Case in point, a friend sent a brief Tick-Tock video to a group I am in (https://www.tiktok.com/@backbench_animations/video/7352635006763732229?lang=en) to the song “Come and get your love”, and my response was “Wish that was what the US church proclaimed” and someone responded: “relax steve, it’s just meant to be a little humor.” Another friend regularly posts what the administration is doing and a person responds: “can’t you give it up, it’s Easter”. If there is a better time for the church to crawl out of the tomb we have put ourselves into it is Easter Sunday!
Sunday, Nancy and I attended Gary Memorial UMC in Wheaton Il, our church home since retiring. It was a great Sunday. The music was wonderful, the children’s time reminded us of transformation, the prayers were powerful and the sermon by Pastor Chris Pearson was one of his best. (https://vimeo.com/1077078960 ). Chris invited us to stand up and to be honest, I felt compelled to do so (but being the good white middle class male inside me wouldn't let me 🤷); and I regret it. But what struck me the most was watching a person sitting in front of me squirm.
Every time Chris called the church to justice, every time he called out white nationalism, every time he encouraged us to live out what Jesus called us to do, this guy visibly squirmed in his seat. It was amazing. THAT IS WHAT THE CHURCH IS CALLED TO DO, make us uncomfortable in our numbness.
The church has become what Pink Floyd aptly called comfortably numb, not wanting to rock the boat, wanting instead to grow in power and prestige that we have lost our way (obviously I am stereotyping). But the truth is, too many “Christians” who 10 or 15 years ago would have been appalled by what our government is doing have unfortunately either become silent or become encouragers. Power is more important than values.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a fan of the far left either. Those who know me know that I have argued for decades that the far right and the far left are much more similar than either would care to ever admit. What I pine over more than anything is the loss of the center. (A Stephen King reference to those who are keeping score). It was the far left that drove me out of the church to a greater extent than the far right. Although the right drove me crazy with their incessant whining that preaching Jesus was in their words; “political”. Now I am happy to admit that I am farther along on the left, but I do my best to keep a finger on the center as much as possible (lol).
Cameron Trimble, in her “almost” daily post wrote today “What If Collapse Makes Room for Something Better?” (https://www.pilotingfaith.org/p/what-if-collapse-makes-room-for-something ) the interesting notion that maybe our economy collapse can open us up for change? She writes: “We’ve lived for so long under the myth that there is no alternative—that capitalism, in its current form, is the only way. But that myth is breaking down. And in the breaking, we are invited to become co-creators of something new. Not simply to resist collapse, but to compost it. To take what is decaying and turn it into soil for a future that is more just, more loving, more alive.” I needed her message today, it fits so well with Pastor Chris’ call for us all to stand up and Richard Rohr’s calling us to embrace the prophet within in his newest book. (The Tears of Things).
I have rambled long enough for Easter Monday. If I was still pastoring a church I might still be in bed, I don’t have that excuse anymore! Today I am busy watching my phone and my nephew Bryan as he runs in the Boston Marathon.
