Thinking about thinking about moving on

It's nearing the end of the semester. We're graduating at the end of May! It seems phenomenal to me that the end of our seminary studies is approaching so quickly. I have so much more to learn! I have more questions to ask! We do have coursework to complete over the summer, though, so we will be able to pack a little bit more in 'under the wire' before we move on from here. But that date is fast approaching. And what's happening after that point is at yet unknown.

I find it an exercise in trust - day after day - to be confident that there will be a good life for us after the summer. That a position will open up for us, that we will have a good place to live again, we'll make new friends, that we'll have rich and fulfilling work... it's so much easier to trust when there's something definite in place. Which kind of defeats the purpose of faith, doesn't it?

I'm also noticing that I'm starting to 'shut down' in some ways emotionally and socially in this place already. It's a defense mechanism I have - if I start shutting down now, it might not hurt so much later to say good-bye. So I invite fewer people over, go home earlier, get less emotionally involved in a conversation or committee... and I make fewer social plans. Do you know what I mean?

It's not a good plan, really. We're still here for four more months! I need these people! I have a good life here!

So.... I need to be intentional about living in the present. The present is good. The present is accessible. And the present has many gifts to offer; I need not put all my well-being into the future.

Emmaus Road Days

Sunday was all about encountering Jesus on the Emmaus Road. We heard the story, we sang the story, we participated in a dramatic contemporary rendition of the story, we meditated on the story. And it was good. The sanctuary was all set up in tables; like we were at a banquet or something. I was at one of the youth tables, and one of them commented that in ordinary worship, we're directing our attention and focus on God; in this set up we're directing our attention at each other. Now, it's not that simple (and he didn't mean it to be that simple) but there are those dimensions. The vertical and the horizontal. And something about facing each other, talking to each other about the text and singing side by side around the table gives a solid experience of church as a community of folks discerning together what the will of God is.

I had fun leading the congregation in Bryan's Emmaus Road song. The kids were dancing. I don't have Bryan's facility with the guitar, but had two guitars and an electric bass jamming with me. Ah, it's fun. I guess there's more of a 'performer' in me than I generally give myself credit for. Kendall said that when we were rehearsing before the service, I seemed awkward, wouldn't sing into the mike, and it seemed tense. But when the kids were up front, the congregation was standing and singing, I was just having a great time. I was relaxed, enjoying the song and the experience. And celebrating the chance to bring this great story to life in another way.

It seems as though I'm in a bit of a 'troubadour' phase, since I'm bringing in another song for worship next week. I'm preaching next week on Acts 9:1-19, the story of Paul's call and his encounter with Ananias. And I am bringing in a song I remember well from my childhood, written by Ken Medema. The song's called 'Sittin' by the Window Prayin'" and tells that story from the perspective of Ananias. It's a fun song, refreshing in its outlook. I won't be singing that one (I hope). If it all works out, it will be sung/played by two other members of the congregation. :)

I'm looking forward to preaching; it's been a while since I've praught. (shouldn't that be the past tense? teach, taught; preach....)

The sun is out today, the trees are blooming, and life is just good. So I'm sending out my general well-wishes to the world. :)

Imagining Jesus

Here’s what I imagine. If you were in Galilee, let’s say in the 30’s. You would have seen a person called Jesus. Let’s imagine there were three different people responding to that person. One says, “This guy’s a bore. Let’s leave him.” The second one says, “This guy’s dangerous. Let’s kill him.” The third one says, “I see God here. Let’s follow this guy.” Now each of these, in its own way, is an act of faith.” ~John Dominic Crossan

In his introduction to a special issue of Theology Today on the historical Jesus, Editor Thomas Long tells a story of a little boy who comes home from school appalled. “I found out today that Santa Claus is not real,” he sputtered to his mother. “And another thing,” he hissed as he turned away. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this Jesus business, too.”(1)

I just finished writing a short paper surveying a variety or perspectives on the relationship between history and faith in the "Jesus quest". This was the introduction. Fascinating, really, how tangled up this question can be. I used some of the findings in leading worship over the Easter week, particularly during the Maundy Thursday service. It was helpful to start naming the different ways we approach the person of Jesus. Do we start from above (i.e. Jesus as a divine figure, the second person of the trinity) or from below (Jesus as historical person, born in Nazareth, etc). How do we hold these together?

Fascinating.

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[1] Thomas G. Long. “Stand Up, Stand Up for (the Historical) Jesus.” Editorial Theology Today Vol 52 (April 1995) p. 1.

Six Imposssible Things Before Breakfast

It hardly seems fair that it's already Tuesday. My precious Spring Break is slipping away from me, and I've hardly gotten started on my 'list'! I was going to have the house cleaned from top to bottom by now! I was going to have written a paper and started a sermon and baked bread and called my brother and gone shopping for new running shoes and taken the car in for some repairs and ... I guess it's only been two days. And I've been tired. But I do long a bit for the impossible... sometimes.

I'm thinking about 'impossible' right now, trying to give shape to the children's story this upcoming Sunday - Easter Sunday. I want to talk about faith - that the Christian faith is rooted in something that is technically 'impossible' but that we believe to be 'possible'. I'd love some help in this endeavour....

I've got some lines from Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella bouncing about in my head:

ALICE in WONDERLAND
Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."

"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

and CINDERELLA (the Disney version):

Godmother (singing): Impossible! But the world is full of zanies and fools who don't believe in sensible rules and won't believe what sensible people say..

and because these daft and dewey eyed dopes keep building up impossible hopes impossible things are happening every day!

And also this African American proverb: God makes a way where there ain't no way!

But I want to have more than just words... perhaps a song.... perhaps an action... or a story, or an example, or.... (help me, please?)

Over The Rhine

Tonight I had the great joy to be at an Over The Rhine concert in Goshen, at the gorgeous Goshen Theater. Ah, life is good. They were jamming just beautifully and they played some new stuff from an upcoming album (due August '07)... my favourite of these is an eschatological piece, mulling over the idea that when the world is reborn, the music shall be with the sound of the trumpet. The lyrics went: "The trumpet child shall play... " and expanded from there. You had to be there, I guess. But it was a good concert, that's what I can say.

Lessons from Third Isaiah

Third Isaiah, (which/who represents chapters 55-66) is a phenomenal bit of Scripture. We were studying passages from Third Isaiah this afternoon in Hebrew class; and what I am so excited about is the way that these passages relate with, expand and re-interpret other parts of the Bible.

Take Isaiah 56:1-8 - one of my favourite texts. The eunuchs and the children of foreigners are clearly invited into the covenant people. Not only that - they're invited into the Temple. Not only that - they're invited to serve in the Temple, like the Levites do. That service or ministry that they are called to join in on, it's from the same root as the Levites.

This is pretty deep stuff, because Deuteronomy 23 clearly says that eunuchs and foreigners are excluded from the Temple, and they're clearly excluded from Levitical (priestly) service.

But here's third Isaiah, opening it all up. Other folks disagree, my prof notes, for example that in Ezekiel 40-48 there's a denouncement of foreigners serving among the Levites; in fact, those particular texts emphasize that only Levites should serve - in fact, only Zadokites should serve, a particular clan within a particular tribe. There's a discussion going on here - who is in and who is out?

And Jesus takes up the refrain from Third Isaiah- "my house shall be a house for prayer for all peoples" - remember that? from, um, the Temple clearing bonanza? Jesus takes the line of opening it up.

Fascinating.

These days, when we're in tense discussions in the church, it's helpful to remember that these discussions exist in the Bible too. The Bible is constantly in conversation with itself; shifting and adapting a position from here to there. That's one reason why it's so dangerous to take one singular text and from that say, "The Bible clearly says...." without having a larger canonical read on the question. What's the larger trajectory that the passage comes in? And if it can be discerned, we need to ask where Jesus lands on the question...

Well, that's your Hebrew lesson for today, boys and girls. :)

sorry for the silence

It's nice to know I've been missed. I had a number of folks let me know that they missed reading my posts. I'm sorry that this one won't be too long, but I thought I'd drop a note so that people know I didn't just drop off the face of the planet.

It's been a busy couple of weeks. Good, but busy.

Two weeks ago Kendall and I had the opportunity to spend a long weekend in Ontario. We saw my cousin Caroline and her family, and spent time with family in Toronto for Saturday night-Sunday. We wanted to particularly spend quality time with the kids - and we did. We went bowling one night, swimming the next afternoon, and had time with Kendall's sister and the kids' dad, and Kendall's mom and dad, and oh, it was so good to be together. I really don't like being far apart. I couldn't look up Toronto friends though, because time was actually pretty tight. But it's so tough to be IN Toronto and not get together and chat with everyone. Next year, I say to myself. Next year. (isn't that what the Jews say at Passover? 'next year in Jerusalem...')

On Monday I went to the Dutch consulate office to renew my Dutch passport - and I said to Kendall on the way there, "I always meet someone I know at the Dutch consulate". I go once every 5 years, what are the odds? But sure enough, I met Eric, who I knew from ICS days in Toronto. He was representing his bike store and his new Dutch import bicycles. Very cool.

That Monday (March 12th) was our 2 year anniversary - and we celebrated with lunch at the Middle Eastern restaurant, who catered our wedding two years ago. It seemed a fine opportunity to us. :) (TWO YEARS! How delightful. It's been a good two years)

The following week, on Monday I was part of hosting Bryan Moyer Suderman in concert at my church, Kern Road Mennonite Church... and that was so much fun. Check out his post on his recent tour to find out more. That was a great deal of fun. I could go on for a while about how much I appreciate what he does with music, church, theology and kids. But perhaps that's another post for another time.

And then on Tuesday I had my senior interview, which is a dialogue with three professors regarding an integration paper on a topic that I am passionate about. I wrote about Sabbath (a huge surprise to those who know me even a little bit). It was a good paper, and I felt good about the interview. They affirmed me as prepared for graduation and said lovely things to me. It was a good experience, but I'm very glad to be able to check that off the 'list' when all's said and done.

This past weekend the sun came out. Ah, Spring. Spring is here at last!!!!! Sunday we played baseball! And we had a BBQ picnic, and stayed outside chatting well into the evening! And we didn't get that cold!

I like winter, but I am ready for spring. Hopefully soon I'll be able to post some beautiful spring blooms from the campus. This campus is gorgeous in springtime.

Well that's the scoop for now. I'll try to avoid a three-week hiatus in the future. CHEERS!