Pastor’s Blog

By now both the blogs and the mornings begin routinely enough: wake-up call that always seems to be a bit too early and a breakfast that is bigger than we normally consumer. Everyone has maintained both good attitudes and robust appetites!

Today we traveled just a few miles to the beautiful and famous Meteora Monasteries. Christians arrived in this region in AD 800 initially occupying caves at the base of these huge natural spires. As our bus winded its way to our first stop we could easily view the countless “niches” carved out of the side of these mountainous spires where hermits would dwell to separate themselves from society.

Hermitages

“Meteora” is Greek for “suspended in air.” In the 1300s entire monasteries were built atop these cliffs. Originally reached by hinged ladders there are now roads and stairs that provide access. During Meteora’s heyday there were 24 monasteries but now only five remain.

Our first monastery stop was Varlaam, and while our bus was able to get us close to the monastery we still had to take 150 steps to make it to the top. The small church of this monastery was painted from ceiling to floor with 15^th century frescoes. Byzantine in style they were all striking in spite of the muted colors that come with age.

In the narthex the scenery was of the martyrdom of the saints. If a person was not baptized that person could go no further. On one level it was a bit ghoulish, with scenes of all kinds of ways a Christian could have been tormented and killed for his or her beliefs. I was thinking about how much energy I spend trying to convince others that you ought to go to our church and choose our beliefs, etc. Here a potential convert first had to reflect on what it may cost you to choose to be a follower of Christ.

Our second stop was a nunnery called St. Stephen, and while it was neat and tidy and very picturesque, the frescoes were new (replacing their older ones) – about fifteen years old. Since they too were painted in the Byzantine tradition, it gave you a good idea of how the early frescoes most have looked with its full and brilliant color.

After lunch we then settled in for a long bus ride (over four hours) to Delphi. The scenery made for an enjoyable afternoon, even if we were cooped up in a bus. I had no idea that Greece was primarily mountainous and so if we were not traveling along a plain we were navigating through hairpin curves up and down mountains. Much of the Thessaly Plateau was planted in crops of all kinds including cotton, eggplant, tomato, melons and sunflower. Some fields had already been harrowed over with rich, black clumps of dirt that would make any gardener envious.

We arrived around 6 PM and checked into our hotel just outside of Delphi. Happily, we have comparatively little traveling to do to get to Athens. Much of our day will be spent in Delphi. Our hotel is a block from the Ionia Sea, with turquoise water that would make any beach in America jealous.

Grace and peace and good night!

Greg

Excursus on Monasticism:

The monastic movement began around the third century as Christianity became increasingly established. By its official legalization when Constantine converted in the 4^th century it was a full movement.

Early monasticism was a version of renewal that has birthed other renewal movements throughout history including Puritanism in the colonial period and 19^th century American revivalism.

Monasticism was a way for followers of Jesus to deal with the big questions of how to live out one’s discipleship authentically.

Tempera Paint Powder for Icons

Our day started off with another great breakfast (preceded of course by an inconvenient wake-up call at 6 AM). Amy and I had a little more trouble falling to sleep due to lingering affects of jet lag and air travel, but that is to be expected this early in the journey.

We boarded the bus and toured the ancient city of Thessaloniki which is not so ancient anymore. To be completely honest with you, it is more or less a sprawling litter of neo-facist architecture that is rather monotonous and bleak. It is of course the second largest city in Greece, so commerce is vibrant. We visited the statue of Alexander the Great, since Thessaloniki is the chief city of Macedonia. It is a rather dominating statue (to fit the man I suppose) but place in a rather gloomy spot alongside the harbor.

It turns out we left the city just in time. A few hours later protesters occupied city hall because of the Prime Minister’s visit this same day. According to our guide, Grecians are quite upset with the state of their economy – lower salaries, higher taxes and very high unemployment, especially for young adults. We had long since left the city so we knew nothing of the occupation until our guide heard it on the radio. It is interesting to discuss international politics and listen to the perception of others. It is a big world that is getting smaller every day.

Just outside of the city we approached Beroea, where Paul visited a synagogue where we read, “for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing.” (Acts 17:11-12) All that is remaining today are three stone steps of that first century synagogue. The are shrouded with recent mosaics commemorating the event.

Got Cappucino?

Before leaving Beroea we all scattered to find places for “coffee-in, coffee-out.”

Our next stop brought us to the small, quiet, but quite delightful town of Vergina, where we visited a museum built above the excavations of the tomb of Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great. The museum was well-done, documenting both the excavation as well as details regarding the entombment of this great historical figure. We were able to look in and see the outside of the actual tomb as well as view the many artifacts now carefully preserved.

Travels like this one are wonderfully punctuated with meals, oftentimes with me asking, before I have finished my plate, “so, what time are we eating again?” We ate in Vergina and I enjoyed a plate of traditional mousaka. Can you believe I have been here several days and have not had the chance yet to eat a gyro? I did see a vendor but by this time I had just finished lunch.

An Icon Artist at Work

We had about a 2 ½ hour before our next stop, which was planned at the last minute. Our guide asked of me if I thought our group would like to travel to an icon workshop founded by an Orthodox priest. Of course! So we drove an extra fifteen minutes and were provided with a memory of a lifetime. The sister of the priest met us and took us to this very modest workshop where she explained the “craft” of making icons – from wood selection to the curing of the canvas. This family has provided icons for the Vatican for Pope Paul John as well as Pope Benedictine when he came to Greece to meet with Orthodox Arch Bishop. Most of us walked away with hand-painted icons that are extremely hard to come by in Augusta, GA. One of the artists signed each of our icons, which took her nearly a half hour away from “usual” duties. When I boarded the bus the conversation was robust with enthusiasm for this great opportunity. The guide presented me an icon of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus. She thought that was fitting for a Baptist pastor. While I am no John (well, I have a beard and I will eat most anything crawling) the gift was beautiful and touching.

Following the “excursus” on Thessalonika, I have added a similar column for icons.

Our hotel, while not as new or “modern” as our last one, is rich in character – and no, that is not code for a dump. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and while the rooms are simpler, they are clean and cozy. Most importantly the food is great. They even had a “build-your-own-gyro” bar! Life is good.

The hour is late (after 10 PM here) and the morning wake up call will come soon. I am glad Amy is here with me to share this great experience. I do miss you all.

Grace and peace, Greg 

Excursus on Thessalonika:

In the Bible we read of Thessalonians in Acts 17:1-9; and Paul’s two Epistles to Thessalonians

Thessaloniki (also known as Thessalonika, Salonica, Solun, and Selanik) is the second-largest city in Greece, located 320 miles north of Athens. Thessaloniki may be second to Athens in size and political importance, but in popular songs, Thessaloniki is celebrated as “the most blessed of cities” and “the city whose praises are sung.” Thessaloniki is also very popular with visitors, thanks to its beautiful sea views, tree-lined streets, many museums, Turkish-influenced food, thriving modern culture and ancient Byzantine churches. It also makes an excellent base for exploring Mount Athos and the historical sites of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.

Thessaloniki has a long and fascinating history. Founded in 315 BC and named for Alexander the Great’s sister, Thessaloniki became an important Roman trading center and an early center of Christianity. The Apostle Paul preached here in the first century and many churches were built in the Byzantine era. In the Middle Ages, Thessaloniki was repeatedly invaded: it was successively occupied by the Slavs, the Saracens, Crusaders, and Ottoman Turks until its return to Greece in 1913. The city suffered a major fire in 1917 and was occupied again in the 1940s by the Nazis. Today, it has a population of over 300,000 and is known for its lively nightlife.” (From Sacred Destinations)

Thessalonica was part of Paul’s second missionary journey.

1 Thessalonians is considered to be the oldest book in the NT, about 51 AD and it was written following a questionable report from Timothy.

His audience appears Gentile since there are no references to Mosaic law, Judaism or any OT person, institution or event (Moses, the temple, sacrifice).

Basically this letter gives us insight to Paul’s missionary activity and his commitment to the congregations he has helped to found and nurture.

It is textually self-evident that Paul viewed the Second Coming as immanent. Therefore how to live, behave and relate was consequential.

Greek Beliefs concerning afterlife, esp. in Macedonia:

• Underworld – hades or realm of Hades.
• Islands of the Blessed
• Spirits semi-exist at the grave
• Immortality of the soul

This letter reflects confusion about death.

as well as Hagia Sophia – 8^th century church, and a Roman rotunda (2^nd century; 3^rd century Christian apse) 

Excursus on Orthodox Icons:

The word icon comes from the Greek “εικoνογραφία”, which means an image in writing. The term is brandished about loosely and can refer, technically, to all Christian Art. For our purposes we will look at what is often called “Byzantine Icons” – icons of the late Roman period to present day.

Icons have been part of Orthodox worship and mysticism since the days of the Roman Empire when Constantine converted to Christianity (312 C.E.). The are largely maintained in the Eastern Orthodox traditions including Russia, Serbia and of course Greece. Through most of the 20^th century the former Soviet Union outlawed icons.

Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers– all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

An icon is way to make the invisible God visible through Christ (Colossians 1:15), therefore iconographers (icon painters) are themselves theologians. The icon is a way to make plain the doctrine of incarnation. An icon is not art for art’s sake or merely a portrayal of a biblical scene. An icon is to have an “other-worldly” character; transcendent and mystical.

The emphasis of an icon is holiness, not representation of humanity.

It is art for worship; not art to worship. There is a difference between venerate (as many do with the American flag) and worship, of whom only God is deserving.

Similar to stain glass, icons have served the function as scripture to the illiterate.

Icons are typically characterized with bright colors and gold backgrounds. Everything about an icon is symbolic. For example the ears of Christ are often portrayed large but his mouth small, indicating One who hears all, but speaks only wisdom.

An icon depicts height and width but not the “third dimension” of depth. This may go back to Greece’s pagan background where statuary created sensuous space. The two dimensionality of an icon painting is to invite the viewer to “see” beyond what the eye can see. It is said that an icon is a “window to heaven.”

In the icons of Eastern Orthodoxy, and of the Early Medieval West, very little room is made for artistic license. Almost everything within the image has a symbolic aspect. Christ, the saints, and the angels all have halos. Angels (and often John the Baptist) have wings because they are messengers. Figures have consistent facial appearances, hold attributes personal to them, and use a few conventional poses.

Color too plays an important role. Gold represents the radiance of Heaven; red, divine life. Blue is the color of human life, white is the uncreated essence of God, only used for resurrection and transfiguration of Christ.

If you look at icons of Jesus and Mary: Jesus wears red undergarment with a blue outer garment (God become Human) and Mary wears a blue undergarment with a red over-garment (human was granted gifts by God), thus the doctrine of deification is conveyed by icons. Letters are symbols too. Most icons incorporate some calligraphic text naming the person or event depicted. Even this is often presented in a stylized manner.

Day 1 (or is it day 2?)

For the last twenty-four hours 32 devoted pilgrims have hopped shuttles and planes making our way from Augusta to Athens Greece. In between we have experienced a three and half layover in Paris, which might sound extravagant but trust me this part of the airport looked as though it was designed by an architect trained in the Soviet Union. Everyone has kept a great attitude and a positive sense of adventure. We had a total of three flights to catch: Atlanta to Paris; Paris to Athens; and a short flight to Thessaloniki (in the Bible we know it as Thessalonica). I guess we should not complain since the first-century Christian travelers had to make the arduous journey on foot and small boats taking several months at a time.

When we arrived at our hotel in Thessalonika they had a lovely dinner waiting on us, although it was already fairly late – 9:50 PM. I need to add, however, that many in Greece do not take their supper until about nine in the evening.

Tomorrow begins our first full day of touring starting with the village of Philippi.

Day 2

Even though we just spent the last day and half traveling nearly half way around the world, we were up bright and early with a wake-up call at 6:15 AM. Amy chose to ignore and told me to just tell her about breakfast when it was over. I had already been up for about a half hour because I do not want to be late for a meal, even if we did just eat a few hours ago! I was a little worried when I went to the hotel lobby and was the only one there, but in a few minutes our travelers came trickling in. The breakfast buffet was of mostly traditional Greek food – salmon, cheeses (lots of feta), pastries, almond and sesame dishes as well as bacon, eggs (scrambled with feta of course) and sausage. There was no worry of anyone leaving the table hungry.

Philippi

By 7:45 AM we were on our bus and traveling to Philippi. The ride was a pleasant trip of nearly two hours which we divided with a brief stop for “coffee in, coffee out.” (let the reader understand) Before entering Philippi we stopped by the village of Lydia, were Paul baptized Lydia and “all of her household.” (Acts 16:15) There is a comparatively recent baptistery built beside ancient Roman ruins, all alongside a simple course of water that has been running there for thousands of years. Lydia is one of the more understated persons of interest in the times of the New Testament. She was apparently a successful business person and no doubt was one of the primary supporters of Paul’s witness to the Philippians. She is one of those that we have to thank for allowing us to read one of Paul’s most beloved epistles which include the words, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3) We then traveled just a few more minutes to Philippi.

Let me say at the beginning, Philippi was a pleasant surprise. First, I had no idea that the Philippi of antiquity was such a large place. The archeological ruins are amazing including a theater, an agora (Roman forum), a jail, and at least one basilica. While there is not a lot of walking on these trips, there is a bit of scrambling about and steps to take, but our crew held up very well.

Jail where Paul the Apostle was held in while at Philippi

Our guide, Giorgia (pronounced “Georgia” which is convenient and ironic), is a very knowledgeable teacher and companion along the way. She is qualified to guide groups in French, Italian, English, as well as her native tongue which is Greek. She seemed embarrassed to confess that she only knew a little bit of Arabic! As a guide she has to entertain clients from all over the world so in the course of a career she has become conversant over many topics. On our bus ride today we have discussed politics; immigration issues; etymology (according to her it all goes back to Greek); and her favorite traditional dishes (mousaka by the way).

Amy noticed small monuments along the roadside that looked like small Orthodox churches. Giorgia said that these were memorials to those killed on the highway or for those who survived they commemorated gratitude.

I am not sure if Paul ate squid, but this one was delicious!

We enjoyed lunch along the harbor of ancient Neopolis, where Paul landed when he first sailed to Macedonia. I am not sure what Paul had for lunch back then but folks in our group ate everything from fried sardines to grape leaves. Amy and I enjoyed a traditional Greek salad of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and a large slice of feta cheese. We split a plate of delicious calamari.

We headed back to Thessaloniki and after a full lunch the ride was pretty quiet. I was typing for this blog and it occurred to me I was not hearing a sound coming from behind me. When I turned around the only one who seemed awake was Keith who quipped, “We are going to have to have a wake-up call for dinner!”

We arrived back in town to visit the Church of St. Demetrios, who was martyred in the fourth century. The church itself is not that old – only about 1300 years, but it still retained some important frescoes and mosaics.

A few of us caught a shuttle from our hotel back to the city center to people-watch, although I think they were looking at us! We then returned back to our hotel to join the rest of the group for dinner, which was at 9 PM. The funny thing is that back home I am normally preparing for bed by nine, so I am having to make several adjustments.

As one famous Biblical writer would say to those whom he loved, “Grace and peace.”

Excursus on Philippi:

Philippi (Ancient Greek Φιλιπποι, Philippoi) is a city in eastern Macedonia, founded by Philip II in 356 BC. According to the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Philippi is “the most important archaeological site of eastern Macedonia.” Because it was visited by Paul during his missionary journeys and later the recipient of one of Paul’s letters (Philippians), Philippi is an important site for Christians and a main stop on pilgrimage tours of Greece. The site is extensive and there are many structures of religious interest to see here.

Paul in Philippi

In 49 or 50 AD, the city was visited by the apostle Paul during his second missionary journey. According to the book of Acts, he was guided there by a vision of “a man of Macedonia” (Acts 16:9). Accompanied by Silas, Timothy, and Luke, Paul preached in Philippi. …

In another account recorded in Acts, Paul drove out an evil spirit from a slave girl who worked as a fortune teller. Her owners became angry and dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace and complained about them before the magistrates. A crowd joined in the condemnation, and the missionaries were stripped and flogged, then thrown into prison. At midnight, however, a great earthquake came and the prison doors flew open. The jailer nearly killed himself over it, but Paul talked him out of it and converted him. The next morning, the magistrates released Paul and Silas and asked them to leave the city. (Acts 16:16-40)

Paul visited the city on two other occasions, in 56 and 57 AD. The Epistle to the Philippians dates from around 54-55 and shows the immediate impact of Paul’s preaching. The subsequent development of Christianity in Philippi is well-attested, notably by a letter from Polycarp of Smyrna addressed to the community in Philippi around 160, and by funerary inscriptions.

This past Tuesday at noon our church began a new ministry to the community: Faith@Work. It was, I believe, a great success made up of business leaders from all parts of the community. Here is an abbreviation of my remarks I shared at the Faith@Work luncheon.

Four Things I hope My Son Packed for College

Now that I have seen my first born off to college I guess that makes me an expert on family transition – well, not really. The most vulnerable part of dropping your child off to college is the feeling that he is not adequately prepared. The truth is, now that they are adults they have to make their own choices. Here are four things I hope my son packed for college and plans to take with him through life:

Hard Work

I grew up where hard work was not just valued; it was essential, yet I was a lazy student for many years. In

Colossians 3:17 we read. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…

Don’t cut corners; whether you punch a clock or are salaried or a student or a volunteer. Your primary employer is God, to Whom we dedicate all our labors. Even the most menial and mundane of tasks are offerings to God.

Honesty

No doubt we all consider ourselves to be, by and large, honest folks. Indeed I hope so. We sure need more of it. One of the many reasons we are in the mess we are in regarding the economy is the lack of honesty in the workplace. This may be a bit simplistic, but it doesn’t make it less true.

The Bible reminds us, “let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no…” (James 5:12) When people know that your word is a seal, you spend less time defending, explaining or promoting. It takes much more work to be dishonest over trivial matters than it does to be honest over large affairs.

Integrity

Related but distinct from honesty is integrity. In nautical usage integrity refers to the seaworthiness of a ship’s hull – to be sound inside and out. Stephen Carter writes that integrity is: “discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong.”

Adding to that definition of integrity is to be known as a person who is the same at the office, at home, at the ball field and at the church. Your clothes may change from one place to the next, but your character does not. The person sitting at the boardroom table should be the same at the supper table.

Proverbs tells us: “Better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be crooked though rich.” (28:6)

Compassion

This is a mean world and mean times and sadly we think that the only way to survive is to be mean in return. We hear and use the phrase “dog eat dog” is if it is an irrefutable truth.

There are many ways to define compassion, but the simplest is to simply be willing to share with another in their hurts and also their joys. Nowadays the term compassion is often ridiculed as weak.

Compassion is not about being nice or pleasant. Neither is compassion only for your favorite causes or people. Jesus showed compassion not only to the weak and marginalized but for those who may very well have been against him, like Nicodemus the Pharisee or the scribe who debated Jesus on the most important commandment but walked away admiring Jesus or the one called the “rich, young, ruler,” whom Jesus looked upon and loved.

Colossians 3:12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

I hope my son packed hard work, honesty, integrity and compassion for college. He is going to need them not only in the classroom but for life. We too need to pack our briefcases, lunchboxes, pocketbooks and laptops with these four things. It will not only make us better people, but it will make for better businesses and therefore better communities.

This past Sunday I celebrated communion with the Sunday School Class called “Jesus’ Special Followers.” Many of you are familiar with this great class of adults who share at least two things in common: they love Jesus and they have some level of cognitive impairment. Week after week there is a loving team of volunteers who work with these students and their caregivers to provide safe and sacred space to feel loved, valued, and affirmed. This particular Sunday I was asked to gather with them in the Storey Chapel to participate in a worship service where we sang “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Loves Me” and a few other choruses. They formed a choir and sang raucously and joyfully before quieting down for my brief meditation leading into communion. Just before sharing in the bread and cup of Christ, one of the class members ambled to the near center of the Chapel to sing “The Lord’s Prayer.” He sang the tune near perfectly as well as each word. Well, almost every word.

When it came to the line, “Forgive us our debts…” he sang instead, “Give us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This sounds similar, but it is of course a completely different meaning. Who wants to be given debts? I have enough, thank you very much, so I certainly do not want to go around asking for more. I have no doubt you probably feel much the same.

Here was a gentleman who, one could argue, has been given his fair share of debts, physically and mentally. To my observation, he has far more debts than I do. Yet here he was singing “Give us our debts.” I am sure it was just a faux paux, a slip of the tongue, but still it set me to pondering.

Some of us have more and ask for more, some have less and even from their comparative poverty give away even more. After his song I was aware that I was indebted to him and all of the others who sang and gave and loved so liberally that morning in the Chapel. I was indebted and yet, as the prayer goes, he forgave even those debts.

Forgiveness really does set you free. If you are the one forgiven you are set free from the debt and the bondage created. If you are the one forgiving, you too are set free in that another’s sin or debt no longer has you defined or bound.

Maybe when we sing “Give us our debts” it is about being willing to take on the burdens of another; to lighten the load that someone else might be set free. Jesus said this much when he taught: “…if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:41-42)

Whatever conclusion you or I might draw from this wayward line sung in the Chapel, I know this much: I walked out of the Chapel with a lighter load than when I entered, all because of a man who cannot walk that well, talk that well and maybe not even think that well took on part of my debts. How can I not do the same thing for another? 

 Thank you good folks for the many ways you help lighten my load. Thanks be to God!

Not so long ago Amy, the boys and I headed “home” to visit my family. Due to a rather demanding summer I had not been home to visit my daddy since last May. Keep in mind that they are only just over an hour’s drive away. A visit was long overdue and greatly welcomed. At supper we sat down to the usual bowls and dishes that we each contributed to feed the masses. One platter stood out – okra, fresh from the garden and fried to perfection. It was my brother Scott’s offering. I did not know he even knew how to cook. There are several good restaurants where you can eat fried okra and most of them do a commendable job. Nothing, however, compares to homegrown okra fried the old-fashion way. It tasted like home.

I thought about this a few days later when I was kneading dough in preparation for cinnamon rolls I would bake on the first day of school. The dough recipe I use is the one my grandmother shared with me when I left for seminary. Her sour dough bread was a parting gift to me when I would head back to college. In seminary I learned to bake it so that no matter how far away I lived, I could always have something that tasted like home. Perhaps one day my boys will have families of their own and share with them cinnamon rolls or Amy’s sweet potato biscuits and their taste buds will remind them of what home is like.

What is it that tugs at your heart and calls you back home, even if it is in the fading confines of memory? The idea of home – even if it is just an idea and not a reality – is a place of stability; a place one goes to, if not literally then in memory. Home is a place we call hope and therefore home is for sending, such as going to work, to school, or to something new. Home is also a place of receiving, to be welcomed back and nourished. Home; it is a lovely thought, isn’t it?

I am convinced every human life longs for a place to call home; a place that can send you out ready to face the world and a place that will welcome you back when the world has you weary. Jesus modeled this with his own disciples in their travels. Capernaum was “home base” where lessons were taught, miracles occurred, and fellowship was enjoyed. Of course they did not stay there but quite often ventured out; down the River Jordan and all about and around Jerusalem. Home was not simply a place, but a belonging.

How is your faith a “home” to you? Is it a place that readies you for the challenges of family, school and work? Does your faith nourish you in a way that sustains you when the going gets tough and the demands compound? Is your faith a home for you when you cannot find the strength or the answers to go any further on your own? Many, indeed too many, have made their faith not a home, but an office for work or a retail store to consumer.

Jesus wants something more than our frentic work that seeks to prove worth by busyness. Certainly to be a follower is also more than just “customizing” the beliefs to suit our own whims. No, I believe what Jesus wants more than anything is a relationship that sustains, rejuvenates, authorizes, and commissions.

Come home and on your way home you will find the table spread by other members of the family who search, and seek and serve. Also I encourage you to see you can better prepare your own home to be a place of receiving as well as sending. Your family needs this and your faith deserves this.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Jesus, Matthew 11:28)

Peace,

Greg

First Day of School August 9, 2004

First Day of School August 8, 2011

The MINI is good for hauling most anything I can strap on the roof - including kids

For owners of the MINI Cooper there is a unique culture. It is a quirky English car that has been around since 1959 and so most references to the MINI are couched in English colloquialisms. The “bonnet” is the hood; the “boot” is the trunk (yes, it has a trunk), and driving one is described as “happy motoring.” Well, after more than eight years I am out of the MINI, having traded it for a more grown-up car that can better transport my kayaks and navigate Forest Service Roads, and, quite frankly, it is easier to get in and out of without making those groaning noises.  

When I bought my first MINI in early 2003 it was a novelty car. For the first couple of years people would stop and ask me about the car – “What kind is it? (MINI Cooper) Who makes it? (John Cooper Motorworks) Where do you keep the clowns? (Underneath the hood, they power the motor)” Over time church members have taken great delight in gifting me with toy MINI cars not much smaller than the original. In my study at the church I counted 15 toy MINIs along my book shelves that have been given to me and there are several more similar toy cars at home. What do I do with them now?

While Amy and I walked away from the crash, the 03 MINI did not!

About a year after I purchased my MINI I was in a pretty bad wreck on the interstate that totaled four cars, including my own. It did such a good job protecting Amy and I in the wreck that I went straight to the dealership and ordered another and have not looked back…until last week. Well, as I wrote in the first paragraph, I am now out of the MINI. It was great “motoring” while it lasted. Yes I know, too much sentiment for a car.

My sweet new ride...notice the extra seating for family

All analysis aside, cars are just things. They are modes of transportation that offer varying levels of comfort and perhaps can make a personal statement about the owner, but they are still things.  As I am approaching the return to school through the lenses of my youngest son and the start of college through my oldest son I am reminded how precious relationships are. Things come and go and for that matter so do people. Yet our relationships have an enduring quality.

Family, friends and the community of faith deserve our investments and attention; not the cars we drive or even the houses we live in. In the Gospel of John Jesus uses the term friend to describe a disciple. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)

For Jesus loving one another is a sign of community, fellowship, and church. Disciples are friends and according to theologian Raymond Brown friend and love is the same thing, although the English language cannot fully convey this relationship. “The mark of the faithful community is how it loves, not who are its members.” (New Interpreters Bible Commentary)

There is much that changes in this world – the clothes we wear; the furniture we use, and the cars we drive. These are all just temporary things. Our investment in God’s community here on earth, however, is an enduring inheritance. 

I am blessed to not only be your pastor, but also your friend.

The line is well known among Jimmy Buffett fans and the era of sun tan oils (as opposed to blocks, lotions and creams). Here along the Gulf Coast, however, it calls to mind other kinds of oil that we would rather not see. Happily, no oil is in site around St. George Island and the DeLoaches are enjoying spending some time with good friends along the beautiful beach. Mornings are spent planning what we are going to eat for breakfast. Near noon we are scrounging for lunch and most of the afternoon is dedicated to planning for supper. In between meal planning we are kayaking, sunning, catching up and slowing down.

We probably are not the only ones taking a little time off this summer. July is one of the busiest months for summer travel. Many in the church are “missing in action” during this month attempting to squeeze out the rest of summer since school will be starting back in just a few weeks.

I am heartened that in spite of wide-spread travel among our membership we are seeing a surge in church involvement. Choir mission trips, Vacation Bible School and Youth Camp have been some of the best ever. In a week many of our high school students will be leaving for a mission trip to Jamaica. Wonderful Wednesdays and “One-derful” Wednesdays have kept our mid week calendar full.

I state all of the above to say that I am quite encouraged by the positive spirit flowing throughout this community of faith. There is much that the recession cannot touch, including our sense of being the church in fellowship, worship and mission.

Soon the beach umbrellas will be packed away and our summer experiences will be reduced to memories and photographs. School will be back in session and old routines will be resumed. Yet we are still the church – practicing the faith Sunday to Sunday, month to month, year to year. It is good to “be” the church with you all.

This Sunday I will be rested, tanned (well maybe just a slight shade of pink) and present behind the pulpit for all three worship services. I will be sharing with you a message from Genesis 25:29-34 which is the colorful story of Jacob swindling his brother Esau out of his birthright. I hope to see you Sunday. If you are out of town, share with me about your travels, what you are seeing and if you care, send a picture or two.

Peace be with you,

Greg

Amy always was a high achiever...

…Or is it right? I am sure someone will clarify this tradition for me before the week is out. I am not graduating from anything, mind you, but I am proud to have a son to complete this phase of his life. I am trying hard to not sound cliché when I write that it seems like yesterday when we were taking this nine pound infant home from the hospital and immediately our lives were forevermore changed, BUT it does seem like yesterday. Like those nesting eagles I wrote about a few weeks ago, soon he will be launched from our home and into the waiting world (we do plan on changing the locks). Many of you parents are going through this too. It is a good feeling, but one that comes mixed with a little nostalgia for the past as well as some understandable regrets – there is much I would do differently if given the chance to “do-over.”

Do you remember your first graduation? For most of us it was High School, as it was in my case. The dignified ceremony for Putnam County High School was held in the auditorium of Rock Eagle. I was part of an august class of 109 students. I remember next to nothing except for lumbering up and receiving my diploma and feeling as though I had just been handed a ticket to the world. That was 27 years ago and I have not seen most of my classmates since. A few have died. Many never left the dairy capitol of Georgia. Some, so I am told, moved to far parts of the globe.

I know what you are thinking: "Where can I get a pair of those glasses?"

Whether you are graduating from a school, or have someone in your family moving the tassel and moving forward, we are all on some level graduating. We are all moving from one phase of life and entering into something new. Sometimes what we face is exciting and open-ended, like a new career or a growing family. Some “graduations” are moving into the abyss of the unknown and the way ahead is unclear, perhaps even threatening. I wish I could write and say, “every day is a holiday” and therefore to be faced with optimistic excitement, but that would not be truthful. Some graduations are painful.

All graduations need to be marked with a shared community. Formally it happens in auditoriums and meeting halls. Informally it may be as simple as a supper table. Community is one of my favorite words for the church. It is where we gather and we share with one another as we pass through our graduations. From birth to death we are marking the seasons for God. We are constantly graduating until that final graduation.

First Baptist Augusta 2011 High School Graduates - wonder who is the bearded guy?

We will not always be able to climb every mountain and some of the roads less traveled are dead ends. Traveling together as the community of Christ, however, means that we will share with one another to the very end. The end, as Easter reminds us, is then the beginning.

Peace,

A couple of weeks ago a thoughtful church member shared with me the following link to an internet site: http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles. This link is to a webcam that provides live 24 hour coverage of a pair of bald eagles and their three young eaglets that hatched earlier this month. The nest is 80 feet in the air, atop a research center in far away Iowa. For the last two weeks in between writing, emails, naps and phone calls I have watched this nest of eagles feed on rabbit, survive a blanket of snow, houseclean their nest and stare icily at the hidden camera. It is a reality show like none you have ever seen on television.

While the eagles laid their eggs back in late February, thirteen years ago insects all throughout the Deep South were doing the same thing. I am certain not a one of us noticed this event in our yards but now we can hear the results. Cicadas! Specifically, “Periodical Cicadas” and they are called so because they come out every thirteen years. The males give off a steady “buzz” during the day that at times sound like a pulsating hum. Their empty shells can be found clinging tenaciously to leaves, stems and bark.

Eagles and cicadas and spring time in general remind us that the earth is alive and new life abounds. God is not just about doing new things in nature, but I believe is working for newness in each and every life. That is one of the lessons that we are reminded of in the Easter season. Like the cicadas that are leaving behind the papery shells of their outer garment, we too have to leave the old behind in order to fully enter the new.

Resurrection is a calling to cast off the grave cloths; leave them behind like the cicadas of your childhood – empty and lifeless shells – and walk into the future God has waiting for you. Granted, to do so is risky. Sometimes the old and familiar past, while not life giving, can give us a notion of security and a misleading sense of peace.

Just think, when the cicadas were laying their eggs thirteen years ago my son Clark was starting kindergarten. Now, in about a month, he is about to graduate. While there is nostalgia and sentiment in thinking of those early days when he was just a small child with a bad haircut and his biggest challenge was who he would sit with in the school lunchroom, we cannot look back. There is a future waiting for him. He has a song yet to be sung, and of course so do we, his aging parents!

The Easter Season is the embrace of the familiar story line “happily ever after” and I believe this is what God has written for you and me. Let the world throw to us its worst. And I know that many of us walk in the muck and mire of human desperation. Resurrection is the counter-message that God’s story is bigger than any other we will encounter or even imagine.

…for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come. (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)

In Baptism we are reminded of Paul’s Easter words: Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4) 

Christ has Risen; He has Risen Indeed! Indeed,