narciejeter

Jesus to a 4 year old

Posted on June 21, 2011 by narciejeter

Okay, so I’m terrible at telling my kids about Jesus. Yes, this is confession time.

Yes we have books about Jesus. We have bought tons of books from the Christian bookstore. We’ve tried to get the kids to watch Veggie Tales and I’m thankful that 3-2-1 Penguins usually throws in some Bible verses and prayer. We say our prayers before the kids go to sleep. Slight caveat – when we’re not completely exhausted and just trying to survive and get them to actually go to sleep. We do say prayers when we sit down to eat although not so good if we’re in the car eating a happy meal. You get the drift.

It’s weird that something that is a big portion of my life and significant portion of Mike’s and the rest of the families – is not something that I know how to communicate to two little people. I’m starting to think that the kids during children’s sermons are humoring me and actually have no idea what I’m talking about half the time, or like I think – they’re just super smart.

So I’ve been trying to do better. I’ve been asking Enoch about Jesus or what he knows about Jesus. He immediately said Father Voss talks about Jesus. Thank you again Episcopal Day School for coming through for me! Enoch is now wanting us to tell him stories when he goes to bed. And of course, he wants super heroes and Iron Man.

So last night I’m telling him about super heroes like Iron Man and Spider Man and Batman and the greatest, most powerful super hero of all – Jesus. Could be kind of lame, I know. And then he interrupts my story because he wants to know about the bad guys. He is always curious about the bad guys. Where do the bad guys live? What do they do? He even asked about their mommies and daddies. So then I start telling him about the bad guys and I’m going down this path like not all bad guys are really bad. Some of them want to be good, but they’re misunderstood. You know – misunderstood – is not something I think Enoch gets. So hear I am, this preacher who was an English major and I am struggling and I do mean struggling to tell this Super Hero Jesus story and give some exposition about the bad guys and use words that he would understand in his tired, just turned four year old state, and wowzers. That is hard.

I came downstairs after Enoch fell asleep listening to my story. (Of course my awesome story was not related to him falling asleep, that was just a coincidence.) And I’m talking to Mike about telling Enoch about Jesus and I’m like, if only there was a cool cartoon. An awesome very kid-friendly cartoon with Super Jesus. But then I thought, well that would be potentially very cool but also could be very weird and not well done. Although the healings and the teachings and the letting the children come to him would work well, I don’t know how the crucifixion would play. And what would Jesus look like? Our blond haired blue eyed Jesus or the for real Middle Eastern Jesus?

My mom has been looking a lot at children’s Bibles and Bible story books about Jesus’ life and she says it’s hard to find them now showing a picture of the cross. Most seem to go straight from healing and teaching to Easter without any in between. She was saying that it’s hard to tell the story in a way that makes sense when you start with a baby and end at Easter with nothing in between. A baby that’s born in a stable and then grows up and comes back to life. There’s so much more to it. The teaching – the love, the sharing, the care for those that are sick, or as I was saying last night the one who is kind to people that aren’t feeling well, who are sad, who are scared, who need a hug.

Part of me thinks – no worries – when he gets bigger we’ll take him on mission trips, we’ll show him the joy of giving his clothes and toys away to people who need them, we’ll teach him how to share and be kind and honest with people. It will be a lot easier to explain this stuff to him then. But there is a foundation being built now in the world view of a child that separates the world into super heroes and bad guys. We haven’t even gotten into the bad guy turned super hero or super hero turned bad guy. It’s just funny to think about and ponder. With as much Christian marketing and advertising and everything under the sun Jesus-related from mints to bracelets to shoelaces to action figures, you would think that it would be easier to explain something so all over the place.

And it is. But it’s not. How would you describe Jesus to a 4 year old or a 2 year old? What do these stories that are our stories, our sacred texts – what do they say about God and Jesus and the Spirit and the world and us? What do they say about how we treat one another or who we can go to when we’re scared or hungry or hurt? How do we teach this? Or sometimes even more importantly – how do we model this? (I for real need to not watch South Carolina baseball around the children because I’m not such a good model during any Gamecock game.)

So, I’ll be continuing to figure out how to tell a child about Jesus. I know some of you have that down pat and if any of you are in the Rock Hill area and want to take Enoch and Evy to lunch or to the park to tell them, let me know. I trust that we’ll figure it out. I trust that they’ll one day get it. And I trust that in my trying to ineptly explain this to them, I’ll learn a heck of a lot too.

In thinking about how I learned about Jesus – I think about VBS and Sunday School and singing in children’s choirs. One of the songs that I clearly remember is this one. It is so in my head now. AAAHHH!!!!

Faith, Family, God, God's Providence, Mommy, Parenting

Listening and Following Directions

Posted on June 21, 2011June 21, 2011 by narciejeter

Yesterday Enoch got in trouble at school. When you have a child as boisterous as ours you’re not entirely surprised by this, but you may think to yourself, okay – we’re due for one of those. However, it’s never fun as a parent to hear that your kid got in trouble. Everywhere we go and Enoch sees someone from his class, he’s not always great about remembering and saying everyone’s names, but they all seem to know his name. I’d like to think it’s because he’s wonderful, but wonder if it’s because they hear his name called a lot. Hopefully a little of both. Anyway, Enoch got in trouble because he wasn’t listening and following directions.

I am always eternally grateful for the Episcopal Day School here in Rock Hill and all of the many ways they have worked with our kids and support them. I can’t say enough what a great job they all do there! I also cannot say enough how much I appreciate that Mike works while the kids are in pre-school and than has the opportunity to be with them in the afternoons. I know that everyone doesn’t have these choices and opportunities and they are a gift.

Mondays are Mommy Day when the kids get home from school because Mike teaches piano and guitar lessons and then has practice with the worship team at St. John’s. As much as I don’t always like to drag myself away from work and trying to make a dent in the to do list, I really enjoy Mondays and look forward to being able to tell the kids, you’ll get to see and spend time with Mommy this afternoon and evening.

We usually have a great time. And we did at times yesterday. But there were also a lot of times I wanted to scream and say I’ve had it. That whole listening and following directions thing – yep, it’s for real. In putting in time out after time out whether at home, in the car, or at the park, we talked over and over about listening and following directions. Over and over after he stayed in time out, he would agree to start listening and following directions, and over and over when he didn’t want to listen and follow directions, he wouldn’t. Oh the cycle of parenting.

It got me thinking a lot though. We keep talking about listening and following directions together. It’s one thing to not listen and it’s another thing to not follow directions but it’s also a bit of both. We all know about selective hearing. I know that if I reach a certain decibal or tone than maybe he’ll turn around and stop, but before I get there he may not be paying a hill of beans of attention to me. Oh to have the child that immediately stops and listens and follows directions. My mom has frequently classified Enoch as the strong-willed child, and I promise his picture should be in the books describing it. But again, as I’m thinking this yesterday and typing it today – I can’t say that it’s not something the rest of us don’t do at times.

We selectively listen for the things that we want to or don’t want to follow. We don’t have the discipline to always listen to those that might know more than us or to the Creator who actually for real knows better than us. Were you the child that immediately stopped and listened and followed directions or were you the child that questioned authority and wondered if it really was as threatening as they said it or if this was really serious or not?

Listening and following directions for a child is a great deal about safety and what’s best for you and trusting that your parents are telling you what’s best for you. But isn’t it the same way with us and God? Do we listen and follow directions? Do we read the scriptures or dig down in our faith and engage with texts on justice and mercy and kindness and love? Do we follow the directions of love God and love neighbor or do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God? Are we really hearing it or are we hearing it when we want to and it fits and it still allows us to do what we want to do?

Move over, Enoch. There may be some more strong-willed children out there. Heck, I think the Bible and our pews and our grocery stores and all around us – we may be chock full of them.

As we try to teach Enoch about listening and following directions, there’s a lot of time outs and boundaries and loss of privileges. How does God get our attention about listening and following directions? Does God use our full name at the top of God’s voice? Does God shoot a message across the sky saying hello – take the call dude? Are we plowing so full steam ahead in whatever we think we’re supposed to be pursuing that it’s going to take something radical to derail us and make us re-evaluate? I don’t know. When I think of a loving Parent, I don’t think of someone that just lets us get our way all the time or do what we want to if it’s harmful to us. I think of One who is patient and fair and consistent. I think of one who corrects and is present and who is there to make sure the consequences are real but who is ready for a hug and to wipe away a tear and offer words of encouragement and a new opportunity.

How do you do at listening and following directions? How has God our parent shaped and molded us?

calling, Community, Epiphany, Faith, Grace, Journey, Story, Vocation

What’s Your Story?

Posted on June 20, 2011 by narciejeter

I have no idea who said this but I know I didn’t make it up myself. Someone told me once that we all have a sermon and each Sunday we just preach it a lot of different ways. I’ve thought about this for awhile, and I have found this idea intriguing. In discussion with Josh back and forth over sermons or with Mike back and forth over music, there’s a part of me that does believe that each of us is given this essence, this thing within us that’s just trying to get out and that’s our story. It’s our thing to share with the world. All of us are different. And that’s what makes it beautiful. We’re not competing over who has the best one or who has the loudest or most compelling, but we each have one to share. Each of us.

I think for me it’s this incarnational theology thing. I don’t even want to know how many sermons I talk about Emmanuel – God with us, that the Great God of the universe decided to come and be one of us, that God is with us in the midst. I know I must say in the midst all the time. I don’t know why this gels with me so much, but even if I’m not preaching about it – let’s say I’m talking about human trafficking or Ruth or the early church in Acts – whatever it is, somehow I end up back with this same uncontrollable and thirsty desire to talk to people about this Savior that wants to know them. Not in an arrogant, aren’t we humans so cool, kind of way, but in a I want to know you and I created you and I have this awesome and amazing journey for you to go on. Not saying that those are always easy stories – because there’s a lot of hurt and evil and junk out there, but a God that goes with us and that gets down in the mud and muck with us – that’s a God I can follow.

I could go down a list of what I think people’s sermons/songs/stories are. Is that weird? But can you think about it? The people around you – what is their thing? What is their essence? What is that thing that they point to?

Let me put in a musical perspective. I am not a musician. I am married to one and I love him and he says I don’t count anymore as a non-musician because I’ve heard him talk so much about it. Maybe that’s true. But I love music. Y’all know I love music. My mind thinks in songs which is why I should give money to youtube because I use their videos so much. So back to music – I digress – there’s this guy Stephen Oremus – arranger, orchestrator, musical director. Randomly in July 2005 Mike and I won tickets to Wicked, the musical on Broadway. (I know, I know, I can’t shut up about Broadway, but I like it. I really, really like it.) There’s was a guy conducting or whatever you would call that and he had the best time. He was laughing and smiling and enjoying it in an amazing way. Then here we are this past May and we won tickets to the Book of Mormon Musical and here’s this conductor smiling and so enthusiastic and really loving it and lo and behold – same guy. Stephen Oremus.

Now the guy doesn’t even have a wikipedia page, and I’m tempted to write it myself because I really enjoy what he does. He arranged the music for Avenue Q and Wicked and 9 to 5 and High Fidelity and All Shook Up and the Book of Mormon and as someone who at least loves and owns the soundtrack to three of those, I can hear similarities and musical themes that are common throughout and it’s so cool. It’s just good music and arrangement. As Mike and I were talking about this he talks about how sometimes musicians don’t want to have those themes throughout – you know just like in Project Runway when the girl had all the clothes with petals – you don’t want to be stuck on the one note. But then he changed his mind and said, maybe that’s this guy’s thing. Maybe that’s his gift, his essence – his thing to give.

I don’t know. Call me crazy. But I feel like all of us have that “thing” within us that’s waiting to burst out. That gift whether it be the timid girl who then starts belting out the notes in Sister Act or even the first time Billy Graham stepped behind a pulpit or the first time you do that thing that just makes you feel beyond any word like happy, but alive or content or at purpose.

What’s that thing you want to share with the whole world? What is it that you think they just have to know? How do you share it in your own unique, God-given way?

I get the fear and the doubt and the times you may not feel it and the times when you’re frustrated or annoyed or just plain old pooped. But what’s the story of your life?

Is my story – tired, frantic mother? Is my story – I’ll be glad to talk to you when I’m fully rested and in a good mood and with the right amount of caffeine? Is my story…

If you could tell someone in three sentences or less your greatest purpose or piece of advice or rule to live by or other cliched phrase. If you could share the very essence of who God created you to be with someone, what would that look like? Words? A picture? A song? A hug? A sweater?

Think about it. What’s your thing to share? Your gift to give? What’s your story? And how is it part of the greater story around us? How are we sharing it with the world?

I love this song. I actually love Michael W. Smith’s entire Trilogy on the I’ll Lead You Home album. I know, I know – old school Christian music. Don’t ask me how something titled Angels Unaware fits with this, but somehow I think we live our stories. We live who we are in the good, the bad, and the ugly. On the great days and on the dark days. Whether there are angels unaware or whether we’re right there in the presence of God – we’ve been created and life breathed into us and a story placed in our hearts and on our lives. We don’t always have to have it figured out or feel like we’re good enough, but God is faithful to us and we can trust God’s grace and mercy and never-ending love is available to each of us.

I honestly think of this song every time I say, what’s your story? Matthew West says it well in the Next Thing You Know.

So what’s your story about God’s glory? How are you letting your life speak to the world?

calling, Faith, Fear, God, Guidance, Jesus, Mission, pride, Sermons

Great Commission not just for Superheroes…

Posted on June 20, 2011 by narciejeter

Yesterday morning’s lectionary text, Matthew 28:16-20 was one of the most well-known scripture passages around. It’s commonly known as The Great Commission. In verse 18 it says, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

There’s a lot summed up right there. Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t have Jesus ascending into heaven or promising that the Holy Spirit is coming to help them. Matthew has the disciples showing up to a mountain where Jesus told them to go and both the ones who began to worship Jesus and the ones who doubted all being commissioned to go ye and tell the world. He didn’t just commission the Super Christians that had done everything right (do those even exist anyway?). Jesus commissioned these eleven – a motley crew – to go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Trinity, and teaching them to obey the commands of Christ. Surely some of these were gung ho and ready to go. Surely some of them were a little scared and wondering what was going to happen next. Surely at least one of them thought – wow, that was a cool three years, is this about the time I go back to my day job?

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to participate in my brother Josh’s ordination service. During the ordination service at a certain point you go up to the altar and there the Bishop, your District Superintendent and two people who have touched your life in some way or who have helped you on your journey to ministry, all lay hands upon you. I was honored to lay some hands on the little bro. Listening to the words the Bishop said to him reminded me of my own ordination. One of the parts that stands out is where the Bishop says something about authority. I actually carry the cards she read from in my Bible as a reminder of what I was ordained to. Here’s what they say:

Narcie McClendon Jeter, take authority as an Elder to preach the Word of God, and to administer the Holy Sacraments, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

There’s more to the whole service course, but there’s something important about that authority part. Not that we want the ordinands walking around with big heads and saying what’s up, look at me, I’ve got it all figured out now and I’m taking my authority and running with it. Not even. But there’s something about this ordination, the laying on of hands and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that lets you know for sure and for certain, that it’s not about you. It’s about this larger story that you’re apart of. It’s about all of the years that you’ve worked, all the hoops, all the times of doubt and struggle, but even more than that it’s about this Greatest Story Ever Told that we’re apart of.

Enoch has now turned 4 and he’s close to 4 feet and the size of one much older than him. If you try to put the straw into the CapriSun for him, walk across the street holding hands, put him in his booster seat, you’ll hear him say these now familiar words. “By myself, Mommy. I do by myself.” There’s something inherent in us that wants to do things by ourselves, by our own might, our own smarts, our own strength, our own glory. Yes there’s the natural claiming of one’s identity and independence, but there’s also something in us that wants to do it by ourselves and not ask for or need someone else’s help. I hear the “I do by myself, Mommy” so loudly and clearly and confidently.

Jesus with all the authority of heaven has commissioned us (sent us out with blessing) to preach the Good News but we don’t have to do it by ourselves. There’s a tension there. It’s not all on whether we do everything right, have the most energy or enthusiasm or have all the right words to say. A little secret – we don’t suddenly get ordained and have everything figured out with the perfect eulogy, all knowledge of scripture and the ability to pray beautifully on command. So it’s not all about us or our merits, but we do have to DO something. It’s not about earning anything, but it is a command to GO and make disciples and baptize and teach and remember. Those are action words. It’s not based on our power, but God’s power.

Enoch is loving superheroes right now. Somehow he heard about Iron Man and Spider Man and Batman and he loves them. He wants to pretend to be them, he plays with the action figures, the whole thing. We can’t let him watch a lot of the cartoons because they’re scary and violent but he still loves the whole idea of these heroes. We were talking to him about Sunday school last week in the car on the way to church yesterday and he was talking to my mom about Jesus healing the paralytic man and how the man got up off his mat and walked. Enoch started asking a lot of why and how questions. Why did Jesus heal him? Why did he need healing? How did Jesus heal him? It finally ended with – because Jesus is powerful. Jesus is powerful.

Jesus is powerful. More powerful than any superhero – Iron Man, Green Lantern, Black Widow, any of them. It’s not about our power in this Great Commission, it’s about God’s power. It’s about being willing to go forth and tell all nations. Not just the people in our church already. Not just the people in the USA. Not just the people that look like, act like or believe like us. Or the reverse of that – it’s not just about going to some far off place like Fiji, India or Zimbabwe to tell people about Christ. We have to look around right here, in our time and place and live not just by our lives and actions but also by our words, the Great Commission.

What does this commission of God mean to us? What does it mean that Jesus called these folks, not great scholars or awesome speakers, not just ones full of faith, but also those with their doubts? Who are the “all nations” or all people that we are called to reach out to? How does our life, our home, our family, our community, our church show by our words and actions that we are taking this Great Commission seriously?

Those are questions to think about, pray over and wrestle with. It seems like a tall order at times. Especially verse 20 – “and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” That’s a lot of stuff to teach. It seems pretty big. But we can’t forget the promise, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We are not alone in this journey. We are not alone in this task. We are not alone in this great story. We just have to be willing to be an active part of this tapestry of movement within our world. We have to trust that even when things look darkest and at their most doubtful that God is with us and we have been given the blessing and the commissioning to go and tell the world about this great God we serve.

What does the Great Commission mean to you?

What are those little nudgings from God about ways to serve or ideas that may seem impossible or people that you just can’t stop thinking about, praying for, and wondering about, or the things you keep wanting to do but putting off? Often God calls us toward something, long before we answer. What is God laying upon your heart? What is holding you back? Who are the bad guys/girls that your superhero is facing? What fears and concerns can possibly stand up to the power and majesty of Christ?

May we not push aside or compartmentalize, may we not put off until another day. May we embrace and wrestle and intentionally wonder and vision and ask God to lead us and guide us as we depend on God’s power and might to carry us forward.

Worship

What We Believe

Posted on June 14, 2011 by narciejeter

Some folks have asked about the “What We Believe” that we say every week in The Journey worship service. It’s posted below. Share or use as you will.

We believe in God, our Creator and Loving Parent, who shapes and molds us calling us forth to new life and new beginnings. We believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who walks with us through life’s journeys showing us the way, the truth and the life. We believe in the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Comforter, who blows peace, strength, and perseverance over our lives. We believe that our faith is not merely a set of words or hollow sayings, but that it is life-giving and life-changing bringing God’s kingdom to earth. Amen.

Broadway, calling, Community, Contagious, Elections, Faith, General Conference, Methodism, Ministry, new, pride, United Methodist Church

But Mostly Me…

Posted on June 14, 2011June 14, 2011 by narciejeter

Y’all know I’m a lover of Broadway and with all of the Tony’s it received Sunday night – I’m not the only one who thinks The Book of Mormon is one of the funniest and heart-felt musicals to hit Broadway in a while.

The story follows Elder Price and Elder Cunningham as they are sent to Uganda, Africa. Elder Price really had his heart set on Orlando, but they’re sent to Uganda. All sorts of hilarity as well as the tension of real issues of faith, theodicy and how to deal with the crud of life ensues.

One of the songs at the beginning of the musical that highlights Elder Price’s being the shining star of all things and his belief that he’s going to rock anything he does is called “You and Me (But Mostly Me).” I think it says a ton about how we see ourselves in ministry sometimes. Rev. Bob Howell during his leadership seminar during Annual Conference talked about the Lone Ranger who have heard about a ton in the old model of ministry. In the midst of an election year, there’s always a bit of the sense of self-promotion or arrogance or those type words that get thrown around. Thoughts like – but I’m smarter than the person or have put more years of service in or have a harder appointment or would study harder or would be more balanced or am wiser than so and so. There’s a sense of competition or a if this person gets this, what does that say about me kind of thing that takes place sometimes. I don’t entirely know how we combat that, but I feel like a lot of it is setting a tone that we are all in this together and that it’s for the good of the church.

Who wouldn’t want to be the one to do this big thing??? That’s sort of what the song is saying. But you know – how much more powerful and contagious is an entire movement??? I don’t see the GC and JC folks we elected as having these shiny halos or spotlights on them like movie stars, but as servants of the church that stepped up and who are making decisions in the church with all of us. The thing about the present and future of our church whether you’re a death tsunami-er or a let’s die to live person or a let’s just get the Spirit of God moving and continue growing into what it means to be Church-er, we all want the same thing. Or at least I hope we are. I don’t care if one person or a body of people or what I’d like – a movement of people – begin this renewal, reformation, outpouring of the Spirit, commitment to prayer, spiritual practices and the scripture – putting it all into action. We just need to do it. To live it. To breathe it. To commit to it. To prayerfully and intentionally go forward.

We are all in this together. Whether fresh out of seminary, whether just commissioned or ordained, whether second career, whether retired, whether right in the middle of our pastoral ministry, whether young or old or not wanting to be classified as either, whether man or woman, no matter where we are on our journey or what we may look like.

How do we feel when the person beside us is lifted up? What are our motivations? What role or part can we play in our particular time and place? What does renewal in The United Methodist Church look like? Not just what’s a vital congregation or Call to Action, but what does renewal and revival look like where you are? What are the gifts and graces given to each of us? How can those be used? Instead of just hearing and absorbing what we hear and learn and are inspired by, what are our next steps?

For some of us, we hear these inspiring things at conferences or on podcasts or in articles and we’re so tired and worn out and blah from the day to day or the uphill battles, that it’s hard to go forward. See, the thing about being lone rangers and thinking it’s all about us, is that we forget that we’re all in this together. Not just a cliche or a good thing to throw out there in theory or during a presentation, but seriously. Is there someone that you can be for real with and can bust open the good, the bad, and the ugly, and you know it will be okay? Who do we depend on to be our church?

This is not just a “but mostly me” but something that if we are to survive, if we are to be a stronger, healthier, more grounded body – we’ve got to be supporters, advocates, confidants, friends to each other.

This isn’t just the church or ministry folk, but all of us. It’s not about this congregation or that. It’s not just about shuffling our membership to churches as we like the pastor or not or the youth program or not or that they talk too much about money or focus too much on social justice. It’s about what’s essential and what the mission of the Church is. How do WE make disciples? How are WE in ministry WITH the community? How are WE growing and learning and changing and praying and leading and growing?

It’s a heck of a lot more exciting and a lot less pressure when it’s not just all about me, but about all of us. Let’s celebrate that.

How and why do we make it all about us??? What are some assumptions and world views that might change if it’s not so me-centric? What does the Bible say about all this me stuff??? How is evangelism a whole new ball game when it’s just about you, but it’s about the world?

Death, Faith, Fear, God's Providence, Grace, Healing, Hope, Jesus, Methodism, Music, Spirit, Trust, Tumor, United Methodist Church

Tears

Posted on June 14, 2011June 14, 2011 by narciejeter

Annual Conference this year was both a whirlwind and a marathon. Busy-ness or business was everywhere and it was both challenging and inspiring, a call to action and a test of will as we waited/persevered to the end.

I’m starting to think I’ve become more and more emotional as I grow older. There were several times over this past week when I felt tears come to my eyes. Some of those times were times of happiness and thanksgiving – feeling the Spirit move as Telley preached at Annual Conference, Josh’s ordination, the prayerful and powerful way our South Carolina delegation laid hands on Dad and prayed over him after unanimously deciding he would be our episcopal nominee. There were so many great moments from the teaching to the preaching to the videos shared like this:

It was also a great time to camp out for Imagine No Malaria and to train some amazing Students In Mission (SIM) to commit their summers to being in mission = ministry with. Much to be joyful about!

Sometimes the tears were both thankful and a little bit of just overwhelming gratitude. It was surreal being back at Annual Conference this year. Last year, I came in for two days right before the brain surgery and although some probably thought I was insane for coming, for me, it was my church. The conference – both lay and clergy – are our people and that’s where we as a body share our joys and concerns. I didn’t realize going into this how much being back at conference would bring up for me in terms of last year’s struggle.

We sang the song, “In Christ Alone” during the opening worship and those words and all of us a large body singing together was such a powerful witness and testimony to the love and providence of God. (A video and lyrics are below.) I’m glad we also sang this song during the ordination. What a powerful song for our commissioned members and ordinands.

My mom’s birthday is June 11th and the brain surgery (left frontal craniotomy) was on her birthday last year. There’s a part of me that would love to forget that date and not have any mark or reminder of it. There’s another part of me that knows that it was everyone’s prayers and the grace of God that brought me through and it should be celebrated. Don’t know which one is winning yet. The jury is still out. I get teary just typing about it. Does that mean I haven’t fully dealt with it yet? Could be. Too soon? Maybe, but not entirely. Does that mean that was a mucho grande big deal and it’s still crazy to me that all of that happened a year ago and wasn’t just a bad dream? Yes. It’s hard to believe that that was me and if I didn’t have my lovely scar that I worry about getting sunburned, I might forget.

It’s hard to process things. There’s a certain grief and emotion that swells up when you least expect it sometimes. And it happens to all of us. I was sitting in the Memorial Service for ministers that have gone to be with God over the past year on Mom’s birthday on the anniversary of my brain surgery and I just couldn’t do it. I got through the sermon but the slide show of the pictures just did me in. It’s always been a powerful service to me since in my mind the South Carolina Annual Conference is my home/my church and I know that one day there will be a service for each of us. And there goes a Sandi Patti song and slides of the pastor that helped during my Gandaddy’s funeral and I have to head on out. Even in the midst of the thanksgiving for life, even in the midst of the joy of the swelling of the Spirit, even in the midst of realizing that nothing can pluck any of us from God’s hand – there’s still both the realization that something really scary and really serious happened and a something that’s even beyond the word thanksgiving that describes that depth of feeling behind all that could have been and is now.

As I think about those that have faced such devastation in the storms and floods this year, those that have lost loved ones, those that are facing moves and transitions, those that are searching for hope and a rock to lean on when it feels like the walls are closing in around you – I know that the great Comforter is at work in our world and is blowing, inspiring and surrounding us every step of the way. I am grateful that it is in Christ alone our hope is found and that we will never be turned away from it. It’s available to each of us.

What are you grieving today? What are your struggles? When’s the last time you felt that ground swell of emotion? How do we see the Spirit at work in our world? What are the fears and frustrations that we’ve held on to and not given over to God? What are those buttons of grief that can be turned in to sources of joy in our lives?

We are given songs or videos or movies or sermons or scriptures or friends or emails or a beautiful tree or the melody of the ocean or the stillness and quiet to claim as our promise from God. It’s there waiting for us. May we open ourselves to the Word God would speak to us this day. May we claim it and know it and feel it to the depths of our souls. May we know and trust.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin?s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

I will stand, I will stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground, all other ground
Is sinking sand, is sinking sand
So I stand

Campus Ministry, Contagious, Laughter, Life, Movies

Bahahahahaha…

Posted on June 2, 2011 by narciejeter

Is laughter the best medicine? I’m not talking about giggles or polite laughter at a joke or a reference that’s not really funny but you’re supposed to insert said appropriate laughter here. I’m talking for real, serious, tears streaming down the face laughter.

Earlier this semester the lovely Nick Jeffries from Camp Chestnut Ridge came and did some great team building stuff with our campus ministry. We did a mirroring exercise where we all stood in a circle and we’re supposed to be copying another person in the circle, so let’s say I was supposed to be copying Jane, Jane is copying Chris, Chris is copying Malcolm, Malcolm is copying Lisa and Lisa is copying me. It only takes one person to start copying a random thing and people are cracking up. Or at least people like me are cracking up. There’s something that is absolutely contagious about laughter and being silly that if we let our guards down even in the most stressful of times in the semester, we will readily and eagerly “go there” and crack up for awhile.

Tonight Mike and I went to see the movie Bridesmaids (yes, insert all sorts of cautions, parental controls, and other red flags here). I saw it a conference a week or so ago and laughed so hard I cried, multiple times. In telling Mike about the movie, I couldn’t figure out if the movie was really funny or if merely watching it with a theater full of laughing people and joining in laughing at the movie but also laughing at their reactions and raucous laughter was the thing that made it so hilarious. After now seeing the movie twice (judge away, judge away), I definitely think it’s both. This isn’t just some gross out, perverted, lame-o, insert fomulaic jokes here kind of movie. Yes, there are some pretty “wild” (what word can you really put there?) scenes, but there’s also a good story as well. A realistic story even. Or at least more realistic than a lot of the crazy stuff out there. The movie has heart.

But just as much as the movie has a hilarious and edgy heart, it’s also a beautiful thing to just be sitting in a theater with a room full of laughing people. And this isn’t just normal self-conscious laughter, this is I don’t care who’s around I am laughing outloud and for real. So much laughter. There was one guy that was laughing so hard and loud that several of us just died laughing listening to him. Seriously, several of us began to laugh so hard we were crying just because it was like this domino affect just listening and joining in on laughter.

There is something special about laughter. Smiles. Seeing them. Hearing it. Sharing it. It can lighten a moment even in the most darkest and trying of times. It can bring people together that don’t even have words to speak to one another. It can break the ice on an awkward date. It can be that camraderie in a scary situation, a nervous interview, or that spontaneous a ha moment when it all comes together. It can even be the laughter that springs forth out of you randomly when someone is calling you on your stuff or providing a truthful but real revelation on what’s up in your life.

Beyond just turning that frown upside down, laughter is a uniter. Not laughter or happiness at the misfortune of others – well maybe some of that in movies and America’s Funniest Home Videos. What’s special is that contagious, joyous, surprise of laughter.

There are a multitude of youtube videos on laughter – from laughter yoga with the lovely with the hilarious John Cleese to all sorts of songs and chains and challenges. Check them out. Do what it takes to laugh. Everybody needs those moments of abs hurting laughter in the midst of our sometimes crazy world. If Bridesmaids is not your thing try some knock knock jokes or going to a comedy club or even laughing at the hilarity that can sometimes be our lives. Laugh long and laugh loud and don’t care a bit about who’s watching or listening. (Even if that means snorting or guffawing in the most endearing of manners.)

I like that in the movie, Megan tells Annie that she’s got to grab on to her life. Instead of just letting it knock her down, she’s got to have some fight left in her to claim it as her own. I know, I know. I shouldn’t try to wax eloquent about the movie at this point. However, if you have seen the movie, hopefully this song will make you laugh. If you haven’t seen it. Very cheesily, hold on to one more day. Laugh. Outloud. Break free from whatever chains. Know that there is someOne who can break the chains and wants to laugh with us every day, even in the midst of the muck and the mire.

calling, Campus Ministry, Fear, Grace, Ministry

What do people see?

Posted on June 1, 2011June 1, 2011 by narciejeter

Do you ever wonder what people think when they see you? I’m not completely just talking about visual judgments here, but the whole shebang. It’s just funny to me to think about how we are each perceived and how close to the mark that is.

One of the students and I walked over to the campus Starbucks earlier today to talk about seminary and candidacy and all that is wonderful and crazy about heading into ministry in the United Methodist Church. It was a fun conversation and I’m excited about his journey. What was funny to me is that one of the folks we met along the way, that I know pretty well, didn’t even speak to me or seem to recognize me. Now, I must say, that since there’s no meetings today and I’m not anticipating having to look too terribly nice, I’m in jeans and a short sleeved shirt with no make up. You could call this one of my uniforms. What is hilarious is that when I’m dressed nicely with my make up on, I’m recognized immediately, but in my “natural” state, not so much. Now there are pros and cons about being recognized and pros and cons about blending in. I just think it’s funny to think about.

I mentioned this to some of the students at lunch and one very nicely and graciously and probably a little untruthfully, said – “What? You look exactly the same.” God bless the young. We were having some conversation about the upcoming school year and getting ready for Welcome Week and the first few weeks of classes and how we need to plan and prepare and get rocking this summer so that we show the very best of Winthrop Wesley those first few weeks. In other words, we’re going to put on our nice clothes and make up and rock this thing. Or as my Ganny would say, we’re going to put our “face” on. Thinking about it – it’s the truth. When do I clean up and make sure everything looks nice – when someone’s coming over, when there’s a board meeting, at the beginning of the school year. When do we put out fresh pine straw and make sure the outside of the building looks good – Orientations and the beginning of the school year. When do I actually consider wearing a suit or ironing that dress – Annual Conference, a district meeting, or some other professional gathering. When do our congregations particular dress up – Easter, Christmas, graduation, the big days. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with celebrating or dressing up for dinner or actually using the fine china every now and then. (Come to think of it – we have NEVER used ours and that is a sad, sad thing. Maybe we should plan a big dinner sometime soon or at least use the stuff. I don’t know why we even registered for those tea cups. My Lord.) Reality is that I think sometimes we need those occasions or deadlines to get geared up and do something. Although I know that I need to exercise more and stop eating all of these delicious cookies from Lell’s, I also keep thinking to myself – I’ll start tomorrow or maybe one day when I get a bike and ride it to work or maybe before bathing suit season. And yet, we’re at bathing suit season and I’m thinking, I don’t really have to wear a bathing suit, right? Or maybe I can scratch the bikini this year and actually go for the “Mom” suit. (You know the kind I’m talking about, don’t even try to deny it.) Sometimes without an imminent deadline, we languish where we are and don’t make the extra effort to get our “stuff” together. So as much as I in some ways don’t like being recognized and it’s nice not to be “seen” all the time, it’s also a good reminder that we’ve got to keep it moving and keep it flowing not just on the high traffic, big deal, main event kind of times, but maybe at least a trickle of keeping it hospitable, welcoming, genuine and open all the time. You never know whose going to walk into your congregation at what time or who you’re going to welcome to your door. You don’t know if today’s going to be the day at Starbucks that you meet someone that is going to rock your socks off and be that missing piece to some ministry idea or ministry team or whatever for your congregation. I’m not saying we’re not authentic – and I’m certainly not saying that I’m going to suddenly dress up for Wesley each day, but I am saying that we’ve got to be aware of what the world sees. We’ve got to be aware of how we’re perceived. We’ve got to be aware of the image that we create.

While at lunch there were three professors in the restaurant with us and one of them who comes to our Faculty-Staff lunches looked over and smiled and waved as the students and I were discussing Nicaragua and the upcoming school year. That’s what I want these folks to see – students engaged and excited and brainstorming – not just about their schoolwork or their majors but also about their vocational journeys, their worlds – all the fun and mess and real life. We want the world to see all of who we are – not just the Sunday morning shiny with the great hair, outfit, and full face, but also the struggles, the tears, the frustrations and everything in between. So the challenge – put our best foot forward – true – but be real. What is your image of yourself? What do you think the world sees? What do you think God sees? How are we called to be in the world? Do we need a big fancy event to throw on some nice clothes or use the good china? Who or what has helped to define how you see yourself?

“Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks–we will also find our path of authentic service in the world.” – Parker Palmer

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. ¹ You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. ² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³ You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. ⁵ You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. ¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

calling, Elections, General Conference, Spirit, United Methodist Church, Young Clergy

Elections are Coming, My Friends…

Posted on May 31, 2011May 31, 2011 by narciejeter

Sitting in the chiropractor’s chair, well “laying” and “table” are more like it – I was talking to him about just getting back from Student Forum Sunday night and then leaving again for Annual Conference next Tuesday. He asked if I frequently travel like this and I said not really, just on school breaks and throughout the summer, but I guess that is a lot more than just not really. So number one – as pastors I don’t think we realize how busy we are and how strange we look to the outside world. And number two – have you ever tried to explain Annual Conference to someone? Much less, that this is a big election year.

So for those that are United Methodist and haven’t been to Annual Conference on an election year and to bore the rest of you to tears, every 4 years each Annual Conference (Central Conference) elects delegates to General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference. Every four years those delegates then go and represent their lovely people and vote on various and sundry things like budgets, foci, resolutions and bishops. Sounds fun, right? As someone I talked to recently wisely said, if you don’t like going to your district meetings or sitting in the sessions for Annual Conference, you won’t like General Conference.

Each conference only gets so many delegates that they can send. Half of these are clergy and half of these are laity. So what are some important things to think about when electing delegates and deciding who to vote for? It’s such a wide range and I guess it depends on what your motivations are for your votes. This will be my first time to vote since I wasn’t ordained until 2007. I am super pumped which probably makes me a way over excited nerd. I’m looking for people that have a good handle on both the intimate issues that affect congregations (and within congregations I’m not just talking about local churches but extension ministries, etc.) as well as the broader strokes of what’s happening in our general church and agencies. I want people that know what’s at stake and the underlying issues and not just what sounds good. Does that make sense? So I’d like these folks to be pretty educated. And very awesomely there is now a course that people can take called “Exploring General Conference.” I’m not throwing around the “experience” word here to indicate that I want us to elect only people that have been before. Not even. But I am saying that we need folks that are actively engaged in the conversation of our denomination and who are actively leading and shaping and learning and discovering.

I also think that it’s very important to represent all of the diversity of our conferences. I have several young clergy friends that are tweeting from various annual conferences right now and hearing how their elections are going has been both fascinating and eye-opening. One of them the lovely (@MegEdmondson) tweeted: #txac clergy: the YOUNGEST clergy elected has GRANDCHILDREN.”* That’s kind of a big deal. So yes, we need to pay attention to all of the diversity that we encompass – race, gender, age, type of ministry, etc. I know I’m probably leaving things out of that list but it wasn’t meant to be all encompassing but merely to point out that we need a multitude of voices at the table. If we believe in the “future” of our church as its “young people” then as both laity and clergy, we need to take that into consideration when we’re voting. Not saying that people that are out of the young adult bracket can’t be strong and amazing advocates for youth and young adults, but there is a different perspective and issues at stake.

I’m one of those weird people that like the full tapestry that is our United Methodist Church. As crazy as it may be with a gaggle of voices at the table, that’s what can make it awesome in the midst. Like a family, we sometimes can shout over each other and stick our fingers in our ears, but if we’re committed to this crazy family of ours, we’ll take the time to sit beside each other and share a cookie or two and actually have some dialogue. (Yes, the cookies offered during the breaks are essential I think to General Conference!) So yes, part of my voting decision is going to be based on how people stand on some of the missional, theological, societal, and practical issues facing our denomination. We’re talking a lot about the Call to Action and indicators and metrics and all that jazz, but we’ve also got to talk from a place of Hope and Spirit and Renewal and Revival. Can’t we live in a world of both/and and not continue in the either/or? Can’t we work our butts off and be faithful in our calling while also following the leading of the Spirit that is sometimes (actually I would say rarely) not all about numbers or statistics? Maybe it’s a chicken and egg idea, but somehow I think that if we are following the moving of the Spirit and we are being intentional in continuing to up the ante and be in ministry doing as Wesley says, “all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can,” then the fruit or the numbers or the metrics will come. And maybe they or a great conference or a wonderful sharing of ideas or a Spirit-filled conversation or retreat of renewal will give us the motivation and inspiration we need to keep stepping forward in faith.

So here’s what I say – before we go to Annual Conference – may we pray for the delegation that we are electing – both lay and clergy. May we all pray for discernment as we cast our votes. May those that aren’t voting be in prayer for a delegation that will fully encompass all that is the United Methodist Church and all of the beautiful work in progress that is.

We need to not just be in prayer for the delegates that we will elect, but for the delegates being elected across the connection. None of us hold the speaking stick alone or keep the megaphone in hand. This wave needs to continue over the next few weeks as we are in prayer for all of our leaders elected and the conferences that are electing them.

You’ve now read what’s important to me in voting and how intentionally I think we need to take these elections. What do you think? What helps make your choices about who to elect? What are the critical issues you see in the UMC right now? What would your ideal delegation look like?

* They have now elected a young clergyperson! Yay! Also to note that Josh Hale (@expatminister) said that they wisely started a pre-balloting prayer from the words of Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.” I hope that this year’s Annual Conference isn’t all about elections, but it’s also about our learning, sharing, fellowship, sharing in the body of Christ together, and being church with one another. Looking forward to it!