Memories and Ministry

When I was five years old my family moved from rural Missouri to Waxachie, Texas.  My memories of living in Missouri are scant to say the least.  I remember our home had a crawl space underneath that I was quite scared of, I remember we backed up to a corn or wheat field and I was not allowed to play past our grass in that undiscoverable space, and I remember one time my older sister getting in trouble for back talking and she had the childhood experience of tasting soap while sitting on orange counter-tops (don’t judge, it was the 1980’s).

Just about every generation of Arnold who lived around the old farm were members of the small Assembly of God church with a sanctuary at ground level and class room space in the basement.  My only real memory of services at that church in rural Missouri was a specific spring Sunday where all the members enjoyed food and fellowship while the children dove into a mountainous pile of hay looking for what I would assume to be Easter eggs.

It is amazing what images, smells, and moments burn into our memory.  I am certain that that Assembly of God church in rural Missouri is/was far from the "perfect church”; however, the memory of fun and fellowship outside the confines of wood and plaster cause me to think of it as such.  I am always struck at the stories of Jesus recorded by our gospel authors.  Certainly the three years that Jesus taught and ministered are full of moments that are lost to history.  But then there are stories, mysterious stories, which stood out from the ordinary and burned upon the heart of Christianity as the author took ink to paper.  So too, in our life-long journey in Christ with fellow sojourners there are specific moments that stand out; they form who we are and how we approach life.

I pray that Sunday, with casual attire, we will experience one of these moments in the life of First Christian Church Ruidoso.  May we always, in the sacrament of neighbor love, form memories that burn into the heart of our family of faith.

May peace of Christ rule in our hearts,
Pastor Ryan

Less than human

Notes from the Pastor...

There is a rising awareness within our society as to the long-term effects of war.  One of the historically common trends among veterans has new terminology:  Moral Injury is defined as “lasting psychological, biological, spiritual, behavioral, and social impact of perpetrating, failing to prevent, or bearing witness to acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations.”  In laymen’s terms, Moral Injury is the dehumanizing effects of continual exposure and participation in a less than human atmosphere; and war is less than human.

As a nation, next Monday, May 28, we will celebrate Memorial Day as a solemn occasion to fix our societal hearts on the sacrifice offered by a few for the good of the many.  As we place American flags at our door posts, remembering men and women who serve us courageously and faithfully, let us pray for those who suffer from Moral Injury.  Both pacifism and “just war theory” advocate peace as the central motive even in the midst of violence.  Therefore, let us be activists for peace and prayerfully consider the ultimate end to violence.

Sadly, in this election year, rhetoric will be used to demean the sacrifices offered without reservation.  This leads me to wonder how much Moral Injury we create not only through our longest war, but also in our warfare analogies pointed at people that differ from us in religious belief, political affiliation, or sexual orientation.

1 John 5 instructs the children of God to overcome the world through obedience to the commands of God; specifically: “love one another.”  Our neighbors, both service members and civilians, need a hopeful
community, a family of faith that is committed to overcome hate, discouragement, abuse, and the inhuman atmosphere of war.  No one should have to suffer from Moral Injury.  And no one should suffer Moral Injury alone, without a community committed to their healing and restoration.


May this Memorial Day be more than a day of remembrance for you and I; may it be a day of firm resolve where First Christian Church Ruidoso commits herself to her mission in the world: “Through the work of worship, the self sacrifice of discipleship, and the healing of hopelessness we participate in the Kingdom of God.”

May the Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Ryan

Risk, Self-Sacrifice, and Abundant Life

Notes from the Pastor...

On the second Monday of every month the nuts and bolts of vocational ministry come to an apex.  On that day, it is my duty and honor to provide a Senior Minister Report to your Executive Board.  The report highlights administrative and pastoral activities from the past month.  As I prepared May’s report I reflected
back to Lent, to Holy Week, to Easter, and to Mother’s Day; then I realized a continual theme has dominated my conversations, sermons, and teachings thus far this year.

William Temple, the renowned Churchman once said, “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”

In the season nestled between Easter and Pentecost we find the resting place of the Church.  Given the resurrected appearance in John 21 we assume that Peter, even after the faith-birthing Easter display of life, went back to fishing;  the life he held before Jesus called him to “follow me.”  His move from birthed faith to inactive existence is a tempted habit for you and me, as it has been throughout the history of Christianity.  And just as in days of old, on that lakeshore, Jesus corrects us still.  Even as we are fishing Jesus repeats his beautiful, life-changing call: “Follow me.”

First Christian Church Ruidoso cannot, and should not, exist solely for the benefit and recreation of her members.  Rather, we as a church exist to participate in the  Mission of God – that is to nurture the life, love, and peace of Christ in our community.  The irony of existing for others is the more we die to self, the more we gain “abundant life.”  Make no mistake; following Jesus in the Mission of God is a risky endeavor.  It cost Peter his life, and two thousand years later, the price has not changed.  Yet risk is the place where vulnerability and expectation meet.

So may we continue to sacrifice our collective desire for benefit and recreation so we may receive “abundant life” in Jesus the Christ.  After all, “through the work of worship,  the self-sacrifice of discipleship, and the healing of hopelessness we participate in the Kingdom of God.”

May the Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Ryan

All things new

Notes from the Pastor...

The greatest testimony, in all of Scripture, may well be the pronouncement by the one who sits on the throne, presumably the risen Jesus, in the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation; he says, “Behold, I am making all
things new.”  The problem with this testimony is we often prescribe its effect to the future and to some post-mortem existence in the life beyond.  Yet when we study the Book of Revelation we find that its effect is in the present (or maybe even the past) and not merely the future.  

aspect:  n. 1. A category of the verb designating primarily the relation of he action to the passage of time, especially in reference to completion, duration, or repetition.

The aspect of the Book of Revelation is notoriously difficult to detect.  Nevertheless, just for a moment imagine what our world would look like if Jesus’ pronouncement, “Behold, I am making all things new,” meant TODAY.  What kind of hope, optimism, ministry, and compassion would this birth into our lives?  What past disasters, pains, and abandonments would be healed?  

With the birth of our daughter on April 18th, Kristyn and I (along with Jack) experienced the exclusively sublime freshness of new.  After the Lenten season spills into Easter we ministers are tired; we pour all our spirit into Holy Week and often don’t feel the relief of the empty tomb until weeks after the echoes of “He is risen, indeed” have ceased.  Yet when Ellie Spring reclined into my arms I felt the breath of hope that comes with the pronouncement, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

This may be auspicious, but I tell you; God hears the prayers of his Church.  His kingdom and will are progressing to reality on earth as it is in heaven.  “Behold,” in this moment, the risen Jesus says, “I am making all things new.”

May the peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Ryan

Welcome to the World!

We are the proud parents (and big brother) of a beautiful baby girl!

Tuesday, April 17th I started timing contractions. My biggest hope for Jack all along has been that we would have the opportunity to explain to him what was happening and who he would stay with while we were at the hospital. Thanks to our friend Miss Courtney who came over Tuesday evening with her overnight bag, we were able to have some sweet family time, kiss our son goodnight, and he was able to sleep in his own bed. After singing bedtime songs and a few extra kisses, we anxiously, nervously, excitedly headed to the hospital.

Upon arrival, we went through the check in procedures in the triage room. My doctor just so happened to already be at the hospital and was able to check my progress personally.  She told us I was too progressed to go home but thought we still had some time before things would get interesting. She prescribed rest until she returned in the morning. Unfortunately for my poor husband, the triage room we were in was the last available room. Thankfully for us, we got the last room available! Either way, Ryan did not leave my side, even though that meant he had to sleep in a chair.

The next morning could not come soon enough. With my doctor's blessing, the nurse hooked me up to the portable monitors and we took to the hallways. I wish I could obtain the video surveillance in the maternity ward from Wednesday morning since my tall, groggy husband supportively joined my in walking and lunges.

Progress throughout the day felt as though we were losing a race to a turtle, but we remained determined and optimistic. Meanwhile, my mom had been driving from Austin, TX since 4:30 that morning. To everyone's surprise, my mom made it to the hospital in time for the birth of her granddaughter. I am so thankful I was able to have my husband AND my mom by my side.

We heard the sweet cry of our daughter, Ellie Spring, at 6:45 pm, Wednesday, April 18th. She was 19 1/2", 6 lbs. 5 oz. We were amazed by the frozen moment and filled by the complete love of our growing family.

The hospital congratulated us by giving us an actual room that just so happened to have two beds. Lucky Ryan! This time we anxiously waited for morning because we missed Jack and we were so excited for him to meet his baby sister.

We are a very blessed family of four.

Anticipatory Vision

Notes From the Pastor...

At Easter we proclaim the resurrection story, and we say, “Praise God!  What was dead shall live; what was dark shall shine; what was forgotten shall be remembered, for Christ is risen.  He is risen indeed!”  This is a powerful story, but unless the story becomes flesh and blood in Ruidoso it ends with last of our annual
proclamations: “…just because he lives.”

In short, the resurrection story must become our identity for it to powerfully change our lives.  This means that we cannot identify with former things that once entrapped us; whether it is our possessions, our past, or our position in life.  Yes, I am a member of professional clergy, but what does it mean to be clergy in light of the resurrection story?  Yes, I am a husband and father, but what does it mean to be a family man in light of the resurrection story?

The Westminster Larger Catechism, written in 1648, opens with a question: “What is the chief and highest end of man?”  The answer is then confirmed by the catechismal candidate: “Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.”  Likewise, Julian of Norwich wrote, “The greatest honor we can give to God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love.”

Family of faith, I so urge you – live out the resurrection story!  Be people of anticipatory vision; living gladly with friend and foe confident in God’s love for you.

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

My Good Friday Meditation:

Eloi, Eloi lema sabachani;

My God, My God why have you forsaken me?

God lived among:

Flesh walking, teaching,

admirable life.

But now abandoned, utterly alone.

Innocent, draped in blood and

suffering,

But this is not the horror.

The horror finds being in

homicidal loneliness.

This is hell.

The absence of God, reserved for

the godless;

Still it is I, the so called religious,

who knows this absence.

Is this not to be avoided?

At all cost, "Flee from darkness,"

I pray, "Medicate me from

suffering."

Yet within it,

I know my God,

and in forsakenness,

my God is with me.

Humanity Testifies

Notes From the Pastor...

A Holy Week parable:

Two men die and go to heaven.  One was a sinner; the other, considered a saint.  When they come to the pearly gates Peter asks them both: “Which of you lived a Christ-like life?”  In proud posture the saint spoke up first, “I abandoned, rejected and despised my flesh.  I continually tried to live a purely divine life.”  The sinner sheepishly turned his eyes downward and mumbles, “I messed it up so many times.  I tried to be better, but I kept tripping over my humanity. ” “Oh I see,” said Peter to the saint, “Well by your confession, you dreamed of equality with God but you neglected to be Christ-like.”  And to the sinner Peter replied, "You lived in Christ-likeness, not because you sinned but because your humanity testifies that you were lowly, weak and dying of a sinful nature – just like Christ.” 

In the multiplicity of spiritualism around us today we are taught to despise the weakness of our flesh and strive for divinity, and those who reach this level of enlightenment, they are considered saints.  But this is not the story of incarnation.  “There can be no theology of the incarnation which does not become a theology of the cross,” says Jurgen Moltmann.  Therefore, as Martin Luther suggests, at the cross God descended into our sinful nature, even our death, not so humanity can become divine, but so humanity may disbelieve their false notions of divinity and be given a new humanity in the community of the crucified Christ.  This is what Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 12 when he quotes Christ as saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

So may you come to know God in the lowliness, weakness and dying of Christ.  May you love the one who lived in true humanity: abandoned, rejected and despised.  And may you obscenely find hope in the crucified.

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

"Inscribed on the very heart of God's grace"

Notes From the Pastor:..

There is a question lingering in the back of our mind; it is lodged somewhere between our perpetual planning of dinner and the memories of summers spent at grandparents.  The question arises a few times a week
when we are confronted with the reality of faith, and it often is drowned out by the constant chatter of the urgent.  The question takes different language, nuance, and colloquial tone, but it always expresses the same sentiment: What should I do to practice by faith?

At Palm Sunday we hear a simple, yet challenging directive to the question of faithful behavior.  The Jerusalem crowds are overjoyed at the entrance of their possible Messiah.  They gather on the road and offer a joyous reception in song, palm branches, and the laying down of their coats on the road.  The scene
depicted by all four Gospels has Jesus received in great hospitality.  And there is not one among us that would not rush out to highway 70 to do the same if Jesus approached Ruidoso.

Hospitality is a simple, yet challenging means to practicing our faith.  Throughout Scripture we hear a divine decree to offer hospitality, and in doing so, we are informed that we actively welcome God in our midst.

Theologian Miroslav Volf writes in  Exclusion and Embrace: “Inscribed on the very heart of God’s grace is the rule that we can be its recipients only if we do not resist being made into its agents; what happens to us must be done by us.  Having been embraced by God, we must make space for others and invite them in  – even our enemies.” 

May First Christian Church continue to be known for her hospitality, and may we consistently invite friends and neighbors into our life of grace; as such, we live out the grace we have received.

Grace,
Pastor  Ryan

Traverse the Desert

Notes From the Pastor...

On Monday I drove to Las Cruces for a Clergy meeting with my peers from the border region of New Mexico and Texas.  The long desert view between the Organ and Sacramento mountains always draws me into the spirit of contemplation.

In the local history book, Tularosa, C.L. Sonnichsen countlessly depicts frontier men, women, and children traversing the desert from the populated community of Mesilla to rural outposts in Tularosa, Apache lands, and Lincoln.  The brave souls who traveled through a land that would become White Sands Missile Range did so keeping promises to others and themselves regardless of personal cost.

In the March 7, 2012 issue of  Christian Century I learned: Theologians have frequently viewed betrayal as a grave sin.  For John Calvin, unfaithfulness or infidelity is at the root of the fall.  […]  In Dante’s Inferno, the ninth and lowest circle is for those who betray what they should be most faithful to.

The Lenten journey to the cross is harsh.

We suffer the weekly reminder that Christian identity can be understood only as an act of identification with the crucified Christ.  Yet we fear such identification will cost too much.  While we demean betrayal as a grave sin, it is a great temptation.  After all, we have worked hard to get to where we are and the desert of Lent threatens to take everything we hold dear and let it fade in the sun, wind, and sand of discipleship.

To this I say, stay faithful my friends; keep your Lenten promises.  Jurgen Moltmann, in his great theological work, The Crucified God, informs, only a cowardly faith “tires to protect its ‘most sacred things’, God, Christ, doctrine, morality, because it clearly no longer believes that these are sufficiently powerful to maintain themselves.”

I trust our family of faith will not give into the ‘religion of fear’, but faithfully traverse the desert of the cross.
My prayer: may we possess a brave faith that journeys to the cross, and through our Lenten travels, may we find the cross has journeyed into us.

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

Let the words come alive

Notes From the Pastor...

Kristyn and I enjoy watching the NBC talent show The Voice; one thing we have noticed the coaches continually tell their team members when they perform a song, is they have to believe and experience the words even if they did not write the lyrics. Sometimes this is a difficult position even for talented vocalists.  The lyrics at times tell a story that is disingenuous to their life experience; yet they must find some part of the
song that they believe and connect with in order to become passionate about the message they are conveying.

On a higher, holier level there are significant portions of scripture that, even though I have studied their authorship, context, historical setting, and grammar, I have difficulty relating to and participating within my life’s journey.  With that said, recently a small portion of Ephesians has come alive within me.  At the end
of the letter to the church in Ephesus, the author (traditionally Paul) says,

“Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.”  

These words have come to mean everything I wish for the family of faith gathered at First Christian Church Ruidoso.  Peace, and love with faith, is my heart’s prayer.   I am blessed to be your pastor, and I celebrate all the tangible ways we are an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith!  You are gracious with one another, patiently trusting that the Holy Spirit works in the life of all our members.  You give grace to anyone and everyone through the undying love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I see within you the practice of peace and love with faith.

Without a doubt my growing family is blessed to be part of this large family of faith!

Grace be with all,
Ryan

Not up, DOWN!

Last week was a big deal for our growing family. I have been counting UP to track our baby girl's age and growth but last week when the weeks until our due date turned into a single digit, I started counting DOWN! We are now down to 8 and she could always surprise us. Jack was early so it's hard to not think she will be too, but whenever she decides to come is fine by us. Her dad has one request; he has asked her to please wait until after Easter : )

The double meaning in the title of this post is all about her position. When we were in the hospital during the hours between the start of contractions and the sound of our son's first cry, we were as set on natural birth as any expectant new parent (meaning we expected to be in control of the situation). We learned quite late in the labor process that Jack was breech and a C-section was needed right away before he got stuck in the birth canal. As my first surgery (besides my tonsils 20 years prior) this thought scarred me but it was my first lesson in parenting, that things don't always go as planned. The first of many decisions that I thought I had the right to make that I found out may not be in my power to control. 

That said, our daughter is NOT breech! She is in the position necessary for a natural birth. I am hopeful this will be possible this time and I am wiser and more prepared for the possibilities.

We can't wait to meet you Ellie and we hope we will have a middle name picked out for you by the time you decide you are ready to meet us!

See the "Other"

Notes From the Pastor...

My favorite song lyrics come from Tim McGraw:

Just to see you smile

I’d do anything

That you wanted me to

And all is said and done

I’d never count the cost

It’s worth all that’s lost

Just to see you smile

The self-sacrifice of discipleship has everything to do with denying self, taking up the cross, and following Christ to crucifixion. In such life-giving behavior you and I no longer consider the wisdom of cost versus benefit analysis.

In my observation there are two times that we as human beings naturally counteract our propensity to measure cost versus benefit.  First, when we see disaster.  Henryville, Indiana and West Liberty, Kentucky are only our newest images of self-sacrifice.  People from surrounding communities loaded up some food and tools, jumped in their trucks and with no care for time and energy were there to aid whatever the need.   This phenomenon happens even when the disaster hits a place where our enemies reside.  The second
time we counteract our evolutionary decisionmaking process is when we operate in family relations.  Few of us would not, or have not, given all that we have to a brother, daughter, father, or cousin.  These two subversive motivations against our normal operating procedure have one thing in common; in both disaster and family we see the “other” as human.

The great act of crucifixion, divine emptying of self, taking on the form of humanity, and sacrificing self for the sake of humanity, came to pass because God is love.  There is no greater love than to sacrifice all for the sake of the “other”.  This is why all of us who call First Christian Church our home, no matter our age, wealth, or background, have a position to fill in the “family of faith.”  We must participate in the crucifixion, and in so doing we start to see humanity in one another and act with no care for self.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.      

- Jesus of Nazareth

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

Abandoning the Pursuit of Happiness

Notes from the Pastor...

I was told by a professor in undergrad there are two initiatives central to economics:
1) what will it cost me? and
2) how will it benefit me?
These two initiatives, questions really, articulate our human condition; so basic within humanity, they are the result of creation, the curse of Adam, the residual of evolution, or all three.  When I take up the discipline of self-examination, a practice encouraged through the 40 days of Lent, I find these two ideas central to most everything I do.  Moreover, unless we dilute ourselves into believing a distortion of reality, the same honest confession must be made by all.

Think about it.  How many life decisions have you made based on these two initiatives?  Your vocation…?  Where you live…?  What church you attend…?

As we walk into our congregational identity as  an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith, these two initiatives may find vocal resonance through the disruption of the status quo.  Some may find the cost to benefit ratio too high on the cost side.  Others may see our  family of faith as the benefit long desired.  Yet when you investigate the call of discipleship in Christ, you discover these initiatives are truly limp and powerless.

Considering the first initiative, “what will it cost me?”, you are confronted with the countless statements of Jesus saying, “Those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” We churched people run to the eternal when acknowledging the second initiative, “how will it benefit me?”, and rightfully so, for the implications are grave and the benefits, perhaps, celestial.  Nonetheless, what benefit do we find in denying self and taking up the cross in this life?

American society is founded on the economics of “what will it cost me?” and “how will it benefit me?”  We call it the pursuit of happiness.  But the church, the body of Christ, is the place we find relief from the pursuit of happiness.  When the church gathers for corporate worship we come from different generations, backgrounds, and affluences to repent and believe.  What we are turning away from pales in comparison to who we are turning toward, and the one we turn toward is Christ.  With no regard to cost, and no care for benefit, Christ loved creation to the extreme; in Jesus’ work of worship, not even the cross was too difficult to bear.  

So the question now becomes: what will it be for you and me?  What will it be for First Christian Church Ruidoso?  Will the limp and powerless initiatives distort our discipleship into something less than self-sacrifice?  Will the pursuit of happiness dilute our worship into something less than work?  Will we extend effort to the healing of hopelessness in our community or be content basking in the hopelessness healed within ourselves?  Are we going to be  an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith?


Grace,
Pastor Ryan

The Devil in Pew Number Seven

My little sister, Brittney, brought me a book the last time I saw her demanding I read it. She is quite an avid reader and there is no way I could ever keep up with her. However, I had to take her advice this time and I couldn't put this one down.

This is an unbelievable true story. All I can say is, "Wow". Thanks for the recommendation, Brit. I finished it today and I am still processing. Wow.

Zombies on Ash Wednesday

Notes from the Pastor...

At Lent our minds and spirits are better aligned to the tragedy of life and salvation that comes through the God who so loved the world that he could not stay away.  Through spiritual disciplines of confession,
prayer, and fasting we examine our existence to find something beyond ourselves; desiring the growth of faith within ourselves.  Wilfred Cantwell Smith defines faith as “an orientation of the personality, to oneself, to one’s neighbor, to the universe; a total response; a way of seeing whatever one sees and of handling whatever one handles; a capacity to live at more than a mundane level; to see, to feel, to act in terms of, a transcendent dimension.”  More simply, faith is pledging love and loyalty to God.  Therefore, if God so loved the world, then our love and loyalty, while aimed to God, is faithfully directed to the world, or at least the small portion of the world in which we inhabit.

Ever since George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead, zombies have a popular role in North American folklore.  A zombie is an animated corpse brought back to life through mystical means.  Irish theologian Peter Rollins defines a zombie as “a person devoid of anything but desire.”  It is something less than human, something that lives solely for the object of infatuation.  Without faith, we are zombies.  Without an orientation to something beyond ourselves we can only live for ourselves – devoid of anything but desire.

Yet God so loved the world that he could not stay away; taking on the form of true humanity, Jesus infected us zombies with humanity.  By means of Jesus, Godincarnate, we are no longer left to wonder through the tragedy of life, arms outstretched, desiring things, people, and ideas to fulfill our infatuated zombie hunger.  Now, through God’s love, our total response, our world-view, and our ability to see, feel, and act are set on faith – pledging our love and loyalty to God.

At Lent, we examine our lives, find the tragedy of our zombie-like existence, and confess that we can do nothing on our own to fix it.  At Lent, the humanity of Jesus’ fidelity infects us with human faith and the world we inhabit is changed.

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

Identity, Work, and Worship

A note from Pastor Ryan...

We are First Christian Church, an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith.

How do we live into our identity?

The full power of a congregation, who embodies a family of faith, is released when the whole church has ownership to include and embrace all ages, from 2 months to 82 years, into the full life of the congregation.  This is the work of worship.  This is proclaiming, as we did in our reading and singing last Sunday: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” (cf. Psalm 103); not: “Bless my soul, O Lord.”

The worship of Almighty God is one of the few, if not the only, foundation of our fellowship as Christians. Our worship events include song, prayer, The Lord ’s Supper, reading, and listening; all of Sunday morning is meant to draw us with the Spirit’s tether to one another and to God.  This is why First Christian Church will soon practice multigenerational worship.  Our music genre does not change; neither do our sacred texts, but everything we do must include and embrace all ages.  Distractions of any sort, whether they be coughing, cell phone ringing, children whispering, or babies crying, do not keep us from worship, as if external circumstances have that power.  If the followers of Jesus can worship in chains, in hiding, in sickness, in jungles (without air conditioning), in prison or in peril, First Christian Church Ruidoso can learn to worship with multiple generations.

Central to worship of Almighty God is active discipleship in the life, teachings, and passion of Jesus the Christ.  Static faith is akin to no faith at all.  Our spirits are forever inflaming in desire for what is hidden, by means of what is already grasped.  One sure way for the next generation to grow into devoted faith in Christ is by intentional practice and observation of discipleship in adults.  Worship cannot be taught, it must be caught.  Therefore, we all must engage in active discipleship; realizing that arrival will only happen when, in death, we come into Glory.  Discipleship is always self-sacrificing (cf. Luke 9:23) and multigenerational discipleship is no different.

Through the work of worship, the self-sacrifice of discipleship, and the healing of hopelessness, we participate in the Kingdom of God.  This is what First Christian Church does.  We are an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith.  This is who First Christian Church is.  For our congregation to live into our identity we need you to be part of the family!  We need your prayer, your passion, your devotion, your stewardship, and your leadership; simply, we need you!

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

Celebrating Identity

Notes from the Pastor...

Who is First Christian Church?  

Is our reputation and identity the same?  

When I talk with visitors and people in our community I attempt to succinctly provide our congregational identity.  The statement I have settled on is as follows:

We are First Christian Church, an open, inclusive, Christ-centered family of faith.

Even though this statement is well received; sadly it is often a surprise to people who know us only by our reputation.  We’ve been called “the country club church,” “Alto Christian Church,” and “the old people church.”  Such statements may, or may not, have been true in the past; however, they are not true today.  From my assessment, we are more than our reputation  – We are Frist Christian Church, an open, inclusive, 
Christ-centered family of faith.

It is that last clause in our identity that is the most often misunderstood by our neighbors: “family of faith.”  In congregational life, we seem to naturally inhabit “brothers and sisters in faith,” or “friends in faith” more than “FAMILY of faith.”  With very little exception most of our congregation is of a single generation; thus, we fall short of the desired “family of faith.”

In the coming weeks, we will be discussing what it means to be a “family of faith.” Seldom do I directly request your attendance, but over the next two weeks,  February 12th and 19th, I sincerely desire everyone who considers First Christian Church their spiritual home to please come, worship, and see what God is doing in this place. I especially invite all the parents of children attached to our congregation; when we talk about “family of faith,” we have you in mind.  Further, I draft you, our faithful members, to invite families who crave spiritual formation in their child’s life.  

It is time for our congregation to proclaim and live out our identity  – we need to celebrate who we are, and our neighbors desperately need us to be ourselves.  We are First Christian Church, an open, inclusive, and Christ-centered family of faith.  Through the work of worship, the sacrifice of discipleship, and the healing of hopelessness, we participate in the Kingdom of God!  

Grace, 
Pastor Ryan

What if...

Notes from the Pastor...

Throughout January I was involved in the online continuing education course “Disciples History and Polity” through Phillips Theological Seminary.  Through course readings, class assignments, and online discussions we investigated the context and formation of the Stone-Campbell movement along with its contemporary interpretation in worship practice and church governance by means of its three related traditions: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Independent Christian Churches, and Churches of Christ.   I found the following narrative compelling to our congregation.

When you read the writings of Barton Stone, Thomas and Alexander Campbell, and Walter Scott you find within each a deep understanding and application of Scripture.  Eugene Boring says, “From the beginning, Disciples tradition has been public and populist, encouraging the investigation of the Bible in the clear light of [contemporary ideas].”  Yet in a concise survey of Disciples congregations today one finds a great lack of Biblical literacy.  Assumptions on why Biblical literacy has declined include: aversion to fundamentalism and televangelism, proliferation of affordable books of other genres, and the growth in easily accessible visual stimulating entertainment.  Consequently, while we have never thought of the Bible as only a book for private devotion, we have become individuals and congregations lost to the ebb and flow of culture with no “rule of
faith” to rudder our journey in community life.

It leads me to envision what First Christian Church Ruidoso will be like when we adopt a desire to know Scripture.  How will our individual lives be changed when we read the Gospels at the family table?  I wonder how appealing our congregation will become when we celebrate our existence as a safe place where diverse views can be discussed openly.  What will it look like when we become a church that is a sign and anticipation of what God intends for all creation?  Not simply a campaign for peace and justice, but a demonstration of shalom in the way our members live with one another, encouraging spiritual development, and providing credible and compelling affirmation and care to one another.  I am reminded of John Wesley’s prayer:
“What we need is a desire to know the whole will of God, with a fixed resolution to do it.”                      

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

What we most need is prayer!

Notes from the Pastor...

The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) begins with an affirmation of faith of the church throughout all ages; afterwards, we find these words:

Within the whole family of God on earth, the church appears wherever believers in Jesus Christ are gathered in his name.  Transcending all barriers within the human family such as race and culture … All dominion in the church belongs to Jesus Christ, its Lord and head, and any exercise of authority in the church on earth stands under his judgment.

These words are a powerful force in the narrative of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) tradition.  Through these words we promote a bold humility toward our beliefs and practice; knowing that the Church of Jesus Christ is found in varied structures, sizes, cultures, and disciplines.  Yet, like the disciples of old, we often dispute over “who is the greatest.” (Mark 9:34)  Jesus’ reaction to self-promotion is quite clear: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)  It is difficult to look on someone whose values and beliefs about Jesus differ and say, “You are my brother; you are my sister in
Christ.”

In fact, it is so difficult that throughout history we have resorted to violence rather than mutual respect.  The segregated hour of Sunday between 10:00 and 11:00 am is not only limited to racial divisions. Likewise, we are segregated by generations, socioeconomics, and ideas.  In the midst of our divisive practice of denominational Christianity we are reminded that we are called to a bold humility; to be “servants of all”.
For you and I to be promoters and practitioners of Christian unity, what you and I need most is prayer!

Therefore, this Wednesday, please join with Christians around the world, who in different languages and traditions will pray for Christian Unity.  By way of joint venture, the World Council of Church and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in the Catholic Church have selected 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 to guide our collective prayers.  Please join in!
Find out more at: www.oikoumene.org under: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

If this is true...

Notes from the Pastor...

It is fascinating that you can look at the life of Moses and say that the burning bush story is not all that strange.  In case you haven’t read Old Testament narrative lately, I think those who follow Harry Potter or the Twilight series would find Exodus and Numbers equally entertaining.  There are supernatural plagues, the peaceful passing of a waterway with the pursuing army drowned, the healing of those who look on a serpent lifted on a stick, and miraculous feeding of a nation on food that appears from the sky.  Like I said, it is fascinating that Moses’ burning bush story is not all that strange.  In fact, if all things are relative, then Moses at the burning bush could be compared to you in your home in an intense moment of prayer.

Maybe if we humanized Moses, saw him as our mirrored image, then we would find immense value in the stories of Exodus and Numbers.  The burning bush then would become a potential narrative in any of our lives…
A discrete sheep rancher finds in nature a beautiful happening.  She notices something that others may simply pass by, and she walks toward it only to sense its inherent holiness.  In a moment of mental clarity, she removes her boots and kneels, and without expectation the beautiful happening momentarily reveals God.

Yes, that moment is possible.  Yes, that happening takes place in peoples lives; regardless of profession – somehow, someway the holy intersects the human.  Church Father Gregory of Nyssa, when commenting on Moses at the burning bush, tells his listeners that Moses’ posture, along with Divine revelation, are possible if “we are established in this peaceable, non-combative condition; [then] the truth will shine upon us, bringing light to the eyes of the soul with its own rays.”

If this is true, and I think it is, then what will be the result?  Will you, like Moses, arise from the momentary intersection of the human and the holy, and go out to your family, to your neighbors, to your community and participate in changing the world?

Grace,
Pastor Ryan

A wise one once said...

Notes from the Pastor...

On Sunday, January 1, 2012, I ended my sermon with a New Year’s hope for our congregation.  Emily Dickenson said, “Hope is a thing with feathers.”  Sometimes when we stand back and look at the state of the economy, of politics, of world affairs and the lack of humanitarian resources, it is easy to let go of hope; to avail ourselves to saturating despair.  Then again, when we engage with others, looking our neighbors in the eyes and listening to their story with our hearts, it becomes easy to hold to smaller  -- individual 
hopes of reconciliation, redemption, and relief.  

Twentieth century American poet Harry Kemp says, “The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream.”  As I look into 2012, I find myself dreaming, but unlike childhood fantasies, my dreams are small and relationship oriented; they have feathers.  After all, someone much wiser than I once said, “We can do no big things, only small things that make a big difference in someone’s life.”  How will you make a difference in the life of your neighbor in 2012?  In 2012 how will you be Christ to your son, your daughter, your sister, your brother?  How will you engage in intentional, life-changing relationships in 2012?

My New Year’s hope for you comes from Luke 2:22-35 and it is that:

You would come to realize the true and ever-challenging identity of Jesus.  That your narrative would be formed by the heritage of the One who brings salvation to all peoples, the One who is the light of revelation, and the One who is the glory to his people; simply said:

In 2012 may a Sword pierce your soul too.


Grace,
Pastor Ryan