News from Grace
June 2008
Brave Faces
My husband Randy isn’t the best
patient in the world—he is fiercely independent, a little stubborn and macho
enough to try to hide the pain in his back. Sometimes that makes it difficult
for him to obey all of his doctor’s orders after his surgery. So when he came
home from the hospital last week we had a little heart-to-heart about being
honest with me, his wife and temporary care-giver. You will be honest with me,
right? I said. You will not do any more than you are allowed and give me
heartburn watching you? You will not hide your pain so I know what is going on?
He nodded each time, and a week into his recovery we have been doing well
except for those occasions when the children or grandchildren come by to visit him.
The brave face goes up
immediately and he tries to pretend to be better and more capable than he truly
is. He doesn’t want the younger generation to be sad or concerned for him. I
understand but I do shake my head when I have to pack him into bed for an
exhausted nap after such a visit.
With Father’s Day approaching I
have thought about how many dads and “pop-pops” do this all the time; how
common it is for fathers who love their children to hide pain, put on brave
masks and protect the young ones from all manner of distress. And then I
wonder: Does God do the same for us? Does God absorb the distress that is hard
for us to bear or carry? Does God put on a brave face for us when in reality
His heart is breaking and his being is nothing but pain? And the answer, of
course, is yes.
On this approaching Father’s Day
we give thanks to all the dads who show us in their brave faces a glimmer of
God. And we rejoice in their witness.
Calling All Guys
We
really want to see what interests you.
We want to see your “best stuff” and the pastimes you enjoy. Pick up the
“guy Sunday” insert in the bulletin, fill it out and drop it in the offering
plate. We’ll be sure to set up a place or you.
A New Kind of Christians
In his first book, “The Church on the Other Side,” author
Brian McLaren states the obvious: the world has changed. New communication
media have taken over our world and the way we talk to each other. Old enemies
have disappeared but new, even more terrifying ones,
have taken their place. There is a global economy that makes us live
differently. The world is waking up to its own destructiveness and going green.
McLaren then goes on to ask the logical
question: If we live in this new world, might that not also mean that we need a
new church, or a new kind of Christian -- not a new Christ, not a new Spirit,
but a new way to live our calling?
Maybe you have never given such
questions any thought, but
Martin Luther certainly did do so. He also stood at the dawn of a new age: new
communication means -- the Gutenberg printing press, new transportation and
with it world exploration, new forms of governance. And for
Luther, ultimately that meant a new way of “doing church.” It’s easy to
think that because Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, the church
will also be the same. But being in the world, the church has to adapt, change
and move forward. Join the conversation and help our congregation figure out
what it means to be church in this new world. Talk to a member of the
transition committee or a church council member and say what it means for you
to be a follower of Christ.
Best Wishes for wedded bliss to . . . .
Jessica Pressel and Lauro Moreno who
will wed on June 7.
Kayci Gwinn and Lynn Buckingham, Jr., who
will have their wedding
on June 28.
We pray God’s Blessing and
continued grace on both couples.
Dad’s
Incredible
Author Jim Wallis tells how his young son ends
telephone conversations with him.
“Daddy,” the boy says, “I love you, I like you and you’re
incredible.”
What makes an “incredible” father?
It isn’t as difficult as it might seem.
Children, of course, aren’t awed by the size of your
paycheck, office or retirement account. Instead, it’s the simple everyday
gestures that make you a No. 1 dad.
In Stories for the Family’s Heart, Steve Stephens
offers some sure-fire ways to be incredible in your kids’ eyes.
· Play tic-tac-toe and hide-and-seek.
· Be consistent.
· Buy ice cream cones.
· Don’t discipline in anger.
· Count stars together.
· Pray with (and for) your children.
· Hug and say “I love you” often.
Stay Tuned
The Parish Ed
Committee has been talking to exhausted Sunday School
teachers. Everybody
seems to need a break.
Stay tuned for temporary changes in the July and August schedule.
New Year’s Eve
Council has been approached about the possibility of
continuing the New Year’s Eve festivities
at the church. There is a need for
coordinators to handle the organization and planning
processes. If you’re interested, please
plan to attend a brief meeting following the Spirit
Cellar Service
on June 8 at 9:45.
A Father’s Influence
Studies show that if the mother of a family attends
worship, there’s a 16 percent chance that the rest of the family will also
attend. Yet when a father attends worship, there’s a 93 percent chance that
other family members will be present, too.
Just think, Dad, of the clout you
have. Hope to see you in church this weekend!