An invitation to Exchange Pulpits

We know that Sunday is one of the most segregated times in our culture. We all go to worship where we understand and value what we will experience. It's where we are nurtured, fed, challenged and grow.  One of the problems however is that we do not know each other, know each others experiences, or understand why we might be different.

I have spoken to several people here at Synod who have recently taken a Sankofa journey.  Info on Sankofa: http://www.duboislc.net/SankofaMeaning.html http://www.covchurch.org/cov/news/item6516  We have a new sixth element to our call.  Those along with many powerful testimonies about the hatred and prejudices (at the suggesting of the new president in his acceptance remarks I will not use race) views towards others, my creative mind has flung open the door to ask the questions "what if we....?"

So here is my first one, without regard to financial or logistical considerations:

Perhaps we may engage in our own kind of pulpit exchange.  A kind of congregational sankofa between two churches.  Perhaps, two congregations of different cultural and ethnic settings, could twice a year send their pastors, their spouse, and one other church member to visit and preach at each other's church.  Perhaps commit to do this over a 3-5 year period, to begin to see and understand first hand, what they can not experience on their own.  And living, over time, into the lives of each other.

I intend to explore this possibility however it may turn out, and would be open to dialogue with anyone who may desire to join me.  (Naturally, all details and approval would need to be brought to consistory.)      

women IN ministry

What a phenomenal celebration of God's spirit and gifts being used among us.  This evening we celebrated our sisters in Christ the road they have taken, those among us and a look to the future.

Now, while I am not prepared to do any in depth support for why I affirm the role of women and look forward to the day when I sit in the pews of a woman I will call my pastor, I did want to embrace the words of Paul that were echoed from both Galatians and Ephesians:  In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, MALE nor FEMALE, but we are all ONE in Christ.

God bless the next 30 years! 

The value in dialogue

While I am a blogger and have posted several blogs and read most posts on the issues and concerns of the Belhar, it was great to be face to face with others from around the denomination as we prayerfully dialogue together about the recommendations and overtures. 

While I would have liked our time preserved more effectively from the morning session, I found the conversations deep and thought provoking.  While some may have hoped to have more conversation on the synod floor beforehand, I found we had enough information to make meaningful and rich discussions that honored each other regardless of our convictions.  I walk away in disagreement with some but still engaging and conversing with my brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I disagree.   

I know that no process is perfect and even would offer changes myself, I walk away satisfied in the great work that we have done to this point.  I look forward to the continued discussion and votes that lay before us. 

A new birth -

Our Call and the ten year goal have inspired many churches and the church as a whole to look outward.  Over the past several years we have heard of churches birthing churches and classis birthing churches, including ten churches formalized in the past year and dozens more with plans. 

But tonight there was something much bigger. 

Now, before I share what it was, I want to share with you some thoughts.  Granted it has been several years since I expressed these dreams of what God could do.  This however, seems the right time to raise them again. 

While in Seminary listening to the Our Call and the ten year goal, I was attending what at the time was the last of 3 reformed churches planted in DFW in the 70's.  It was the only RCA congregation in Texas.  But, if you ran into me at Synod or MFCA events, and I got a chance to tell you where I was, and what I was dreaming that God would do, it was this:  There is going to be a Synod of the Lone Star.  Just so you know...that would mean that there would be Classis in Austin, Dallas, Huston, San Antonio, etc... I kept telling people, we are thinking too small.  We need to think beyond what we can do to truly see what God can do.  In Texas everything is Bigger.  We need to think bigger than Texas size.   

Well tonight I again got a glimpse of that dreaming of what God can do.  A new reformed denomination has been birthed in the Dominican Republic.  Now, as we have consistently done in foreign nations we partner with the people there, and work along side them.  So, it's not the same as a church that plans to start a new church.  However, I did not envision the ten year goal including the formation of new denominations.

We need to truly praise God for what he has brought about and is about to do.  Then we need to dust off our old dreams of what if God would, and make them BIGGER.

What's your DREAM?

Worship: Inside or outside

As I sat among hundreds for worship from every corner of the US, Canada, and globe I wondered what had brought us together in that space and time.  Sure we were attending a worship service.  But were we really there to worship God? 

I listened as liturgies were read, songs were song, the word of God was proclaimed and the sacrament of communion was shared.  But, just because I was there, just because others were there, does that mean God was worshipped?

The scripture passages were from Genesis and Mark.  The chaos of Gen 1:1 and Jesus calming the storm.  And while I heard the message, I didn't see it.  I mean I wasn't in the same place.  Sharing the same experience.  Identifying the same emotions.  I hadn't had chaos and storm to overcome, to be here at synod.  I didn't feel like the disciples, who feared in the midst of the storm, that all was about to be lost, and frantically tried to do all that they could to fight the storm and save everything from the chaos. 

And when the service was concluded, we departed.  Some together.  Some alone.  Some quickly.  Some slowly.  People talking all at once.  People stopping old friends to catch up.  People sharing their lives with one another. There it was.  In the Narthex.  On the lawn.  In the dorms.  Spreading all over campus.

And there I was. . .     in the chaos of people sharing the love of God, fellowshipping in the Holy Spirit, and communing with the Saints.  Witness to God's people, worshipping God in Spirit and in truth.  

Leighton Seys