with our Bibles and minds open, taking into account: logic, the tradition of the Church, and the experience of other believers.  We do this trusting that the Spirit of God is present and guiding all dialogue toward truth.  Further, we must, following the precedent put before the church in Ephesus:
“Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph. 5:21)
When we come together and study the Bible we not only come away with a more informed interpretation, but we also proclaim Christ more fully to one another and our community.  In the words of Dietrich Bonheoffer:
"The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us."
Once again, I will end this speculation with my favorite benediction: “May the Word of God continue to mess you up!”

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

True story: A doggy "tale" : )

We have been wanting a sheep dog for some time now. They are hypo-allergenic, meaning they shed very little if at all, and are great with kids. We have really caught the dog fever lately as we dreamed out loud of taking our dog hiking, Jack playing with our dog in the backyard, Ryan taking our dog to the office for the day... our hopes literally turned into a dream.


One week ago today, I woke up from a dream and right away new I HAD to get to the animal shelter that day. Friday quickly turned into quite a busy day and I never had a chance to get to the shelter. Still unable to shake the feeling, I called the shelter 10 minutes to closing time. I told the lady on the other end that I had really wanted to make it in but had not been able and I just wanted to call and see if they had any English sheep dogs. The lady (clearly weirded out) said yes and asked how I knew that. I told her to please don't think I'm crazy, but I dreamed it. She told me to come in on Saturday and she would show me the dog. As it turns out, the reason she was weirded out is because the dog had just been brought in and no one knew she was there. Animals cannot be put up for adoption for a certain period of time to allow an owner (if there is one) to track down their animal. We went to see her on Saturday and fell in love in about 5 seconds. We adopted her on Monday; we're a dog family! She is shy but has not been abused, about 2 years old, doesn't bark or chew furniture, trained and warming up to us a little more every day, loves to go for walks and will even run along side you- she is exactly what we've hoped for in a dog! We are thrilled! 

Her name is St. Catherine, Caty for short. 

 Caty is the perfect dog for our family!

For more on St. Catherine, click here.

Challenge Accepted!

Notes from the Pastor…

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”  Except for the deranged, all humans wish to act with moral justice and upright
fairness.  Nevertheless, Einstein’s “Relativity” exposed problems in absolutism, not only in physics but also in morality.  Now the question is: “What role does Scripture play in our lives?”

Historically the writings contained within the Christian Bible have encouraged, challenged, and inspired searchers of truth for over a millennia.  Writing at the end of the 6th century, Gregory the Great said, “The Holy Scripture is a measuring reed, by which we weigh all choices and actions.”
The Westminster Confession (1646), a document influential in the formation of the Presbyterian Church, suggests that Scripture functions to establish and comfort against all corruption of evil.
One of the founders of the Christian Church, Alexander Campbell, wrote, “The Word of God is but a specific embodiment of the Holy Spirit” the texts contained are to communicate to human beings “the mind and will of God.”

My evolving hypothesis is that Scripture, in the age of relativity will continue to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in the action of moral justice and upright fairness.  However, there is only one way to test such a hypothesis  – We must dive into Scripture, listening intently, studying its precedents, and then we will  evaluate what role it will play in our lives.
I will end this speculation with my favorite benediction: “May the Word of God continue to mess you up!”

Grace,
Pastor Ryan