A Work in Progress

Anticipating the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (June 12^th this year), our Church School curriculum has been sharing the stories of Peter, Paul and the community of Christians formed immediately after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension. These stories are recorded for us in the book of Acts, which follows the Gospel of John in the New Testament and is believed by scholars to have been written as the continuation of Luke’s Gospel by the same author.

The full title of this book of the Bible is Acts of the Apostles – “apostle” is derived from Greek and means “one who is sent forth” as opposed to “disciple” which means “one who follows.” The community who followed Jesus on earth has to shift its focus from following their teacher, Jesus, to sharing his message after he has ascended to Heaven. It’s a bumpy journey for this group as they make the transition.

Acts is a fascinating book – the early Church wrestles with a number of issues from who can be included (do non-Jews have to become Jews before they can become Christians?) to what kind of food can be eaten to how to care for members of the community of faith while still preaching and teaching. Acts is a work in progress as the early Church tries to figure out who and what it is called to be.

It seems to me that we – the Church – are still struggling with the same sorts of questions: who belongs and who doesn’t? How do we serve care for our members and still preach and teach? What does it mean to believe? To follow? To lead? To serve?

While the canon of Scripture is considered to be “closed,” I believe that we are still writing the Acts of the Apostles. Like Peter and Paul, we are sent forth to share the Good News in our homes, our neighborhoods, our faith community and the world. We are called forth to both live and tell the Story of God’s saving action in Jesus. Like Peter and Paul, we, too, are Apostles and it is up to us to continue living out the Acts of the Apostles! How we “go forth” matters!

Grace and peace,

Dr. Elizabeth

"Were Not Our Hears Burning Within Us?" Luke 24:32

The Gospel for this past Sunday, the third Sunday of Easter Year A, is always the disciples' experience on the road to Emmaus. I grew up hearing this story and it never ceases to thrill me. I look forward to hearing it read and preached upon every three years.

The story the two disciples tell of their experience at Emmaus is a familiar and rich one. There is much food for thought and prayer within this text, yet I always find that it is verse 32 that leaps out at me, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the Scriptures to us?"

I suspect this verse catches my attention because, at heart, I am both a teacher and a student. I recognize the thrill and the certainty the disciples feel when they have been in the presence of Truth that opens their hearts and eyes to seeing in a new way. Educators of all kinds refer to this moment in the story as a "teachable moment" - a moment that helps us see and know in a new way. This is the function of Christian education within the Church. Gathered together as the community of faith in both sacrament and teaching, we experience over and over again, the "teachable moments" that faith offers us. We meet Jesus the Teacher again and again - and our lives are changed because of it.

Christian Education - "Church School" as it is more commonly known - is not the glamour place in the Church. It tends to be messy (glitter paint and glue) and noisy (children were not designed by God to be quiet!). Viewed in passing, it can often appear somewhat chaotic. And it is easy to think that it is only one more activity in which our children participate. But something else goes on in Church School that happens no where else in the lives of our children. It is in this place, in this time, in these activities, that our children encounter Jesus the Teacher, just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus. At Church School, our children hear, play, share, sing and explore the teachings of Jesus in community with others of all ages doing the same. As they mature and progress through the different stages of faith formation here at SUMC, children encounter the stories of Scripture over and over. Each moment is rich with the possibility of new understanding, change and growth. These stories of God saving action in Jesus form a foundation of faith that lasts a lifetime and continues to grow and develop as our children mature throughout their lives.

In the larger scheme of life, it is easy to forget the place of Church School in our children's lives. But where else in their busy activities will they hear the stories that transform their hearts, provide a secure foundation of love and trust, and form them into the people God calls them to be? That is the role of the Church School in partnership with you, their parents. We are delighted to have you and your children on the journey of faith with us.

Grace and peace,
Dr. Elizabeth

"What Are We To Say About These Things" (Romans 8:31)?

I have spent much time this week pondering and praying over Osama bin Laden's death and how to respond. This is a difficult and ambiguous issue for those of us who are adults, but knowing what to say and how to say it to our children is complicated. The first thing to remeber is that you know your children best - follow their lead through their questions and be confident the Holy Spirit will be with you as you respond.


Our Scripture tells us "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather they should turn from their wicked ways and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23) and this same understanding of God's mercy is also found in 1 Timothy 2:4, Michah 7:18 and Ezekiel 33:11. Yet, it would seem that Osama bin Laden did not turn from what Americans have know as his "wicked ways." The evil he perpetrated continues to have lasting effect on many of our sisters and brothers and on our country as a whole.



We live in a messy world - one that does not yet resemble the "peaceable kingdom" where both God's justice and mercy dwell hand in hand. Often times, we live in a world where "the color of truth is grey" (Andre Gide). So "what are we to say" to our children "about these things?"



There is an excellent prayer on the General Board of Discipleship's web page. You can find it at http:/http://www.gbod.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=nhLRJ2PMKsG&b=5801541&ct=9377657/. Prayer is always a good place to start talking with our children. Elementary-aged children and up can begin phrasing their questions from the prayer and parents can use the prayer as a guideline for response. The tougher questions are going to be things like "Is Osama bin Laden in hell?" A good answer might be "I don't know, but I am trusting that God knows what was in his heart and knows how best to treat him." Our junior high children may begin really wrestling with good and evil- and questions such as "Why does God let bad things happen?" and "Why did God let it take so long to find this guy?" These are questions that tug on our own sometimes unanswered questions. Often the best way to respond is to ask the young person what they think and talk it out together in conversation. You may find that you know something you didn't and both you and your child may learn from the presence of God in the conversation. On the other hand, very young children will probably not ask many questions and will be reassured by the fact the OBL is no longer a danger to themeselves or those they love.

This is a tough issue through which to wade - both as individual Christians and as Christian parents. I find myself feeling rather ambiguous; I am glad that OBL is no longer walking among us, but I cannot rejoice in the death of another human being anymore than I can rejoice in the pain he caused. The disordered social relations in which we live are the results of disordered human hearts and actions over the long continum of human history. My own reaction is to pray and then to use the resources of our Methodist quadrilateral - Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience - to help me come to some form of response. It is slow work in this case.

Please know that these are simply guidelines and my own thoughts - I am happy to talk through any questions or concerns with you - just call or email. And know that I am holding the children and families of SUMC in deep prayer this week.

Grace and peace,
Dr. Elizabeth