Pastor's Message
December 2008
To the People of God:
"Emergents firmly hold that God’s Spirit-not their own efforts –
is responsible for good in the world.
The human task is to cooperate with God in what
God is already doing." -- Tony Jones
There is a group of people (many of them much younger than this aging guy) who are calling the church back to a renewed understanding of the Trinity. The charismatic movement of the 70's may reveal a smattering of this renewed understanding of the Trinity. However, that movement often became far too focused on the Holy Spirit. The Jesus Movement held tightly to the Son and his humanity that it seemed to leave Father and Holy Spirit on the side. Those who fit into the Western European and mainline tradition of Christianity often hold to a theology that some call "binitarian" (as opposed to Trinitarian). Parker Palmer refers to this as "functional atheism". Functional atheism is "the belief that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with us. This is the unconscious, unexamined conviction that if anything decent is going to happen here, we are the ones who must make it happen- a conviction held by people who talk a good game about God".
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth... I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord... I believe in the Holy Spirit... The season of Advent and Christmas allows us to ponder the true gift we receive in our relationship with God and one another. We get a complete package wrapped in grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus comes to us along with the creative and empowering presence of God. God creatively touches us with Jesus and empowers us to be the children of God. This is the light given to us in this time. Darkness is all around us in the uncertainty of the economy and budgetary limitations. There in the corner of our lives the light of the world acts as a beacon of guidance for us. The darkness is real, but the light and the power of that light will not be overwhelmed by it. This is after all the good news being born in the season of Advent and Christmas. It is in the Resurrection of our Jesus we boldly claim the presence and power of the Light of the World.
This is a long-winded way of writing something rather simple. We need to fully rely upon, and evaluate out lives based upon, the fullness of God as the creative and saving power in our personal lives and in our communal lives. We may be good for nothing, but God’s goodness can use us (an ungodly lot much of the time) to be good for one another and the world. What a gift we get to perceive by receiving the whole and complete presence of God.
This leads me to a practical request this year. Patty and I would like to ask something special of those of you who purchase gifts for us each Christmas. We ask that such financial resources be directed to LSSM. Lutheran Social Services of Michigan is the largest social service agency in the state. LSSM provides a wide range of services in Lower Michigan which include senior adults, children and families, persons with disabilities, subsidized housing and refugee placement. (I can only speak for myself, but the cookies and such special treats should not be sent to LSSM. My desk often gets hungry for such items. My desk has even been known to share such edibles with my family. There is a confirmation youth who is an excellent baker and those blueberry muffins you bake might be a nice gift to your underweight pastor. Hint to the wonder baker in confirmation class.) You can make your donations via Emmanuel and your financial donation will get to LSSM.
We will trust that God will take such gifts to LSSM and use them for the good of many. Let the Light of Christ shine in and through you this Advent and Christmas season. Mary’s Christmas to each one of you.
One of Christ’s servants,
Pastor Dave-Child of God