A New War in the Middle East

Today I met with two folks in our church family. We were discussing the Kanal Kitchen, one of our feeding ministries. It is always revealing to hear what comes in up conversation. Today, it was the war in the middle east. They had questions. They had a story about his 14 year old becoming fearful after seeing a tag line on the TV news about World War 3.

So I share this article from Sojourners. They are a Christian group whom I respect, and Jim Rice has written a good article.

I linked it, and I also copied it below.

The new war in the Middle East
by Jim Rice

What is the proper, appropriate response of a nation to violent attacks by terrorists or other radical extremists? We have seen one model illustrated in the response of the British government to last year's attacks on London's public transportation system, in which 52 people were killed and 700 injured. The British rightly understood the attacks as terrorist acts, but responded in a measured manner, dealing both with the investigation of the terrible crime and the need for enhanced security in its wake. Pointedly, the British did not opt for a military response to these acts of terror.

We have also, of course, seen an altogether different model of response, perhaps most clearly exemplified by the U.S. invasion of two countries - one of which was an actual source of the terror - following the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001.

Unfortunately, it seems to be in the latter spirit that Israel responded to terror attacks in the past fortnight. Provoked by the Hamas kidnapping of an Israeli soldier, Israel not only invaded the northern Gaza Strip but also destroyed a significant portion of Gaza's infrastructure, including airstrikes against Gaza's power grid.

Likewise, days later, when the Syrian-backed terror group Hezbollah seized the opportunity to raid northern Israel and capture two Israeli soldiers, Israel responded with a massive attack on Lebanon's civilian structures, from the Beirut airport to a dairy factory, civilian buses, bridges, power stations, and medical facilities, according to reports. Hezbollah responded by firing hundreds of rockets a day - more-modern, longer-range rockets than in the past - aimed intentionally at neighborhoods in Haifa and other Israeli cities. The result, not surprisingly, has been the death of many civilians on all sides.

The situation is clearly complicated by the role of Hezbollah as a part of the coalition government of Lebanon, which seems unable or unwilling (probably both) to disarm Hezbollah, which effectively controls the southern part of the country. The new warfare in the Middle East is also made worse by the sinister political manipulations of both Syria and Iran, who seek to increase their own power in the region no matter the human cost.

But Israel's use of military attacks in response to acts of terror raises many questions. The most important, perhaps, revolves around the issue of legitimate self defense vs. collective punishment. Israel is indeed surrounded by sworn enemies, including many who are demonstrably willing to violently destroy Israel. But does the real need for security justify the massively disproportionate response to an act of terror? Is the collective punishment of an entire population ever morally and ethically justified? As Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, put it in statement July 14, "The Holy See condemns both the terrorist attacks on the one side and the military reprisals on the other," stating that Israel's right to self-defense "does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially as regards the protection of civilian populations." The statement said further, "In particular, the Holy See deplores the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation."

Even apart from the ethical questions raised by Israel's massive retaliation, there are significant issues of efficacy: Does it work? Is Israel made more secure by a militarized approach? Israel has destroyed 42 bridges in Lebanon this week, along with 38 roads, communications equipment, factories, runways and fuel depots at the Beirut airport, and the main ports of Beirut and Tripoli. And along with the material devastation, the attacks constitute a terrible, possibly even fatal, threat to Lebanon's fragile and fledgling democracy.

Does the destruction of much of Lebanon's civilian infrastructure, so painstakingly rebuilt after years of civil war and occupation by both Israeli and Syrian forces, bode well for future peace between the neighboring states? In sum, will the Israeli attacks bring long-term security for Israel, or will they further ensure that the next generation of Lebanese and Palestinians - across the theological and political spectrum - grow up with an undying hatred in their hearts?

The violence of Hezbollah and Hamas should be unequivocally condemned and opposed. It cannot be ignored or underestimated that the two terrorist organizations have as their goal the eradication of Israel. However, much U.S. media coverage of this new Middle East war paints a misleading picture of a tit-for-tat equivalency between the two sides: Hezbollah explodes a bomb in Israel, Israel responds in kind. While their intentions are indeed malevolent, the two terrorist groups have nowhere near the military capability of Israel, which wields one of the most powerful military forces in the world (with the aid, of course, of more than $3 billion per year from the United States). The death toll in Lebanon in the first six days of the war has been tenfold that in Israel - according to The New York Times, 310 people, most of them civilians, have died in Lebanon while Israel has suffered 27 casualties, 15 of them civilians, since Israel began its attacks. (Similarly, 4,064 Palestinians and 1,084 Israelis have been killed since Sept. 29, 2000, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Israel Defense Forces, respectively.)

One of the most difficult aspects of trying to be a peacemaker in the Middle East context is the "separation wall" of understanding between the two peoples. The very definition of what is happening is understood in vastly different ways by the two sides. Supporters of Israel see the country attacked by its sworn enemies, and see in its response a necessary and justified act of national self-defense. Others see the region's most powerful military force (supported by the world's most powerful military force) illegally occupying Palestinian land and engaging in massive, disproportionate attacks on innocent civilians.

As Christians committed to the cause of peace, our role is not to "take sides" in the struggle, in the traditional sense, but rather to constantly stand for the "side" of a just and secure peace. We can ignore neither the horror of suicide bombings against Israeli civilians (including direct attacks on school children) nor the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories (with all its "collateral damage" to Palestinian children). We must have the vision and courage to stand against the acts of violence by terrorist organizations, as well as the massive state violence by the region's military superpower, while avoiding the trap of positing a false "equivalency" between actions that are not equal.

We cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the political, strategic, and moral complexity of the situation to stand back and do nothing. A first step toward a more comprehensive resolution is an immediate operational cease-fire. But that must be followed by a new way of thinking because, as a U.N. official put it yesterday, "The Middle East is littered with the results of people believing there are military solutions to political problems in the region."

Jim Rice is editor of Sojourners magazine.

A few things that can be done:

Be consistent in denouncing the violence of both sides - especially when it is deliberately aimed at civilians (or targets where great civilian "collateral damage" will be the result).

Pray for the emergence of new political leadership on both sides - both of which seem bereft of creative, courageous, moral, or even pragmatic leadership.

Challenge any religious voices that seem utterly one-sided, completely neglecting the suffering and legitimate grievances of both sides.

Pray for new ways for Christians and our churches to join our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters in finding real and practical solutions for a just peace in the Middle East where two states can live with security and democracy.

And pray for better solutions than endless war to solve the real threats of terrorism in our world, because if we fail, all of our children will be at risk.

Binky Update

Good news on the binky front. If you read my post several weeks ago about my daughter Shannon and her first extemporaneous prayer, you know she prayed not to be so upset about her binky being gone. God answered that prayer! She has not cried for them since.

After being away for last week, our kids were of course clingy when we arrived home. On Sunday night, Shannon had a really hard time settling down to sleep and letting me leave the room. I do not like leaving the room with her in tears, but leaving her without firm boundaries is worse, so I left the room, tears and all. I told her as I was leaving that she could talk to God.

The next day, as we were driving, she said to me, "Mommy, I talked to God last night. It did help a little."

Nothing brings me laughter and awe all at once like my children. Truly God is with them.

Law of Flat Space

My father taught me about the law of flat space. It is this: if there is a flat space, something will be placed on it. My dining room table and the desk in my office are testimony to the truth of this law. I am truly blessed with a husband who has accepted me, clutter and all.

It is not that I don't want to be organized and clutter free. It's just that...something more important always gets in line ahead of such things as cleaning my desk. Like today- covenant group meeting, lunch with a church leader, and then time spent with a grieving family preparing for a funeral. You have to admit, these are pretty good excuses.

But the last straw came today, when I found in my in bin the book I had asked Sandy to order for me. And I found it again, on my desk, where it had been buried for several months. I am now the proud owner of two copies. Woops! I now have a home and an office copy. Fortunately, it is a reference book of which I could actually use two. This discovery led me to actually uncover an entire 8.5 x 11 inch flat space on my desk. I thought of taking a picture, but I didn't want you to see the surrounding clutter. You understand...

There is always something better to do than organize, file, straighten, and sort. But these next five weeks are going to be different! I am going to tackle this problem....and hopefully find a way to get better organized, and prevent such clutter from ....making me order two copies of the same book!

Christians, especially Methodists, talk about something called going onto perfection. It actually refers to being made perfect in love. I am truly grateful that clutter is not anywhere a part of the doctrine. The idea of "Christian perfection", also called "entire sanctification," is that it is possible for God to make someone perfect in their ability to love God and neighbor. It is an admittedly rare occurrence.

I like to say that this doctrine is one of the reasons I look forward to being a Christian all of my days. I want to see if and how God is going to pull this off. Who knows...if God can make human beings perfect in our ability to love, perhaps God can find a way to enable me to get rid of my clutter. I am certain that would answer one of my husband's prayers.

Sufficient

First, a note about this week. Ray and I leave for Boston in the morning, and will be gone until Saturday evening. The Lewis Fellowship in which I participate is meeting there and Ray and I are combining continuing education with some time away. So, I may or may not get to blog again this week.

Now, onto the topic of this entry. If it's Sunday night, it must be.....Sermon reflection time.

I really enjoyed preaching today. We had our women's retreat on Saturday, and I was reflecting then about how much I feel balanced again. I have finally gotten back to my sense of God's rhythm and grace. Thanks be to God.

This is part of the reason I so enjoyed today's lectionary texts. And I stressed/worked less on this sermon than any other in recent memory. This was partly because I felt so in tune, and partly because the lectionary involved one of my favorite verses of Scripture: My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2Cor.12:9)

The gospel lesson was the first two pericopes in Mark 6. It's the story of Jesus being rejected in his own hometown, followed by Jesus sending out the disciples two by two with instructions to travel light. Very light. With, well, nothing. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.

It strikes me that Jesus must have been through a heart wrenching time...preaching to the folks you grew up with, only to have them reject you? I would have been crushed. Scripture does not tell us Jesus' emotions, except that he makes a comment that a prophet is only without honor is his own hometown. I can hear a hint of bitterness there.

So what does Jesus do when he is rejected? He turns around and sends the disciples out to preach, teach, and heal. He invites them to depend entirely upon God, to the point of shaking the dust from their feet if they come to a place that is not receptive to the message. It is up to God whether the folks they meet are receptive or not. It's not about their own abilities to preach/teach/heal. Jesus reacted to his rejection by witnessing to the truth that when we feel most ineffective, that is precisely when God is most able to use us. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.

When I am feeling discouraged, rejected, isolated, useless, powerless, vulnerable, weak...whatever it is, God's grace holds me up. In fact, it is when I am most vulnerable that God is most powerful. Amazing. Awesome. And that is of course the message of the cross.

I remember the first time I was asked to go visit someone in the hospital. It was my first year of Seminary, and the senior pastor where I served on staff just walked in and said, "you need to go to the hospital and visit them." I gulped and said "ok." I was terrified. I said very little. Mostly I sat there, and then prayed.

I could not believe how grateful they were when I next saw them. They told me how much of a blessing my time spent with them had been. It was God working through me, not me, that did anything useful. Of that I am certain. My grace is sufficient for you, for power if made perfect in weakness.

I think this is one of those truths that don't make sense until it is experienced first hand. Really, I find that is true about much of the life of faith.

My favorite image of God's grace is that of a river. We have the choice to either jog beside the river, in which case we are close to God but working hard at it. Or, we can get in the river and float with the current of grace. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.

Right now, the water is feeling good. Hopefully, I'll be able to stay off the jogging path a while longer.

Sabbath

I am reading a new book by Marva Dawn. It is The Sense of the Call: A Sabbath Way of Life for Those Who Serve God, the Church, and the World . I really like this author.

She is one of two authors with whom I have shared the experience of buying a book of hers, only to get home and discover I have more of her writing already on my bookshelf. The other author this has happened with is James Howell. Neither author is especially well known, and apparently their names were not so memorable to me! But their subject matter is so compelling, that I end up buying multiple pieces of their work without even realizing I am buying the same author.

Marva has written extensively on Sabbath. This current book is leading me to seriously consider a sermon series on Sabbath.

She writes about the importance of Sabbath in maintaining a sense of call to ministry. Without Sabbath, it is possible to believe it is all up to me. Sabbath reminds me that ultimately kingdom work is God's work, and I am just an instrument. Ceasing from work reminds me who is truly leading and working. Without Sabbath, it is also possible to get a savior complex and believe the world cannot survive without me.

God created people with a need for this Sabbath rhythm. Without at least day to lie fallow, and rest in God, I lose all of my creative energy. Today, I feel like I am just recovering my spiritual energy and rhythm. I have been out of rhythm for several weeks, and I am grateful for the renewed sense of balance and trust.

Thinking about Sabbath makes me think about busyness. Marva makes the case that pastors should not be overcome with busyness. That is a worldly rhythm, not a kingdom rhythm. I think she is right. Busyness communicates that not having enough time for people. And it's really about relationship. Relationship is nourished in the soil of time and presence.

I hope to grow in my ability to eschew the world's perspective that busyness is a sign of success and importance. I'd like to hear myself saying much more often that I am doing absolutely nothing- that would certainly be counter cultural!

Citizenship in What Kingdom

For obvious reasons, I have been thinking about citizenship. This was the first Fourth of July that Shannon, our four year old daughter, was old enough to grasp something of the holiday. We explained that it is the birthday of our nation. She understands birthdays.

I hope that she grows into a woman who understands that her primary citizenship rests in the Kingdom of God, and that everything else is secondary. It seems to me that many citizens of the United States, including people of faith, have a tendency to consider citizenship in a country as important, or even more important, than the Kingdom of God.

We listened to Jason Alexander on the radio, hosting the Capital Fourth, as we drove to the fire works display in Newark. He thanked our service men and women for "keeping us safe" while our country was "again at war." I was reminded again how much respect I have for people willing to risk their lives for what they believe.

But I also found myself thinking: Is that really where safety comes from? Armed people, fighting others? That is not what Scripture says. Scripture is filled with references to peace, referring to the absence of war, not just some warm fuzzy feeling. Isaiah talks about beating our swords into plowshares. Jesus preached about loving our enemies and turning the other cheek. Jesus' disciples hoped he was going to lead Israel to a military victory over the Roman occupiers. Instead, he died on a criminal's cross, so that ALL could be saved, not just one generation of Israelites. An unlikely path, to be sure.

What if we had armies of people devoted to laying down their lives for the gospel? Willing to "keep us safe," by risking love rather than responding in fear and hatred? (War cannot happen without some fear and hatred- people are just not created to kill people without the ability to dehumanize them in some form.) What if these soldiers fought, not by bearing arms, but through loving, non-violent action? This is the kingdom in which I want to claim citizenship.

Howard Thurman, a theologian and pastor who influenced Martin Luther King Jr., wrote eloquently in his book Jesus and the Disinherited
He was writing in the 1940s, and included a story about a white man who shared with Thurman that he was not teaching his children to hate black people. Thurman concurred that this white man understood something that is vital for the disinherited to know- once you allow yourself to hate someone, it's not too much further down the road to hate others. And hate has a way of getting out of control.

There are many Kingdom values embedded within our nation's values. But there are also many contradictions to kingdom values. War and lack of care and compassion for the poor come immediately to mind. And when push comes to shove, I am God's citizen first.

Faith and Ambiguity

I was at Camp Pecometh this week. From Sunday night through Friday afternoon, I was the "Spiritual Life Coordinator," leading Bible Study and worship for Middle School aged youth. I was grateful to have a relatively light schedule of only three studies per day and one worship service per evening. I also had some time for retreat, reading, and reflection.

I had a chance to spend some time with Jack Shitama, the Camp Director, who is also a part of our community of faith in Chesapeake City. (He is preaching again at Jacob's Well on July 9.) We got to talking about the nature of faith, and he reminded me of something Dr. Laurence Hull Stookey said. One cannot have strong faith without being able to handle ambiguity.

This has certainly been my experience. Black and white are hard to come by. But the Great Mystery that is our God is amazing to experience. I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes. It is by the poet Ranier Marie Rilke. He writes in letters To A Young Poet:
I would like to beg you, dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer

It is ironic that I would be having these thoughts as I was teaching Bible study to Middle schoolers. Life is still black and white at this age. That is part of the reason I enjoyed being at Camp. And I hope God used some of what I said and did to plant seeds that will bear fruit for the Kingdom, now and in the future.

I think that once a person of faith gets to really trying to put faith into action, praying, serving the poor, living a life of reconciliation and forgiveness, reflecting on God's will for the world and one's individual life, things become muddy. The church throughout the ages, literally almost since its inception, has wrestled with the balance between purity and unity, sin and grace. As soon as we begin reaching into the world in love, we find that the world is a messy place.

Another of my favorite quotes, this one by GK Chesterton:
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried

Teaching about death

I remember very clearly a story that was told to me about a five year old boy whose father died. The boy did not really understand what was happening as he went through the motions with his family. But when he was at the gravesite, and he suddenly understood that they were going to bury his father in that deep hole, he threw himself at the casket and sobbed and would not let go.

My heart still breaks when I think of that story. The boy is a teenager by now and I have lost all contact with the family. But it got me thinking about children and when it is appropriate to teach them about death.

A century ago and beyond, death was much more a part of life. Cemeteries on the edge of major cities were considered by laborers to be great places to go for picnics on weekends and breathe fresh air. (Now these cemeteries are in the midst of the down town areas.) Homes used to be built with doors wide enough to accommodate coffins for wakes which were traditionally held in homes. People would lie in state at their homes for days. Dying at home, saying good bye, and grieving together were a part of life.

I think that was a much healthier way of dealing with death. Now we keep everything as sterile as possible, and as far away as possible. I have even had people tell me they prefer that funerals not be in churches, because it makes church creepy. Of all the places where we should be comfortable with death, it's in church! The message of the church is that in Jesus Christ, death has lost it's sting, and Christ has the finial victory. The resurrection is reason to rejoice, even as we grieve.

So I have made it a point to talk about death with Shannon, my four year old. She has had conversations about death with us since she was two. I don't force the subject, but it comes up if it is not avoided. This is of course especially true for me as a pastor. I had a funeral today. Shannon came in and asked if I would please not go to work today and take her to the YMCA to swim. (She keep pestering me to stay home all day- after all, her father does!) I told her that I had to go to officiate at a funeral. She knows what that is; we've talked about it before.

Tonight at bed time, she was asking more questions about dying. She asked me what would happen if she died before my husband and I. I told her we would be very, very, very, very sad and that it was unlikely it would happen that way. She was teary. I told her about heaven, about how it would probably happen that her grandparents would die and go to heaven, and that her mommy and daddy would not die until she was grown and had kids of her own. Then I explained that she would probably die when she had grown children and even grandchildren, and then she would see all of us in heaven. She asked how we get to heaven, how we get to the sky. I told her that we don't know for sure until we die, but that God takes care of it. She asked if Jesus and heaven are very far away, and I said they are in a different place, but that Jesus is also right here with us all the time. She asked if they have birthday parties, and get to play outside. I assured her the weather in heaven is always great, and there are plenty of parties and time for playing outside. Then she asked what Jesus does all day when people are not dying. I explained that people die every day and he is busy welcoming them home to heaven.

She cried softly some more, saying it made her sad. I told her that was alright.

I'm hopeful that I am helping my daughter face life and death with courage, hope, and trust. But who knows, maybe I am setting her up for years of therapy! I guess I won't know until I know.

Hope, trust, encouragement, worship

I've been in something of a funk for the past two weeks. It all began at Annual Conference. I'm tired of complaining about it, so I'll just leave it at that.

But today I turned corner. Yesterday, I was truly wondering if it's time for me to seek counseling (the jury is still out). Then last night before Administrative Council, I knelt at the chancel rail, and I prayed. I don't even remember what I prayed, but I do remember looking at the eight sided baptismal font. It has eight sides to signify that baptism brings new life, new creation, new beginnings. Creation is marked by seven days, new creation by eight. It was a hope-filled reminder of who God is and who I am because of that.

Then today in Bible study, I was reminded that God really speaks through Scripture. The appointed lectionary passage for Sunday is Mark 4:35-41. It's the story where Jesus falls asleep on the boat while a storm is raging. The disciples wake him and demand to know why he hasn't stopped the storm. He calls for peace, the storm stops, and then Jesus asks why the disciples have so little faith.

Why indeed? Why do I have such little faith? Why does it take so little to discourage me? I thought of all the storms that rage in life, and remembered that I have much to be grateful for. I have a great marriage, a wonderful church family, and beautiful healthy children. I don't live in a war torn country as millions do, I don't worry where my next meal is coming from, I don't have any abuse in my life (1 in 4 women are sexually abused/assaulted in some way in this country), I am not addicted to anything (as long as chocolate doesn't count), and I have good health.

Then tonight, God really lifted me. I went to a worship service led by Rev. Paul Huebner. Paul has single handedly kept me encouraged over the past five years we've been friends in ways that no other clergy friend has. Tonight, he reminded us that despite all of the world's efforts, the darkness has NEVER overcome The Light.

As I was riding home, I was listening to the news and to our President make troubling statements rattling the saber again about Iran and nuclear war. (We can't handle another war! One is more than Jesus would have waged!) I heard reports that Congress has voted down legislation to raise the minimum wage, and I thought about how outrageous it is that people can work full time in this country and still live well below the poverty line, but according to our government, that's ok. And then I thought about light and darkness. I thought about the truth that no matter how dark it may seem, there is always light. I thought about the fact that I could not see myself anywhere other than the church, because this is the place where actions are called upon to be rooted in love and the message of hope is eternal.

You know you've been on vacation when...

I just had to look up my sign in and password for this blog! I hope that's the sign of a good vacation. We Methodists have a thing called Annual Conference every June. This was not the vacation part. It is a regional gathering of all the clergy and lay reps from every local church in our geographical area (called a "Conference"). After four days of Conference, then it was vacation time. I joined my family at the beach for four days. They had already arrived three days earlier.

This morning in worship, Paul Huebner, who retired this year from pastoral ministry, lifted a praise that I had been appointed to serve this Charge for another year. It was a blessing to be affirmed in that way. It was also a good reminder that United Methodists are really appointed to serve one year at a time. Every July, the clergy who are moving shift churches and/or retire, and the rest of us are reappointed to the same place. Although I get a voice in the process, and the local church gets a voice, the decisions are ultimately in the hands of the Bishop and District Superintendents.

It is an exercise in faith and trust to live in this way. When the folks from Portable Church Industries delivered the trailer for Jacob's Well, they asked how I decided to serve in this community. I replied that "I didn't decide." This is entirely true. My only part of the decision was that I discerned that it was time for me to seek a new place to serve, because I had done what God had called me to do at Summit. After that, I waited for the District superintendent to call me. He did call in the spring of 2003, and invited me to talk. We met, and he shared with me about Chesapeake City. Ray and I had 24 hours to pray and discuss, and then we called to say that we were excited to serve. (If we truly had not felt called, we could have said that and explained why, but it still would have been the Bishop's decision either way.) Then we met with the Staff Parish Relations Committee...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Many people comment that this system does not make sense, people both inside and outside the Methodist system. I respond by saying that all systems have their strengths and weaknesses, but that I truly believe in this. I say this because the District Superintendent and Bishop introduce a level of honesty and reality that only a third party can bring. In the call system that is used by most (all other?) Protestant Churches, it is something like a dating relationship at the interview. Everyone puts their best foot forward, and no one talks about the problems or weaknesses. Not really anyway. In our system, the District Superintendent and Bishop know the pastors, the churches, and the skeletons in the closets. They try to make matches that will work. Often, it succeeds. Sometimes it fails.

Right now, I feel that God has used our system to bring together this pastor with these churches for just such a time as this. I feel grateful to God to be serving here- some days I still find it hard to believe that God has called me to be a pastor here. I look forward to another year, and hopefully many more years. Thanks be to God.