Reflection from our Lenten Study Groups "God is surely doing some wonderful new things! I just don't always see them!" listening to those who have lead our Lenten Study experiences I have discovered many new things. We have addressed how polarized …at odds with each other…how downright mean spirited a lot of our debate has become with each other. When all this started I was feeling pretty uncertain about what would happen. Would we be getting people together who just wanted to fight with each other over community concerns…political issues…gay vs straight ways of understanding sexuality…business vs government and still to come gun rights or gun restrictions. In order to keep the peace I put Jesus in the middle of all this… And he did what he does. Two men from our community…a teacher and scout leader showed us that while there are differences among people…men and women of faith share come very basic needs to work together…and can work together for the good of all. Two men who serve in our legislature came…one a seasoned politician…another a young man from our own community just starting out in our state house…came and talked about how they work together and respect each other and how often others work hard to draw them into conflict that really doesn’t have to exist. Two pastors who have differing views on marriage, sex, gay and straight love presented their concerns and opinions in a way that opened doors for me and others to see how our Christian faith and ministry can allow us the chance to engage and minister in places where there is much pain and confusion in our communities today. And finally Tim and Bill coming from differing ways of looking at work and faith shared how our free market style of capitalism can benefit from and be blest by a way of doing business that values people, workers, clients, customers, management, the environment in such a way that Christ valued servant leadership builds not just wealth but honest success. If I had needed an example of how God does new things…and shows us new ways of doing things…I only had to be here Wednesday evenings and witness some really wonderful ways this is happening.

Lenten Meeting - Love Sex and Marriage

The Rev. Al Fletcher was right when he said this topic, more than any other, is a deeply dividing issue. He and Scot Dow went on, however, to provide a really compassionate and heartfelt insight into ways that followers of Jesus can come at these issues, especially homosexual sex and gay marriage. Al's first suggestion made great sense to me and echoed a lot that has been said in our other two meetings. It is easy to get caught up in the ideology of others who would like us to take their side in the argument about what is biblical or christian about views on marriage, either gay or straight. Once you take a side, both speakers pointed out, you often lose sight of the person or persons who are living with the very concerns we were addressing. Scot Dow made, I feel, a really balanced appeal...a heartfelt appeal...sharing his own struggles to live his Evangelical Faith with a desire to engage openly ...not just issues...but persons who need help...guidance...love...nurture...admonition...a listening ear. Both speakers emphasized stearing away from easy answers and engaging in dialogue with persons, scripture, God...in ways that will be painful and difficult but which offer the opportunity for the ministry of Christ to help and heal.