How a Resurrection Really Feels

Hold Steady Minnesota State Fair 

Sept 2, 2023 

The Hold Steady, and Craig Finn in particular, have a palpable, positive energy. 

The first song on the first release, penned in the early 2000’s, was a prophetic announcement of that positivity. 

As a guitar strums quietly lead singer Craig Finn recounts each decade of 20th Century turmoil from the stock market crash of 1929 to the crash of that very same market in Oct 2002.

 The song abruptly changes tone as Craig loudly proclaims

“I got bored when I didn’t have a band. So I started a band man…

We’re going to start it with a Positive Jam - HOLD STEADY!”

Despite decades of “poverty, pestilence, and war” this band was going to be about hope. Twenty years later Craig has written songs with themes of broken people receiving redemption and grace. His faith is often woven into the fabric of his lyrics. 

For the well-initiated Craig Finn is a preacher reminding the faithful that amidst trouble and brokenness there is hope and positivity. And probably a party. 

Yes, there’s a few songs about parties. Killer Parties. More about that at the end.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen The Hold Steady. The first show was on Nov 13, 2007 in Lawrence Kansas. My best guess was I've seen between twenty and twenty-two shows. 

Reflecting on the things that occurred during the 72 hours this last weekend in Minnesota I'm confident last night was Number Twenty.

That confidence comes from the spiritual nature of a Hold Steady show. There's something greater than ourselves going on with this band. Twenty celebrations with the church of the Hold Steady faithful on their 20th anniversary tour feels right. In scriptures numbers have significance and this connection did not go unnoticed. It had to be #20.

We all have different ways we connect with God. Music is one of those. This story is a reminder that when you listen for God you will hear. God started talking to me an hour after arriving in Minneapolis and kept talking until I collapsed in exhaustion in passenger seat of our Nissan on Sunday afternoon. 

This perspective isn’t the result of consuming a leafy substance before, during, or after the show. It wasn’t even the mild beer buzz I had when my ticket was scanned. It was people we met, things we experienced, and subtle signs that did not go unnoticed. 

Thursday afternoon Kelli & I went to Venn Brewing. As I walked over to a wall of merch, I noticed a man sitting alone at a table near the door. He had a guitar case next to him, so I smiled and simply said “Mine is in the car”. He stood up, we shook hands, and he told me he had just arrived to play at the State Fair. I told him we were going to the fair. He took out a scrap of paper and wrote his name – Yawo Attivor - and the time/location of his show and handed it to me.

We didn’t have a set schedule on Saturday, but God had one. We found the stage at the time he had written on the paper. Yawo is from the West African country of Togo and his music reminded me of Paul Simon’s Graceland – one of my all-time favorite albums. Much like Craig his smile was infectious and much like The Hold Steady his music had a positive message. There’s no doubt we were led to that place and moment to hear his message of hope and community.

Another connection happened earlier in the day when we met three kids standing next to us on a crowded fairgrounds shuttle. One was wearing an Auburn shirt and he reciprocated my friendly “War Eagle”. I've had more than one Auburn-related sign from God that my friend Jeff, who passed away in 2016, is doing just fine. After reflecting on the events of the weekend I believe this was one of them.

His two friends told Kelli they live in Tampa. She replied "We live in Kansas City". The young woman lit up and said she grew up in Lees Summit. She is a 2016 LS West graduate and went to Missouri State. 

Our youngest son Seth is a 2016 LS North graduate and went to Missouri State. We showed her a picture and she recognized him. I texted him and he said he had a couple of classes with her. 

There's more. She shared she was in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Kelli was an Alpha Delta Pi. More reminders that we are all connected, or in Hold Steady terms - we are all part of the "Unified Scene"

Like any huge event, the Minnesota State Fair is a mass of people and sensory overload. State Fairs are a celebration. As we went from one place to another a repeated refrain from Party Pit rang in my head. “Going to walk around and drink.” It’s part of the celebration and while we didn’t over-indulge, we certainly did walk around and drink. 

We met a young woman and her barrel racing horse. 

My cousin Kelly who was with us is an equestrian. 

Walk around and drink. 

We saw baby goats, massive rabbits, and a punk rock chicken. 

Walk around and drink. 

Went in a haunted house and saw an amazing International Music show. 

Walk around and drink. 

A High Noon Seltzer banner passed overhead every three or four minutes during the Intl Music show. With each pass I’d look at Kelly and say I suddenly had an urge for a terrible domestic seltzer. It was a running joke for a handful of passes. 

When I opened my fridge at home to stock beers acquired in MN there were two High Noon seltzers left behind by the kids. A plane took off and pulled a banner for a stupid running joke. The first line of Entitlement Crew is "Tequila Take-Off, Tecate Landing." The flavor of the High Noon in the fridge did not go unnoticed.

Walk around and drink some more…

Shortly before going into the show, we ran across pitch man Billy Newcomb selling salsa makers. He has been pitching in that spot for nearly 30 years. His family has been a part of the fair for 85 years. He reminded me of my first career in piano sales. My first boss pitched at the Iowa State Fair for 30+ years. His mother and grandfather fifty plus before that.

I pitched the fair for a decade. It was miserable, and I’m thankful God put another career path in front of me. I admire people who enjoy this work because I love listening to them. There’s comfort in the familiarity of the pitch. “The jokes don’t get any better.”  

He asked if anyone owned one and we replied to the affirmative. Kelly joked that she had lost hers in a divorce. He stopped his pitch, asked his daughter to hand him a salsa maker, and handed it to her as a gift. He refused to take any money for it. Generosity.

SHOW TIME!

Kelli has been to three Hold Steady shows with me. Even though concerts aren’t her favorite thing to do, and the Hold Steady isn’t her favorite band, I’m thankful when she’s there with me. I like sharing these shows with her.

Cousin Kelly has been a Hold Steady fan as long or longer than me. After the opening act I asked her how many shows she’s seen. 

Her answer gave me goosebumps. “This is the first.”

THE FIRST. 

There were "FIRSTs" for many of us.

Craig Finn grew up in Minneapolis and many of his stories are set in the Twin Cities. This was the first time they headlined fair and brought a special energy that can only be captured once. At the start of the show Craig recalled his first rock concert, played at this very venue, by 70’s teen idol Leif Garrett. Same with Bobby & Survivor a few years later.

Craig does not play much guitar during shows. He usually has a guitar to start a show and will plays a handful of chords for emphasis during the first few songs. Then he sets it down. This is the first show I’ve seen him keep that guitar around his neck from start to finish.

Other "FIRSTs" 

First Twin Cities Hold Steady show - they're always at their best in Minneapolis.

First outdoor Hold Steady show.
First Hold Steady show featuring occasional guest players “The Horn Steady”.
First time seeing Mosh Pit Josh scream the chorus to Stay Positive.
First show I’ve seen Craig play guitar on the intro to Positive Jam.

Memorable moments.

I tore up our State Fair map to make confetti to throw at the appointed time during Hoodrat.

Singing along to many of the songs. "Our sing along songs will be our scriptures."

Bobby's rock star hair flying all night long. 

The rough looking guy falling into another rough looking guy a few rows ahead of me. 

Unintentional yet unwanted contact. 

They started exchanging words and I was expecting a fight. 

They hugged - that only happens at a Hold Steady show.

The cherry on top of all those firsts for me was being a part of Kelly’s first show. During “Lord, I’m Discouraged” I put my left arm around Kelli and my right arm around Kelly and swayed back and forth while Craig sang

Lord, I'm sorry to question your wisdom

But my faith has been wavering

Won't you show me a sign,

And let me know that you're listening? 

An ironic lyric – my faith in that moment was anything but wavering. I knew God was listening. It was a poignant and beautiful.

I left hoarse, sweaty, and exhausted from jumping and singing (screaming?) along. The adrenaline didn’t wear off for another 12 hours.

The final song at every Hold Steady show is Killer Parties. While the bass and drums repeat the familiar chorus Craig announces he has one more thing to say. The faithful know and he encourages them to say it with him. 

On a Saturday Night in St Paul Minnesota five thousand people lifted their voice in unison.

 “THERE IS SO MUCH JOY IN WHAT WE DO”. 

There IS joy in this band and I’m grateful for all the little and big things that made it a part of the Unified Scene.

Epilogue

I looked Yawo up the day after the show. “Studied at Drake University” immediately caught my eye. My mother is a graduate of Drake’s music school. I ran across a picture of him holding  a Drake University flag. My mother posted a picture just a few days ago holding that very flag. 

A smile towards Yawo was the first stroke on the Minnesota Hold Steady canvas. A picture with my mother and her Drake flag to share with him was the last. An unexpected connection that tied the whole experience together. 

 

.

Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.

These words at the United Methodist Church website banner ring hollow to me. I resigned a life-long membership in the United Methodist Church in May because of the closed hearts, closed minds, and closed doors when it comes to the LGBTQ community. 

The United Methodist "rule book" added this statement in 1972 and despite repeated efforts to remove it, this is the stance of the church to this day.

"The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."

One of the things I loved about the Methodist church is they don't cram a particular theological ideology down your throat or demand that you live in a certain way. 

Unless you're gay. That's incompatible with Christian teaching. 

Scholars have argued the intent & meaning of scripture with regards to homosexuality for decades. I personally have spent many years studying scripture, prayerfully considering what it says, and letting it speak to my heart. 

I spent a lot of time considering the common belief that homosexuality is a sin. I believed it for many years because it's the stance of the Methodist church. 

Thank God study & prayer opened my heart and my mind. I'll leave the theology behind that decision for another time - there's a lot to unpack - but let's just say I am confident what I believe is scripturally sound. 

Instead of laying out a theological case, I'll ask you to open your heart and mind and ask yourself the core question I came to ask myself during this journey.

Is love is incompatible with Christian teaching? 

The answer to that question is obvious. When I look at loving relationships among my friends & family in the LGBTQ community and see the love they have for their friends, family, and community I see people living Godly lives. I see people worthy of God's love and the salvation of Jesus. I see love. I see mercy. I see grace. Not sin. 

Here's what I learned over many years studying Jesus in scripture. His grace and mercy showered down on the poor, the unclean, the marginalized, and the downtrodden. 

Jesus accepted women. He cast out a demon from one he called a "daughter of Abraham" (Luke 13:16). This statement essentially elevated her to a spiritual status equal to a male, something some denominations in the modern church have yet to recognize.

Jesus accepted those who oppressed the Jews. Christ did not show any kind of contempt at a Centurion's request to heal a servant. Christ responds by healing the servant and telling others "I have not found such great faith, even in Israel" (Matt 8:5-13)

Jesus accepted those who opposed the Jews. When Jesus told a teacher of the law that loving his neighbor as himself was an important part of fulfilling the law, he asked Jesus who was his neighbor. Christ’s response was a completely startling parable with a Samaritan as the hero (Luke 10:25–37). Then there's a story of a Samaritan woman at a well. 

All of these acts of love brought thousands of people to know, love, and follow Christ. 

Jesus accepted those who were oppressed yet most people who call themselves Christians call individuals who are LGBTQ+ sinners and won't accept them into their church families with open arms and no strings attached. The Methodist church uses the excuse that it's "incompatible with Christian teaching", the Baptists from the Westboro cult isn't as nice but if you're gay what's the difference?

No wonder so many in the LGBTQ community wants nothing to do with Christ or the church. Can you blame them?

I don't wonder what Christ would say about people in the LGBTQ community. He already showed me how He feels about them. It's right there in the scriptures Christians use to oppress the people Christ loves. 

You know what else I learned about Jesus? The only people He reprimanded were the leaders of His church, in large part because they used scripture to elevate themselves while making followers feel inadequate and unworthy. 

Sound familiar?

Sincerely ask yourself if love is incompatible with Christian living. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if two men or two women can love one another as deeply as you love your spouse or significant other. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if that love is a sin.

Open your Heart. Open your Mind. Open your Doors 

TO EVERYONE.

Live like Christ.

Methodist Memories: Corn Edition

 As I’ve been reflecting on my experience as a Methodist, I started thinking about the pastors and the churches I’ve attended. Growing up in the Iowa Methodist Conference I thought it would be appropriate to call this post the "Corn Edition". Enjoy.

My family lived on the south side of Des Moines near the Wakonda Country Club until I was three. I was baptized at St Johns UMC in Des Moines but was too young to remember that experience or attending church there. Surely my mom and dad put me in childcare because I was, and remain to this day, a fidgety kid. Fidgety kids and sanctuaries generally don’t mix.

We moved to West Des Moines in 1967 and the first church I remember attending was First UMC. The first pastor I remember was an Associate whose name escapes me. Our neighbor Harry Moulton was a member who owned a donut shop in Des Moines. Twice a year or so he’d bring his donut equipment to the church kitchen and I’d skip service to help make and eat donuts. There’s NOTHING an 8-year-old kid enjoys more at church than making and eating fresh donuts. Services & Sunday school were not terribly memorable but let’s just say it’s pretty easy to sell a little blonde kid on Jesus with fresh donuts.

My parents left First UMC for Valley UMC sometime in the mid 70’s. It was a newer church at 42nd & Ashworth which was pretty much the edge of town at the time. Bob Leverenz was the first memorable pastor. He was the pastor who confirmed me and continued to be "my pastor" until I graduated from college because about the time I left for college he was appointed to a church Cedar Falls. I did attend church occasionally at Northern Iowa but in the interest of full disclosure, high school junior/senior & college Dave was not a regular at church. 

The one thing that stands out about my Valley UMC experience was the controversy surrounding a youth leader who was gay. To give you some context this was 1979 – 1981 which was not exactly the age of enlightenment for us straights. I’m quite sure Reverend Leverenz was under tremendous pressure to remove him. Rich was a good dude, and he did a great job as our leader. The kids liked and respected him. Bob did not remove him and there were a fair number of families who left the church over the issue. Bob stood for what was right and I’ll never forget that early experience of LGBTQ+ activism by a leader inside the Methodist church.

Even though Bob Leverenz was "my guy", mom & dad’s encouragement to go to church started falling on deaf ears when I was fifteen or sixteen. I decided I didn’t have to go to church and fell into a period of time when I questioned whether there was a God, and considered myself agnostic. Although technically still a member of the Methodist church I certainly wasn’t holding up my end of the bargain in those years. In 1992 I became a father and eventually Kelli and I decided it was time to get back to church so our kids would experience the joy of being part of a Methodist community. 

Kelli and I joined a brand new church the conference tapped Mike Orthel to launch. We met at a school where his lovely wife Joanne was the music director and I played guitar and bass on Sundays. We’d arrive early and set up chairs in the gym or lunchroom. We left that church when we moved to Kansas City. Not long after Mike was appointed to the church in Kalona, Iowa and we traveled to his new church to have him baptize Seth. Mike also presided over a renewal of our wedding vows for our 10^th anniversary.

Coming Soon - Methodist Memories: BBQ Edition

Why I Can't Be a Methodist Right Now

I don’t remember being baptized at St Johns United Methodist Church by Reverend Keck but mom told me it happened and I’m sure she has a certificate saved somewhere. My kids were baptized Methodists. My mom and dad grew up in Methodist homes, as did their parents. Methodism is a generational thing for the Templeman family.

That’s part of what made what I did this week so difficult. After spending part of six decades as a confirmed member at one of five different United Methodist churches I am resigning my membership in the church due to it's continued delays on sanctification of LGBTQ+ marriage and clergy. When I was confirmed, and each time I joined a new church as a member I pledged to support them with my presence, gifts, service, or witness. I can no longer do so in good conscience.

The United Methodist Church is, well, methodic in structure and decision making. The structure is laid out in our “rules” called the Book of Discipline. Originally written by John Wesley it has evolved over time and continues to be updated by the General Conference (GC) every four years. Here’s a quick history lesson on the Book of Discipline and the Methodist Church's stance on homosexuality.

1968: “We recognize that many persons who are troubled and broken by sexual problems, such as homosexuality…” (aka the wrong position.)

1971: “Homosexuals no less than heterosexuals are persons of sacred worth, who need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship which enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self-ensured though we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.” (aka the “Incompatibility Clause / Civil Rights Assurance” position).

That’s it. The position of the church for over fifty years has been either it's a “sexual problem” or “incompatible with Christian teaching”.

FIFTY YEARS!

There has been opposition to this position within the church going back to when the Incompatability clause was first introduced, and there have been meaningless gyrations of the wording to the BoD’s stance, but the “Incompatible” position in the most recent BoD (2016) remains in place.

Here it is:

Marriage

We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman.

Homosexuality

All persons need the ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to all.

I love how over time the GC has managed to bury the 'practice of homosexuality' rule right in there with all the ‘spiritual care / reconciling relationships / God’s grace’ terminology. Cleaver, huh?

I’ve had an awareness of this rule since a large group of members left my high school church over the Pastor’s refusal to dismiss a great youth leader who happened to be gay. Jeff Brinkman gave me some good clarity over 10 years ago and asked me to be an advocate if the BoD changed. That's when I really started paying attention to the issue. In 2015 our oldest son came out which further fueled my fire to see this change made in my church - HIS church! In the time since I have been discouraged nothing has been done despite a significant percentage of people across all levels of the denomination opposed to the ban.

To change the BoD you need to bring a proposal to the GC. Being a divisive issue that likely would (will) fracture the United Methodist Church the GC has never brought an "Inclusive Plan" to the floor for a vote. 

In Feb 2019 the GC held a special session in St Louis with specifically to vote on the issue. There was a an Inclusive Plan and a Traditional Plan, the latter proposed by a conservative faction made up of the African church and conservative churches,  many based in the southern US. The Traditional Plan passed by a margin of 53% - 47% upholding the BoD's "incompatible with Christian teachings" stance AND putting a disciplinary process in place for pastors who performed gay weddings. The conservatives also approved a Disaffiliation Plan with a “hefty price tag” for exiting churches.

Enter COVID.

Many inclusion leaders in churches & conferences have been working with conservative church leaders to come up with a more realistic disaffiliation plan because at this point a split is inevitable. (A split has ALWAYS been inevitable.) From my understanding they either have or are close to having an agreement, one that could be finalized and voted on by the GC. 

They understandably cancelled the 2020 session. They considered a 2021 virtual session but “logistics” make it “impossible”. The next GC is scheduled for Aug 2022. Who knows what will happen then?

We’ve spent fifteen plus months adjusting to our “new normal” and figuring it out. I don’t understand why leaders in the United Methodist Church can’t figure out a way to get eight hundred votes cast on a proposal where both sides have agreed to terms.

I’m done waiting. Other Protestant denominations are inclusive: Episcopalians, Disciples of Christ, the ELCA Lutheran (among others). I considered leaving in February of 2019 but was hopeful for this issue to be resolved in a reasonable time frame and three years is not a reasonable time frame.

I cannot in good conscience support a church that refuses to recognize a loving, Godly union between two LGBTQ+ individuals. Tomorrow is the first day of Pride Month. It is also the first day my name will not be on a Methodist church membership roll since 1977. The timing is fitting.

This in no way impacts my faith. God is good all the time. Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I will find a place to praise him.

I will miss my friends at Woods Chapel. I will miss serving you in worship at Woods Chapel. I want you all to know I love you and this has absolutely nothing to do with Woods Chapel. When you see me out and about stop and say hi.

I will continue to fulfill one of the aspects of my pledge as a Methodist - I will continue to pray for Woods Chapel, the Missouri Conference, and the church as a whole. It's going to be a bumpy ride and I wish I was going to be there with you. I will also pray that perhaps someday we can once again call Woods Chapel our church home.

Love the Sinner...

I am a follower of Christ. I have spent the better part of the past fifteen years reading, studying, and contemplating scripture. I'm not a Biblical scholar by any stretch, but I have the Word written on my heart and I am confident in the truth within its pages. Note I didn't say my understanding of the truth. I am confident in THE TRUTH within its pages.

Disclaimer: I do not believe the Bible teaches homosexuality is a sin. Here's a link to a two-part argument by the Reverend Elder Don Eastman, an Assembly of God educated theologian who, among others, helped form that belief. I'd encourage you to read about that point of view. You don't have to agree with it, but you should know about it. 

With all that said, this post isn't about homosexuality and sin. This post is about a phrase that we Christians need to quit using. You've used it before when referring to someone who is LGBTQ+. I know I did for years.

Did Jesus say it? (Nope. What He said was quite contrary.)

Is it in the Bible? (Not the one I've read time and time again.)

If Jesus didn't say it, and it's not in the Bible, why do Christians commonly invoke it when referring to people in the LGBTQ+ community?

It's origin is from one of the Patron Saints of Brewing Augustine, who wrote "Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum" in a fifth century letter. The Latin roughly translates to "with love for mankind and hatred of sins". 

Note the nuanced difference in Saint Augustine's comment. Love for mankind is not love the sinner. Sinner is personal and accusatory, mankind is universal and impartial. Hatred of sins is not hate the sin. He's using plural vs. singular vernacular. 

I'm no Saint, but as a brewer of beer I appreciate Saint Augustine's but I disagree with his philosophy on this topic. The overarching theme of the Bible is love, not hate. He should have stopped with love for mankind.

The phrase reappears fifteen hundred years later in Ghandi's autobiography, possibly as a response / clarification to what Saint Augustine wrote. Unfortunately those who use his words to justify "love the sin and hate the sinner" probably don't know important context that makes his an opposing viewpoint.

This is What Ghandi Wrote

Paraphrasing to Drive Home a Point

Today this poison comes in the form of Christians justifying their condemnation of LGBTQ+ because they believe that by simply being their authentic self individuals in the LGBTQ+ community are committing a mortal sin.

"Love the sinner and hate the sin" is dangerous because Christians think they're meeting Jesus's command to love people when in fact they are breaking it. There is NOTHING loving about "Hate the Sin". Would you say to "You are a sinner and I hate sin" to a stranger? To your neighbor? To your spouse? 

Here's the result of winning souls to Christ by preaching Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin.

According to Pew Research nearly half (48%) of LGBTQ+ adults say they have no religious affiliation compared to 20% among the general public. Of those LGBTQ+ adults who ARE religiously affiliated a full third (33%) say there is a conflict between their religious beliefs and sexual orientation / gender identity. 

As a straight white guy I'm appalled by the fact that straight white guys seem to be driving these statistics. Nearly three quarters (74%) of white evangelical Protestants along with a majority of all U.S. adults (55%) with a religious affiliation say homosexuality conflicts with their religious beliefs. 

Here's a link to the study if you want to read all the data around our current success in bringing LGBTQ+ people to Jesus. The data doesn't lie. "Hate the Sin" repels Children of God away from experiencing the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ.

THIS HAS TO STOP. 

Jesus was asked which was the most important commandment. Remember what He said? Here's a refresher, and I'm going back to the King James version so even "old school" Christians get the message. 

By the way - I used a more accurate representation of Christ's human form than the "European Jesus" common in New World churches because I sincerely believe that we as American Christians need to take a deep look into our world view and decide if ideas and theologies that have been baked into our culture for centuries needs to be challenged.

Okay, so back to the Word. Did you hear it? Love God. Love your Neighbor. Keep these two commandments and you fulfill the rest of them. You are Christ's representative. You are His hands & feet. 

"Hate the sin" is figuratively kicking the LGBTQ+ community with your feet and using your hands to push them away. I'm going to say it again: the data doesn't lie.

Know what else Jesus said? Don't judge other's sins. If you're going to judge, judge your own sin. Remove the plank from your eye you hypocrite. 

Bottom line, even if you think being gay is a sin you are commanded by Jesus to love the sinner. Period. End of sentence. Half of the LGBTQ+ community is not affiliated with religion because they are being poisoned by "hate the sin" Christians.  

I'm imploring you to follow this advice cleverly written in rainbow letters as a sign of my love for my LGBTQ+ family, friends, and neighbors:

STOP HATING THE SIN! 

Your LGBTQ+ neighbor is a child of God. Accept them without judgement or hesitation. Go out of your way to invite them to your church and welcome them with open arms.

Celebrate their victories. Comfort them in grief. 

Consecrate the life-long bond they wish to share with another in God's love. Provide an answer for those who hear the call to ministry.

LOVE. THE. SINNER. 

 If you're in a church that doesn't believe in that you're in the wrong church.

Love Mankind. Period. End of Sentence.

An Open Letter to my Woods Chapel Church Family

The Methodist church was in the news this spring after voting to uphold the current Book of Discipline ban on gay clergy and same sex marriage. Some of us agreed with the GC, some of us did not. I am in the latter category. What deeply saddened me was the General Conference doubling down on the ban by putting pastoral pensions at risk for non-compliance.

No matter where you personally stand on this issue, two things are clear. One is that the United Methodist church is likely to no longer be United in the near future. While a split seems inevitable, what I find more troubling is today. By upholding the ban our General Conference announced to the world that Methodists don't value LGBT leadership or recognize the love shared in LGBT relationships as equal to our own.

Members of the LGBT community are under constant attack by groups and unfortunately many use the name of Christ to justify their opposition. One only needs to look sixty miles to our west to find the most vile and visible of these groups.

When headlines read "Methodists Uphold Ban on Gay clergy we are branded as "just another intolerant religious group." We appear to be hypocrites and in many ways that appearance isn't just an appearance. Jesus commands us to love our neighbors, yet we are turning our back on children of God.

It breaks my heart to know there are those who have never had a relationship with Christ & others driven from that relationship by those who are called to love them. There's something very wrong about this picture and its deeply disturbing.

June is Pride Month and yesterday members of our family participated in the Columbus Ohio Parade. The interesting thing about their participation is our nephew Marcus, an ordained Methodist Minister, led his family along with members of two congregations from North Broadway Methodist Church and their sister church Short North. They are among many Methodists who say 'we love you and accept you as you are' and took that mission to the streets.

This morning we visited Summit Church and the message resonated deeply in my heart. The sermon started with Philippians 2:2 which reads

"then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

We are split into a society of "OR."

Blue OR Red.

Rich OR Poor.

Yes OR No.

Paul is teaching us to replace OR with AND. Like-minded does not mean we need to agree, it means we need to accept. OR is a term of exclusion, Paul is teaching us inclusion through the word AND.

These are actions we should take today.

Practice Humility 

Philippians 2:3-4 reads

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Value others above yourself, not looking to your own interest but to the interest of others. 

It doesn't say 'value others above yourself unless we disagree' or 'to the interests of others unless others are different'

Humility means caring about others more than yourself. Where they are, who they are, and how they are. Period. End of sentence. There are no exceptions in this scripture.

Create Community

To bring His message to the world Christ chose a despised tax collector, a politician, members of the opposition, and even a man who today would be considered a serial killer of His disciples. If Christ can bring that kind of diverse community together I'm confident Woods Chapel can do the same.

We have banners in our places of worship that say this:

Included

Accepted

Loved

AS YOU ARE.

It is our responsibility as Woods Chapel, and as Methodists, to reach out to everyone. Given the recent press, we need to especially reach out to those the LGBT community so they know that despite what they've been reading in the paper those banners are not words on a wall. 

Those words are not a slogan, they should be the condition of our hearts. 

Near Misses

I narrowly escaped a fire in 1994. There was a gentleman doing repairs to our roof using an acetylene torch. He went to lunch and the torch fell over and caused the tarred seams of our steel roof to heat up and smolder. Over the course of the next hour or so the tar transferred that heat to the insulation above our false ceiling. By the time the A/C kicked on, there was enough heat built up to cause a fairly violent explosion in the dead space.

I will never forget that sound, and looking up to see flames shooting through a few missing ceiling tiles, one of which happened to be right above my office door which blocked the only exit. Our 10,000 square foot building filled with thick smoke within a matter of 10-15 seconds.

Thankfully I was not in my office or it's likely I would have been severely burned and/or killed. We canceled our usual organ class which is full of seniors because most of our employees were at the State Fair. The firefighters were gravely concerned when they arrived that everyone was out - a similar fire had killed 11 people at another retail store in 1978.

By the grace of God five of us got out with only minor injuries (mostly smoke inhalation) and nothing lost but inventory.

Fast forward twenty years.

My oldest son Zach was on his way to the gym. A truck lost control on I-70, careened across the median separating the interstate from the frontage road and slammed into two cars, one of which was the car behind Zach. A few feet the other way, or a light that stayed red for just a few more seconds and that truck would have hit Zach. Sadly the man in the car that was stuck was killed.

What if? What if I had been in my office when that fireball came through? What if Kelli had to raise Zach alone? The fire was three years before Seth was born so he literally wouldn't be.

What if Zach waited a few seconds to cross the intersection. What if one car would have gotten in front of him and his car was sitting in the space occupied by the Accord? I could be sitting at Woods Chapel at his funeral today instead of at work.

I'm so thankful those are "what-if" and not "it-is." Life is short and it can be over in the blink of an eye.

There's a line in Mat Kearney's song "Closer to Love" that says we're all just one phone call from our knees.

If you didn't get that call today celebrate. Give thanks. Because there is a day where that call will come.