An interesting insight came to me today as three thoughts converged. I'll tell it backwards from the point of convergence. I was reading an article tonight written by a grandfather in my conference annual financial report. The article was entitled "A Story to Tell about Next Generation Leadership Development." I haven't actually read it all, but what I thought was about the need for me to be treated as an equal by people of his generation and my parent's generation. I remember at one church specifically feeling like they saw me as "their children's age" and I never felt like I could be a friend let alone an equal at the church. As I read the article I wished that someone would write about the challenges and yet necessity of this kind of relationship. And that it would need to come from someone older who kinda got it!
But then I remembered my thought from earlier today as I read Across the Generations: Incorporating All Ages in Ministry: The Why and How. When I read about the Millennial Generation the "Representative members" included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. I balked at this! It was so weird to me to be classified with these children I remember watching on Full House, and having been past the age that saw them as icons. How would I relate to these children? How would I be able to treat them as equals? Perhaps I could write an article about this challenge and my ability to empathize with the difficulties of older generations to respect me as an equal. Perhaps we could find some common ground in our short comings and move forward together?
Monday, April 20, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Make a Difference with Small Steps
Deep down, I've avoided participating in things like environmentalism, simple living, fair trade, intentional buying practices, etc. because I've felt that it was too overwhelming. If I cared about it a little then I'd have to do lots of things and change everything about my consumption practices and that would take way too much energy. I've pushed myself to do a few things, but for the most part I block out the reasoning that these things are important.
Well I read a book called Consuming Religion by Vincent Miller. In it he talks very concretely about tactics we can do to counter the habits that Consumer Culture forms in us and that we inadvertently take into Religion (which tends to weaken religion). He said that simply unmasking these habits is a good and helpful thing. He goes on to say that simply taking one item you consume and trying to find out its origins helps combat the abstraction from the roots of something and its production that consumerism promotes.
This was hopeful for me! I don't have to do everything to make a difference for at least me. I don't have to change the environment and society for my actions to matter.
So why does this matter to religion? Well we have a tendency to abstract our religious symbols, actions, and more from the complex relationships that they have. So our symbols only matter in how they relate to me, and we miss out on the fullness of their meaning which ties our faith together. By treating objects we consume at more than just the surface consumption level, we remind ourselves that all things have frequently unexplored depth that is important.
Well I read a book called Consuming Religion by Vincent Miller. In it he talks very concretely about tactics we can do to counter the habits that Consumer Culture forms in us and that we inadvertently take into Religion (which tends to weaken religion). He said that simply unmasking these habits is a good and helpful thing. He goes on to say that simply taking one item you consume and trying to find out its origins helps combat the abstraction from the roots of something and its production that consumerism promotes.
This was hopeful for me! I don't have to do everything to make a difference for at least me. I don't have to change the environment and society for my actions to matter.
So why does this matter to religion? Well we have a tendency to abstract our religious symbols, actions, and more from the complex relationships that they have. So our symbols only matter in how they relate to me, and we miss out on the fullness of their meaning which ties our faith together. By treating objects we consume at more than just the surface consumption level, we remind ourselves that all things have frequently unexplored depth that is important.
Holy Saturday
Today is Holy Saturday. Yesterday I had the privilege of leading the discussion at my new church for our informal Good Friday Service. We really focused on Holy Saturday, after Jesus died, what was left. In a moment that was very special to me someone talked about death and how it seems hopeless when someone you love dies and you simply won't get a second chance until perhaps heaven, if they went there, if we'll recognize them there, and even that won't be for many years. In response I said that what we have as a church is a hope for something better, even if we can't understand what that better thing is. We point to a hope in God, in the Heavenly Banquet, in the rule of God on earth, in something even if we can't understand how it will make things better.
When I shared this with a friend he said it's kinda like a movie preview, the ones where you can't quite tell what the movie is about but you know you can't wait to see it.
When I'm in my darkest place, there is something that can't let go of that hope. I'm lucky, one of my spiritual gifts is faith. It's a good thing, and if anyone reads this and wants some of my faith just let me know and we can chat.
When I shared this with a friend he said it's kinda like a movie preview, the ones where you can't quite tell what the movie is about but you know you can't wait to see it.
When I'm in my darkest place, there is something that can't let go of that hope. I'm lucky, one of my spiritual gifts is faith. It's a good thing, and if anyone reads this and wants some of my faith just let me know and we can chat.
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