A Week in Memphis

Kathleen and I spent the past week in Memphis, TN. Actually we spent Monday and much of Saturday at O'Hare Field, the Chicago Airport.

The Racial Ethnic Multicultural Network of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education was meeting there for an Annual Meeting, and Kathleen’s associate was meeting a committee to receive full certification as a CPE Supervisor. She did receive this certification, which was cause to celebrate on Beale Street where we ate Barbecue and listened to Blues. Memphis is famous for both.

The conference was centered around remembering Dr. Martin Luther King who was gunned down in Memphis on the balcony of the Loraine Motel on April 4, 1968, forty years ago. We heard a panel of REM founders all talk about how Dr. King’s life and ministry effected them, attended seminars, worshipped and participated in City Wide Events remembering Dr. King.

He had gone to Memphis in 1968 to support the garbage workers who wanted union recognition (AFSCME), decent wages, and to be treated with dignity as men. They claimed that the city of Memphis was treating them like dogs and their signs read, I AM A MAN.

A few more pictures from the March.
On Friday we joined hundreds of others in walking the route the marchers took on April 4, 1968 with Dr. King at the lead. It was 6:01 PM that evening that shots rang out and Dr. King fell dead on the balcony of the Loraine Motel. The march ended at the Motel where everyone spoke. Both Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton passed us by in the crowd and we saw John McCain on the Motel Balcony. He now wants to apologize for voting against making Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday. A little late, don’t you think?

We toured the National Civil Rights Museum with included the Loraine Motel, STAX Records Museum, and attended a huge gala celebration where Harry Belafonte was Honored (and spoke 20 or 30 minutes). He was supposed to make a brief response, but took the time allocated for Dr. Joseph Lowry, who gave him a very hard time, but them spoke briefly and to the point.

If there were any Clinton supporters on the platform that night they were certainly undercover, most of the speakers were clearly supporting Barak Obama.

The food, by the way was awful, overdone tough steak. A terrible choice to try to serve a big crowd. The tickets were $100 full price, although REM had a much cheaper price by buying multiple tables.

Easter Sunday was Wonderful -- Except

More photos from Easter

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The Lilies were beautiful, the Church was full, (well not really since the sanctuary can hold over 300 and our attendance was 125, but it looks much fuller than the usual 75 people) and a few ladies had on their Easter bonnets. Actually very few had on Easter bonnets since straw hats and wool clothing just doesn’t go together and it was a very cold and very early Easter. I thought that the sexton with his cap on might be the only hat I had to photograph, but then more people showed. If you look at the picture set, however you will have seen all the hats there were.

The choir was in its best form following a prelude for Organ and Piano with Dianne Ney on the organ and Tonya Spears on the piano, and then Ray Gonzales came in with the trumpet on the first Hymn. Dianne invited all the singers in the congregation to join with the choir in singing the Halleluiah chorus from the Messiah after the benediction and over a half a dozen did. It sounded spectacular. I thought I had a good sermon, and it was brief.

There were just the two of us for dinner and we had pistachio encrusted rack of Lamb, it was delicious!

It was a Wonderful Easter – Except, Except, on Easter Sunday on the other side of the world the 4000th officially recognized casualty to an American serviceperson took place in Iraq. On Easter, the holiday of life, resurrection, hope, renewal we go on with business as usual in Iraq, and business as usual involves killing and being killed.

Photos from Holy Thursday service at Westminster

Yesterday was the fifth anniversary
of the war in Iraq.

I was among 200 plus protesters on Main Street in Hartford on a cold and rainy day. After over five minutes of conversation with a Hartford Courant reporter I got one sentence quoted. "As nasty as [this weather] is, I could not, not be here. Other people are making much worse sacrifices than walking out on a cold day," said Terry Davis, pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Hartford. Link to full article. (Pictures from Courant Web Site)

The protest started on the steps of Center Church (UCC) and ended at the Federal Building. At the Federal Building five of the protesters blocked the employee entrance to the building (leaving the public entrance open for those needing to conduct business with the immigration or other offices and courts in the building). They were eventually arrested by city police, although from conversations I overheard at the edge of the crowd the city police at first insisted that they should not make arrests on Federal Property. They wanted the private security officers guarding the building to call the federal Marshals to make the arrests.

Among those arrested were two people over 80 years old. The Rev Kathy McTigue, senior minister at the Unitarian Society in New Haven, said moments before she and the others were taken into custody. "It is a way of putting our bodies in the way of business as usual and business as usual is killing people.”

The cost of the war have been tremendous, nearly 4,000 dead American Soldiers, and no counting how many have been injured physically, mentally and spiritually. It has cost over $3 trillion to pursue the war according to Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic strategist who also estimated that over 150,000 Iraqis have died. This war has now lasted longer than World War I, World War II, or the Civil War.

Barack Obama asked in a recent fund raising letter: “And where are we for all of this sacrifice?

We are less safe and less able to shape events abroad. We are divided at home, and our alliances around the world have been strained. The threats of a new century have roiled the waters of peace and stability, and yet America remains anchored in Iraq.

Enough!”

Palm Sunday was a great day at
First Presbyterian Church, Hartford, CT

Click Here for More Pictures

In every way Palm Sunday was a wonderful time to celebrate the goodness of God at First Presbyterian. We started off with a Breakfast planned by Parish Life with a speaker arranged by the Multicultural Team. The speaker was Heidi Hadsell, president of Hartford Seminary who spoke about Multiculturalism in Church and Society.

The historic sanctuary was beautiful as always, enhanced by live palm trees and two large Salvador Dali prints, one the last supper, the other the crucifixion. (I bought the eight foot live palms from BJ’s Discount Warehouse at the bargain price of $19.99 each) Choir and worshipers carried palm fronds and processed around the sanctuary singing “Hosanna, Loud Hosannas…” The choir sang “Ride on King Jesus” and “Sing Hosanna!”. Both were beautifully done. I thought I had a very good sermon which you can read on line. Carl Dudley was at both the breakfast and service, back at the Church for the first time in four months. Carl has been and continues to fight a very serious disease.

The Bluest Eye

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On Sunday we saw The Bluest Eye at Hartford Stage. This is a stage adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel of the same name. It was a tremendously powerful production, had a great cast, and obviously a very good director as well as a creative set designer. I recommend it to anyone. Looking around the nearly filled theater on Sunday (not usually not a prime time for attendance at Hartford Stage) it was obvious that the play has great appeal to African American audiences, but all of us who seek to understand racism in our country will benefit into this look at the psyche of African American folk in a white world. The protagonists are children, honest in their expression of their feelings and experience.

Their ways of dealing with a white world are very different, Claudia tears up and destroys her blue eyed and blond hair doll, while Percola wants to be that doll, someone no longer looked at as ugly and invisible.

Go to the Hartford Stage website to view two reviews, both excellent and far more descriptive than anything I could write, or better still run out and get tickets and see this outstanding performance yourself.

Three Church Retreat

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More pictures from the retreat

Last Saturday we hosted a Presbytery sponsored retreat for leaders of the three Churches participating in a revitalization consultation. Our Consultant, Ann Philbrick from the Heartwood group did a presentation about the life cycle of Churches, like our own lives Churches move from their founding (birth) growth and development, (she calls this incline), then a Church reaches its prime, membership and program development plateau, these are the Church’s golden years (she calls this recline, besides rhyming it symbolizes a leaning back being satisfied with maintaining the good thing we have going). She says no Church stays at this point forever, at some point decline sets in, and eventually will end with death with out a new birth, without a resurrection. Churches call this redevelopment or revitalization or the new in word is transformation. I like the resurrection image since that went with the scriptures for the following day, the dry bones (Ezekiel 37) and the resurrection of Lazarus (John chapter 11).

I suggested Sunday (read the entire sermon) that this was our hope as a Church since First Presbyterian peaked near its 100th Anniversary when there were purportedly 600 to 800 members. The Church has been in a 50 year decline, although we have halted the loss of members over the past 10 years adding 75 new members to replace the 75 we have lost. I said that death was not the inevitable end, but when the spirit blows and when Christ’s power intervenes, and when we engage fully in the revitalization process resurrection is a possibility.

I also noted in thinking of the resurrection of Lazarus that there was a strangeness about the story, although the emotions of grief and pain, crying and anger are vividly portrayed as John tells this story that what is missing is that there is no picture of great joy and gladness and no expression of gratitude toward Jesus when Lazarus is raised. The shepherd has a party for his friends when he finds the one lost sheep, the woman invites others to rejoice with her when she finds her lost coin, the Prodigal’s father throws a banquet complete with veal and wine, music and dancing, but it is many days later before Martha and Mary have a dinner party for Jesus.

The women seemed to still be in shock, so overwhelmed by their grief over their loss that they cannot rejoice. I suggested that we also might be focused on our losses, those who have moved away, drifted away or passed away and be missing signs of hope and joy that we have received so many new members and families into the Church. Our newer members are younger and more racially and ethnically diverse than those who are gone.

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What I believe that these passages challenge us to do is to deal with our losses, but also to see what God is doing and what God will be doing in our midst and to celebrate the hope and the already present reality of resurrection and new life, in our personal lives, and in our life as a Church.

Was Lethal Force Necessary?

The Hartford Courant reported this morning that a man was shot by state police within a five minute walk from my office (and even closer to the State Capitol). Did he have a gun? Was he holding a hostage captive? Had he committed a capital felony? Did the confrontation take place in the dark of night? Did two trained and highly experienced state troopers have a reasonable fear for their lives? No, no, no, no, no. He had left the stolen auto at the corner of Russ and Broad Streets and was running from the police. In the parking lot of the Firebox Restaurant he pulled a knife and refused to drop it; both of the troopers, members of the state police SWAT team, fired their weapons and the suspect was taken to Hartford Hospital where he was pronounced dead. All this took place shortly before noon yesterday. It is a wonder that no one else was injured by the gunfire, the last time I was at the Firebox there were lots of people around at noon.

There is no doubt, the man who was shot was one of the bad guys; in a short period of time he had committed sexual assault, auto theft, & bank robbery. He was on probation after committing first-degree robbery and he did lead police on a chase during which he had been involved in a traffic accident. He needed to be stopped and arrested, but is it not reasonable to expect that two trained and experienced members of a SWAT team could disarm and arrest a single man with a single knife. Where was the Tazer? Where are the other non-lethal means of subduing a person?

I am not buying that this was a necessary use of force.

More Light Sunday

Guest preacher Heather Reighgott and myself, click for more pictures

What a great day we had on Sunday. We were celebrating our session’s decision to affiliate with More Light Presbyterians, a national network of people seeking the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Elder Lois Maxwell coordinated our celebration and invited Heather Reichgott, a member of the national More Light Board be our guest preacher. Heather is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary and a candidate for ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She now lives in North Hadley with her wonderful wife Gillian Woldorf to whom she was married in 2005 in Amherst, Massachusetts. They are joyfully expecting their first child (due in April.)

We found Heather to be a wonderful preacher and very open to tell her personal story and relate her story to THE story told in scripture. She has a great sense of herself and confidence as a preacher and was eager on almost no notice to bring the Children’s message as well as the sermon.

Deacon Keith Rhoden and I traveled to New Haven that after noon for our Presbyterian Promise meeting and an opportunity to meet with another candidate for ministry (for 22 years) Lisa Larges. At last Lisa has been certified ready to receive a call; she presently serves as national director of That All May Freely Serve, another national organization that advocates for “an inclusive church that honors diversity and welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons as full members. Full membership includes eligibility for ordination to the offices of elder, deacon, and pastor.”

Kenyan Pastor is Modern Day Abraham

I drove to Springfield, Mass. yesterday to have lunch with the Rev. Joseph Kimatu, pastor of the Tumaini fellowship in Springfield. This is a worshipping fellowship of Christians from different faith backgrounds who share the same heritage of immigration from Kenya. It seems that most or perhaps all of them are from the Kikuyu tribe. Pastor Joseph is from the Presbyterian Church, a member of our Presbytery as well as retaining his membership in the Presbytery of East Africa. I am serving on a team charged with nurturing this fellowship and helping them move from being a fellowship to becoming a Presbyterian Church.

As I listened to Pastor Joseph describe his travels to this country and then his call to minister in Springfield his journey seemed so much like that of Abram (later known as Abraham). Abram’s father immigrated to Haran with his family including Abram and Sarai where they settled and apparently led comfortable life. After his father’s death “The LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.’” (Genesis 12:1) Jews, Christians and Muslims all know the story of how this family led a nomadic life living in tents and moving from place to place, never owning any land except the burial plot that Abraham bought when his wife died.

After years of ministry as pastor of large Churches in Kenya Joseph came to the states for graduate theological studies and pursued several Masters Degrees from both Johnson C. Smith and Erskine Theological Seminaries. While serving on the staff of a large Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia he accepted an invitation to preach at this fellowship in Springfield. This led to the fellowship extending a call to him to be their pastor and after much prayer and consultation with his family the family decided that this was a calling from God to leave the comfort of their situation in Atlanta and to step out on faith and follow where God was leading them.

The Tumaini (the word means HOPE) fellowship in Springfield is small with just over 40 adult members and they are able to pay rent on the building where they worship, provide a home for Joseph and his wife and two children (a third child stayed in Georgia to continue her college education). They also provide a small travel allowance but are able to do no more financially for their pastor.

This dedicated man has supported his ministry and his family using personal resources (including proceeds from the sale of property they owned in Kenya) and still is making considerable sacrifice to be faithful to his calling. One son is in high school in Springfield and a second son was enrolled in a vocational/technical college in the area but has dropped out for lack of funds to pay tuition.

While we have hope that the day will come when the ministry will grow and become more stable financially at this point it seems that there is a need for individuals of good will as well as our denomination to provide some pastoral support as well as development funding. Any readers who would like to contribute can send contributions to the Presbytery of Southern New England, 123 Elm Street, # 200, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 and indicate that the funds are for the Tumaini fellowship.

Hannah Celebrates a Second Birthday

We went to our daughter's to celebrate Hannah's Second Birthday last weekend. Beside her parents her sister Abby was there, along with Papa Tony and Mami Myra and cousin Chantel.

We took loads of pictures, click here to see the whole set.

THE VALUE OF ONE

Our session sent two overtures to the Presbytery meeting held February 9 in Fall River, MA. Both were requests that the Presbytery send an overture to the General Assembly to change the constitution of our denomination to make it more welcoming to GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) people. Both were defeated, one on a tie vote. If only ONE more supportive person had made the long trip to Fall River, or ONE more supportive person who did attend had stayed until the overtures were voted on instead of leaving at the lunch break the motion would have passed. Why didn’t it happen?

I think in our mass society people have come to think of themselves as unimportant. What difference would my ONE more vote make? It is the same reason people do not go to the polls for elections. Only a few more Democratic voters voting in Florida (without hanging chads) would have changed the course of the 2000 election, perhaps would prevented U.S. intervention in Iraq, and prevented all of the injuries and deaths suffered by our armed forces and the people of Iraq. How can we believe that our ONE vote is unimportant?

We think my ONE can of beans, my ONE can of baby formula, my ONE pound of rice doesn’t matter when the food pantry hands out tons of food each year, but ONE can or ONE pound is very important to the ONE person who receives that food to feed her family.

An important message of the Gospel is that every ONE was important to Jesus. He did preach and teach crowds, but he also took time to meet and teach individuals, to touch and heal individuals. There is no indication that Jesus ever did mass healings, he always dealt with people ONE by ONE, in most cases laying his hands on individuals in need. Nicodemus was ONE person, the woman at the well was ONE person, and the man born blind was a single individual. When he dealt with the family in Bethany he met with Martha individually, then he talked personally to Mary, then he went to the grave yard and called Lazarus by name. If he had only called: “come out!” every grave in the cemetery might have erupted; he cried “Lazarus, come out!” When he was raised he first met with ONE woman, Mary, in the grave yard. ONE disciple, Thomas, was missing when Jesus appeared to them in the upper room. He came back to the upper room the next first day to meet with the ONE doubter.

Jesus is the good shepherd who goes out in the night to seek the ONE sheep that is lost, and seeks until he finds the ONE missing sheep. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world, and then goes on to speak of whosoever, what ever ONE individual, believes in his shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Every ONE of our church members is important, not just the largest givers, not just the officers, not just the most involved members, but every ONE is important. Every ONE’S opinion is important, not just the opinions of those in the majority.

God loves every ONE of us with an everlasting love. God loves you with an everlasting love. If you were the only person in the world in need of salvation Jesus would have lived and died and risen again for you. Every ONE matters, every vote counts, the family of God is not complete when ONE is missing or unwelcomed or unincluded.

Yours in Love
Pastor Terry

Presbytery rejects welcoming overtures

The session (governing body) of First Presbyterian Church, Hartford endorsed a proposal from the First Presbyterian Chuch in New Haven to alter language presently in the denominational constitution which requires ministers, elders and deacons to live in fidelity in marriage between a man and woman or chastity in singleness. The change would allow Churches to ordain GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) people as elders and deacons, and Presbyteries to ordian GLBT people as ministers.

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On a twice counted vote the proposal failed to pass our regional governing body, the Presbytery of Southern New England on a tie vote. If just one more person supporting the proposal had made the trip to Fall River, MA the overture could have prevailed. Many people left the meeting at lunch before the vote was taken and one of our elders believes if we had voted before lunch the results would have been favorable.

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One more problem with the voting was that we dismissed one of our Churches to another denomination before lunch, but since the action was taken pending their reception into the other denomination their representatives were allowed to vote (and they all voted NO). Likewise new ministers who were received pending their dismissal from other Presbyteries were not allowed to vote. at least one of whom would have voted with us.

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Our session sent a second proposal (we call them overtures) to change a few words in four paragraphs in the directory for worship that would treat same sex couples in the same way as opposite sex couples when it comes to marriage and blessing civil unions. That proposal failed by a margin of ten votes, my memory is the vote was 42 to 52.

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I find this very discouraging. On at least two previous occasions the presbytery passed similar overtures to change the constitution by margins of 60%. Each time the change was rejected by the General Assembly. This was the first time the body had considered the marriage overture.

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It is extremely troubling to my conscience to belong to a denomination that is so intollerant and unwilling to welcome GLBT people as full equals and leaders in the Church. The Lord I serve through Jesus Christ certainly loves all of us and welcomes all people into the family of God. I have resisted changing to another denomination feeling that the only way to change this Church, which has so many good qualities, is to work from the inside. It took years and years to change the policy on women ministers, but we just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of that change. At this point it seems doubtful that I will ever see the change while I am still in active ministry (I intend to retire in January 09), and I wonder if it will happen in my life time.

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The woman who presented the marriage overture on our behalf is herself in a civil union with her partner of fifteen years was very personally hurt and says she will never attend Presbytery again. She did not come to Church either on Sunday morning. She is one of our most outstanding leaders, giving herself to many of our ministries, heading the revitalization committee for the Church. She and her partner are generous supporters of our Church and its outreach to the poor and needy.

Remarks to Legislative Prayer Breakfast

The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) and the Greater Hartford Coalition for Equity and Justice co sponsored a prayer breakfast for Connecticut legislators on the second day of the session.

I was asked to talk about the ICEJ issues, and then get out of the way for a major presentation on youth violence. The press conference ended with a challenge to clergy and legislators to pledge to give as much attention to the 33 murders in Hartford as has already been given to 3 murders in Cheshire.

Here is the text of my remarks:

Remarks delivered at Legislative Prayer Breakfast February 7, 2008
By Terry Davis

I have been asked to speak briefly about work of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice, and about those issues that have been and continue to be our primary concern. Most of you are familiar with the Interfaith Coalition which represents 32 Churches joined together to be A Faith Movement Acting For a Just Society.

One year ago we had great optimism that we were going to see progress on our legislative agenda which includes passage of a state Earned Income Tax Credit, improvements in our system of healthcare which move toward a universal healthcare system, and major improvements in the funding of public education including moving toward making preschool and head start programs available to all of the children of this state.

I must say that at the conclusion of the last budget we felt universal disappointment and more than a few of us felt some anger for the legislative failure to move this agenda forward.

Our keenest disappointment was the failure to enact the EITC. Prior to the final budget negotiations the passage of this much needed bill seemed assured, but when the legislative leaders went behind closed doors to hammer out a budget they came out with a budget that did not include the Earned Income Tax Credit. We frankly felt more than disappointment about the failure to provide this small benefit for the working poor. The working poor pay a much higher percentage of their meager incomes in taxes than any other segment of society. Even those who pay no income taxes still pay social security tax, sales taxes, gasoline taxes and property taxes. Many people are under the illusion that renters avoid paying property taxes, but let me assure you every landlord includes the cost of property taxes in the lease price for their apartments.

The EITC is not charity, but justice for the poor, and we expect this legislature this year to enact this into law and into the budget. We are pleased to see it put forth as part of an economic stimulus package, but I want to say to you that the working poor have needed economic stimulus long before the middle class knew we were headed into an economic downturn.

Everyone knows that the present health care system is broken from the presidential candidates down to those who personally go without medical care or who are forced into bankruptcy because of their medical bills. We need a system that is universal, accessible, affordable, and of high quality and further we know that the system must be sustainable. Improvements to the Husky program are important, but we remain a world away from these goals.

We are here today to describe a great healthcare crisis involving urban violence, but you will see us back here pressing for the balance of our agenda as well.

ASH WEDNESDAY

We had services in the morning with other congregations from Hands on Hartford. I brought the homily or meditation for this morning service which follows.

Lent of course begins today and when the average Christian thinks of lent we tend to think about what we will give up for Lent. Some Churches have carefully defined rules about Lenten fasting, but the trend is much more toward leaving it to the believer to search her or his own heart and to make some sort of sacrifice as a spiritual discipline.

The more I come into contact with our Muslim brothers and sisters the more I am impressed that they take the matter of fasting much more seriously than we Christians do. During the month or Ramadan they fast every day from any food or drink during the hours between sun up and sun down. I assure you that during this kind of fasting they become keenly aware of what hunger really is. They claim this is a spiritual discipline and that it brings them into solidarity with the poor and needy of the world who know hunger on a daily basis. Some members of our community will also engage in significant fasting by living for days, or weeks or even a whole month on a food stamp budget of $4.00 a day for food.

But the rest of us do well to decide what we will give up for Lent. One person says they are going to give up red meat for some or all of Lent’s 40 days, another will give up chocolate or perhaps even give up sweets altogether, some people will try to give up smoking or give up using beverage alcohol during lent. Many of us who have good intentions at the beginning of Lent find that our resolve has weakened long before Easter arrives, just as happens with our new year’s resolutions.

I suggested in my Lenten pastor’s column that if we took seriously the Isaiah passage we read for our call to worship we would not be fasting from food or drink, but we would give up narrow mindedness and prejudice; we would give up looking down on other people who are different from us; we would give up every jealousy and hatred. I asked our members and I ask you now to suppose we were to give up complaining and criticizing and instead resolve to do an act of kindness each day. Just think if we did 40 new acts of kindness, it might become habitual!

I believe my sisters and brothers in Christ that if we are really gong to grow in our faith during this Lenten season we need to go beyond giving up anything and instead begin to develop some new habits of faith.

If our Lenten discipline is only about “giving up” then we may end up like the soul from whom the unclean spirit was cast out. This person failed to bring anything new into the heart and as a result the unclean spirit moved back into the empty house along with seven others and the last state was worse than the former. I believe this a part of the reason that Alcoholics Anonymous and similar 12 step programs work. The AA member does not only try to evict drinking from his or her life, but puts something new and positive in its place. Going to meetings and drinking coffee takes the place of going to the bar and drinking. Instead of a drinking buddy you now have a sponsor. Self destructive behavior is replaced by working the program.

Giving up food is not enough; we need to share our food with the poor and needy. Giving up indifference to others as well as hatred and prejudice is not enough, we need to replace indifference, hatred and prejudice with love and empathy and kindness.

We need to give up complaining about how bad our Church is how bad our schools are, how bad the economy is and instead rolls up our sleeves and work for the coming of that kingdom where justice rolls down like waters and righteousness flows like an ever rolling stream. We need to be willing to go into failing schools and be willing to mentor our community’s children. We need to work tirelessly to change the failed policies of division and to work for reconciliation among people and nations, beginning in our own neighborhoods and communities.

Let us move beyond “giving up” and instead in this Lenten season to consider what new habits and disciplines we will cultivate that will bring us into a new relationship with our neighbors and with our God. When we do this then our light shall rise in the darkness and our gloom be like the noonday.

When we dedicate ourselves to rebuilding community and rebuilding lives in our city then our ruins shall be rebuilt; and this community in Christ shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

Here are a few pictures taken before the evening service.

Evening service included the imposition of ashes, a fellowship meal in the midst of the service, a sermon by Evan Harrison, Warburton Urban Resident with Hands on Hartford, and communion around the tables.

Evan, who attended the meal with his wife Emily, is a Presbyterian Candidate for ministry, a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Seminary.

Christmas is special with family and friends.

We did arrive on Christmas Day in time to see the girls open their presents, including the ones we brought. Here are more pictures of the grandbabies.

I was interested to receive a shocked note from someone questioning why I posted my astrological sign on this blog; the person said I needed to check my faith. I deleted the email instead or replying, but later thought that if it were not for astrology, the belief that the stars fortold events on earth there would have been no wise men come to visit the Baby Jesus. They were astrologers and a star led them to the one born king of the Jews.

Maybe my critic should check his faith!

Last Friday I reached the age of 65, the beginning of the golden years. I can't say I really feel any differently except it means I will retire in one more year. That is a happy thought.

LATE DECEMBER THOUGHTS

First Presbyterian Church has a candlelight communion service on Christmas Eve, always a beautiful and moving service. I never preach, instead I share a Christmas Story; this year I will read Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo. What I do is go to a bookstore and read the new children's Christmas stories, when one brings tears to my eyes that is the one I will read this year.

We will travel on Christmas Day, as early as we can, to be with our family, especially our grandaughters, for Christmas. We will also visit with friends in North Carolina and then return to our daughter's home on the way back to Connecticut. I will be back preaching for Epiphany, Three Kings Day, January 6.

Here are the pictures we took at Thanksgiving.

Here are the thoughts I wrote yesterday as first thoughts for the January Newsletter.

We don’t really know the date of Jesus’ birth although it is unlikely that it was in midwinter because that is the one season of year when the shepherds do not abide in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. It is widely believed that when the Christians sought a time to celebrate the savior’s birth they chose midwinter because the pagans in whose midst they lived celebrated the solstice, or as the Romans called it the Saturnalia at this time. In many cultures the shortest day of the year of the year is celebrated, with great partying because it marks the date when the days no longer get shorter, but instead begin to lengthen. The return of light and warmth is a time of great joy for those of us who love the warmth of summer, and for those whose livelihood depends on growing crops. It was possible for Christians to celebrate Jesus birth unnoticed at this time of year, their pagan neighbors would have thought that they were joining in the general celebrating and partying going on in honor of the season.

Although the date we celebrate for Christmas may be somewhat arbitrary it seems a wonderful time to celebrate the incarnation of one who is the light of the world. One of the prophesies we read in Advent says: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2) The Gospel of John says: “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us... “ (John 1:9-14)

On Christmas Eve we end our service by filling the sanctuary with candlelight as the fire is passed from one to another, and we are invited to carry our light out in the world that we also might shine as lights in the darkness. I believe that it was Father Christopher who said that it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. Christmas is only the beginning of the season of light, because we move on to celebrate the revealing of the light of Christ to the Gentiles, then the Baptism of Jesus, and onward with the message about the light that shines in the darkness which the darkness cannot overcome.

My prayer for you as we begin this new year is that the light of Christ may shine in your life bringing you peace and comfort, inspiration and direction, and strength for the journey of life. I also pray that each of us may be at work bringing light to our dark world. St Francis prayed that where there is darkness he might sow light. Let his prayer be a gift to each of us in this season of light.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

HARVEST PICTURES

Can't believe that it has been two months since I have made an entry. Here are pictures from the Harvest Festival.

Our family joined us for Thanksgiving, I will upload pictures tomorrow and put a link here.

HARVEST - A MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION

On October 7, 2007 as the Christian Church worldwide celebrates World Communion Sunday we at First Presbyterian Church will also be celebrating HARVEST. Almost every cultural community in the world that engages in agriculture has some sort of Harvest Celebration to give thanks to the creator for the gifts of the earth. Our Multicultural Team found that our Jamaican Members and our Ghanaian members had a similar tradition of bringing a portion of the crops they grow to Church for Harvest Celebration where they are displayed in the sanctuary and then sold or auctioned to raise money for the Church. We will be doing the same thing, except that the profits from the sale of the donated produce will be used to help feed impoverished people in Hartford through MANNA, a program of Hands on Hartford (formerly Center City Churches).

In the Presbyterian Church we also receive an Offering for Peacemaking on this Sunday.

Come and join us on this or any other Sunday at 10:30 AM. First Presbyterian Church

TOO MUCH HAPPENING

Wow, it has been a while since I wrote, not because nothing is happening but so much is that I have hardly had time to think about it, much less write about it.

Last Weekend was Presbytery in Fairfield, this weekend we will travel to Stamford where my Niece Nicole recently moved, my sister Nancy and her husband will be visiting and we will all do lunch together.

The summer doldrums are really over at Church. On September 30 we will have a nationally known speaker and leader in the inclusive church movement, Michael Adee, to bring our sermon and also to present an adult forum. His title for the forum is "Is there Room in the Gospel & Church for Gays?" Click here for his bio and information about the day.

Also Just announced: we will be traveling to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi for an inter generational mission trip to aid with Katrina Recovery. The trip will be in February and already 22 people are signed up. We are inviting anyone who wants to help to join up, we will make all arrangements and take care of modest accommodations and travel. As a bonus for working four days we will have a day to enjoy the recovering city of New Orleans, the Big Easy. All the details here. Want more information still or want to sign up, call First Presbyterian Church at 860 246-2224.

Check back tomorrow and I hope to have information on HARVEST, a multicultural celebration at First Presbyterian Church on October 7, 2007.

Evangelism Conference

Over the Labor Day weekend I attended the National Evangelism Conference of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The setting was the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville Tennessee. They claim that this is the largest hotel in the United States. I must say that it was a beautiful setting with all its indoor gardens under three huge domes; the facilities for our meetings were very nice. Getting around was a challenge to those with mobility limits. I walked over 6 miles every day getting from room to meeting place, to restaurants, back to room, etc. Although it was possible to get to all the rooms and meetings by wheelchair it meant some circuitous routes to take ramps and elevators.

More pictures I took at the Conference.

It also seemed to be inappropriate for a Church group living in an awareness of the fact that two thirds of the world's people do not have enough to eat to meet in a place that I would describe as a temple to consumerism. I actually used the word obscene to describe my reaction to the great expense it takes to maintain the tropical gardens. It was not that the costs to participants were so outrageous, I probably paid as much for a room in a second class hotel in New York City at the multicultural conference several years ago. It is the total cost of maintaining this luxury facility, the carbon foot print something like this must occupy, and the isolation from the poor. Even in the most luxurious hotel in a major city the poor at visible when you step out into the streets. Here the impoverished were miles away in the city.

I was shocked not just how luxurious and isolated this was, but how quickly I became acclimated to this level of luxury, hardly thinking about the level of excess I was experiencing.

As for the conference I thought there were many good things going on. Jim Wallace from Sojourners magazine spoke on the first night, (read Presbyterian News Service Article) we had some great preachers. A two and a half hour worship service with communion seemed a little over the top, and then the preacher was far from the best that the conference presented. Although most of the music was not my style it was impressive and appealing to a younger generation. One of the most impressive services was with the Hot Metal Connection faith community leading. The co pastors presented the sermon barefooted, jeans and a tee shirt, holding a fishing net and engaging in dialogue between Peter and Andrew. They were wonderfully gifted and very thought provoking. It was the first event of the conference and for me the highlight of the conference. I went to four workshops, three either good or excellent, the last so boring that I could not stay for more than one hour of a 90 minute workshop.