Bringing Cheer

Every year there are dozens of organizations that request Calvary's help and/or assistance in fullfilling their mission.  Some of these organizations are non-for-profit agencies that deal with homelessness, poverty, or even domestic violence.  Others are church-related missions that seek to meet needs locally, while others are more national, or even international, in scope.  All are worthy.

Noting that there are, indeed, hundreds of organizations out there doing great work, it is easy to see that the need is even larger.  Actually, it's overwhelming. 

Our annual mission fair at Calvary (this weekend and throughout February) highlights those missions that Calvary seeks to fulfill. We can't, and in fact don't, do everything.  But we do support a surprising number of missions, and if you give some attention to the information booths this month, you'll discover how God is working through Calvary.

Last year, Calvary gave nearly $1700 to support our local Brownsburg "Cheer Committee" . . . a loose-array of volunteers who seek to meet local needs throughout the community.  Calvary also serves as the "call center" for these needs when they arise . . . and so our work is far more than just giving money.

I could mention many other missions, and will . . . but you can see for yourself as you peruse the mission fair booths in the coming weeks.  Keep your eyes and your heart peeled for a mission you might want to be involved in. 

There are many.  And there's a place of service for everyone. 

The Mission

There was a time when church buildings were called "missions".  You may have even visited some of these "missions" yourself.  The Alamo was a mission.  So were many of the historic places west, as Catholic and Protestant missionaries moved across the mountains and established outposts.

In fact, Calvary was established as a mission, too.  The year was 1828. Joseph Tarkington was the circuit rider.  And the town was called Harrisburg back then.  It was another time--but the work and place was a mission field.

This coming weekend we shall be reminded that Calvary has always been a mission church.  Our hallway and fellowship hall will be filled with living displays of missions present . . . work which we continue to support with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.  In addition to the monthly missions we highlight, others will be represented from across the conference, the nation, and the world.

Make a point to visit the displays and see what Calvary is supporting . . . and what God is doing.  YOU are a part of this mission!

Prayerfully consider how you can serve in the coming year.  Is there a mission work that captures your heart?  Prayerfully ask God to show you what you can do to help.  Is there a mission that captures your bank account?  Prayerfully ask God to show you how you can support. Is there a mission you can pray for?  Then pray!

Mission--any mission--doesn't just happen.  It takes a people.  And if God is asking us to take on a mission, that means there must be the resources available to fulfill it.  That's you and me.  And that's where we come in.

Thanks for giving to and growing in mission as Calvary. 

See you this weekend at the Mission Place. 

Team Spirit

Now that we know the two teams who will be playing for a Super Bowl title, we will be hearing more about the various "sub-text" of the game, along with back-stories, profiles, and plenty of dramatic license.  And there is much to be said for Team Spirit.  People will no doubt be cheering for their team, and I'm sure Super Bowl memorabilia and attire surrounding the game is spiking.

Super Bowls are fun.  And there is a kind of enthusiasm and spirit surrounding the game that can be contagious.

But the church--and our respective congregations--can be contagious, too.  If we look for the sub-text and the dramas being played out in our faith, we can find them.  I know I'm enthused!

This past week I had a conversation with a young man who asked me a personal question.  He wanted to know:  "How have you been able to remain a pastor for thirty years when the burnout rate is so high?"

I didn't answer right away.  I thought about it . . . because it is a great question.

And my answer was:  "Well, I've always tried to keep things in perspective.  The world isn't on my shoulders, but on God's shoulders.  I do all the good I can within my personal energies and limitations, and then I leave the rest to God.  I also try to remind myself daily that I am surrounded by good people.  The church . . . and every congregation I have served . . . has always been filled with good people.  That's what keeps me enthused.  And if I have a little fun doing the work, that helps, too."

I relate this because I am enthused about Calvary!  We are a congregation loaded with good people--gifted, diverse, willing to help.  

And that's what I'll be speaking about this weekend:  Super Team.  Hope to see you on the field (not sitting on the bench) . . . hope you will be enthused, ready to serve.  Hope you can catch the spirit.      

Knowing the Play Book

As a game, much of football hinges on the abilities of a team to memorize and execute their respective plays.  Knowing the playbook is key.

In the Christian faith we have a book, too:  The Bible.  But, while we may not have the book memorized, it is vital that we understand the basics of the faith and be able to carry forward the gospel of Christ in word and deed.  

At Calvary, we always begin the new year with many opportunities to broaden and deepen our understanding of the Bible, and the Christian faith in general.  Toward that end, we have several courses that can be of help to everyone--younger or older alike--and now is the time to "sign up" and become a part of the team.

Women's Bible Study
    Meets on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in Todd's office. Women of all ages welcome.

Methodist 101
     Begins in February on Sunday mornings at 10:10.  Led by all of the clergy at Calvary, this course will provide history, background, and contemporary understanding of our United Methodist faith and beliefs.

Confirmation 
     Began last week for 6th grade students--and is an experience that leads young people into a deeper relationship with Christ, and provides background and Biblical understanding for the Christian faith.  Pray for these 19 students and their mentors!

Master's Class
     Thursday evenings January 31 & February 7 . . . sign up on the Calvary web site to become a part of this exploration of Biblical Covenant with Rabbi Winnig, and learn more about the Jewish roots of Christianity.

I hope to see you in the Learning Place very soon!

~Pastor Todd   

Reflections on Dr. King

In honor of the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I thought I would offer a few reflections on both Dr. King and the American dream.

In my library, I have several copies of Dr. King's sermons.  Every time I read his words, I am reminded that Dr. King was, in fact, a pastor, and that his vision and dreams were not created from whole cloth, but from a deep understanding of Jesus' teachings and His example.  And, while King certainly touched on racial issues dividing America, his principle message was the gospel--and the call to treat each other in ways consistent with the love and justice that Christ taught.

Dr. King was young.  He was 34 years old when he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream Speech" in Washington D.C. and he was only 39 years old when he was assassinated.  God uses younger people for great change, and God certainly used Dr. King.

Of course, the dream that King spoke of is still being realized in America.  King's vision--like Christ's vision for humanity--was not a vision imaging the oppressed having victory over the oppressors, but of all God's children, regardless of race or economy or background, living in a peaceable society, or working toward it.

I know that we are striving to create a better society at Calvary.  Each week I see people doing works of justice and care (supplying food for others, helping children in schools, working at Fletcher Place, visiting those who live under the bridge, visiting those in prison) and I see children of varying race and background worshipping together and seeking to live in unity of the one Spirit.  I see people who do the work of healing (nurses, doctors) who help others regardless of race or creed.  And I see a congregation comprised of rich and poor, black and white, young and old, male and female (Paul wrote about this church in Galatians).  Yes, everyone brings something to the church.

All of us can continue to dream the dream and work the work and pray the prayer--as we do in the Lord's Prayer every week--that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth as it is in heaven.  Amen.  

 

Super Duper

This weekend I will begin a three-part series of messages leading up to the Super Bowl entitled: The Super Life.  These messages are based on 1 Corinthians 12 & 13 (yes, go ahead and read 'em in advance!) and will explore faith as described by the Apostle Paul.

These two chapters of 1 Corinthians, in particular, deal with Paul's insistence that the church is the body of Christ, that each member of the body is endowed with spiritual gifts, and that there is a Spirit of "teamwork" and unity that should carry the church forward.

If Paul were alive today, I think he might use the analogy of a team to describe the church.  And he might coach us in the following points:

Everyone who makes a confession of faith in Christ and "joins the team" should be engaged and active in practicing the faith.  Everyone has a place on the team and should give his or her best effort (100%).  No slackers!

No one should aspire to be a bench-warmer.

Everyone should show up to practice and give maximum effort.  We have a super coach, the final score is not in doubt, and at the end of the day, we will be victorious because God has already won the victory.

I hope to see everyone in the Calvary arena the next three weekends leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Calvary is a great team, but we can be even better if we stay focused on what God has already done and commit ourselves to serving, growing, and giving our very best.

The Welcome Mat

I have several "welcome mats" at our house.  One is on our front porch. Another is on the back deck.  And a third is in our basement.  As people enter in through the garage they see a mat that reads:  "A Barney Nut Lives Here".  (A reference to Barney Fife and the fact that I am an Andy Griffith Show nut and watch reruns in the basement.)

Although we may not have "welcome mats" at Calvary, we are certainly a hospitable church.  People are finding a welcome here--and an invitation to follow Christ.  How do I know this?  Many reasons.

On Sunday morning we welcomed nineteen new boys and girls into the confirmation experience at Calvary.  Over the next few months they will be learning about Christ and His church.  There are parents and mentors who will be a part of this journey also.  We do it together . . . and it is exciting and fun.

On Sunday afternoon we hosted a new member class in which 22 new people attended--all wonderful families--who have found a welcome at Calvary and the Spirit of God alive and active among us.

And I also received word from our United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee that in 2012, Calvary had the highest level of welcome of any United Methodist Church in Hendricks County--and 113 people who had responded favorably to their welcome and hospitality at Calvary.

So . . . we are a growing church and we continue to grow by virtue of our welcome and our ministries.  Younger and older alike all have a place.  

Later in 2013 you can listen for an announcement--a celebration of sorts--as we will surpass the 1000 member mark very soon.  It's just a number, I suppose.  But the number represents lives, disciples . . . welcome.  Thank you for being a part of God's work through your time, talent and treasure.  YOU are what gives Calvary a face of welcome . . . and you can rest assured that others appreciate who YOU are.
~Pastor Todd  

 

It's Your Time

I am currently reading Mitch Albom's latest book, The Timekeeper.  Although I have not yet completed the read, I understand that this novel, in part, is about the creation of "Father Time" . . . who was once a young boy eons ago, but who became obsessed with keeping track of seconds, minutes, days, months, and years.  In short, he was cursed by the very structures he created, and by the "time" that dictated his life.

Ever felt like that?

My hunch is that we all live by the clock and by the calendar and we live a life as T.S. Eliot once described as "measured out in coffee spoons."  Before we know it, life is ebbing to a close, and we wonder:  "Where did it go?" or "What have I accomplished with my life?"

In classical Greek philosophy--but also an idea we find incorporated in our New Testament writings--we encounter two ways of understanding and living "time".

The most common is "chronos" (cronos), which is a Greek word from which we derive English words like "chronology" and "chronological".  This concept, which is commonly rendered "time", has to do with measurement, or our human experience and pursuits based on progression of days, weeks, and years. 

But there is another Greek word "chairos" (cairos) which is a different concept of time.  In Classical Greek it referred to the life of the gods, or the immortals who lived beyond the bounds of days, weeks, and years.  However, in the New Testament, Jesus seems to be referring to this kind of "time" when he speaks of the eternal life--which is a life that we can inhabit now, and which allows us to enter into a "time-less" life that is no longer enslaved to "chronos".

Interesting stuff.  But what does it have to do with you and me?

Two quick thoughts:
1. When we have a relationship with God, we are already living "in the kingdom" as Jesus described it.  We have already entered the realm of the divine ("the abundant life" "the eternal life").  We can begin to see life in ways that are colored with love, hope, and joy/faith (1 Corinthians 13).  The old has passed away.
2. Christ told us that it is possible to live a life that is not enslaved to the clock, to the calendar, and to the life-long pursuits of those things that we cannot take with us into the eternal realm.  We can learn how to store up for ourselves "treasures in heaven", which have become timeless pursuits, and which unite us with the heavenly host--and all of those who are no longer enslaved to time.

It's a wonderful thing, isn't it, when we can pass from "chronos" people to becoming "chairos" people.  We have a purpose to our time, our work, and our existence.  And, actually, it can be a lot of fun.  For it doesn't end!   

Honoring His-story

Every first Sunday of the month--when I travel back to the Meadows (site of Calvary's former location)--I am reminded of how God honors past and present faithfulness.  From the day that the Meadows opened, Calvary has had a presence in this assisted living community: not only leading a monthly worship service, but also praying for the residents who live there and visiting those in need.

This is no small thing.  When Calvary built on this site in 1959, the dedicatory prayer was that the land would always be considered holy ground, and that God would be honored by all who worshipped there.  However, times changed, and what was once deemed a large parcel of ground soon became confining.  But, although Calvary moved to Northfield Drive six years ago, this faith never left the premises on Tilden Avenue (now The Meadows).

Every time Rakie Huber sits down to play the piano or Joyce Isenhour leads in singing, there is the feeling of "returning home".  In fact, I often comment that, although we are worshipping in a dining hall, that same space used to be the Calvary sanctuary.  The faith of the past has not been lost.  And the faith of the present makes the past all the richer.  

Yesterday, at the Meadows worship, we also sang a grand Charles Wesley hymn:  "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing".  This hymn, like many others that Wesley wrote, now grace the hymnal pages of Protestant and Catholic alike.  And I daresay that one would be hard-pressed to find a hymnal produced in English in which one couldn't find at least one Charles Wesley hymn.  

This is also part of our extended heritage:  our past faith now come full circle to sing in the present hour.  

I have always believed that we honor God's His-story whenever we create new paths of faith in our time.  We can never live in the past.  But we can embrace the future in such a way that past faith is honored and cherished . . . even as the new has come.

Calvary is fast approaching a 200-year anniversary.  Think of it: two centuries of faithfulness.  The past and present joined.  And we are a part of it.

Magnificent when you think about it.  And humbling. 

Transitions

2013 will prove to be a year of transitions for Calvary.  In addition to welcoming many new families to our congregation, we also welcome our new office manager, Kem, our new middle-school youth director, Trevor, and our new Glory-youth-choir director, Michael.

Calvary continues to be a growing and vibrant congregation--and YOU are integral to the work that God is doing through our fellowship.  THANK YOU! 

In 2013 we will be discussing many of the ways that our growth is compelling us to adapt, change, and embrace new methods, ministries and missions.  These transitional conversations may at first frighten us--as we feel that God is compelling us toward something unfamiliar and challenging.

But we should never be afraid of transitions. After all--most of the prominent journeys described in the Bible deal with transitions.  Consider, for example, Abraham and Sarah, who were asked to transition from their old homestead at an advanced age--and take up residence in a new land.  Or Moses and the Israelites, who transitioned from Egypt to wilderness to wandering and eventually across the Jordan.  And we can't forget Jesus . . . who transitioned from Galilee to Jerusalem, and eventually transitioned from death to resurrection.

Six years ago Calvary transitioned from Green Street to Northfield Avenue.  But this transition, while important and integral to our identity, was not the essence of our faith.  Our deeper transitions are still happening, if we are continuing to change and grow with the Lord.  

We won't be the same congregation in 2013 as we were in 2012.  And we shouldn't be.  Thank God!  God will help us continue our transition work of the spirit, of the heart, of the mind.  And we will see new miracles and ministries in this new year . . . and changed lives.  

Let's not be fearful of change. But rather, let us embrace it with gusto and confidence.  We are, after all, walking in giant footsteps of faith.  And we know the way to go . . . which is with Christ.  He's leading the transition . . . and all we are doing is following. 

Welcome

Welcome to the new Calvary blog . . . and welcome to 2013.

As we stand on the brink of a new year we may echo the words of the Psalmist:  "Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all of God's benefits!"

Perhaps there is no greater attitude than gratitude, and this can be our guiding force in the coming year.  I see this attitude at work in Calvary . . . with people willing to serve and grow and give, and as Calvary continues to grow in spirit and numbers, it is apparent that there is a ministry for everyone.  God's work is accomplished through many hands.

What are your hopes for Calvary in 2013?  How can you be involved to insure that these goals are met?

As we welcome in a new year, we also know that we will be welcoming many new families in the next 12 months.   Some of these families will worship but once . . . while others will return because they find in us warm and generous friends.

Let's give thanks that Calvary continues to show hospitality through the open door and the open heart.  A welcome can mean so much to those who are looking for a new beginning.