The Weight of the Keys

As I was driving in to my first day of a new pastoral position, I was reminded of other first days of work in the churches where I served as pastor. The first church I served, while I was a lay speaker, not yet really clergy at all, they actually handed me the set of keys to the church! I was shocked and amazed that they would turn their church right over to me like that! There in my hand was total access. And, of course, I would continually learn, weighty responsibility.

The next time I moved to serve a church, fully ordained, fully prepared, fully clergy, on the first day, there were the keys. Usually there were a number of them. A key to the outside door. A key to the office, a master key, etc. etc. It seemed that each time I received a set of keys, they got heavier and heavier. A key to the furnace room, a key to the elevator, a key to the room with the safe. Eventually, I learned to keep my car and house key separate, and the church keys on a ring together. Most of the time, they were in my pocket, as I was constantly going in and out of somewhere. For those days when my clothing didn't have any pockets, I still had to carry the keys everywhere. There was a purple stretchy plastic coil around the key-ring which I could wear on my arm, if need be.

This morning I wondered about the keys. When I retired, I was so happy to give up the very heavy bunch of keys, which had come to represent to me the burden of full responsibility. Now, as an associate pastor with a part time job, I secretely hoped the job would come without a heavy set of keys. When I came back into the main office just before noon, there was a discussion about how I would gain access to the building. I was very pleased to receive just one key. It gives me access to all the outside doors. I don't yet know where those multiple outside doors are located; I just know that I can gain access. Good feeling. Also glad not to know about the furnace and elevator. For now at least.

I have no doubt that there will be plenty of responsibility. I am very glad to have a supporting role and not be the one in charge.

The one key seemed just about right! It also seemed like a metaphor for a new relationship with the church, a new role, a new beginning.

I know that it is going to be fun!

On Being Introduced

This morning is the day that I was to be introduced to the congregation I will serve for the next six months or however long. (Along with Gerry, of course, as we always come as a team.) Everyone greeted us warmly, even before they actually realized that I was the new staff member.

During the worship service, the pastor introduced me in my new capacity as interim associate pastor. I would make the observation that there is a great deal of automatic acceptance and affection and regard that comes with that "role". I also know from experience that there are also many expectations. As soon as the folks learned my title and true identity, the welcoming and warmth dial went up many degrees.

I remember both as a preacher's kid as a child and as the pastor of a church later in life, how amazing and awesome it is that there is a whole community waiting there to embrace you, love you, make you feel at home, before they even get to know you. There is no other "job" that one could have that comes with that much affirmation and warmth, and perhaps also some pre-conceived ideas about who you are. One has to either live up to all that, or shatter their notions of what a pastor is like. One ultimately has to earn their respect.

I am truly confident only in one area of my life, and that is in the abilities that God gives me to do the work to which I am called. Those whom God calls, he also gives the strength and ability to fulfill that calling.

I look forward to humbling serving, and hopefully through that, winning their trust. We are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let It Be

I don’t want to insult the lovely Beatles song ‘Let It Be’ by using it in an unflattering way. In fact, I recently heard Paul McCartney speak about how his own mother, Mary, appeared to him in a dream and spoke those words of wisdom to his night of darkness.

Unfortunately, I have a situation in my life to which those words speak. I have learned that there are some things one cannot easily let go, because the hurt is too deep, especially when inflicted by someone close. It would be dishonest to say one can simply ‘let it go’, when it seems that greed and injustice have prevailed. However, I do believe that the one who perpetrates injustice will reap the fruits of his deeds. And woe is he!

And I cope by letting it be. It helps me to avoid thinking about it to envision this situation as a pile of four-letter-word manure. It is stinky and messy; but it is not within my power to change or fix it. All I can change is my attitude.

I don't exactly know what to make of this pile of manure. There is one thing I know: I don’t want to thought-walk anywhere near it. I cut a wide path around it, as much as I am able, and let it be.

Whatever times of trouble come to me;
whatever night of darkness I may see,
Wisdom speaks her words that make me free:
There is still a light that shines on me.

We Help Each Other Out

Helping each other is what families do. Today I am helping one of my daughters improve her financial situation. In these economic times, awaiting new laws to protect the consumer, credit card companies are increasing the interest rates, even doubling it. Under those circumstances, one can quickly loose the ability to have any impact on reducing the debt.

We decided together, Gerry and I, and this particular daughter, that it would be in all our best interest for her to be able to pay off that credit card, so we are providing collateral for a guaranteed-to-be-paid-back loan. This daughter is a single parent. I once lived in that state for a few years, before I met Gerry, so I am very sympathetic. It is a very scary place to be, and feels precarious, like living the edge, where one unexpected event can cause the whole house of cards to come tumbling down. She has been dedicated and hard working, handling it all with as much grace as possible, despite tremendous challenges and hardships.

As a family, we have helped one another out in a myriad of ways over the years. I will never forget a few years ago when this very same daughter helped us out. In fact, it was one of those rare occasions that brought tears to my ears and a lump to my throat. Post cancer surgery, Gerry had many problems. That particular Christmas day we were supposed to have Christmas dinner at single parent daughter's house. She was doing the cooking, and the family was gathering at her house. But unexpectedly that day, Gerry had a serious medical problem which required a trip to the emergency room and we were unable to travel. I called the hosting daughter to let her know. She cooked the whole meal, put it in her trunk, drove an hour and a half to our house in Syracuse, and provided family Christmas for us all. That's something I'll never forget. It made me cry then. It makes me cry now, just to think about it.

To tell you the truth, we've all been through many difficult times in our lives, each one of us in different ways. But as a family, we hold one another up.

I don't know anything any more precious than that.