The Closing of the Year 2010

At the stroke of midnight tonight a year will end, and a new year will begin.  We will, I'm sure, during the course of the day contemplate the things that have happened over the year -- the vacations we took, the roofs we put on our houses, the elections we participated in, the movies we viewed and the books we read and perhaps wrote.  We will ruefully think of missed opportunities and rejoice in the great things that got accomplished.  We'll remember the big November election that shook up the political establishment and remember that it was a year in which we lost Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) and Mrs. Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley).  Oh, I can't forget the biggest event of my year, something I've waited all my life to see -- the San Francisco Giants won their first World Series in San Francisco and first in franchise history since 1954. 

Looking backward, each of us will have something different to share, even as we look forward to the next year, wondering what to make of it.  What opportunities will present themselves this coming year, a year in which we observe the anniversaries of the commencement of the Civil War, the publishing of the King James Version of the Bible, and 9-11. 

As we think about all of this and share our memories, which I invite you the reader to do, maybe it's appropriate to keep in mind the words of the Teacher from Ecclesiastes 1 -- just to keep things in perspective:

The words of the Teacher,* the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,*

vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

3 What do people gain from all the toil

at which they toil under the sun?

4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,

but the earth remains for ever.

5 The sun rises and the sun goes down,

and hurries to the place where it rises.

6 The wind blows to the south,

and goes round to the north;

round and round goes the wind,

and on its circuits the wind returns.

7 All streams run to the sea,

but the sea is not full;

to the place where the streams flow,

there they continue to flow.

8 All things* are wearisome;

more than one can express;

the eye is not satisfied with seeing,

or the ear filled with hearing.

9 What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done;

there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there a thing of which it is said,

‘See, this is new’?

It has already been,

in the ages before us.

11 The people of long ago are not remembered,

nor will there be any remembrance

of people yet to come

by those who come after them.   (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 NRSV)

Thoughts for All Saints Day

Today we pause to remember the Saints of God -- all of them, whether well-known or unknown.  There are various definitions of what makes a saint -- those who are so designated officially by the Church and simply all who follow Jesus.  I will leave it to you to decide how to define sainthood for this day, but may we celebrate the lives of those who have gone before us, making confession of faith in Jesus, and living lives that worthy of that calling.

Perhaps the best known hymn for All Saints Day is:  "For All the Saints."  Written by William How, it is most often sung to the tune of Sine Nomine (Ralph Vaughan Williams).   The first verse reads:

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia, alleluia!

I invite you to observe this day by sharing in this beloved hymn of the saints!

Remembering September 11 -- Nine Years Later

It has been nine years since the tragic events of 9-11.  Most of us, who can remember back to that day, have memories and thoughts.  Life may be very different for some of us as a result of the attacks.  Perhaps we have become better people, or maybe not.   The rancor that fills the streets of America today suggest that not only have most Americans not moved on, but there is a lot of anger as well as grief still brewing in our midst.

I was asked by a reporter from the Detroit Free Press to share my thoughts as a Pastor on the events of that day.  At the time I was Pastor of First Christian Church of Santa Barbara, CA and President of the Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association.  My memories of that day are fused with the service of remembrance that we put together for the Sunday evening following 9-11.

As I remember that day, and the service that followed, I need to also stop and remember my good friend and colleague, Rev. LLoyd Saatjian.  LLoyd passed away in the last year or so, but he was a key person in making sure that this service happened.  He called me just as I was walking into my office that Tuesday morning and said -- "what should we do?"  From that question came an offer to use his church to host what would be an overflow service.  As I remember that day, and those who died, I must remember those close to me who helped me make the journey.

To read my thoughts and reflections on 9-11-- in an edited somewhat piece, because I sent a much longer piece than what could be used by the Free Press -- you can click here. 

I would invite you, the reader, to share your thoughts. 

A Reflection and a Prayer for Memorial Day

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer.  Baseball, barbecues, the Indianapolis 500, and memorial observances.  It's easy to forget the real purpose of the day in the midst of all the other activities.  For many today is a day to lay flowers and wreaths, attend memorial observances, and reflect on friends and family who have passed on.

Memorial Day was began as Decoration Day after the end of the Civil War.  Over time it has expanded and became what we know as Memorial Day, being established by law as a national holiday in 1967, with the current positioning on the last Monday in May beginning in 1971.  It has its roots in honoring war dead, and it has expanded over time to be a time of remembrance of all who have died, especially those who die in service to country. 

So, on this day may we stop to remember those who have died, including those who have died in service to country.  On this day, I want to stop to remember two pastors who have influenced my life, both of whom have died rather recently:

Gary Wells -- my pastor and friend while living in Eugene, OR in the mid-1980s.  Gary was Pastor of Northwood Christian Church in Springfield, OR until his retirement.  He also taught in the area of pastoral ministries at Northwest Christian University.  Gary had a knack for pushing you beyond your boundaries, making you think about the way you comported yourself and how you spoke.  He was a good man.

LLoyd Saatjian -- LLoyd was until his retirement, Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara.  LLoyd was a dear friend, a supporter when times got tough, a strong and resilient leader in the community, and a pastor par excellence!   I remember so clearly on the morning of September 11, 2001.  I was President of the Clergy Association in Santa Barbara.  I stepped into the office and the phone rang.  It was LLoyd asking:  What should we do?  And not only that, but offering his church to host a community service.  That was the way LLoyd was -- he saw something that need to be done, and he got on it.  My life has been enriched deeply through our friendship.

I also remember Ben Palmer.   Ben died some nearly twenty years ago now.  He served in the US Navy during World War II.  He was a Lt. Commander, and commanded a ship that captured a Japanese naval vessel.  I remember Ben, not for his naval exploits, but for the influence he had on my life as a child.  My Grandmother married him during the late 1960s.  He was the Grandfather I never had.  He loved learning, reading constantly, including in the areas of philosophy and religion.  I cherish the times spent with him.

May we ask God's blessings on the memories of those who have preceded us in death, memories of those who have influenced our lives with their grace and wisdom.

Almighty and eternal God,

We pause this day to remember those who no longer walk with us in life.

We remember especially those whose lives have influenced our lives.

We remember their wisdom and grace,

Their guidance and direction

Their support for our ventures

Their humility and willingness to give of themselves for the good of others.

May their memories be treasured in our hearts and minds,

so that we might live in ways that honor this memory.

Amen

Mount St. Helens -- 30 years later

Mt. St. Helens today

On May 18th -- erupting

Each year I stop to observe May 18th.  On this day, thirty years ago now (a Sunday morning in the spring of 1980), a relatively small Cascade range volcano exploded, sending mud down the rivers, knocking over forests, and sending ash across the country.  On this day, we have Mt. St. Helens Day, a day to remember the destructive and creative forces of the earth! 

One of the reasons I remember this was that this happened shortly before I graduated from college.  This year, my observance is a reminder that both the eruption and my graduation from what is now Northwest Christian University occurred 30 years ago.  How time flies!   

Just a few memories.  I must say, I never paid much attention to the mountain prior to that day.  Visiting Portland I always focused on the grandeur of Mount Hood to the East of the city.  Mount St. Helens was to the north of the city, and shorter in stature.  But after that day, with the top blown off, we paid attention. In the weeks that followed I was in Portland on several occasions and observed the ash that covered the city.  I also took a drive up into Washington, closer to the mountain, to visit a close friend in Kelso, Washington.  She lived down the street from the Toutle River.  We walked down to see the massive embankment of mud and ash that had been formed along the river.  It was quite a sight, something that remains memorable to this day!  So, join me in remembering those 57 who died and the Mountain that changed its identity and shape.